Fun stuff to do with kids

[Pat]

I found this amazing resource of Things To Do in the region. It
is available online from The Charlotte Observer:
http://events.charlotte.com/search?new=n&sort=0&srad=50&......\
t&swhat=&swhen=&swhere=Charlotte%2CNC&trim=1

You can search by category, area of town, or time frame!


Fun for Free in Charlotte (I found this posted elsewhere)

The Mint Museum of Art is free 5-10 p.m. on Tuesdays. 2730 Randolph
Road,704-337-2000, www.themintmuseums.org

The Mint Museum of Craft + Design uptown is free 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on
Tuesdays and 5-8 p.m. the third Thursday of the month. 220 N. Tryon
St.,704-337-2000, www.themintmuseums.org

The McColl Center for Visual Art, in the former church building on
NorthTryon Street near the edge of uptown, is is always free. 721 N.
Tryon St.,704-332-5535, www.mccollcenter.org

The Afro-American Cultural Center in uptown's First Ward is is always
free.401 N. Myers St., 704-374-1565, www.aacc-charlotte.org

The Spirit Square galleries of the Light Factory, a museum of
photographyand film, is always free. 345 N. College St., 704-333-9755,
www.lightfactory.org

ImaginOn, the facility housing Children's Theatre of Charlotte and a
children's section of the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, is
always free. 300 E. Seventh St., 704-973-2780, www.imaginon.org

Wing Haven Gardens & Bird Sanctuary is always free (with donations
requested). 248 Ridgewood Ave., 704-331-0664, www.winghavengardens.com

. Chamber Music At St.Peter's First Tuesday Concerts are free at 12:10
p.m.and 5:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month. They're uptown at
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, September through May. (The final one
this season is May1.) 115 W. Seventh St., 704-335-0009,
www.chambermusicatstpeters.org

. Public art walking tours around uptown Charlotte are free. Contact:
Jean Greer, vice president of Public Art, Arts & Science Council,
704-333-2272.

. Family Day Sundays are free at The Charlotte Museum of History. 3500
Shamrock Drive, 704-568-1774, www.charlottemuseum.org

. The Charlotte Folk Society has a free roots music concert at 7:30
p.m. the second Friday of every month except July at Central Piedmont
CommunityCollege, 1220 Elizabeth Ave., and a free open acoustic jam at
the Charlotte Museum of History on the second Sunday of the month.
704-372-3655(372-FOLK); www.folksociety.org

. The Charlotte Symphony offers free Symphony 101 talks at the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Libraries on the first Monday of each
month from October to May (the final one is May 7), and participants
get coupons for 10 percent off admission to upcoming Charlotte
Symphony Friday Classics concerts.
www.charlottesymphony.org/symphony101.htm. Matthews Branch
Library, 230 Matthews Station St. at 9 a.m., 704-847-6691; Main
Branch, 310 N. Tryon St. at 12:15 p.m., 704-336-2725.

. Summer concerts with the Charlotte Symphony are free on Sundays in
June at Symphony Park by SouthPark mall (and at other locations around
the region on different days). Concerts begin at 8:15 p.m. with
preludes at 7 p.m. 704-972-2003; www.charlottesymphony.org/summer.htm

. North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center offers free tours
11a.m.-2 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of each month. 130 N.
Tryon St.,704-379-1378, www.blumenthalcenter.org/about/tours.asp

. NoDa gallery crawls are free on the first and third Fridays of the
month in this funky arts district in a historic neighborhood north of
uptown. www.noda.org

. Historic South End Gallery Crawls are free on the first Friday of
the month in this streetcar suburb south of uptown.
www.historicsouthend.com

. Concerts on the Green in the charming north Mecklenburg college town
of Davidson are free about once a month, usually 6-8 p.m. Sunday,
April through September. www.concertsonthegreen.com
Charlotte Summer Irish Summer Festival
Saturday, August 9, 2008
12 noon - 10 pm

The second annual Charlotte Summer Irish Summer Festival is taking to the
streets on with a new location on Tryon between Trade and Fifth. The
popularity of the free-admission event, celebrating all things Irish,
called
for more space to accommodate live entertainment, vendors and attractions
such as the family-friendly Kids Corner.

Special events and activities include...

