The North Carolina Zoo is the reason Asheboro belongs on the map. Set in wooded hills south of town, it is one of the world's largest natural-habitat zoos, with long, landscape-scale exhibits rather than a tight row of cages. The two main regions cover Africa and North America, with elephants, rhinos, giraffes, gorillas, desert species and native Southeastern habitats.
Plan it like a park, not a quick museum. Distances are real, summer heat can be rough, and the shuttle can save energy if you are visiting with children.