A Hidden NC Gem for Families…read more We had the most amazing time at Aloha Zoo in Cameron this week -- it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves! From the moment we arrived, our toddlers were wide-eyed with excitement, and the fun didn't stop. We explored exhibits featuring monkeys, hyenas, tigers, crocodiles, giraffes, and so many other animals -- each one more fascinating than the last. A highlight for our little ones (and us!) was getting to feed the animals -- it's such an interactive, up-close experience that they'll be talking about for a long time. But hands down, the most unforgettable part was the drive-through safari. Where else can a camel stick its head through your car window and nearly steal your taco bowl? This zoo is a perfect, family-friendly adventure with a personal, welcoming feel. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fun, memorable day trip. We'll definitely be back!

This is such a cool safari park... its a hidden gem TBH. They have farm animals which you can pet…read moreand larger animals you can observe and get relatively close too. Of course their big attraction is the drive thru animal park which you take your own car along a dirt trail and can feed (if you choose) various animals. The price for this place will not break the bank. A couple of observations to improve: 1) It needs to be maintained more... some of the exhibits just feel like add-ons on top of add-ons and it feels dated. 2) A refresh and modernization to the walking trails would be good. 3) A proper cafe or even drink stations with covered seating would be nice. Something more than just random popup trailers. 4) A more permanent (possibly lit) sign off highway 87 would be nice (if possible) Again this place is awesome, would come back!

This was such an awesome experience, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Keep in mind these…read morepeople are volunteers this establishment runs off of people like you and me visiting and donations. This is not a zoo it's a sanctuary and rescue and I highly respect what they do here. it takes a lot, more that I can probably fathom to rescue and care for all the animals they have here (they do have a lot) from a variety of turtles, tons of different birds that were beautiful, monkeys, horses, donkeys, a camel, cats, dogs, raccoons, fox, bunnies, reptiles, ant eater, bats, pigs, the list goes on. You can tell these animals are well cared for as well, just keep in mind that they are rescues and we don't know what they have been through before they arrived. the entrance fee is more than reasonable for the experience.

The 5 stars is for the overall experience. It's an animal rescue on a personal property, it is not…read morea "zoo" that being said we saw some things we have never seen in a typical zoo. You also get up close to the animals but they are still in enclosures. For $15 a person it's more than reasonable and you know your money goes to helping the animals. If you are traveling on I-95 this is 12 minutes off the Benson exit. A great break on your long drive on I-95. Walking surfaces are natural, not paved or concrete, please consider this when choosing your footwear!

I loved our time at the zoo…read more some tips and tricks: If you come in the hotter months make sure you take precautions; plenty of water, liquid IVs or other electrolytes, neck fans, sun hats, sun protective clothing, sunscreen, bug spray. take your time, take plenty of breaks. No matter which route you take you will walk up hill at times. North America has more cold areas than Africa. More air-conditioned areas and more misting stations. Utilize the tram and bus systems inside the park. This gives you a behind the scenes look at some of the exhibits and gets you off your feet and cools you down with the breeze. The smaller bus is air conditioned. The staff will help you load and unload your stroller or wagon if you bring one. There is an extra charge to feed the giraffes (worth it) you can buy tickets at the giraffe feeding station directly, butterfly garden (worth it) you buy tickets for it at junction plaza, zoofari (worth it) you can buy tickets for it at junction plaza. And the carousel (not worth it in my opinion) you can buy tickets for it at junction plaza. The zoofari only runs thursdays and fridays at 11 am and 12 pm or saturdays and sundays at 10am, 11 am, and 12 pm or you can request a private tour for a private group. the carousel isn't worth it for me personally. It's small and in a very dark shaded spot of Junction plaza. If you want a better carousel experience you should check out Nido & Mariana Qubein Childrens Musem if you can. It has a double decker carousel that offers unlimited rides for free once you pay for admission to the museum. Bring your own water and your own food/snacks that are light and won't bog you down. This will save on money spent in the zoo. There are plenty of restaurants and shops around the outside of the zoo you can stop at to save on money.

The North Carolina Zoo is one of our favorite places to visit as a family. We have been coming here…read morefor years, from when our children were young to now bringing our four year old granddaughter, and it never gets old. The experience is always enjoyable. The zoo is clean, well organized, and offers a very interactive environment that keeps everyone engaged. There is a lot of walking, but that is part of the charm and allows for a more natural setting for the animals. Food is about what you would expect from a large attraction and can be on the expensive side, but the overall experience more than makes up for it. We have never had a bad visit here. It is a place we will keep coming back to, and we are excited to see the new Asia section they are adding this year.

VERY INFORMATIVE! Totally worth supporting!…read moreBeautiful creatures! The tour guides were lovely . I will bring all out of town guests!

This was my first time at Carolina Tiger Rescue - I was a chaperone for my child's field trip…read more They had a little trouble finding all of the parent waivers when we first arrived, but they got it all sorted out. Our tour was great and very informative. Our guide was extremely patient with all the questions the little kids had. We got to see several different types of tigers and servals. They have some other animals there too, but some were either not out where we could see them or are nocturnal. Some of the stories about the animals are just heartbreaking but to be expected since they are all rescued animals. They had a spot with picnic tables where our group was able to eat after the tour before we left. One other thing to note if you come with a larger group - they only have 2 public bathrooms located in the gift shop. We had some long lines with all the kiddos, but we made it work.

