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A trip to the North Carolina Zoo with kids

This is a great time of year to visit the North Carolina Zoo! It can get so hot and humid in the summer that I highly recommend visiting in the spring so you can beat that heat. We recently brought our two kids (ages 4 and 1) to the zoo and managed to have an enjoyable time! Here is some information about the zoo and some of our tips for making the most of your trip:

Location:

The NC Zoo is located in the Uwharrie Mountains in Asheboro, NC, which is about halfway between Raleigh and Charlotte. Although the location is not very close to any of our major cities, it is located on a large swath of land and allows for the animals to have very large enclosures. This isn’t always the best for viewing the animals up close, but it’s something I appreciate knowing that the animals have a lot of space to run around and not feel quite so removed from their natural habitats.

Parking and Walking Directions:

The Zoo is divided into two sections, Africa and North America. We usually like to park and enter through the African entrance because you don’t want to miss the heavy-hitters, like the giraffe-feeding deck, the elephants, the lions, and the gorillas.

I definitely recommend planning ahead and getting there as early as you can. My advice would be to go on a Sunday morning right when the zoo opens. The pros of getting there early are 1) it’s cooler, 2), you get there before the crowds and have better views of the animals 3) the animals are usually more active as they are just waking up for the day. My advice would be to get there around 9am when the zoo opens, walk up to see the elephants first, and then head over to the giraffe-feeding deck. At 10am, for $5/person (free for those under 2) you can walk out on a deck and feed the giraffes some lettuce! This is my favorite thing to do at the zoo because you really get up close and personal. The kids love it too!

After the giraffes, you can follow the path to see the chimpanzees, lions, and gorillas. After the gorillas, we usually stop for lunch at the Junction Plaza. And then we continue on to the North American section where you can see the bison, black bears, polar bears, seals, and streamside animals like snakes and river otters. I love ending with the polar bear exhibit because it is always nice and cool in the interior viewing areas, which gives you a good chance to cool off on a hot day.

Another great reason to end in the North American section is that there are some fun new play spaces in the Kidzone area that include a garden-themed playground, a rope bridge play area, and a new splash park. If your kids have been riding in a stroller for much of the trip, this is a great time to let them play and stretch their legs on the playground or cool off in the splash park. There are two dining options, Wild Burger and Farm-to-Table Cafe, at this end of the park if anyone gets hungry. When you’re ready to leave, you can exit through the North American side and take a tram or bus back to the African parking lot.

What to bring if you’re visiting the Zoo with kids:

1- Walking shoes: this is a BIG zoo with a lot of walking so make sure you bring good walking shoes!

2-Stroller: I highly recommend bringing a stroller (make it a double if you have 2 kids!) because even your older child will most likely need to rest and it’s helpful to keep up a good pace if you want to see all of the animals. You can also rent a stroller or wheelchair if needed once you get to the zoo. Here is the link for more information about stroller rentals at the NC Zoo.

3-Water: even if it’s not too hot, it would be helpful to have water on hand because of all of the walking you’ll be doing. Also, I ran out of water during our trip and had to buy some more at the zoo and it was NOT cheap!

4-Pack snacks: This is always helpful, especially if your kids don’t want to get back in the stroller after you get them out to view some animals.

5-Hats and sunscreen: I love that our zoo is located in a beautiful forest and offers so much shade throughout most of the premises. This being said, there are some parts, especially on the North American side that can get pretty sunny so it’s always helpful to have hats and sunscreen on hand.

6- Extra diapers, wipes, and a dry change of clothes: In case of accidents or getting wet during the splash park, it’s always helpful to have dry clothes on hand.

7-Zoo Membership if you have one: I highly recommend buying the Zoo Family Membership. It pays for itself if you visit the zoo just three times a year and also gets you in to many other participating zoos and aquariums for free or half price.

The NC Zoo can be so much fun, but it definitely requires a little planning to make sure it’s enjoyable for the whole family. Let us know your favorite zoo tips and strategies!