There are lots of low-cost ways to keep the whole family busy this summer, from museum trips to urban hikes.
- Below are 20+ family-friendly activities to check out in the Charlotte region and beyond.
Of note: This list includes activities for kids from babies/toddlers through teenagers. It’s not a comprehensive list of all the fun stuff to do with your family this season, though.
- Also, many of the places in this roundup have special prices for members and seniors. Be sure to check out their respective websites for the latest pricing.
Details: ImaginOn is a partnership between the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the Children’s Theater. The center’s Spangler Library offers a free, 30-minute family storytime for young children (1-5 years old or so) several days a week filled with stories, dancing, music and socializing.
- Stick around or come early for the interactive exhibits at the library, fitting for kids of all ages.
Stop by: 300 E. Seventh St.
Cost: Free
Of note: There's a free parking lot off 6th Street.
Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Details: Take an urban hike, for instance, through the 1.8-mile loop at Evergreen Nature Preserve in east Charlotte. It’s not a strenuous hike, and you’ll see plenty of runners and bikers on the trails, too. Some of the other nature preserves in Mecklenburg County include:
- Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville is 1,460 acres.
- McDowell Nature Preserve in south Charlotte is 1,132 acres.
- Reedy Creek Nature Preserve in north Charlotte is 927 acres.
Cost: Free
Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Details: On the second Saturday of every month this summer, the Independent Picture House near NoDa hosts an hour of free morning cartoons for the family at 10:30am with free cookies and milk. Showings vary.
Stop by: 4237 Raleigh St.
Cost: Free
Photo: Emma Way/Axios
Airport Overlook
Details: The new $8 million overlook recently opened at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and it's got something for everybody (not just kids) — playgrounds, educational exhibits, room for food trucks and lots more.
Stop by: 5130 Airport Overlook Dr. Open 8am-10pm daily.
Cost: Free
A retired U.S. military fighter jet, an F-4 Phantom II, is on display at Charlotte Douglas International Airport's new airport overlook with the city skyline in the background. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
A local splash pad
Details: If you’re looking for an easy, free way to cool off this summer, a splash pad is a great option that kids love. The one at First Ward Park , for instance, is sprawling. The park also has a playground and grassy area for picnicking.
Cost: Free
Of note: There's paid street parking along Brevard and 8th streets. Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Stream Park at Ballantyne
The six-acre park behind The Ballantyne Hotel has a covered pavilion, interactive playground, greenway connection and water features, including a natural stream.
- Pro tip: Head to the Bowl at Ballantyne after to refuel. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery recently opened as the Bowl's anchor tenant.
Stop by: 14105 Stream Way . Open 7am-7pm.
Cost: Free
Stream Park at Ballantyne. Photo courtesy of Northwood
Run a race
Details: Sign up the kids for a short-distance road race, like Around the Crown's Kids' Run on Saturday, Aug. 31, a 9-and-under race on a 0.277-mile course around the Ford Building at Camp North End.
- Or, if your kids are small enough, take them on a stroller run as you compete in the Around the Crown, a 10K that takes you on I-277 on Sunday, Sept. 1.
Stop by: Uptown. Race info here.
Cost: Varies
Seoul Food Meat Company Mill District
Details: Why not combine playtime and happy hour? Seoul Food offers plenty of activities for the kids — from a splash pad to a playground to games — and for the adults, a full menu of craft beer, soju cocktails, wine and mocktails, plus karaoke.
- It's a fun spot to meet/hang with other families with kids.
Stop by: 421 E 26th St. Open 11:30am-11pm Sunday-Thursday; 11:30-midnight Friday-Saturday.
Cost: Varies
Of note: There's a free parking lot out back, but it fills up fast, especially on the weekends. Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
North Carolina Zoo
Details: The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is in the middle of the state, a roughly 90-mile drive northeast of Charlotte. The state-supported zoo is home to more than 1,700 animals from around the world, from baboons to lions to African elephants. Animal habitats are divided up by region. Check out the zoo’s website for animal feeding times.
Stop by: 4401 Zoo Pkwy . Open April thru October 9am-5pm; November thru March 9am-4pm.
Cost: Varies depending on the experience you’re going for. It’s $15 for general admission for adults, $11 for children 2-12. Children under 2 get in free.
