Art with Evan

What it is:  Art with Evan is a drop-in art class for kids held at her small art studio in Chapel Hill.  She also holds fine art workshops and camps and artist nights out. 

What we like: We tried the one hour drop in-class during the week with our 3 year old son.  We got there early at 3pm and he received a lot of individualized attention from Evan.  Evan has over 20 years of experience teaching art, preschool and kids with special needs so she was great with our son.  She worked with him to first select a postcard or toy to trace on paper, then trace the image on canvas and then helped him paint the image using an easel.  She had a lot of images to choose from and you can also bring in your own image.  I was encouraged to sit back on the chairs and let her work alone with him.  So it was a nice break for me.  You can also drop children off for the art class.  When his attention would wander she told him to take a break, read a book and then would help him to come back to the painting.  The price is also great at $10 for an hour including all materials. 

What we would change: My 3 year old son didn't quite last an hour but this was more a function of his age and perhaps gender than anything in the studio or related to Evan's teaching.  But Evan does allow you to use extra time toward an additional class if you'd like.  There is a sign in/sign out sheet that she uses to record the time.

Website and other important information:  

http://artwithevan.com/index.php

Drop-in art class summer schedule:

• Monday to Friday, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m
• Cost: $10 per hour including materials
• Materials include:
  • Fine watercolor and drawing papers
  • Staple- backed canvas, wood and canvas boards; assorted sizes to choose from
  • Oil paints, acrylics, watercolors and gouche
  • Charcoal, chalk and oil pastel
  • Beads, rhinestones and foam core for collage and montage works
  
  

  

  Art studio

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Images and toys to choose from

  
  

Toys R Us

Here's the final installment to this week's toy store series.  So, there are still some great toy stores in the area even after several of our favorites closed, and don't worry-there's still a few more for us to visit and tell you about, so stay tuned.

What it is:  I'm sure almost everyone reading this blog has heard about Toys R Us.  It's the go-to big box toy store in the area.  There are two locations in the Triangle, one of them being in Durham and the other in Cary.  The Durham location is the one that we will be talking about, but most of them have pretty much the same items.  Toys R Us has toys for every age of kids from baby to preteen.  They have a small baby section with items that you will find expanded upon at Babies R Us, a video game section, and everything in between.  You can buy games, bikes, seasonal toys, sports equipment, books, and everything in between.  If I had a certain toy that I was looking for, this is where I would start my search.


What we liked: We love the wide selection and all the different types of toys they have here.  It's also nice that you can order toys from them online by checking out their website.

What we would change: I feel like Toys R Us has a lot of the toys that you will find everywhere.  It seems that there's less of the really different and unique toys here.  In addition, the Durham location unfortunately does not put items on hold while the Cary location will.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://www.toysrus.com/

Address: 3300 Westgate Dr, Durham 

 

Phone Number: (919) 489-0761

 

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM - 10:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

My Fairy Godmother

Lucky readers...here's our next installment of our area toy stores series.  This time we headed back over to University Mall which was recently vacated by one of our other favorites, The Children's Store.  There were two toy stores for us to check out and we only investigated one this time.  But don't worry we'll be back.  The one we checked out this time was My Fairy Godmother.

What it is: I'd never headed into this toy store before because I thought that it was simply filled with toys for girls.  I didn't think that there would be anything in there for my two little boys.  However, I was wrong.  While the store had all kinds of wings and fairy outfits for girls as well as items for in-store manicure and dress up parties, it did have some great toys for everyone.  They had a train table as well as a rubber tire car pit (with one car), and a kitchen that were out for the kids to explore.  They also had a large selection of Melissa and Doug toys and a puppet theater for more fun.  In the back corner they had a TV area with some chairs if your kids need some down time.  My two little boys managed to spend quite a bit of time exploring this store that I erroneously thought was just for girls, and I managed to find a few things I wanted to take home for them as well.


What we liked:  We would have loved this store if we had little girls.  It would be the perfect place to shop for a girl who likes to dress up, and a great place for their birthday party (tea party, fairy, princess, etc.).  It's a great place for a little break as you shop around University Mall.  In addition they have some interesting and fun toys to investigate.


