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I think that there is a place in Mooresville that lets the kids pet the animals and see them up close. Lazy 5 ranch? I think for a child of this age, that would be more meaningful and she would enjoy it more. Going to a zoo where the animals are so far away would not really hold her interest, I don't think.
I think that there is a place in Mooresville that lets the kids pet the animals and see them up close. Lazy 5 ranch? I think for a child of this age, that would be more meaningful and she would enjoy it more. Going to a zoo where the animals are so far away would not really hold her interest, I don't think.
I like the North Carolina Zoo because the animals are happy there. I enjoy seeing animals when they are all caged up, but I went to the Knoxville Zoo and was troubled for some time afterward because of the noise from I-40 that the animals had to endure. They really seemed stressed. I have never been to the Columbia Zoo, so I cannot tell you about it, but unless the animal are in a natural setting like the North Carolina Zoo, I would certainly prefer our zoo.
When our children were small we liked to go in late October and early November and pretend we were in a jungle. At that time you had to pay extra to ride. Now everybody gets to ride. You might want to check about construction though. I will find the website for you. We have been to this zoo many times since it opened, but I don't think we have ever been there twice when it was exactly as it was the time before. They keep adding and improving.
We bought a year round ticket last year that allowed us to take two grandchildren with us on any visit and it didn't have to be the same two grandchildren, but alas the year went too fast and we never got back as we had planned. I didn't mind spending the money though because a zoo is a good thing to support.
I've been to both zoos, both before an after having kids, and for a small child I would recommend Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC over the NC Zoo.
Because the exhibits at Riverbanks are closer to walkways, you can spot animals more easily. Also, it is a compact zoo so you can see a lot in less time than is required for the NC Zoo.
Once your child is in elementary school there are many pluses to the NC Zoo, and I would recommend going there. The exhibits are large and try to duplicate conditions that animals would experience in their natural homes, so it's beautiful and much more humane, but there is a lot of walking to see everything. In addition, sometimes the animals are far away from the walkways and you can barely see them--not ideal for small kids.
For a 16 month old I would do the Columbia Zoo instead. Columbia is much more compact and a lot easier pushing a stroller around. Not to mention, in Asheboro, sometimes the animals can get a good distance from the fence and it is hard to explain to a toddler where to look. I think Asheboro is great for 2+ old but maybe a little too big for a younger toddler.
My daughter (now 3) LOVES Lazy 5 ranch also but it depends on your child animal "tolerance" because the animals are literly IN the wagon!
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