Asheboro

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. == 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 == 1 North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, ☏ +1 800 488-0444. Apr-Oct: daily 9AM-5PM; Nov-Mar: daily 9AM-4PM; last admission one hour before closing. 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. $15/adult, $11/child, $13/senior. 2 Richard Petty Museum, 309 Branson Mill Rd., Randleman, ☏ +1 336 495-1143. 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. == Do == == 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 == 1 Taste of Asia, 127 E Taft Ave (Hillside Shopping Center), ☏ +1 336 626-7578. Good Thai food on South Fayetteville Street. 2 Something Different, 1512 Zoo Parkway, ☏ +1 336 626-5707, +1 336 626-5740. Tu–Su 11AM–9PM. Variety of cuisines, Middle Eastern, Italian, on Zoo Parkway just south of Dixie Drive. 3 Dixie Express, 711 W Dixie Drive (among the other fast food restaurants), ☏ +1 336 626-5885. 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. 4 Burrito Brothers, 1019 N Fayetteville Street, ☏ +1 336 328-0168. Authentic Mexican food. 5 America's Roadhouse, 818 East Dixie Drive (Hwy 64), ☏ +1 336 633-1234. Tu–Th 11AM–9PM, F Sa 11AM–10PM, Su 11AM–9PM. 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. 6 The Table, 139 S Church St, ☏ +1 336 736-8628. Tu W 7AM–2:30PM, Th F 7AM–10PM, Sa 7:30AM–10PM. (updated Jan 2018) 7 Henry James BBQ, 2004 S Fayetteville St, ☏ +1 336 625-1649. M-Sa 11AM-9PM, Sunday closed. Known for hush-puppies and good BBQ. == Drink == 1 Carolina Tap House, 1528 Zoo Parkway, ☏ +1 336 203-POUR (7687). M W 5-10PM, Th-Sa 4PM-midnight, Su 4-10PM, closed Tuesday. Asheboro's only self serve taproom. 35-75¢/oz. == Sleep == Almost all hotels are on Dixie Drive (Hwy 64). More lodging can be found in the nearby cities of Greensboro and High Point. 1 Hampton Inn Asheboro, 1137 E. Dixie Drive, ☏ +1 336 625-9000. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated May 2019) 2 Fairfield Inn and Suites Asheboro, 920 Executive Way, ☏ +1 336 626-9197. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated May 2019) == 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.