Family Day Trips for Charlotteans to Cap Off the Summer
All are within two hours of the city
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Slide, Swim, Splash: 9 Water Parks within 2 hours of Charlotte
Carolina Harbor Carowinds’ massive water park (the largest in the Carolinas) opens on May 26, and entry is included with admission to the amusement park. Speed down the Boogie Board Racer, the longest mat-racing slide in the Southeast; Storm…
Free and Low-Cost Bowling Deals in Charlotte: 2023
(©Jorik Kleen/Unsplash) Need something to keep the kids occupied once school's out for the season? Introduce them to a new pursuit: bowling. There are plenty of great deals to be had throughout the Charlotte area, including alleys that let kids…
ASK A MOM: The Mother's Day Edition
Q: Hi Molly. Need you to settle this once and for all. Should my husband spend Mother’s Day with me and our children instead of his own mother? He makes the same argument every year, that I’m not his mother, so he…
GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month
VISIT THE WORLD’S LARGEST BOUNCE HOUSE The Big Bounce America 2023 tour arrives in Charlotte Saturday, May 6 through Sunday, May 7 and Friday, May 12 through Sunday, May 14 at Route 29 Pavilion. Experience The World’s Largest Bounce House,…
Summer Camp Countdown
Everyone knows to send bathing suits and bug spray, but what else do you need to purchase before sending your child off to sleepaway camp? The first year my daughter went to sleepaway camp, I couldn’t imagine her being away…
12 Ways to Celebrate Mother's Day in Charlotte: 2023
Find Mother's Day events and things to do.
SPRING BREAK WEEKENDER: Key West
The two-by-four-mile island on the Florida Keys’ southernmost point is a bit of a departure from pristine resort towns like Palm Beach or Seaside. Pastel, conch-style houses dot the narrow streets where roosters are free to roam, and colorful murals…
GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month
VISIT CHARLOTTE SHOUT! This multi-week festival has returned to uptown and runs through April 16. See more than 200 installations, performances, events, and activations. Nearly all the events are outdoors, free, and open to the public. charlotteshout.com SEE ALADDIN ONSTAGE…
SPRING TRAVEL: Virginia’s Blue Ridge
Virginia’s Blue Ridge encompasses the city of Roanoke and its surrounding communities, which include the city of Salem, Botetourt County, Franklin County, and Roanoke County. Roanoke remains so historically intact that it’s easy to imagine the city 100 years ago. Locally…
GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month
BUILD A PINBALL GAME Bring your little builders to Home Depot on Saturday, March 4 between 9 a.m. and noon for their monthly Kids Workshop. March’s project is a pinball game, and all kids in attendance receive a kid-sized Home…
A First-Timer’s Guide to Planning a Disney Vacation
A trip to Walt Disney World tops many family’s wish list, but the cost and time it takes to plan that magical experience can be mind-numbing. The logistics are more complicated than a beach vacation or a mountain getaway, so…
WEEKENDER: Reynolds Lake Oconee
Avid golfers flock to Reynolds Lake Oconee for its championship courses, but the gated resort community 85 miles east of Atlanta is also a great weekend destination for families with kids in tow. The property has 11 onsite dining options,…
ASK A MOM: Valentine inspiration, disciplining step-children, and how to discuss pornography with your teen
Q: What are some creative ways to make Valentines for the kids' classmates that don’t include candy?—Shannon A: I swear I’m not being a smart aleck, so, please don’t laugh… but your child handmaking a card, with no candy or…
How to Celebrate Valentine's Day in Charlotte: 2023
Feel like painting the town red this Valentine's Day? Whether you're heading out with your sweetie, your girlfriends, or by yourself, here's what not to miss. Feb. 8 & 14 Candelight Valentines Day Concert Visit the Barrel Room at Triple…
GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month
SEE THE RAIL TRAIL LIGHTS The popular Rail Trail Lights return to South End February 3-19. See six public light art installations by local artists along the .7-mile stretch of the Rail Trail between Bland Street and Atherton Mill. Artwork…
Where to Skate in Charlotte: 2023
Whether you want to glide across the ice or race across the boards, visit these spots for roller and ice skating in the Queen City. Roller Skating Frye's Roller Rink Open for matinee and evening skating, this rink offers a…
ASK A MOM: Unsupervised bike rides, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and scheduling time to do nothing
Q: Hi, Molly. My 10-year-old son has started asking if he can ride his bike along the greenway by our house without a parent. When I was his age, my parents wouldn’t have blinked. But I just feel like the…
WEEKENDER: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is often called the "gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains," and it sees more than 11 million visitors each year. It’s home to Tennessee’s only ski resort and puts you just a few miles from Dollywood and the…
Where to Observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Charlotte
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta on January 15, 1929. Inspired by the teachings of Gandhi in seminary school, he later took up the same pulpit as his father and grandfather before him at Ebenezer Baptist Church…
GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month
TAKE A WINTER COOKING CLASS Cook a delicious seasonal meal with your kids at Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen on Saturday, January 7 at 10:30 a.m. The gluten-free menu includes Butternut Squash Risotto, Braised Chicken, and Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting. The…
PARENT TO KNOW: Molly Carroll
Molly Carroll's family has made a festive splash on their Plaza Midwood street during the holiday season for the last several years. And each year their yard on Wilhelmina Avenue draws a bigger crowd. When she’s not spreading inflatable holiday…
Ways to Keep Kids Busy During Winter Break
"It’s Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas" was first written over 70 years ago. In the decades since, parents have agreed upon one thing: Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again. What about all those…
ASK A MOM: Holiday stress and how to give back this season
Q: Hi, Molly. I have four kids under age 10, and I feel like I have nothing fun to offer them. All I do is yell at them to pick up their toys or hurry up and get ready for…
HOLIDAY WEEKENDER: Durham
Your kids may be too young to watch the R-rated 1987 movie “Bull Durham” before a visit to Bull City, but they’ll still appreciate the sights and sounds of Durham. Restaurants, markets, and shops are within walking distance of the…