What we would change: Because of the nature of the store, there were not as many items for boys.  In addition, some of the interactive parts of the store were a bit under-utilized.  For example, there weren't many trains on the train table and wasn't much food in the kitchen to play with, but they provided amusement for the kiddos none-the-less.

Website and other important information:  

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/my-fairy-godmother/392980339545?v=info

Address: University Mall - 201 S Estes Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Phone Number: 919-265-0201

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 1pm-6pm

Photos:  (A view of some of the Melissa and Doug toys)  (The exterior of the store)  (the puppet theater)  (fairy outfits) (their TV viewing corner)

Learning Express

With the loss of Sea of Learning and Toyland in recent months, we were bemoaning the lack of toy stores in the area.  So, we decided to look around and make sure we found the great toy stores that were still around in the Triangle.  Turns out, there are actually quite a few fabulous toy stores still around when you need to find unique and exciting toys.  This week, we'll try to tell you about a few of them.

What it is:  This time we headed to Learning Express which is located in the Patterson Place Shopping Center near the intersection of 15-501 and I-40.  It's a small toy store that is packed with tons of unique toys for all ages.  They've divided the store up into categories including construction toys, preschool/toddlers, party favors, vehicles, and much more.  They also have a large section for older kids, especially girls with items for decorating their rooms, games, and more. 

What we liked:  We really liked this toy store!  They had a ton of interesting, unique toys.  My husband and I both agreed that we needed to come back when it came time for birthday presents and pick out some great gifts.  They also had quite a few toys out for the kids to play with like a train table, some items to ride on, some building blocks, and a dollhouse.  They also didn't mind if my sons touched other items in the store and took them out to look at.  Of course, we had to make sure we put them back exactly as we found them, but we thought it was nice that they didn't cringe when my toddler tried to play with every toy he found.  We also especially liked the collection of small toys in the "party favor" section.  There were lots of inexpensive fun items to choose from if you wanted a small goody for your child.

What we would change: The only thing that I can think of to change is that they had some actual frog aquariums with frogs sitting in a display at toddler eye and hand level.  So, you will need to keep a close eye on your kids around them.


Website and other important information:

Website: http://durham.learningexpress-toys.com/

Address: Patterson Place Shopping Center | 3604 Witherspoon Blvd. | Durham, NC 27707

Phone Number: 919-401-8480

Hours:

Mon - Wed		9:00am	-	7:00pm
Thu - Sat		9:00am	-	8:00pm
Sunday		11:00am	-	6:00pm

Photos:  

 1. The outside of the store

 2. The train table

 3. Toys, toys, and more toys

 4. Book section

 5. More toys :)

Morehead Planetarium

This week, no one has wanted to be outside.  It has even been too hot to walk from whatever indoor activity we have found to the car.  Fortunately, we found another fun indoor activity to check out in Chapel Hill.

What it is:  I'd been meaning to take my kids to the planetarium at UNC for a long time.  However, they only offer shows during the week in the summer, so we've had trouble finding a time to go.  Since it's the summertime and the shows are offered more frequently right now, we managed to make it to a 10:30 showing of their most child-friendly show, The Magic Treehouse: Space Mission which shows Tuesday-Saturday at that time.  The show is geared toward elementary aged children, so most of it went over the head of my one year old and three year old.  However, my oldest son was entranced by the movie and stars over his head.  My youngest has always been a bit scared of loud noises so parts made him cuddle up to his mom (but I enjoyed that).  After our planetarium show we headed downstairs to check out the few exhibits that they had.  We explored for a little while and the boys had fun, but there wasn't too much to see.  There was also a science stage that had shows scheduled, but we didn't check that out on this trip.