For another zoo option only slightly farther,
the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia is another fun day trip. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Zoo
Lazy 5 Ranch
Details: The Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville is one way to see both farm and exotic animals — from cattle to kangaroos — without driving too far. The family-run ranch is home to over 750 animals from six different continents, and per its website, aims to support the recovery of several endangered species, including the Grevy Zebra, Scimitar Horned Oryx and Ring-tailed Lemur.
Stop by: 15100 Mooresville Road. Open Monday-Saturday, 9am until one hour before sunset (arrive by 5pm); Sunday, 12pm until one hour before sunset (arrive by 5pm).
Cost: Varies. General admission for adults is $15; it's $11 for kids 2-12.
Of note: Lazy 5 doesn't accept debit or credit cards. Cash or check only. Photo: Courtesy of Lazy 5 Ranch
Details: Darby Acres is family-owned and operated by the husband and wife duo Dwayne and Jennifer Collins, who have been taking rescue animals in for more than 15 years. At the northwest Charlotte farm, you can have personal encounters with various exotic animals, including a capuchin monkey, lemurs and baby otters.
Cost: General admission is $20, which comes with one generous bucket of fruits and vegetables to feed the animals.
- For an additional $24-$45, you can add on a personal encounter with a few of the animals in an up-close private setting.
- The kit & caboodle is $100 per person.
Of note: Darby Acres is open year-round but you make an appointment to visit. You can schedule a tour 24 hours in advance online.
Go deeper: Spend a day with exotic animals at Darby Safari in northwest Charlotte
Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios
Details: The nonprofit educational center in Huntersville features outdoor trails with all kinds of birds, flight shows, STEM-focused educational programming and indoor exhibits. The center, founded in 1981, provides rehabilitation services for injured birds of prey, admitting up to 1,000 birds annually Most of the raptors taken into the center’s hospital are released back into the wild.
Stop by: 6000 Sample Road . Open 10am-4pm daily.
Cost: Ages 22-64 $16; ages 13-21 $14; ages 3-13 $12. Under 3: Free.
Of note: There's free parking onsite, plus picnic tables if you want to bring a meal. Courtesy of the Carolina Raptor Center
Tweetsie Railroad
Details: Opened in 1957 as North Carolina’s first theme park, Tweetsie is located about two hours west of Charlotte, between Blowing Rock and Boone. The park has historic steam locomotives that carry passengers around a scenic Wild West-themed three-mile loop. The park also offers live shows, amusement rides, the Deer Park Zoo and dining.
Stop by: 300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane , Blowing Rock. Open Thursday through Monday (and July 4th; closed Tuesday and Wednesday through Aug. 11). Operating hours are 10am-6pm.
Cost: $60 for adults ($13+) and $40 for children ages 3-12. Children 2 and under get in free.
Of note: The park
is hosting a Fourth of July celebration with fireworks. It'll have Halloween and Christmas-themed events, too. Courtesy of Tweetsie Railroad.
Food Halls
Food halls like Optimist Hall and Urban District Market often host family-friendly events.
- Alley 51 in Pineville has a mini arcade and "Kidz Zone."
- Gibson Mill in Concord also hosts family-friendly activities often inside its food hall The Market and at the vintage car showroom AutoBarn Classic Cars.
Akihabari inside Alley 51. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Quarry at Carrigan Farms
Details: Carrigan Farms is a family-owned property in Mooresville that grows fresh produce and opens its natural spring quarry to the public for daily open swims during the summertime. During open swim, you can jump off the rocks, swing off the rope swing, fish in the pond, relax on the quarry beaches or dine at the onsite restaurant. Reservations are required for open swim .
- All swimmers must wear a life jacket unless they pass a swim test , which is open to people 12 and older.
- Children under 12 must wear a life jacket at all times.
Stop by: Enter at the west entrance at 1213 Oakridge Farm Hwy. in Mooresville.
Cost: Pricing varies by date but starts at $25 per person. Only cash is accepted at the door.
Go deeper: Guide to swimming at the Quarry at Carrigan Farms
Of note: There are lifeguards on duty. Photo: Symphony Weber/Axios
U.S. National Whitewater Center
Details: The Whitewater Center has a range of activities, whether your family’s into hiking, listening to music, going whitewater rafting or enjoying a serene stand-up paddleboard ride. Head to the USNWC during cold-weather months for seasonal activities like ice skating .
Stop by: 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy . Pass hours generally run from 9am-8pm. Check out the center's daily activities schedule for more details.
Cost: Depends on the activity. It's free to just walk in, but parking is $12.
