Travel South Magazine Travel South low (kasey daleo's conflicted copy 20 | Page 82

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The park also has an array of historical landmarks and
sites to visit, as well as natural wonders, like caves,
waterfalls, and ravines. Historical attractions include
Cades Cove, among others, which displays original
buildings like log cabins, churches, and even barns. Glory Road is a ramp that simulates different race-
tracks, and is now in its 3 rd generation. It is receiving a
makeover with 18 brand new iconic cars and exciting
tracks. Make time for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and
Glory Road the next time you’re in Charlotte.
If you would rather hear the roaring of engines over
the chirping of birds, head to the NASCAR Hall of
Fame in Uptown Charlotte. The hall opened in 2010,
and has since been booming, both with interactive
exhibits and amazing reviews alike. Another top attraction in the Tar Heel State is the North
Carolina Zoo. The zoo’s exhibits are designed to look
like natural habitats, so not only do the animals feel at
home, but the visitors feel truly submersed into the
wildlife. There are nearly 2,000 different animals and well
over 50,000 plant species within the zoo.
The hall of fame includes “artifacts, hands-on exhibits,
a 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor,
Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame
Gear Shop, and a NASCAR Productions-operated
broadcast studio.”
According to the hall’s website, “the goal of the facility
is to honor NASCAR icons and create an enduring
tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners
and others that have impacted the sport in the past,
present and future.” Honor is exactly what comes to
mind as you view Glory Road.
The zoo showcases several different attractions, like the
African exhibits that house elephants, giraffes, zebras,
lions, rhinos, chimpanzees, and more. The North Ameri-
can exhibits host polar bears, falcons, seals, beavers, tur-
tles, cougars, black bears, wolves, and more.
The North Carolina Zoo is a great place to take the kids,
so if you are traveling with any little ones, make sure they
get to meet all of these exotic animals. There are inter-
active exhibits and shows, where they will learn, both
visually and hands-on!