What we liked:  If your children like movies, then they'll probably enjoy this show.  It's a fun and different indoor treat and they also learn something.  The gift shop is a fun place to pick up some space related goodies, and there's a little more to explore beyond the show.  In addition, the planetarium is located on Franklin St. and UNC's campus, so once you get done there, you can always check out the many other diversions that that area has to offer including running around on campus, or sweet treats like Locopops or Sugarland on Franklin St.  In addition, while it's a little expensive-$6 for kids and $7.25 for adults-we were able to get half off with our NC Zoo membership!  Another great thing is that there's a pay parking lot right out in front of the planetarium.  It can fill up, but we were able to find a spot.

What we would change: The building itself is not stroller friendly.  You can get in the building, but there is no way to get a stroller downstairs to the exhibits.  The show may not be appropriate for the youngest of kids.  My three year old loved most of it, however, there was one scene with a black hole at the end of the show that scared my imaginative little boy.

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org/

Address: 250 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC

Phone Number: (919) 962 - 1236

Hours: 10am-3:30pm Tuesday-Saturday, 1-4:30pm Sunday (for the public spaces including the exhibits) Shows run daily during the summer and weekends after August 20, 2011.

Cost: $6 for children ages 3 and up, $7.25 for adults, under 3 are free

Photos:

 1. Several of the exhibits

 2. A view from the outside

Morgan Imports

What it is:

We ventured to downtown Durham lately, and found a store that parents and kids can both agree on: Morgan Imports. Just a short walk from parking and restaurants, Morgan Imports makes for an easy trip and a nice place to do some exploration and shopping. Not only does it have a lovely toy and infant clothing section, but there are lots of unique products and deals to be found throughout the rest of the store, from lawn furniture to year-round Christmas to bikes to furniture to kitchen gadgets to old-school rolls of tear-off stickers.

 

What we liked:

The toy section contained your usual Melissa and Doug fare, but we also spotted lots of other great toys we've never seen before--except possibly in our own childhoods. The stuffed animal section was expansive and varied, and super sweet (stuffed knitted mouse, anyone?), and there was a really nice selection of games for all ages, as well as puzzles and books. Many of the toys were educational, not too many were character themed (but some were) and all were wholesomely fun. In the infant clothing section, you'll find some nice name brands that aren't commonly found at the mall. As for the rest of the store, it's not only spacious, but comfortably laid out with lots of unique items for your home, office or lawn. A few kids' items, or items that would at least keep your child mildly entertained while you shop, were scattered throughout. We especially liked the rolls of stickers in the office section--just choose your roll (they varied from "beach fun" to "dress-up" to "construction site," with lots in between) and tear off what you'd like.

 

What we'd change:

For as nice as the toy section was, they didn't have a ton of products out for kids to try. Also, the toy section itself was possibly a bit narrow in places for pushing a stroller or letting kids wander. It's certainly a place you can bring kids (and strollers) to, but you'll need to keep a watchful eye on everyone and plan to participate in the fun of exploring new toys. As for the rest of the store, there may be some stairs (we don't remember), and there are certainly breakable items you'll need to be careful of, but the products are interesting enough and the aisles are wide enough that most parent-child groups can navigate the store and have a good time without incident.

 

Website and other important information:

Website:

http://www.morganimports.com/index.html

 

Address: 113 Gregson St. Durham NC 27701 

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm

 

Sweet Frog

We were really missing our sweet treat shops that have closed down here in S. Durham.  So, we were thrilled when Sweet Frog opened up in the old Cold Stone location.  Now, we can satisfy our sweet tooth whenever we are in the mood.

What it is:  SweetFrog is a frozen yogurt shop that offers a buffet style choice with multiple flavors and toppings.  You pick your size (12 oz or 16 oz cups are available), fill in the flavors of frozen yogurt that you want, and then go to the topping bar and again pick what you want.  When you are done, you have your cup weighed and then pay 39.9 cents per oz.  When we went they had 14 frozen yogurt flavors: chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake, coconut, banana, pecan praline, strawberry, pistachio, no sugar added strawberry banana, Georgia peach, original tart, mango, and cookies and cream.  The topping bar had even more variety:  fruits (cut up strawberries, peaches, pineapple, blueberries, and kiwi), lemon cake, white cake, brownie bits, pina colada marshmallows, health bar bits, peanut butter cup bits, chocolate chip cookie dough, coconut flakes, cherries, lychee, M&Ms, Reese’s pieces, lots of types of chocolate chips, four different nuts, regular marshmallows, gummy bears, gummy worms and of course sprinkles.  My kids of course wanted to try some of everything!