Irish Music

Irish Dancers

Irish Beer

Irish Vendors

Irish Pipe Band

Irish Food

Celtic Crafts

IRISH & CELTIC SPORTS
*Cornhole Tournament
*Gaelic Football game (location TBA)
*Hurling Exhibition

Food from Ri Ra Irish Restaurant
& Pub

WEE FOLK CORNER

* A bouncy castle
*Climbing wall
*Face painting
*Appearance by Chubby Checker of the Charlotte Checkers

Check the website for scheduled events:

http://www.charlotteirishsummerfestival.com/schedule.php

[Pat]

101ThingsToDo:
http://www.homeschool.com/articles/101ThingsToDoThisSummer/default.asp
1
Make a scrapbook of everything you do this summer
The Basics of Scrapbooking
42explore.com/scrapbk.htm

2
Have a picnic
Planning a Picnic
www.recipeamerica.com/picnic.htm

3
Write a letter to your best friend
English Works! Writing Letters
depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/letter/writingletters.html

4
Visit another country
Lonely Planet Destination Guides
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/

5
Go to a ballgame
Major League Baseball Team Schedules
mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/schedule/index.jsp

6
Get a job (parent permission)
Teens 4 Hire
www.teens4hire.org/

7
Become a photographer
BetterPhoto for Kids and Teens
www.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp

8
Make dinner for your family
Do-It-Yourself Dinner Party Project (PDF)
www.reynoldskitchens.com/ReynoldsKitchens/KitchenConnection/
special/dinner_party/DinnerParty.pdf

9
Compare a book to a movie
Compare and Contrast Essay (PDF)
www.csudh.edu/CLASS/services/studyskills/english/
webpageworksheets/comparecontrastessay.htm

10
Write a poem
30 Days of Poetry
www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm

11
Learn about fireworks
How Stuff Works: Fireworks
people.howstuffworks.com/fireworks.htm

12
Bake some cookies
Science of Cookies
www.bakingandbakingscience.com/cookies.htm

13
Take a boat ride
Boat Safe Kids!
www.boatsafe.com/kids/index.htm

14
Sketch a picture of your house from the outside
Perspective Drawing
www.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_1.htm

15
Go to camp
Virtual Summer Camp
www.homeschoollearning.com/summer/summer.shtml

16
Visit a farm
4-H Virtual Farms
www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html

17
Take a walk and record the sounds
Listening to Nature
www.museumca.org/naturalsounds/

18
Make your own soccer camp
Soccer Drills, Skills, Rules, and Tips
www.soccerhelp.com/

19
Keep a journal of what you do during the Summer
Summer Journal Writing Prompts
www.astoria.fulton.k12.il.us/JuniorHigh/JrHiEnglish/summerhelp/
journal%20prompts.html

20
Cut up an old greeting card picture and make a puzzle
(parent help)
How to make your own jigsaw puzzle
tn.essortment.com/howtomakeyour_rgzx.htm

21
Start a band
Make Music! Start a Band
www.mustcreate.org/kid_home/kids3_1.shtml

22
Make a new kind of sandwich
Who Cooked That Up? â€" The Sandwich
members.cox.net/jjschnebel/sandwich.html

23
Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand them out to friends
Message in a Balloon
www.nmhct.nhs.uk/pharmacy/nmha-activities.html

24
Go backpacking
The Beginning Backpacker
www.backpacking.net/beginner.html

25
Go outside and find 10 different kinds of flowers
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
www.wildflower2.org/

26
Create a web site
Lissa Explains HTML for Kids
www.lissaexplains.com/

27
Go camping
Go Camping America Kids Pages
www.gocampingamerica.com/kidspages/

28
Invent a new dance
Elements of Dance
artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2338/

29
Help an elderly person with house or yard work
(parent permission)
20 Great Reasons to Volunteer
www.volunteermatch.org/volunteers/resources/tipstricks.jsp

30
Visit the zoo
National Zoo Animal Web cams
nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/default.cfm

31
Learn a foreign language
Free Online Language Courses
www.word2word.com/coursead.html

32
Make an obstacle course in your back yard
How To Set Up An Obstacle Course
www.ehow.com/how_3113_set-obstacle-course.html

