Charlotte residents now find themselves situated nearly equidistant from two of the best zoos in the United States.
In its 2025 list of the Best Zoos in America, Newsweek ranked the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro and the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia, South Carolina, among the top five.
The ranking, based on expert panel reviews and public votes, placed the North Carolina Zoo at No. 1 and Riverbanks Zoo at No. 5, alongside nationally recognized institutions like the San Diego Zoo. Each is located roughly an hour’s drive from Charlotte, making the Queen City an ideal hub for zoo enthusiasts.
Newsweek praised the North Carolina Zoo for having “the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, with five miles of trails and family-friendly wild spaces”. In their description of the Riverbanks Zoo, Newsweek highlighted the interactive opportunities to meet flamingos, tortoises, and grizzly bears, as well as the adjacent botanical gardens across the Saluda River.
The full top five list includes:
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North Carolina Zoo – Asheboro, NC
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San Antonio Zoo – San Antonio, TX
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Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance – Denver, CO
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Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – Tacoma, WA
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Riverbanks Zoo & Garden – Columbia, SC
The Charlotte region now boasts convenient access to two of the country’s most celebrated wildlife destinations, offering residents and tourists diverse experiences within a short drive.