What we liked:  We loved the variety of choices, and the fact that you control what you get and how much you want.  This was a really fun place to take the kids, and they got to have a tasty snack too!  The lemon cake was really good too – a really good addition on my frozen yogurt.  Also, the chocolate flavor was excellent, didn’t taste watery like the others.

What we would change:  The quality of the frozen yogurt itself wasn’t quite what we were expecting – they tasted a little bit watery (like frozen ice milk).  This is quickly disguised by the toppings though.  Also, because everything is open, when you go in with you kids, you have to watch them very closely, otherwise they will start pulling on the frozen yogurt handles, or sticking their fingers in the toppings.  The openness is part of the fun of the place, so there isn’t really much to be done about that except watching the kids. The brownie topping was a little bit dry for my taste, but I think if I went at a busier time it might be a little fresher.

Website and other important information:

http://www.sweet-frog.com/

Phone: (919) 619-FROG

Located on Fayetteville Road in the old Coldstone storefront between Chili’s and Vitamin World.

They are having a Grand Opening Party on Saturday, July 23 from 11:30 AM to 11 pm, with hourly drawings for prizes.

 Photos:

 1. The storefront

 2. The checkout counter

 3. The grand opening sign

 4. The first set of pumps

5. The second set of pumps

 6. The toppings

 7. More toppings

8. Our finished yogurt creations

Bounce U

What it is:  Bounce U is another indoor playground with inflatables.  They offer open bounce for kids 7 and under every morning during the week, for families in the evenings during the week (includes food package) and for all-ages in the afternoons during the week and in the mornings on the weekend. 

What we liked:  There are two rooms with inflatables.  The first room is open for the younger kids (7 and under) for the first part of the session (from 10am to 11am) and the second room is open for the second part of the session (from 11am to 12pm).  The first room has inflatables more appropriate for the 4 and under crowd.  They have bounce houses, inflatables with smaller slides and climbing walls, an area to play soccer and a great inflatable skee-ball game where my son spent most of his time.  They allow parents to go on the inflatables with their kids but both parents and children need to wear socks. 

What we would change: Since they only open one room at a time and the rooms aren't very large it got pretty crowded.  The second room also had inflatables and climbing structures more appropriate for older kids so it would have been nice if we had access to both rooms during the two hours.  Also there were a few bigger kids that definitely looked older than 7 that were playing pretty rowdy around the younger kids.  Although the staff tried to keep them in line, they probably shouldn't have been allowed into the rooms in the first place. 

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.bounceu.com/party-places-for-kids/north-carolina/apex/

Address:  3419 Apex Peakway
                Apex, NC 27502-5757

Phone:    (919) 303-3368

Preschool Open Bounce (7 and under):  Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Price:  Admission is $7.95 per child or purchase 5 sessions for $35.00.  Parents and non-walking infants are free.

Skee-ball game in first room

 Inflatable slide in the first room

Basketball inflatable in second room

And Our July Giveaway Winner is...

I know everyone has been waiting anxiously for this post.  Thanks to all of our readers for making this our biggest giveaway yet!  We had more entrants than we've ever had before.  We are happy to announce that the winner of the photo session with Abigail Blosser Photography is Katie H.! 

Katie H. commented, "Great blog! And I would love to win this giveaway!"  If this is you, please send us an e-mail at scmomsgroup@gmail.com to claim your prize.  You have until next Saturday, July 23 to contact us.  We're looking forward to hearing from you!

Even if you didn't win this time, stay tuned because we have an idea in mind for our August giveaway, and I know all of our Durham moms will love it!  Thanks again to Abigail Blosser Photography for the great giveaway, and thanks to all of our readers for your continued support.  Keep reading, and stay tuned!

Eno River: Buckquarter Creek Trail

We've already told you about so many great sections of the Eno River already.  However, this past weekend, we had so much fun visiting one of the section of the Eno that we had to tell you about a few more details.

