Overview
Asheboro is a town in North Carolina, and is the seat of Randolph County, a rural area south of Greensboro. It is known primarily as the home of the North Carolina Zoo, and also contains a few other attractions.
2 sights · 7 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Asheboro
North Carolina Zoo
The zoo's 2,600 acres, split into two sections featuring wildlife from Africa and North America, makes it the largest natural habitat zoo in the world. The North American section features wildlife from the Pacific Northw…
Richard Petty Museum
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 32°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Aug and Mar. (climate data from nearby Piedmont)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- GSO Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro — 27 mi away (major hub). Directions
- USA Concord-Padgett Regional Airport, Concord — 55 mi away. Directions
PART Route 10 offers service from Greensboro with connections to other cities.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning North Carolina Zoo
- Lunch Burrito Brothers
- Afternoon Richard Petty Museum
- Dinner The Table
- Evening Carolina Tap House
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
- Charlotte - Either Interstate 85 North to US 64 east, or NC 49 (a smaller road traversing the country) (1.5 hr)
- Greensboro - Take Interstate 73 South (30 min)
- High Point and Winston Salem - Take Interstate 74 east (30 min and 45 min respectively)
- Raleigh - US 64 West (1.5 hr)
By bus
PART Route 10 offers service from Greensboro with connections to other cities.
Get around
Car, although biking and walking is possible in some areas such as the "downtown area" around Sunset Ave, Fayetteville St, and Salisbury St. The chains catering to tourist and passerby are mostly on Dixie Drive (US 64).
See
See North Carolina Zoo
The zoo's 2,600 acres, split into two sections featuring wildlife from Africa and North America, makes it the largest natural habitat zoo in the world. The North American section features wildlife from the Pacific Northwest, the swamps of the Southeast, the deserts of the Southwest, and the Prairies, as well as fauna found locally in North Carolina. The African section features wildlife from the African savannas, as well as popular lemur, chimpanzee, and gorilla exhibits. The zoo also has an aviary which resembles a tropical forest setting.
- Downtown Asheboro A nice collection of antique stores, thrift shops, bakeries, specialty shops, and cafes, as well as a nice park. Of note are the Art Deco town hall on Church Street and the Neoclassical courthouse on Worth Street. Suitable for an hour or two of strolling and enjoying small-town life.
Buy
- Seagrove Pottery Seagrove is a small community south of Asheboro, famous for its pottery. A huge number of potters operate out of homes and small workshops in and around the town.
Eat
Eat Taste of Asia
Good Thai food on South Fayetteville Street.
Eat Something Different
Variety of cuisines, Middle Eastern, Italian, on Zoo Parkway just south of Dixie Drive.
Eat Dixie Express
Owned by the same family as the Dixie III, a good local fast food option. Excellent milkshakes, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Try a hot dog "all the way": mustard, chili, slaw, and onions.
Eat Burrito Brothers
Authentic Mexican food.
Eat America's Roadhouse
Known for steaks, ribs, chicken, and seafood. They also have "exotic" foods on the menu like the Buffalo Burger, Ostrich Burger, Alligator Tail, and Frog Legs.
Eat Henry James BBQ
Known for hush-puppies and good BBQ.
Drink
Drink Carolina Tap House
Asheboro's only self serve taproom.
Sleep
Almost all hotels are on Dixie Drive (Hwy 64). More lodging can be found in the nearby cities of Greensboro and High Point.
Stay Fairfield Inn and Suites Asheboro
Go next
- Piedmont Triad
- Research Triangle - visit the state capital, Raleigh, the revitalizing city of Durham, or the college town of Chapel Hill
- Charlotte, the largest city in the state
If you are so inclined, the surrounding area has lots of small farms, country churches, and occasional oddities (look for the former-schoolbus-turned-house in the tiny community of Erect) which may provide for a pleasant afternoon in the country.
Nearby
Seagrove
City / town · 12 mi away
Thomasville
City / town · 9 listings · 19 mi away
High Point
City / town · 13 listings · 20 mi away
Greensboro
City / town · 51 listings · 25 mi away
Lexington
City / town · 11 listings · 26 mi away
Burlington
City / town · 9 listings · 33 mi away
Pittsboro
City / town · 15 listings · 36 mi away
Winston-Salem
City / town · 42 listings · 36 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.