Murphy to Manteo: Finding new adventures, historic detours, and the soul of North Carolina on the state’s longest highway: U.S. Route 64. Read the series.

“What does a lion say?” I ask my 1-year-old. “Roarrr,” James replies, his eyes never leaving the 400-plus-pound lion named Haji — who, on the contrary, is lounging quietly in the sun, his majestic mane fluttering in the breeze. Haji yawns. His tail flicks. But even through the glass that separates us from his enclosure, the jaw-dropping sight of his enormous yellowed canines is a good reminder that the roar is still in there. When Haji’s amber eyes shift toward us, James roarrrs again and presses the glass with his tiny hand.

My son’s current obsession is books with photos and illustrations of all types of animals, as well as examples of the noises they make — as demonstrated, constantly and theatrically, by his dad and me. After a trip to a local farm, where horses, sheep, and pigs brought our neighs, bahs, and oinks to life with great fanfare, I started to think a little bigger. And luckily, that’s easy to do in our state: At the North Carolina Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Asheboro, a quick day trip along U.S. Highway 64 from our home in Cary, the pages of James’s picture books come alive.

Over the years, the NC Zoo’s chimpanzees have welcomed residents like Ham, the first chimpanzee to go into Outer Space. photograph by UNCLE JUT VISUALS

Home to more than 1,700 hairy, furry, feathered, and scaled animals, the NC Zoo is the world’s largest natural habitat zoo. That means its enclosures are designed to closely resemble the natural environments where the animals would live in the wild, allowing them to roam and to behave more authentically compared to traditional enclosures. Strategically placed near the center of the state, the zoo is split into two regions: Africa and North America (with a highly anticipated third — Asia — opening next year).

The zoo’s diverse habitats sit on 2,800 acres and serve as centers of rehabilitation and conservation for the creatures that have found a sanctuary in Randolph County. And, for generations of North Carolinians, they’ve brought the animal kingdom’s wonder to the Old North State.

I’d expected excitement on this adventure, but I hadn’t prepared for this wave of nostalgia.

I first visited this zoo when I was 6 years old on a school field trip that, due to the joy it conjured, cemented itself as a core memory. As James and I linger by the lions, I flash back to being a kindergartner running and jumping and whooping in the very same spot. I’d expected excitement on this adventure — both James’s and my own — but I hadn’t prepared for this wave of nostalgia. I wasn’t anticipating the feeling of pure childhood happiness lingering like a ghost around every turn, or my own son channeling the same awe as he realizes for the first time just how big and magical his world really is.

As we meander along the zoo’s shaded, sloping pathways, each habitat feels like a thrilling discovery. We see polar, grizzly, and black bears. What does a bear say? We meow at tiny sand cats, howl at shy red wolves, and hiss at still snakes. We make up noises for the bison and rhinos and puffins. What does an elephant say? I ask, laughing as we trumpet.

The joy is twofold: My inner child squeals with delight at each amazing exhibit and at the details I still remember from that first field trip — the bronze animal statues are still there! — and I’m watching my son see it all for the very first time. If you grow up in North Carolina and then raise a family here, the moments of parallel between your own childhood and your child’s aren’t necessarily rare, but they still feel special.

Zoo visitors can learn from educators, take a Zoofari tour, and spot their favorite animals, like rhinos and chimpanzees. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel

While James snacks, I rest for a moment, looking out over the Watani Grasslands habitat, where 40 sweeping acres are home to herds of elephants, rhinos, gazelles, and more. Unlike most memories, this one’s even bigger and more incredible than I recall. I can’t help but feel grateful that I grew up with access to such a one-of-a-kind place. That it’s still right here in the Piedmont. That I’m here again, all these years later, with my own child, who will someday soon come back on his own field trip.

After all we’ve seen, it’s the giraffes — in all their graceful, goofy glory — that win the day. I think they’re the one animal not featured in James’s books, and I certainly don’t know what a giraffe says — so maybe that’s why James is so taken with the towering herd that ambles past us. He hoots, he hollers, he points, he waves!

Eventually, I try to move along, to steer us toward the tram, but James loudly protests, threatens tears, and cranes his neck for another glimpse. I give in and turn around for just one more moment of wonder. For a split second, I can see the little girl with thick bangs and white Velcro sneakers who, on a school field trip, discovered the whole world in her backyard.

“Can you believe it?” I ask, as James stares up at the giraffes, and I stare down at my son.

North Carolina Zoo and Botanical Gardens
4401 Zoo Parkway
Asheboro, NC 27205
(800) 488-0444
nczoo.org

More to Explore: Find our guide to 10 family-friendly adventures at the NC Zoo at ourstate.com/nc-zoo.