What it is:  In one of our previous entries we mentioned the Few's Ford section of the Eno River.  To hike at this part of the park simply park where Cole Mill dead ends into the park.  You will turn right directly after you enter the park to find your way to the parking lot for the Buckquarter Creek Trail, the great trail that we hiked this weekend.  The nice thing about this parking lot is that it is next to the museum.  The museum houses very nice indoor bathrooms that you can check out before the hike.

The Buckquarter Creek trail is a 1.5 mile loop trail, but the first half of the trail is directly along the river.  We simply went up the river as long as we wanted and then turned around and hiked back.  There was a lookout a short distance up the trail where we could look down on the "rapids" area of the river which was neat.  When we met up with the trail at the river, there was the nice calm Fews Ford area of the river where we saw many kids and their parents swimming around the calm water.  Then, there were the rapids to observe.  There were also several big stone steps and other spots where you could step into the river or onto rocks in the river.  It was great toddler climbing and exploring, but make sure to bring your net so you can catch some of these tiny fishies to study.

What we liked:  We had to comment on this part of the trail because it looked like such a fun place for kids.  Every part of the trail had access points to the river where you could either watch the river or explore.  It was also easy to turn around and head back whenever we got tired.  In addition, there was a great calm area at the beginning where kids could enjoy swimming with their parents there for safety.

What we would change:  The only negative was that there were no picnic tables at that particular parking lot.  So, once we got finished with our hike, we did have to jump in the car and head to the other parking lot at the Fews Ford area where there were plenty of picnic tables for our lunch.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://www.enoriver.org/ 

Location: The Fews Ford area is located at the Northern dead end of Cole Mill Rd. in Durham.

Photos: 

 (rapids)

 (another view from along the trail)

(the calm area, excellent for swimming)

July Giveaway

It's that wonderful time of the month again...giveaway time!  This month we've got another great local mom business offering a great treat for our readers.


Abigail Blosser Photography is offering one 1 and 1/2 hour photo session for 1-2 siblings and parents at the location of your choice!  This session is regularly $150 value.  Abigail is a fine art portrait photographer specializing in children newborn, and families.  Her work is currently on exhibit at Locopops in Chapel Hill, The Red Hen Consignment Store, the Women's Birth and Wellness Center, and the Chapel Hill Wine Company.  Ordering for your session will be available for seven days on a private online photography gallery, and the session must take place before August 31, 2011.

To enter this awesome giveaway simply comment on this entry on blogger or facebook by Friday July 15 at midnight.  You get one entry for simply commenting and additional entries by letting us know if you're a Stir Crazy Moms follower on Blogger, Facebook, or Twitter.  So, if you're not, become a fan and gain those extra entries!!  We will announce the winner on Saturday, and that winner has one week to respond before we offer the prize to another winner.  If you include your e-mail address on your entry it will make it easier to track you down. 

Happy entering, and thanks again for reading!

A.D. Clark Pool

What it is: At this time of year in North Carolina, all you want to do is stay cool.  So, we've been searching out any way to stay cool that we could find.  When I first heard about this place in Chapel Hill I knew it was another way to beat the summer heat.  AD Clark pool is a public pool located just off Franklin St.  It's affiliated with the Hargraves Community Center.  The pool has all you need for some great summer fun: a zero entry area for entering the pool, a separate kids pool, changing areas, and lounge chairs for relaxing.  There's also a great playground and shelter there as well, so you can make a great day of it.


What we liked:  The best part about this pool is that it is FREE!  That's right, completely free.  In addition, the zero entry area and baby pool make it great for the little ones.  Plus, they have a bunch of life jackets available that you can borrow so your kid can stay safe while swimming.  It's also nice that it's next to the lovely playground and shelter.