33
Make a treasure hunt
The Ultimate Treasure Hunt
www.allthatstuff.net/treasurehunt.htm

34
Read a story to someone
Read Aloud Tips
www.myscschools.com/tracks/parents/readtips.htm

35
Have a winter theme party
Children's Winter Theme Party Ideas
www.partyshelf.com/Childrens_Winter_Parties.htm

36
Recycle bottles and donate the money to a local charity
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide
www.obviously.com/recycle/

37
Clean up a nature trail
Trail/Campground Maintenance
www.volunteer.gov/gov/resultsZ.cfm?myPosition=trail&myTx=Trail/
Campground%20Maintenance

38
Build a tree house
The Tree House Guide
www.thetreehouseguide.com/

39
Create a new world
World Building
teenwriting.about.com/library/weekly/aa071602a.htm

40
Set up a lemonade stand
Lemonade Stand Game
www.coolmath-games.com/lemonade/

41
Learn or teach a new sport with someone
Sports Illustrated for Kids
www.sikids.com

42
Attend a concert
Instruments of the Orchestra
www.sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3

43
Have a family game night
What Game Should We Play?
www.hasbro.com/familygamenight/pl/page.games/dn/default.cfm

44
Make a movie
Movie-Making for Kids
www.town4kids.com/town4kids/kids/digitalmedia/moviemaking/
movie_main.htm

45
Make a collage from magazine words and pictures
Collage
pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/collage.html

46
Create a terrarium
How to Make a Terrarium
www.ehow.com/how_9374_make-terrarium.html

47
Go canoeing
US Kayak / Canoe Disciplines
http://www.adventuresportsholidays.com/north_america/united_states.php

48
Discover a new favorite author or book series
Children's Literature Web Guide
www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/

49
Go to a museum
Museums on the Web
curry.edschool.virginia.edu/it/projects/Museums/
Teacher_Guide/Hotlist

50
Make a fire plan
Home Fire Safety
www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/flash.shtm

51
Make up bubble solution and have a contest
Casey Carle's "Secret" Bubble Solutions
www.bubblemania.com/faq/solution.html

52
Find a pen-pal (parent permission)
Pen Pal Directories
www.stonesoup.com/main2/penpal.html

53
Plant something
Gardens for Beginners
www.geocities.com/mastergardener2k/

54
Visit a tourist spot near your home
Tourist Information Directory
www.touristinformationdirectory.com/

55
Host a yard sale
How to Plan a Yard Sale
www.ehow.com/how_137461_yard-garage-sale.html

56
Build a sandcastle
Sandcastle Tools
www.sandcastlecentral.com/toolpages/

57
Donate some of the toys and clothes you no longer use
How To Donate Toys
www.ehow.com/how_10124_donate-toys-children.html

58
Research your family tree
Family Tree Online
www.familytree-online.com/

59
Fly a kite
Professor Kite and the Secret of Kites
www.gombergkites.com/howgen.html

60
Invent your own board game
Design Your Own Board Game
la.essortment.com/boardgamedesig_rxcu.htm

61
Use a compass or GPS to map your neighborhood
Mapping your Neighborhood
www.dnr.state.md.us/education/growfromhere/LESSON8/
LESSON8.HTM

62
Build a time capsule
Making Time Capsules
dlis.dos.state.fl.us/barm/preservation/conservation/time/

63
Act in a play
So You Want to Put On a Play?
www.writewords.org.uk/articles/theatre1.asp

64
Throw a cultural heritage block party
Block Party Basics
www.canadianliving.com/CanadianLiving/client/en/Food/
DetailNewsPrint.asp?idNews=230226

65
Make a bird feeder
Plans for Building Bird Feeders
birding.about.com/od/buildfeeders/

66
Organize a bike safety clinic
Bicycle Safety Command Center
www.state.il.us/kids/isp/bikes/

67
Spend time with your grandparents
10 Great Activities
www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson136.shtml

68
Attend a first aid class
Emergency First Aid Chart (PDF)
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/

69
Dig for fossils
Dinosaur Dig
www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/

70
Write a song
Notes on Songwriting
www.robinfrederick.com/write.html

71
Tie-dye some t-shirts
How to Tie-Dye
iaia.essortment.com/tiedyedyefa_rmel.htm

72
Take a dog for a walk
Tips for a Better Walk with Your Dog
rubyglen.com/pets/dogwalk.htm

73
Have a paper airplane contest
Paper Airplane Contest Rules
http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/pets/tools/walking/?fr...

