If there are animal lovers in your family, you’re in luck, because there are several places in the Triangle where you can visit animals of all kinds. Alpacas? Check. Tigers? Check. Goats? Lots of them!
Some of these attractions are working farms and ranches. Some are private zoos or aquariums. Some are rescue and rehabilitation facilities. You should read up a little bit on the venue before planning to visit so that you understand the mission of the organization and are comfortable with it. Please follow the links to the attractions’ pages.
We’ve noted any changes in opening status or procedures that we know about. Some of the attractions are closed at this time. And, of course, all procedures are subject to change in these ever-changing times. In general, you should expect to be required to wear a mask indoors, and when you can’t maintain a safe distance from other people outdoors. Please check with each venue for their policies.
We love featuring the small, family-owned farms, but we’ve also included the North Carolina Zoo, even though it’s each approximately an hour and a half drive from the Triangle, since it’s the major zoo in our region.
You might also want to check Groupon for deals.
Spring Haven Farm
Spring Haven Farm
5306 Homer Ruffin Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-407-1806
$13.50 for daytime farm visits and movie nights. Price might vary. Children 3 and under are admitted for free.
The goats are the stars here. You can visit the goats at the farm several days a week, and on Friday and Saturday nights you can watch a movie with the goats. You’ll want to buy your ticket in advance, because the farm is limiting the number of people on site, and often sell out, especially the movie nights.
Spring Haven Farm also sometimes offers Goat-a-Gram, goat yoga, and various farm experiences.
Carolina Tiger Rescue
Carolina Tiger Rescue
1940 Hanks Chapel Rd., Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-542-4684
Tours: $18 for adults, and $12.50 for ages 4-12. Children 3 and under are admitted for free.
Carolina Tiger Rescue is a sanctuary that cares for approximately 49 animals, including tigers, lions, leopards, cougars and more. It is not a zoo, but is a rescue facility, caring for animals from private owners, traveling circuses and mom and pop zoos, and were abandoned, relinquished or confiscated by the authorities.
Carolina Tiger Rescue offers guided public tours where you’ll learn about each animal and species.
Old Mill Farm
Old Mill Farm
8913 NC Highway 751 South, Durham, NC 27713
919-444-8850
Price varies depending on program
This farm specializes in agritourism. They host “Family Fun Days on the Farm,” as well as “baby goat snuggles,” holiday events and more, where you can interact with goats, sheep, pigs and more.
Historic Oak View County Park
Historic Oak View County Park
4028 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610
919-250-1013
Free to visit
Historic Oak View County Park is part of Wake County Parks. It is a 19th century historic farmstead with a mission to interpret North Carolina’s agricultural heritage and rural history. A highlight of any visit to Oak View is meeting the Nubian and Mini-Nubian Goats. They love meeting new friends, especially friends who bring them cut up apples and baby carrots. Please check with park staff before feeding them, in case they just had a treat.
Naylor Family Farm
Naylor Family Farm
6016 US 401 North, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
910-249-2258
Farm pass: $18
Naylor Family Farm offers a petting zoo, with goats, pigs and calves, along with a corn maze, jump pad, gem mining, pedal karts and more. The farm activities take place in the fall.
Aloha Safari Zoo
Aloha Safari Zoo
159 Mini Lane, Cameron, NC 28326
919-770-7109
Tickets: $12. Children under 2 are free. Feed bags are $3.
Aloha Safari Zoo is home to over 400 animals that were previously injured, abandoned, abused, neglected or were unable to be cared for by their previous owners. Just a few of the animals are alpacas, alligators, tigers, iguanas, capuchin money, capybara, and kangaroo. When you visit you’ll get to feed the goats and pigs, take a safari tour to see the larger pasture animals, walk the paved walkways to see exotic animals, visit the reptile room and more.
Museum of Life and Science
Museum of Live and Science
433 W. Murray Avenue, Durham
919-220-5429
Adult: $23
Age 3-12: $18
Age 2 and under: Free
Age 65+ and military member: $21
This popular science center includes several outdoor habitats where you can learn about black bears, wolves, lemurs and tortoises.
Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge
Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge
7236 NC Hwy 87 N., Pittsboro, NC 27312
Prices vary
Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge provides a home and lifelong care for farm animals that have been rescued from lives of abuse, neglect and abandonment. They occasionally offer tours, vegan potluck events, and more.