What we would change:  The tricky part about this pool is that we can't get a straight answer about whether you can visit if you're not a Chapel Hill resident.  The website doesn't mention whether the pool is for residents or not.  When we called before our visit, the man on the phone said it didn't matter where you lived-the pool was for everyone.  However, when we were actually at the pool we asked the man working the desk and he said that you either had to live in Chapel Hill or be a guest of a resident.  So, to be on the safe side, take your Chapel Hill friends when visiting this pool, but they didn't ask us for our address or anything.  In addition, the zero entry area is a bit skinny, so I imagine it could get crowded at times.

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=22&recordid=2982&returnURL=%2findex.aspx

Address: 216 North Roberson St, Chapel Hill

Phone Number: 919-968-2816 (Pool)

Hours: From June 13 to August 7: 10:30-1:45 and 4:15-7 (MWF), 10:30-1:45 and 4:15-5:15 (TR), 10am-7pm (Sat), Noon-7pm (Sun)


Photos:

 (The baby pool and life jackets for borrowing)

(The pool with zero entry area at the front)

The Regulator Bookshop

What it is: With the rainy weather this week, we have been exploring some of our indoor options in town.  Yesterday we headed somewhere we had been wanting to go for a long time, The Regulator Bookshop.  This book store located on Ninth St. near Duke's East campus looks small from the outside, but once you head indoors you discover a fantastic kids' section in the back.  It was much larger than I had anticipated.  While they did have many interesting reads for adults, the kids' section was where we spent most of our time.  The had a large selection of board books, hardbacks, and paperbacks.  In addition we noticed Spanish books, and books for teens.  We saw the classics as well as unique books that we really hadn't seen elsewhere.  It's always nice to go to a bookstore where you can see something new.  They also had a sitting area next to the kids' area complete with two comfy couches and a coffee table.  The Regulator has been known to have Friday night story times/PJ parties which I've been interested in checking out, so we'll try to let you know when they schedule more.


What we liked: We liked the selection in the kids' area.  I was surprised to see such a great selection in such a small bookstore.  We also love supporting our local Durham businesses.  In addition, the sitting area made for a great place to sit and read our new finds.  Another great thing about The Regulator is its location on Ninth Street.  You could easily combine it with a meal at Blue Corn Cafe (with its great kids' area) or stop for a sweet treat after your book browsing at Francesca's or Ox and Rabbit.


What we would change: There are not many negatives to this stop.  I guess my only caution would be that when we were in the store, it was so open and all of the sections were so close to one another that we felt we had to try to be quiet as not to disturb the other patrons.  In addition, the same was true of the sitting area which seemed to be shared with the rest of the store.


Website and other important information:

Website: http://regulatorbookshop.com/

Address: 720 Ninth St, Durham, NC 27705

Phone: (919) 286-2700

Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 am - 9 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 6 pm

Photos: 

 1. Kids' books!

  2. More kids' books including the easily accessible board book section

3. A view from outside

Fred G. Bond Metro Park

What it is:  Over the long holiday weekend, our family wanted to head outside and have some fun in the sun.  So, we ventured over to Cary to check out Bond Park.  We were pleasantly surprised that from S. Durham, the drive time wasn't any longer than to North Durham.  Once there, we had initially planned to head to the playground first, but found ourselves pleasantly diverted by several other fun activities.  First, we noticed the trails, so we had to check them out.  Bond Park has several great trails looping through it.  We chose the Paw Paw Trail because it was the shortest at 1 mile long, and you never know how long toddler and baby attention spans will be.  Sure enough, a mile was just about right, and after some great fun tromping through dirt trails, coasting with the baby walker on wide paved trails, and stopping to play at some of the fitness trail stations we had a dirty diaper and a toddler in need of a restroom break. 

Fortunately, we had found ourselves at the boat house.  Bond Park has a great lake complete with several boating and fishing options.  The boathouse also had some nice picnic tables and sold refreshments including sno cones!  After we had all freshened up a bit, we figured we had to take advantage of the boating opportunities, so against my better judgment we piled the whole family in life jackets and onto a rowboat.  The lake was lovely and we saw quite a few people out fishing and using other boats like kayaks and paddleboats.  It actually turned out to be a great boat trip and we spotted several birds including a heron, some geese, and some ducks.

