9 Places for Animal Adventures in North Carolina

1 Carolina Raptor Center

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Walk along this center’s 0.75-mile nature trail to see and learn about more than 30 species of eagles, hawks, owls, and other raptors or birds of prey. The Carolina Raptor Center takes in about 900 injured or orphaned birds annually, and it offers interactive programs for kids of all ages.

2 Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

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This 150,000-plus-acre refuge was established to preserve a wetland habitat called the pocosin, a Native American word meaning ‟swamp-on-the-hill.” You can walk trails into a freshwater swamp or a cypress swamp, or take a tram or guided canoe tour to look for animals ranging from swans and river otters to black bears.

4 Animal Park at the Conservators Center

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Lions, tigers and bobcats are just three of the many species totaling more than 70 exotic animals you’ll see up close. The Animal Park at the Conservators Center focuses on education, conservation and rescue. And it also offers a variety of tours year-round, including some specifically for kids and families, as well as seasonal tours.

5 Grandfather Mountain

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Best known for its hiking trails and Mile High Swinging Bridge, this iconic North Carolina attraction also gives you an up-close view of local animals, ranging from black bears and cougars to bald eagles and river otters. If you’re feeling really adventurous, try the Backcountry Hiking Trails, home to 16 distinct ecosystems and more than 70 rare or endangered animal species.

• Beyond the Guidebook: The Wonder of Grandfather Mountain

7 North Carolina Aquariums

No matter where you vacation on the North Carolina coast, an aquarium is never far away. At the Roanoke Island aquarium on the Outer Banks, you can see the largest collection of sharks in our state and touch a variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic creatures in the Sea Senses tank. Exhibits at the Pine Knoll Shores aquarium near Atlantic Beach lead you from the mountains to the sea as you follow a stream’s journey to the ocean, watching river otters, fish and reptiles along the way. At the Fort Fisher location near the ferry landing, you can climb into the replica jaws of the Megalodon, a prehistoric shark the size of a bus that lived right off our coast. You can also visit Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head for a variety of educational programs from fishing lessons to kids’ science camps.

8 North Carolina Zoo

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More than 1,700 animals representing more than 200 species will amuse and amaze you at a zoo divided into “Africa” and “North America.” ("Asia" is scheduled to open in the next couple of years.) In Africa, you can get eye-to-eye with a giraffe, castaway to Lemur Island and head for an "immersion walkway" above the Watani Grasslands. From this vantage point you can spot elephants, white rhinos, ostriches and other animals in a spacious habitat that serves as a stand-in for the grasslands of Africa. From there, you can walk or take a tram to North America, where habitats range from a cypress swamp to the Sonora Desert.

• Project 543: Nation’s Largest Natural Habitat Zoo