Charlotte Parent's 2009 Summer Fun Scavenger Hunt

1. ImaginOn
FREE • 300 E. 7th St. • 704-973-2780 • www.imaginon.org

Visit uptown Charlotte and spend the morning at ImaginOn - a children's library and theater all in one! Visit the Story Jar, check out books, climb aboard a Trolley replica or spend time in Tech Central.

Complete this sentence about the Story Jar:

"The marbles in this jar represent_______________________."

2. Freedom Park
FREE • 1900 East Blvd. • 704-432-4280

www.charmeck.org/Departments/Parks+and+Rec/Parks

Enjoy an afternoon picnic at Freedom Park, located in the Dilworth neighborhood. This 98-acre park has a 7-acre lake, complete with ducks and geese and a fountain; a bandshell for outdoor performances; and paved trails for bicycles, tricycles and just strolling along. There are soccer fields and basketball courts, plus one of the best playgrounds in the Charlotte area, with a locomotive engine for kids to play inside.

Question:

What is the name displayed on the steam locomotive donated to Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation in 1959?

3. Energy Explorium
FREE • 13339 Hagers Ferry Road, Huntersville • 704-875-5600

www.duke-energy.com/visitor-centers/energyexplorium.asp

At McGuire Nuclear Station on Lake Norman, kids learn about electricity generation with educational and fun activities sponsored by Duke Energy. Play interactive games, watch a movie about Lake Norman or walk a mile-long nature trail along the shore of the lake.

Question:

Which exhibit explains how magnets are used in the production of electricity?

4. Reedy Creek Nature Center
FREE • 2900 Rocky River Road • 704-598-8857

www.charmcck.org/Departments/Parks+and+Rec

A 116-acre park and 727-acre nature preserve surround this county nature center. It's a great spot to see live animals and stroll through the exhibit hall and gift shop. Outside, check out the National Wildlife Federation certified Backyard Habitat Garden, which includes bird feeding stations and butterfly gardens.

Question:

What bird often hangs upside down to eat?

5. James K. Polk Memorial
FREE • 12031 Lancaster Hwy., Pineville • 704-889-7145

www.nchistoricsites.org/polk/POLK.HTM

This state historic site is on land once owned by the parents of James K. Polk, the 11th U.S. president. It's open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and features a visitor's center, as well as reconstructions of typical homestead buildings, including a log house, a separate kitchen and a barn. There are picnic tables on site.

Question:

What trinkets did General Sam Houston hand-carve and give to Mrs. Polk?

6. Martha Rivers Park
FREE • 1515 Neal Hawkins Road, Gastonia • 704-866-6839
www.cityofgastonia.com/city_serv/parks/martharivers
The park features picnic shelters, athletic fields, a volleyball court, horseshoe pits and a walking trail. The 1-acre castle playground is a fantasy wonderland for kids with energy and creative imaginations.

Question:

How many red spires point to the sky on the castle playground?

7. UNC Charlotte McMillan Greenhouse
FREE • 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte • 704-687-2870 www.gardens.uncc.edu
Part of the botanical gardens complex, the 4,000-square-foot greenhouse has cactuses, ferns, orchids, carnivorous plants and more.

Question:

In the Dinosaur’s Garden, how many ribs are on the skeleton sculpture of the life-size Deinonychus?

8. Mint Museum of Craft + Design
FREE on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m.;
and third Thursday of the month 5-8 p.m.
220 N. Tryon St., Charlotte • 704-337-2050 www.mintmuseum.org
A cool place for spend an hour on a hot day! Check out the interesting collections of ceramics, fiber, glass, metal and wood.

Question:

How many yellow tulips can you find on Soundsuit by Nick Cave?

9. LYNX Blue Line
Find a list of stations and more details at www.charmeck.org/Departments/CATS/LYNX.
Catch a ride on the fast, quiet and convenient light-rail service to uptown Charlotte. There are 15 stations between I-485 at South Boulevard and the center city. Round-trip tickets are $3 for adults and $1.50 for youth.

Question:

What color is the “Stop Request” button inside the LYNX Blue Line train?

10. U.S. National Whitewater Center
$5 to park • 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte
704-391-3904 • www.usnwc.org
Spend the day outdoors at Charlotte’s newest 307-acre public adventure-sport facility on the Catawba River. Watch whitewater rafting and kayaking, hike some trails with a picnic lunch and try the ropes course or zip lines (extra cost).

Question:

What are the five flags that wave in front of the circle of the U.S. National Whitewater Center driveway?