After our boating outing and a lovely picnic lunch at some shaded tables near the boathouse we finally decided to check out that playground, and it didn't disappoint.  They had two play structures-a bigger and a smaller one, a sand box area, separate sets of bucket and regular swings, and some bouncy ride-on figures.  It was a great way to finish up our adventure in the park.

What we liked: We loved how there was so much to explore.  We didn't even get a chance to check out the ampitheater, ball fields, community center, or ropes course.  The prices were also quite reasonable for the boating options with our rowboat excursion only costing $5. 

What we would change: Our only piece of advice would be to possibly take a map.  The park is large and it would have been nice to have a map with us so we knew where we were all the time.  That being said, most of the park was well-marked and we always found our way to our destinations without a map.  At the time of day we stopped by, the playground was also mostly in the sun so it was a bit hot.  However, it was surrounded by shady trees if we needed a break from the sun.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://www.townofcary.org/Departments/Parks__Recreation___Cultural_Resources/Parks_and_Greenways/Parks/Fred_G__Bond_Metro_Park.htm

Address: 801 High House Rd, Cary

Phone Number: (919) 469-4100


Hours of Operation:


November - February: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
March: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily
April - May: Sunday - Friday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday & Holidays 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
June - August: Sunday - Friday 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday & Holidays 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
September - October: Sunday - Friday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday & Holidays 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

*Boathouse/Waterfront Hours of Operation:
November - March: closed
April - May: closed Monday - Friday; Saturday & Holidays 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
June - August: Monday - Friday* 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday & Holidays 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
September - October: closed Monday - Friday; Saturday & Holidays 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
*Closed weekdays in August with the start of the Wake County traditional school year

Photos:  

 1. The wooded trail

 2. A view from the rowboat

 3. The playground

US National Whitewater Center

What it is: While this activity is a bit farther away in Charlotte (about 3 hours away from Durham), we went down for a day and had a ball so we had to tell you about it.  My husband and I actually went on our own without the kids, but you could make this a great outing for the whole family if your kids are a bit older.

The US National Whitewater Center is an outdoor adventure center complete with the world's largest man-made whitewater river.  You can come for the day and enjoy a variety of activities including whitewater rafting, flatwater kayaking or paddleboarding, zip lines and outdoor ropes courses, mountain biking, rock climbing, and more.  While we were there we did the rafting, rock climbing on their rock walls, the climb to zip (where we climbed up a 32 ft. cargo net and took a zip line back down), and the mega jump (where we jumped off a 64 ft. platform while attached to a bungee cord).  We also enjoyed a lovely lunch at their grill overlooking the whitewater course.

In looking at the age restrictions, only the eco-trekking and trails were open to any age.  However, many of the ropes courses were open to between 45 and 265 lbs.  Several of the activities including the flatwater kayaking were open to children as young as 4 on a guided basis.  Other activities such as mountain biking were open to children 6 years of age and over, and the family rafting was open to kids over 8.  You can check their website to find out the age or weight restrictions of any activity.


What we liked:  This was perfect for a date without the kids if you and your husband like a little adventure.  While it was fun and exciting to do each of the activities, it was also relaxing to have the time to spend together minus the kids while doing something new and different.  Plus, the whitewater course was pretty neat to experience. They have class II, III, and IV rapids and a guide to take you down the course.   We also can't wait to take our two sons back when they are a little older for a different kind of family adventure.


What we would change: Depending on the time that you go, you can have a bit of a wait in the lines for the activities.  However, you can make your day more relaxing by reserving times for the whitewater rafting and rock climbing.  Some of the activities are also only open on a seasonal basis, so check this out before going.


Website and other important information: 

Website: http://usnwc.org/

Address: 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28214

Phone Number: 704.391.3900

Cost: You can purchase their All-Sport Pass for $49 for adults and $39 for kids 9 and under.  This will give you access to all of the center's activities for a day.  Other types of passes are also available on their website.

Photos:

 1. A view of the front of the center

 2. A group of rafters checking out the whitewater course

 3. The climb-to-zip

 3. The rock walls

4. Someone jumping off the mega jump