74
Go without TV for a day
TV Turn off Network
www.tvturnoff.org/

75
Sign up at your local library for their Summer
Reading Program
Summer Reading and Learning
www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/summerreading/
summerreading.htm

76
Learn some new outdoor games
Games Kids Play
www.gameskidsplay.net/

77
Make something from recyclables
Crafts from Recycled Products
www.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm

78
Share your favorite movie with a friend
Movie Mom
movies.yahoo.com/mv/moviemom/

79
Make home made ice cream
Kitchen Theater Science in a Scoop
www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmag/bk_issue/1996/julaug/
dept4.htm

80
Jump on a trampoline
Trampoline Safety Rules
www.outdoorfunstore.com/trampoline-safety.asp

81
Get a magazine subscription (parent permission)
Magazine Listing
www.magsonthenet.com/chilmag.html

82
Organize a scavenger hunt
Outdoor Scavenger Hunts
www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/kids/scavengerhunt.htm

83
Go swimming
Video Clips of the Swimming Strokes
wellness.lattc.cc.ca.us/real/strokes.html

84
Paint a portrait of your best friend
Draw Your Friend
www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/sparkers/friend_portrait/
portrait_friend.html

85
Start a collection
How to Start a Collection
www.ehow.com/how_10563_start-collection.html

86
Write a fairy tale
Fractured Fairy Tales and Fables
teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/fractured_fairy.htm

87
Travel in time
Odyssey Online
carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/MidElem_Home.html

88
Stargaze and track the moon phases
Astronomy for Kids
www.dustbunny.com/afk/index.html

89
Learn how to sew
Learn to Sew
www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_learntosew.html

90
Visit a National Park
National Park Service Guide
www.nps.gov/parks.html

91
Rent a video of a ballet
Easy to Read Profiles of the Histories of Ballets
classicalmusic.about.com/od/historyofballet/

92
Roast marshmallows
How to Roast a Marshmallow
www.ehow.com/how_1164_roast-marshmallow.html

93
Watch the birds
Tips on Getting Started with Bird Watching
www.birdwatching.com/tips/kids_birding.html

94
Arrange a bouquet of flowers
Virtual Ikebana
http://interiordec.about.com/library/weekly/aa021403b2.htm

95
Learn to blog (parents permission)
How Blogs Work
www.learnthenet.com/english/html/20how.htm

96
Re-decorate your room
Decorating Gallery
www.bhg.com/bhg/decoratinggallery/

97
Learn to play chess
Chess is Fun
www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/intro.html

98
Adopt a pet (parent permission)
http://www.petfinder.com/

99
Keep your brain going
Brain Teasers
www.brainconnection.com/teasers/

100
Teach someone to use email
How eMail Works
www.learnthenet.com/english/html/20how.htm

101
Create your own holiday
A Month With No Holidays? Make Up Your Own!

[Pat]

NC Festivals:
10/17/2008-10/18/2008Greensboro, NCSchiffman's Charity Golf Classic
10/17/2008-10/18/2008Pineville, NCPineville Fall Fest
10/17/2008-10/18/2008North Wilkesboro, NCCarolina in the Fall Music
Festival 10/18/2008-10/19/2008Banner Elk, NCWoolly Worm Festival
10/18/2008-10/18/2008Randleman, NC20th Annual NASCAR Day Festival
10/18/2008-10/19/2008Ocean Isle Beach , NC28th Annual NC Oyster
Festival 10/18/2008-10/18/2008Taylorsville, NCTaylorsville Hometown
Apple Festival

10/25/2008-10/25/2008Morrisville, NCSpooktacluar Trail Walk
10/25/2008-10/25/2008Lexington, NC25th Annual Barbecue Festival
10/25/2008-10/25/2008Raleigh, NCCapital City Cheers Wine Festival
10/25/2008-10/25/2008Concord, NCDog's Day Out Pet Festival
10/30/2008-11/1/2008Snow Hill, NCNC Sweet Potato Festival
10/31/2008-10/31/2008Rock Hill, SCBooHaHa

