North Carolina Zoos - Asheboro Zoo
If you're looking for something different to do, and you haven't yet been to the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro, pack a lunch, grab your backpack, and hop in the car. After a beautiful drive in the fall color down highway 64, just over an hour from Cary, you'll find yourself at a nationally recognized zoo. 
Noted for its natural habitats, the NC Zoo was the first zoo designed from the start to get rid of the cages and iron bars and give animals homes that closely resemble those found in the wild.
With almost 5 miles of walking paths, the Zoo offers great exercise while allowing close ups of many different animals.
When starting at the North America entrance, visitors can see alligators in a swamp environment (with heavy glass windows at one end of the habitat to allow underwater viewing), as well as bobcats, turtles, and a variety of ducks.
Next is the famous polar bear exhibit. With a huge pool of water and lots of rocks and islands, the polar bear has plenty of room to enjoy himself while guests can take a ramp to watch from below through heavy glass, or stay at the top of the exhibit and view from above the water level.
The walking paths alone are noteworthy.
There is plenty of green space between each exhibit, and the paths are particularly beautiful in the fall. Each one winds and wraps around, allowing privacy for the animals and the zoo-goers.
There are black bears, river otters, grizzly bears, red wolves, and several indoor exhibits for river life, including fish and snakes.
About halfway through the North America section is a terrific playground with a bug theme.
The "floor" of the playground is made of soft, springy recycled tires and is a treat to walk on.
The back half of the zoo has an African theme. There are elephants, gorillas, chimps, giraffes, and much more.
The elephants, among others, live in the 37 acre African Plains exhibit - an area larger than most zoos, and this is just one exhibit! There are viewing glasses available for closer examination of animals on the other side of the plains. There are shuttle buses available at stops throughout the zoo to return visitors to the main entrance, or plan to get some extra exercise and return by path.
Because of all the twists, turns, and loops, visitors can see different parts of the zoo on every walk. 
NC Zoo's location in Asheboro was chosen after intensive research in the late 1960s by zoo experts. Some of the things considered were soil tests, disease vectors, veterinary medicine, groundwater, roads, and an economic survey.
The Zoo sold the first admission tickets in 1975. The first animals to arrive were a pair of Galapagos turtles.
Today, a Galapagos turtle is again featured in the Kids Zone area of the zoo, which allows more personal visits with the animals, and is staffed by knowledgable personel who answer questions and encourage interaction.
The NC Zoo offers a large number of educational programs - including some planned specifically for homeschoolers, teachers, and school visits. Teachers can also request a zoo expert to visit their classroom. There are even overnight experiences available for 8-12 year olds, called "Zoo Snooze".
This zoo is worth visiting - and not just for kids. Find out more, including admissions and directions, at http://www.nczoo.org.
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