Amazing for families with young children! Went with our 1 and 3 year old and it was perfect for…read moreboth age ranges. Love that almost everything is just included in admission and didn't need to worry about extra tickets. Will definitely be back! We went in March and it was beautiful weather. There was a good bit of shade provided through either trees or tents, but I could see it be brutal in the summer heat and sun.

Love this place! We had a blast during family day feeding the animals and just strolling around the…read morefarm.

We traveled four hours so my daughter could see a capybara, and the experience exceeded our…read moreexpectations. The farm is beautifully maintained with a diverse range of animals, including many exotic birds. The owner and staff were exceptionally welcoming and knowledgeable. The capybara encounter was a highlight--being able to feed and interact one-on-one made it truly special. Highly recommend. 10/10.

For some reason, a reel of a capybara from this place showed up in my Instagram feed. After reading…read moreabout this place on their internet place, we thought it would be a fun half-day trip from us. It's out there, but your GPS should be able to direct you. It's confusing at first because you pass a small parking lot, which is actually the parking lot for the capybara area. Keep driving and you arrive at the main entrance. We followed signs for admission expecting it to be in a building or something but it ended up being two people sitting at a table. We got two regular admissions, and they didn't give us a sticker or wristband or anything. I guess you do get a wristband if you pay extra for the capybara experience. Kind of odd since anyone can just walk around and they wouldn't know. We took a photo of their map and checked out all the areas. The animals are cool, and some are wandering around in open areas, even though they aren't really approachable. There was a food truck selling hot dogs, and the place also sells feed cups and gem mining kits (nobody was doing that on the day we visited). It's also cool that this place is an equine sanctuary. There are some shady areas but a lot of it is out in the open, so bring hats and sunscreen. We did see lots of exotic animals and enjoyed the experience overall.

We hired Jude's Ark for my toddler's birthday but as an option everyone could enjoy because she has…read moreolder brothers. EVERYONE enjoyed Jude's Ark - including the adults! My eight year old asked if they could come back for his birthday. The husband-wife team was professional, friendly, extremely patient and clearly passionate about the animals. The animals were all adorable and friendly and you get to touch all of them and hold many of them. Cost is extremely reasonable ($150 for one hour), no additional cost to come to our house in the Apex/Holly Springs area. They set up 30 minutes before and give you the option of a petting zoo style event or an educational half hour with touching followed by 30 minutes to interact more and hold many of the animals. We loved the educational half hour. The kids were fascinated by all of the animals. Don't opt out of the snake and tarantula, surprisingly those didn't feel as scary as I expected and the tarantula was even cute, he "high fives" everyone. I'm not sure I could pick a favorite animal. The bird was so sweet and kept laughing during the presentation. The hedgehog was adorable, as were the ferret, sugar glider and rabbit. Plenty of options for reptile-lovers too! Highly recommend.

A must see! So, so fun! The farm animals are very sweet, and the ice cream is delicious…read more Highly recommend!

It was amazing my 5 year old loved it everyone was so sweet she loved the enter action with the…read moreanimals and the animals are very dossal it was a nice place to go and let the baby have fun!

Museum was pretty big but not fit for children above the age of 10-11. Cool activities but the kids…read morethere hog all of the main games and the parents dont really care. Overall not bad and costed 40$ for 2 people adults pay 24 and 5-15 year olds pay 19$ the quality of the museum was cool but they dont let you pet the animals outside . Paper airplane launches but train wasnt there. Overall kinda pricey for what it is but the space section was pretty cool. Avoid the kids,as a kid myself they were pretty rude and even stole the activity i was in the middle of doing,shame on the parents for letting that happen.

Very interesting for all ages. Great use of the natural landscape for animal enclosures and…read morehabitats. My personal favorite was the butterfly house. Especially loved the pollinator garden outside the insect building. Climbing feature was well loved by the little in our group. The digging for artifacts and fossils was appreciated by the teen in our group. Red wolf exhibit was awesome once we spotted the mom dad and baby on video. Also appreciated the sensory room.

The Animal Park at the Conservators Center is a non-profit wildlife center in Burlington that's…read morededicated to abandoned and rescued exotic animals. It's a sanctuary with a focus on the animals' well-being where the residents get to live out their lives with genuine dignity in a safe, caring environment. If you are looking for a typical zoo experience where you can show up without planning ahead and gawk at caged animals for entertainment, this isn't the place for you -- and that is exactly why I love it. What makes it special to me is the meaningful mission and intimate guided walking tours of 10-15 participants led by dedicated, knowledgeable volunteers that last 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You aren't just looking at animals, you're meeting survivors. Most of the residents -- from lions and tigers to wolves and lemurs -- come from difficult backgrounds or private owners who couldn't care for them. If you're lucky, you'll hear the lions vocalizing -- a deep, rhythmic sound the staff calls "oofing." It literally vibrates in your chest and is something I'll never forget. PRO TIP #1: Reservations are a must. Because it's a wildlife sanctuary, you have to take a guided walking tour led by volunteer guides that share the individual backstories of the animals and answer (or find someone on staff who can answer) any questions you may have, which makes the experience so much more impactful than a self-guided walk. Limited weekend-only hours and required reservations mean you have to plan ahead due to volunteers' availability. PRO TIP #2: The habitats are designed for the residents' comfort and enrichment, not for yours. Expect unpaved gravel and dirt paths, so wear mud-friendly shoes or rain boots if it's been raining.

Absolutely amazing experience. Traveled almost 2 hours to do the twilight tour and everything was…read moreperfect. Tickets are greatly priced, and your guide was very knowledgeable. Every question was answered and you can really see the passion the people here have for the animals. 100% worth the money and worth the drive.