11/1/2008-11/1/2008Holly Ridge, NCHolly Festival
11/1/2008-11/2/2008Wilson, NCWilson Whirligig Festival
11/1/2008-11/1/2008Dunn, NCTouchstone Energy NC Cotton Festival
11/7/2008-11/9/2008Greenville, NCDown East Holiday Show
11/8/2008-11/8/2008Warsaw, NCWarsaw's 88th Veterans Celebration
11/9/2008-11/9/2008Morganton, NCCruzin on the Square
11/15/2008-11/15/2008Wallace, NCChristmas at Twilight

11/21/2008-11/23/2008Concord, NCCarolina Living Green Expo
11/22/2008-11/23/2008Seagrove, NC27th Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival
11/22/2008-11/22/2008Morganton, NCMorganton Festival of Lights
11/28/2008-11/28/2008Swansboro, NCChristmas Flotilla
11/28/2008-11/28/2008Salisbury, NCHoliday Night Out
11/29/2008-11/29/2008Salisbury, NCSanta & the Grinch at the Bell Tower

12/3/2008-12/3/2008Pinehurst, NCTop Hat & Tails Animal Adoption Event
12/4/2008-12/7/2008Rock Hill, SCChristmasVille
12/5/2008-12/6/2008Kenansville, NCLiberty Hall Christmas Tour
12/5/2008-12/5/2008Greensboro, NCFestival of Lights
12/6/2008-12/6/2008Salisbury, NCCelebration of Angels
12/6/2008-12/6/2008Jacksonville, NCHoliday Family Fun Day
12/13/2008-12/13/2008Salisbury, NCSanta & the Grinch Fire Trucks

12/20/2008-12/20/2008Salisbury, NCCamp Christmas Child Care
12/31/2008-12/31/2008Charlotte, NCFirst Night Charlotte
12/31/2008-12/31/2008Salisbury, NCNew Year's Eve at the Bell Tower

4/17/2009-4/18/2009Marion, NCNorth Carolina Gold Festival
4/25/2009-4/26/2009Charlotte, NCArt & Soul of South End
5/9/2009-5/9/2009Kannapolis, NCVillage Fest
7/4/2009-7/4/2009Charlotte, NCRed, White & Boom

I don't have links to these, just google to find details.

[Pat]

This site is AMAZING!! Each posted location or site is linked to a
resource web site to explore further!

Exploring NC/SC (waterfalls) http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/links2.htm

Preparing for a trip to the mountains - these links will help you
prepare and plan your trip to the mountains. You should cross
reference as much info that you can. I try to make the information on
my site as accurate and up to date as possible, but you should check
the official sites for the national forests and state parks for the
most up to date info.
Ray's Weather Center - The first thing you should do is check the
weather conditions in the area you are heading to so you can dress
acordingly. Ray's covers the entire western North Carolina area with
the most up to date conditions.

The Forest Place - good resource for trail maps in the area - click on
'maps', then 'North Carolina' - I use the Pisgah, Nantahala, and Smoky
Mtn maps the most - they also have the NC Gazetteer that Kevin Adams
references in his NC waterfall book
North Carolina State Parks - official guide to all of NC's state parks
South Carolina State Parks - official site for SC state parks
Tennessee State Parks - official site for TN state parks

Great Smoky Mountains NP - official site
National Forests in North Carolina - the majority of the waterfalls on
this site lie in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests - this
official site has a load of good info if you dig around enough - they
keep it fairly up to date, so check it regularly for possible closures
and new info
Blue Ridge Parkway - the official government site - check here for
activities and possible closures - click 'directions', then 'map' for
an excellent BRP map - remember that a lot of the Parkway is closed in
the winter

The Blue Ridge Parkway - home page for the Blue Ridge Parkway
Association - more good info on the Parkway
DuPont State Forest - all the info you need for hiking in DSF

What else to do in the mountains - these sites include info on hiking,
mountain biking, white water fun, sight seeing and other activities in
the mountains and in specific communities
Carolina Family Adventures - Relax and rejuvenate on an unforgettable,
stress-free mountain vacation designed just for families. Ready and
waiting are beautiful accommodations, outdoor adventures, and
delightful meals. All you have to do is come and play.