Go deeper: 13 ways to spend a day at the U.S. National Whitewater Center
Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Freedom Park
Details: One of Charlotte's most prominent and popular public parks, Freedom Park has a large pond, trails that connect to Little Sugar Creek Greenway, baseball fields, tennis courts, soccer fields, volleyball courts, walking trails, an NFL KidZone and two playgrounds — one off Princeton Drive and one near the KidZone. It's another great (and free) option for nature- and sports-loving kids.
Stop by: 1908 East Blvd. Open 7am-7pm daily.
Cost: Free
Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Discovery Place Science
Details: This science and technology museum in Uptown has hands-on labs for children of all ages, science exhibits, live shows and an IMAX theater, which plays films such as “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” and “Oppenheimer.”
- The museum's new exhibit "Ultimate Dinosaurs" recently opened, featuring 16 dinosaurs from South America, Africa and Madagascar. It'll be on display through Sept. 8.
Stop by: 301 N Tryon St. Open Monday-Friday 9:30am-4:30pm, Saturday 10:30am-5:30pm and Sunday 10:30-4:30pm.
Cost: General museum admission for those 14-59 is $23 and $18 for those 2-13. Kids 2 and under get in free. It's $20 for seniors ($60+)
Discovery Place Science. Axios file photo
Discovery Place Kids
Details: Another facility in the Discovery Place family, this Huntersville museum is geared toward families with young children. The museum has a kids’ science lab, puppet shows, story time, dance parties and hands-on exhibitions for children of all ages.
Stop by: 105 Gilead Road . Open Tuesday-Thursday 9:30am-3:30pm; Friday-Sunday 9:30-4:30; closed Mondays.
Cost: Adults and children (1-13) $14-$15 online, $19-$20 at the door. Kids under 1 get in free.
Of note: Free parking is available in the Huntersville Town Center parking deck behind the Museum.
Photo: Axios archives
Carowinds
Details: The popular amusement park is open for the summer, featuring more than 50 rides at varying thrill levels. One especially popular warm-weather attraction at Carowinds is the Carolina Harbor Waterpark , which features water slides and two wave pools.
Stop by: 14523 Carowinds Blvd . Open 10am-8pm Monday-Thursday; 10am-10pm Friday-Sunday.
Cost: Reservations are required, so book your tickets in advance. Day passes are $44.99, and that gets you into the waterpark; or $37.99 if you arrive after 4pm.
Photo: Axios archives
Greenways
Details: For a free, refreshing way to enjoy the outdoors in Charlotte — walk, bike, skate, scooter or run along Charlotte's greenways.
Cost: Free
Go deeper: How to bike from Elizabeth to Pineville on Charlotte's greenways
Irwin Creek Greenway. Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Wing Haven
Details: A quiet sprawling property in the heart of Charlotte, Wing Haven features two gardens — The Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden (a world-renowned garden writer's living laboratory) and the Student Environmental Education and Discovery (SEED) Wildlife & Children's Garden, which provides hands-on learning about native plants and animals.
Stop by: 248 Ridgewood Ave. Open Wednesday-Saturday 10am-5pm.
Cost: $10 for non-members. Children 10 and under get in free.
Guided tours of the property are available. Photo: Courtesy of Stefanie Myer/Wing Haven
A Knights game
Details: You don't have to be a baseball lover to have a ball at Truist Field watching the Knights, a Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Vendors sell a variety of ballpark fare — from hotdogs and street tacos to local craft beer and wine. Check out the Knights' website for special theme nights like the upcoming 80s' Night and Princess Day .
Stop by: 324 S Mint St.
Cost: Ticket prices vary. See the Knights' schedule here .
Photo: Axios archives
Details: This natural history museum in Gastonia features a range of comprehensive visiting and permanent exhibits, from one highlighting the Catawba Indian culture to others showcasing North American wildlife — like bears, bison and elk. This is another great option for a rainy day , and if you’re willing to make the quick drive.
Stop by: 1500 E Garrison Blvd. Open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1-5pm.
Cost: $7 for adults and $6 for children 4-18. Children 3 and under get in free.
- Special programming may require a separate ticket.
Additional resources:
30+ best outdoor activities within 2 hours of Charlotte
21 places to take your kids before they grow up (Visit NC)
10 kid-friendly restaurants in Charlotte that parents also love
Editor's note: This list was originally published in June 2023 and last updated June 2024. Have any go-to spots or hidden gems to add? Reach out: katie.peralta@axios.com .
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