Riverbanks Zoo Photos (Columbia, Jackson, North: 2010, theater, places to live)

[SunnyKayak]

Me and my pookie went to Riverbanks on Monday.
We are from North Carolina and I loved how this zoo is set up.
If your a soccer mom or just looking for a place to go with your sweetie
or kids this is a great affordable place to go.
There was hardly any crowd so it was a peaceful trip
Tip pack some water and a snack
I read about Lights Before Christmas - Riverbanks Zoo and Garden - Columbia SC - Christmas in the South - Holiday Festivals and Christmas Lights
looks really cool it reminds me o$f http://www.comber.forsyth.nc.us/TANG.../FOL_info.aspx
so I plan to go back in December
Here are Some pictures we took







let me stash some hay away from the others



you might want to skip the next two photos







this leaf was neat just hanging suspended in the air

[lagoon7]

Nice pictures, with the exception of the elephant urinating. Not sure why you'd take that picture....less sure why you'd post it in here..

[scyogi]

Ok..the elephant shot made me laugh, there is a 12 year old in all of us. It is a great zoo for the size of Columbia. We have spent many days hanging out there. If you are ever in Ft. Worth our zoo here is amazing. Thanks for posting the pics!

[PawleysDude]

lagoon7 wrote: with the exception of the elephant urinating...

I always find it interesting that homo sapiens are the only animal species offended by the way God created their bodies. Maybe someday we'll catch up with the other species.

Nice pics, SunnyKayak. Have you visited the NC Zoo in Asheboro? Riverbanks is nice but we enjoyed the zoo at Asheboro quite a bit more.

[Akhenaton06]

Great shots. Riverbanks is also getting ready for a major upgrade with a new kangaroo exhibit and $40 million in renovations including a children's garden and an Asian park featuring Komodo dragons, orangutans, and Tasmanian devils, among other animals.

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by PawleysDude

Nice pics, SunnyKayak. Have you visited the NC Zoo in Asheboro? Riverbanks is nice but we enjoyed the zoo at Asheboro quite a bit more.

Riverbanks and the NC Zoo are two different types of zoos. Riverbanks is an urban zoo, while Asheboro is in the middle of nowhere which is why it's as large as it is. Riverbanks is one of the best urban zoos for its size anywhere in the nation.

[PawleysDude]

Riverbanks and the NC Zoo are two different types of zoos...

Sorry if I offended you. They're both zoo's and they both cost money. IMHO, Asheboro is a far better value and far more enjoyable. I would recommend it over Riverbanks any day, particularly to someone who lives in NC.

And some of us think "middle of nowhere" is a great place to be, particularly when compared to urban concrete.

[SunnyKayak]

this is wild this summer was first time I been to Asheboro zoo and I felt Riverbanks had more animals, the reptile center aquarium and botanical gardens. I only explore the African side and not the Noerth American side in Ashboro. I loved the Toucan and orange flamingos I dont get sleeping on one leg
hehe Next time you do Asheboro you have to do the 4-D theater

Your right both cost money and need alot of donation both are very affordable.
I think Asheboro has larger plots for each species making it a natural habitat much as possible for the animals.
we each have our likings and opinions its all good

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by PawleysDude

Sorry if I offended you. They're both zoo's and they both cost money. IMHO, Asheboro is a far better value and far more enjoyable. I would recommend it over Riverbanks any day, particularly to someone who lives in NC.

And some of us think "middle of nowhere" is a great place to be, particularly when compared to urban concrete.

You didn't offend me at all, but it's apparent that you were, and that wasn't my intent. I was just pointing out why Asheboro has a more expansive and encompassing zoo. I wasn't bashing it at all, but just making a statement of fact. Yes, they are both zoos and cost money, but that's a gross oversimplification of reality. Riverbanks is Columbia's zoo, while the zoo in Asheboro is North Carolina's state-owned zoo. You're comparing the zoo that belongs to a metro of 725,000 to one that belongs to an entire state of 9 million people; not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison. And I didn't make a judgment call on the NC Zoo being "in the middle of nowhere" (and I have no idea why you seemed offended by that, as if I were putting down rural areas as places to live which is an entirely different subject altogether); in some ways, it's probably more desirable, but it has its downsides as well, easy accessibility being among them. This is probably why Riverbanks, in all of its "urban concrete" glory, posts higher visitor numbers than the NC Zoo and even zoos in much larger metro areas (Atlanta, Jacksonville, New Orleans). It has also been ranked as the #1 favorite day trip for Charlotteans. So despite this rather puzzling Kanye West-esque moment here, Riverbanks is doing extremely well for itself and continues to build upon its successes. Sorry if that's not quite good enough for you.

[SunnyKayak]

You both have debated your side on the issue andI appreciate it. What is funny their has been same debate in the Charlotte zoo both have their plus and minuses, but I wanted this thread to be a bit more enjoyable. In the past I have photo document threads around North Carolina and for 2010 I plan to do the same for South Carolina. I want to help newcomers and residents to get a picture of what your state has to offer