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Santa's Land Family Theme Park & Zoo, built in the
1960's and still open to the public, is located in Cherokee and
offers a variety of family-oriented attractions including the Rudicoaster, Santa's Express Train, Zoo Land, Jingle Bell Theater
and Santa's House. The park also has food concessions and a gift
shop.
One major problem area does exist in Santa's Land exists that
hopefully will be addressed in th e near future. The captive native Black Bears
in the Santa's Land zoo are kept in
deplorable and sub-standard conditions, enough so that attention has
been drawn to the problem by
national media. Bob Barker, on behalf of
PETA, is leading the drive to bring about positive change at the
Santa Land zoo
(Read his letter to Chief Hicks). The Black Bear has long been a
symbol of the mountains, and a sacred animal to the Cherokee
Indians, and is unfortunate that some of these magnificent creatures
are kept in such pathetic conditions. Until this situation is
corrected, I suggest that you boycott this attraction.
Website:
Santa's Land Family Theme Park & Zoo
Location:
Cherokee
NC
Distance: 45 minutes from Asheville
Address: 571 Wolfetown Road, Cherokee NC 28719
Telephone: 828-497-9191
Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. seven days a week
Fees: $18.46 adults and children, children under 2 free
Allow: 1-2 hours
Nearby:
Great Smoky Mountains
National Park,
Cherokee Indian
Reservation
Directions: From Asheville take I-40 west to exit 27 (Great
Smoky Mountains Expressway). Continue west on U.S. 74 past
Waynesville, Sylva, and Dillsboro to exit 74, Cherokee. U.S.Hwy 441
will take you into Cherokee.
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