How fitting that the word "heart'' is closely associated with the effort to bring visitors to Asheboro, N.C. and eight nearby communities in Randolph County.
Asheboro, population 26,000 and growing, sits astride NC Route 64 running east-west and Interstate 73/74 running north-south. It's about as close to the geographic heart of the Tar Heel State as you're going to find.
While it isn't the highest-profile tourist destination in North Carolina, you'd be hard-pressed to find one with better attractions for its size (including the fabulous North Carolina Zoo), a better price point for budget-conscious travelers and friendlier folks to meet when you're there.