North Carolina Zoo

We love... love... loved it here! Zoo was beautifully designed...plenty of shade..bathrooms and water throughout.
Hardly a wait for the tram.
Enclosures are just beautiful! Animals are well cared for and they have plenty of space to roam.
Love the animal statues located in front of the enclosures...plenty of photo ops! Just a great experience!

The North Carolina Zoo is a fantastic destination for families—especially if you're visiting with kids. The park is massive, so be ready for a good amount of walking, but they’ve got a complimentary tram that makes getting around easier.

Parking was hassle-free, with plenty of space available when we arrived. Food options inside the park are somewhat limited, but you’ll find basics like pizza, burgers, Mexican-inspired dishes, and some refreshing ice cream for a treat. Bubblers are scattered around the park to stay hydrated.

The African exhibits were especially impressive. The animal habitats are spacious and thoughtfully designed, which means animals might be a bit distant from the paths—so binoculars are a great idea if you want a closer look.

We appreciated how much shade the walking trails offered, making it more comfortable even during warmer parts of the day. You're allowed to bring in your own water and snacks (though coolers are not permitted). We had no trouble bringing sandwiches, apples, and nuts for our visit.

Overall, the animals looked healthy and well cared for. The standout moments for us were watching the bears and the primates—both were a big hit with the whole family.

Highly recommended if you're in the area!

Since my favorite animal is the polar bear I had to visit this zoo. My daughters always enjoy and they gave a lot of fun when we get to visit such nice places like this.
There's also lots of shade when walking through the trails
Staff was professional and helpful AND you will also get a workout with those hills inside the park!
Will definitely go back

Absolutely amazing experience. Such a fun and clean place. The animals are in wide open habitats instead of cages. Don't be disappointed if some of the animals aren't exactly up close in the display areas they have laid out. The animals come and go as they please, which is the best setup for them to be as free as possible. All of the staff were super amazing, friendly and helpful. The family had an amazing time. Souvenirs and food were pretty much fairly priced. I was expecting things to cost way more. Most shirts were $20-$30, plushies from $10-$50 toys/candy etc. Everything was super reasonable and im sure it goes to profit the zoo, so the souvenir shops were a double win with us. We got the yearly membership for 2 adults and 8 kids and it only cost around $100. We'll be coming back with more family for sure. Super amazing experience. 10/10

One of the best biggest well priced diverse zoos. Has busses and shuttles so moving around is easy. Seeing amazing animals like a polar bear is just surreal! Looking forward for the Asia section coming soon. Maybe a panda will be there, who knows 👀