See animals in their natural habitat, well maintained, would not miss it, but DO NOT GO IN THE SUMMER.......HOT-HOT-HOT

An open, walking zoo where you decide how much you want to see. Wear comfortable shoes! Incredible animal exhibits, where if you time it right, you can be up close and personal with some amazing beasts! Nice staff, decent food (prices are average for a place like this, meaning kind of high). Really cool and rare animals in natural exhibits. No bars, just moats and man-made rocks. Very impressed!

I visited the African continent of the NC State Zoo on my most recent visit. This is the oldest section of the zoo, but several of the exhibits have been renovated in the past few years. The rhino section is considerably larger due to the expansion of the Watani Grasslands. The elephant exhibit is also in this area. Since the exhibits are very large, there are times when it is harder to see the animals. That does not bother me, but it presents a challenge for people with younger children when they go from exhibit to exhibit and don't see many animals.

Restaurants at the zoo seem to have spotty hours. I arrived around 9:00 a.m. on this visit. The restaurant in the African Plaza was not open at 11:00 a.m. when I was ready to eat. Depending on your time of arrival or departure, I recommend eating at any of the many restaurants or fast food places that line Dixie Drive in Asheboro.

If you are staying in Asheboro, I recommend splitting your visit into two days. It is a very large zoo, and the hills make it a challenge for young children walking and their parents who are pushing them in strollers.

Natural habitats and a great variety of animals. Great fun for all ages.