Hiking in Western North Carolina - an online guide for hiking in
western NC
Hiking the Carolinas - another online guide for hiking in the Carolinas
Mountain Biking in Western North Carolina - online guide to mountain
biking in western NC
South Carolina Trails - excellent resource for hiking in SC
Georgia Hikes - online hiking guide for Georgia

Hiking Trails/Day Hikes - Jon has put together an extensive list of
day hikes he has done in NC, SC, GA, and TN with detailed descriptions
of each hike.
Cashiers Fly Fishing - a guide to western NC trout streams
Headwaters Outfitters - canoe, kayak, and tubing on the French Broad
River and other locations in western NC
Hanging Rock Outdoor Center - only minutes from the Hanging Rock State
Park and is the only full service outfitter in the area with a fully
stocked outdoor shop.

The Dan River Company - canoe and kayak rentals, professional livery
and shuttle service for Dan River near Hanging Rock SP
NC Natural - guide to North Crolina nature, entertainment, and culture
NCGuide.com - online guide to activities in North Carolina
Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail
The Foothills Trail - site from the Foothills Trail Conference
webtransylvania.com - info on Transylvania County
Western North Carolina Guide

Alex's Whitewater River Photos - Alex Harvey's site with some great
whitewater photos and lots of whitewater videos
The Great Smokies - Adventures in North Carolina - personal site
North Carolina Outdoors - personal site
Trails of Western North Carolina - personal site
High Adventures - personal site

visitwaterfalls.com - lots of good info on activities, lodging and
campgrounds in Brevard and Transylvania County - their waterfall
section is really lame, however
Romantic Asheville - Your online travel guide to romantic getaways in
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville Now - new community based Asheville informational website
started by 2 UNC Asheville graduates
Western NC Attractions - Western NC's area attractions and travel guide
Asheville Chamber of Commerce - Dedicated to serving all businesses in
and around the Asheville, North Carolina area. Most consider Asheville
the 'capitol of the mountains'.

Explore Asheville - The Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau's
official Web site, www.exploreasheville.com lists area accommodations,
attractions and restaurants as well as featuring the region's most
up-to-date calendar of events. Sign up for the CVB's FREE bimonthly
e-newsletter to receive special deals, package information and stories
on festivals, specialty shops and more!
Polk County Travel & Tourism - all the info you need on visiting this
beautiful mountain county
GoCashiers.com - an online guide to the Cashiers, North Carolina area
WaynesvilleLive.com - Waynesville, North Carolina's live local area
community site with loads of Waynesville information and entertainment!

Hickory Nut Gorge News - news and events from the Lake Lure, Bat Cave,
Chimney Rock area
Carolina Outdoors Guide - a compendium of federal and state recreation
lands in North Carolina. Listings on the pages to the left include
links to Web sites sponsored by the National Park Service, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest
Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Tennessee Valley Authority,
N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and N.C. Division of Forest
Resources.

Mountain Travel Guide - online guide to activities in mountain areas
around the USA
Mountain Trail Hiker - photos of different areas of the mountains

[Pat]

All of those lists are accessible on the "Explore and Discover" yahoogroup files. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExploreAndDiscover/

Also, here are some more parks and outings in the Charlotte region.

New Mint Hill Park
Freedom Park
Dan Nichols Park

McDowell Park
South Mtns. State Park
Lake Norman Beach

Cane Creek Park
Old Mint Hill Park
Reedy Creek Park

Crowders Mtn. State Park
McAlpine Park
Martha Rivers Park


NC Auto Racing Hall of Fame http://www.ncarhof.com/
Museum of York County
http://www.chmuseums.org/ourmuseums/myco/index.htm

Schiele Museum https://www.schielemuseum.org/collections.php
NC Transportation Museum
http://www.nctrans.org/about_us/about_us.php?page=about_us

Panther's Stadium tour (Wednesday, 10am)
http://www.panthers.com/stadium/Default.aspx?id=1570
Carolina Raptor Center http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/index.php

Wing Haven (3pm) http://www.winghavengardens.com/visitors_guide.htm
Asheboro Zoo http://www.nczoo.org/about/

UNCC Botanical Gardens http://gardens.uncc.edu/
Metrolina Wildlife Park http://www.metrolinawildlifepark.com/about.html

McGill Rose Garden http://www.mcgillrosegarden.org/rose/
Discovery Place
http://www.discoveryplace.org/bodyworlds/home/body_worlds-home.php

Energy Quest http://www.duke-energy.com/visitor-centers/energyquest.asp
Charlotte Nature Museum
http://www.discoveryplace.org/home/nature_museum-exhibits.php

