ASHEBORO, N.C. (ACME NEWS) — The North Carolina Zoo and Botanical Gardens is once again competing USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Zoo and Best Zoo Membership, and they are asking for your vote.
Each year, a panel of experts at USA Today’s Reader Choice nominates their top 20 picks for the best zoos in the United States — eyeing for facilities that excel in the fields of animal care and enrichment, while also facilitating meaningful interactions between animals and human visitors. This year, once again the North Carolina Zoo is in the running.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the NC Zoo was ranked No. 8 for Best Zoo and No. 6 for Best Zoo Membership. Supporters can vote once per day in each category through the USA Today 10Best website through Monday, March 9, at 11:59 a.m. The 10 winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 18.
The nomination comes on the heels of a dominant two-year run for the Asheboro-based facility. In 2024 and 2025, the zoo was named the No. 1 zoo in the United States by Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards, beating out high-profile finalists such as the Denver Zoo and San Antonio Zoo.
The zoo, which spans more than 2,800 acres, is the world’s largest natural habitat zoo. It recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is currently preparing for the opening of its new 12.5-acre Asia continent expansion, the first major addition to the park since the North America section opened in the 1990s.
###
