Family-Friendly Hotel near North Carolina Zoo

At the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, you can lock eyes with a giraffe in the Kenyan grasslands, see roadrunners bolting through the Sonoran Desert, and watch a T. rex come to life—all without leaving North Carolina. The 500-acre zoo boasts an enormous collection of carefully tended natural habitats hosting hundreds of animals and around 40,000 plants. A short, scenic drive north will bring you to Fairfield Inn & Suites Asheboro, which makes a comfy base camp for visitors exploring the Asheboro sights. In addition to the zoo, the area boasts dozens of hiking trails and the North Carolina Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame.

After a day spent hobnobbing with wildlife at the zoo, you can cool off in the hotel's indoor pool or lounge in the hot tub. Contemporary guest rooms are decorated with bold blues and greens and outfitted with 32-inch flat-screen TVs and iPod docking stations. In the morning, head to the dining room to take advantage of a complimentary breakfast spread that includes a waffle-making station.

Asheboro, North Carolina: Rolling Hills and Forest Trails

Asheboro is near the center of North Carolina in the state's Piedmont Triad. It's nestled in the Uwharrie Mountains, an ancient range thought to be one of the oldest in North America. For an up-close look at the landscape, visit the 5,000-acre Birkhead Mountains Wilderness, where you can explore rocky streams, forests, and relics of pioneer homesteads. At Purgatory Mountain, you can take a mile-long zipline tour above Richland Creek beneath a forest canopy that turns blazing orange and deep amber in the fall. Youngsters 8 or older can participate as long as they meet weight requirements.

Asheboro's quaint downtown features antique shops, bars with live bluegrass music, and a seasonal farmers’ market at which you can buy fresh, local produce and handmade crafts. For further artsy adventures, take a scenic drive to the nearby town of Seagrove. This small village has been home to a close-knit community of potters for more than two centuries. You can see their handiwork on display at local shops, art galleries, and the NC Pottery Center, which houses nearly a thousand pieces of sculpture dating as far back as prehistoric times.

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