Hendrix Motor Sports
http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/hendrick-motorsports-shops-museu...
US National White Water Park
http://www.usnwc.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Reed Gold Mine http://www.reedmine.com/
Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens http://www.dsbg.org/

Lazy 5 Ranch http://www.lazy5ranch.com/
Charlotte Aviation Museum http://www.carolinasaviation.org/

Columbia Zoo http://www.riverbanks.org/zoo/
Energy Explorium
http://www.duke-energy.com/visitor-centers/energyexplorium.asp

Amtrak Train Ride to Salisbury and back (~5pm-9pm)
http://www.bytrain.org/passenger/citystops/charlotte.html
Mint Museum http://www.themintmuseums.org/exhibit.php?exhibit_id=74


The Explore and Discover Calendar can be accessed here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExploreAndDiscover/cal



Pat

[Pat]

Fourth Tuesdays of each month, the Explore and Discover group has an outing planned around the Charlotte region. All families welcome. All outings are at noon, unless otherwise noted. These are not holistic specific gatherings. Many of the families are homeschooling or have young children.


Feb. 24- Blast the Extreme Fun Center 4301 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209
[phone]
Mar. 17- Carolina Raptor Center
http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/index.php

April 28- Lynx Lightrail ride to ImaginOn and back
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/CATS/LYNX/LYNX+Fares.htm
May 26- UNCC Botanical Gardens http://gardens.uncc.edu/
June 23- Hendrix Motor Sports
http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/hendrick-motorsports-shops-museu...

July 28- Wing Haven (3pm)
http://www.winghavengardens.com/visitors_guide.htm
Aug. 25- Charlotte Aviation Museum http://www.carolinasaviation.org/
Sept. 22- Reed Gold Mine http://www.reedmine.com/

Oct. 27- Lazy 5 Ranch http://www.lazy5ranch.com/
Nov. 24- Charlotte Nature Museum
http://www.discoveryplace.org/home/nature_museum-exhibits.php
Dec. 22- Mint Museum
http://www.themintmuseums.org/exhibit.php?exhibit_id=74


Additional outings on second Tuesdays.
*Jan. 13- Schiele Museum https://www.schielemuseum.org/collections.php
*Feb. 10- Discovery Place
http://www.discoveryplace.org/home/discovery_place-home.php


*April 14- Asheboro Zoo http://www.nczoo.org/about/
*June 9- Energy Explorium
http://www.duke-energy.com/visitor-centers/energyexplorium.asp

*Nov. 17- Columbia Zoo http://www.riverbanks.org/animals/
*Dec. 8- Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens http://www.dsbg.org/



We will continue the first Tuesdays Park Day at Beatty Park, at noon also.


Pat Robinson
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExploreAndDiscover/

[Pat]

Many of us have purchased the Western North Carolina Nature Center membership which allows reciprocity to many of the museums and zoos for free. We used that membership to get in free at the Asheboro Zoo, Riverside Zoo, Discovery Place and Scheile Museum, for instance.

If you go through the Nature Center you not only get all the ASCT memberships but ALSO reciprocity to zoos and aquariums- their yearly family membership is only $60 (Good for two adults and up to 4 children from one household).

I called about this and it is a wonderful deal, if you need to renew a museum membership anytime soon. We chose this membership because of the reciprocity in all of these zoos and aquariums:
http://www.aza.org/ForEveryone/reciprocity/

And all of these museums and science centers:
http://www.astc.org/members/pdf/PassPub0508.pdf (May 1,2008-Oct. 31, 2008)


It specifically lists:

NC Aquarium at Roanoke Island
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher
NC Aquarium at Atlantic Beach
NC Zoo-Asheboro
Greenville Zoo
Riverbanks Zoo-Columbia


Discovery Place
Natural Science Center of Greensboro
NC Museum of Natural Science
Schiele Museum-Raleigh
SciWorks Science Center Winston-Salem

And MORE!!

You can either pay online at the site or contact them at http://www.wildwnc.org/friends To have the brochure sent to you to mail back write to http://www.wildwnc.org/friends/become-a-member/become-a-member.
(please note, the FAX number on the membership form is no longer accurate)

FYI: Daniel Stowe Gardens did NOT honor WNC Nature Center membership. Although Discovery Place (and Nature Museum last time) did.


Pat