Lion, Tigers, and Bears! Oh my, the NC Zoo has it all  

My nature leads me to be something of a homebody. Maybe it’s my zodiac sign or the twenty-three moves I've seen in thirty-five years that makes me want to curl up on my couch or hang out on the back porch when the weekend rolls around. But my husband and children have a different agenda. For them, the weekends begin with the same question – “What are we going to do?” My preference, of course would be watching a good movie, reading some trashy magazine or just hanging out. Rarely do I get my wish—the adventurers in my family are usually up for a road trip by Friday evening.

Since I am generally in charge of planning the trip, I get to pick the location. Last weekend, the decision was an easy one because the NC Zoological Park is only an hour away. Planning for the trip was also really simple. The website (nczoo.org) contains everything you need to know to prepare for your visit. Besides the usual stuff such as admission cost, driving directions, and types of animal exhibits, the website contains a wealth of information including show times, an events calendar and great educational resources.

The website is a good place to start, but it doesn’t tell you everything. Sometimes the best advice comes from experience. Here are some pointers you can use to turn a great trip to the zoo into an extraordinary one.

The zoo is located right off I-73 and is easy to find. It's just a matter of following the signs. Park at either entrance—both have ticket booths, picnic areas, restrooms, and gift shops. The zoo recommends starting with Africa is you arrive before noon and I have to agree. Most of the animals in these exhibits are free roaming and will probably be sleeping during the heat of the day. Trust me, if you want to see the lions do something besides lay there, then arrive early and start at the African entrance. 

Walking through the zoo is an education in North Carolina horticulture. Most of the paths are surrounded with beautiful foliage. The large shade trees covering the walkways help keep you cool during your stroll. The zoo contains over 5 miles of paths covering some 500 acres of “natural habitat” exhibits. So make sure you wear comfortable shoes.

Here's a particularly handy tip: since the center of the zoo is the highest point of the park, be prepared to walk uphill regardless of which entrance you use. However, you can avoid the challenges of walking uphill by taking the free tram service from the zoo's entrance to the center of the park. Then explore the zoo as you walk downhill back towards the where you came in. This is a great option if your safari party includes small children or strollers.

Visitors are discouraged from bringing outside food and drinks into the park. The zoo provides menus for each of the eateries on their website. Prices are not included—but plan on them being high. The picnic areas, located outside the park, are nice and provide plenty of room for large groups. If you want to bring some snacks for the kids (we did) please remember that any trash you leave around can be dangerous for the zoo wildlife. Straws and plastic wrappers can easily blow into enclosures fatally injuring animals.

As far as exhibits go, the zoo has plenty and they’re all good. Our favorites included the African Pavilion, Forest Aviary and Rocky Coast. For younger children (or those who are still young at heart), the center of the zoo houses an Endangered Species Carousel with zebras, bears, elephants and other animals in place of boring old ponies. At $2.00 a ride, my daughters certainly thought it was well worth the money. But the best attraction is the free Garden Friends playground. The larger-than-life garden vegetables and ladybugs found there are amazing to see and even more fun to climb. It was definitely the highlight of my children’s day and a great place for my husband and me to give our feet a rest.

Overall, the zoo was well worth the money. We ended up enjoying our trip so much that we bought a membership and are already planning our next trip. So the next time your weekend warriors ask “What are we going to do?” Consider visiting the NC Zoological Park. It has plenty to offer family members of all ages and you may even learn something along the way. 

Admission Information

Admission costs range from $10 for adults to $6 for children 2-12. Additional discounts are also available for seniors, military families, college students and groups.