Winterpast Farm
Winterpast Farm
12936 Ghoston Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587
919-244-1800
$10
Winterpast Farm is a 10-acre family farm and animal sanctuary that includes goats, sheep, emu, a miniature donkey, ducklings, peacocks, a goose, pigs, bunnies, guinea pigs and chickens. They offer tours at times that vary greatly. You need to make an appointment in advance for a tour, and the only way is to text the above number. Please text between 8 am. and 10 p.m. Follow Winterpast Farm on Facebook for updates.
M&M Alpaca Farm
M&M Alpaca Farm
7084 US-64, Pittsboro, NC 27312
336-465-8211
$5 a person for tours
This working alpaca ranch offers tours several days a week. You need to reserve the tour in advance, and they sell out early. You should plan ahead two or three weeks. You’ll get to see the alpacas, learn about them, take some pictures, and pet the alpacas if they’re in the mood. Tours are not available all year long. Visit the website for details.
Hux Family Farm
Hux Family Farm
1923 Shaw Road, Durham, NC 27704
919-666-7258
Hux Family Farm is home to goats, sheep, ducks, geese, pigs, horses and rabbits. They aren’t holding public tours right now, but you can arrange a private tour for $50 for three people. Add $15 per additional person, up to a total of 10 people. You’ll even get a little extra goat cuddle time.
Prodigal Farm
Prodigal Farm
4720 Bahama Road, Rougemont, NC 27572
919-477-5653
Prodigal Farm creates award-winning goat’s milk and cow’s milk cheeses. They host very popular Baby Goat Festival Days throughout the year, but these are not being planned at this time, until they can be offered safely. They are offering private tours to small groups.
North Carolina Zoo
North Carolina Zoo
4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205
800-488-0444
Tickets: $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 62+, and $11 for children age 2-12. Children younger than 2 are admitted for free.
The North Carolina Zoo has re-opened, with timed tickets. The zoo is on 2,600 wooded acres, about an hour and a half from the Triangle, and provides plenty of space to wander around.
The zoo has two sections that each focus on one continent: North America (bears, bison, wolves…) and Africa (lions, chimpanzees, lemurs, elephants, gorillas…)
Make sure to read about the timed tickets and safety protocols.
Duke Lemur Center
Duke Lemur Center
3705 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705
919-401-7240
General public tours May to September: $14 for adults, $12 for kids age 3-12, military with ID, college students, Duke employees and Duke alumni.
General public tours May to September: $12 for adults, $9 for kids age 3-12, military with ID, college students, Duke employees and Duke alumni.
Please note that the Duke Lemur Center is closed to visitors right now. The Duke Lemur Center houses over 200 lemurs across 14 species, the most diverse population of lemurs on earth, with the exception of their native Madagascar. All of its research is non-invasive, and the Center has a highly successful conservation breeding program. When the center is open, make sure to make a reservation to see and learn about these amazing creatures.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
919-707-9800
Free to visit
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is a great place to get up close to a wide variety of animals, including more than 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, more than 100 species of fish and aquatic invertebrates, many arthropods and insects. You can even visit a Central American tropical dry forest with living plants and animals, like butterflies, turtles, tarantulas, snakes and a two-toed sloth.
Piedmont Wildlife Center
Piedmont Wildlife Center
364 Leigh Farm Road, Durham, NC 27707
919-489-0900
Prices vary
Piedmont Wildlife Center connects the community to wildlife, including raptors, turtles, and reptiles. They offer group tours, camps and educational programs. Occasionally they present a “fly-through,” a free drive-through experience to meet the animals.
Animal Ed.ventures Sanctuary
Animal Ed.ventures Sanctuary
1489 Live Oak Road, Coats, NC 27521
910-897-1555
Age 16+: $12
Age 3-15: $10
Age 2 and under: Free
The park is home to more than 60 species of domestic and exotic animals, including a capuchin monkey, two-toed sloth, red fox, badger, marmoset and more.
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
500 Sylvan Heights Parkway, Scotland Neeck, NC 27874
252-826-3186
Age 13-62: $12.84
Seniors 62+: $11.77
Age 3-12: $9.63
Age 2 and under: Free
Get up close with over 2,000 waterfowl, parrots, toucans, flamingos and other exotic birds on this 18-acre facility.
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and it's also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
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Michael Quilty says
Hi,
Unfortunately you need to update the Historic Oak View Park description because they lost one of their goats (Eliot) suddenly a couple of weeks ago (they posted it on their Facebook page on February 15th, so I am not sure what day he actually died). He was one of the brothers that they had there.
Jody Mace says
Aw! But thanks for letting me know.