Picture Perfect Porches
Lori Shaw and Jennifer Dolan met eight years ago, when their kids were in preschool. Both had lived and worked in New York; now, they lived five minutes apart in south Charlotte. “We came from the northeast, where fall is,…
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Ridin' the Rapids
There's something for everyone at the U.S Whitewater Center. Plan an outing for your family this summer.
Big Daddy's Restaurant and Oyster Bar
You can find Big Daddy’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar by traveling west on Hwy. 150 from exit 36 on I-77. It’s a humongous, stand alone, NASCAR-laden (on the roof), single story structure that you will, without fail, notice when driving by. It’s an excellent example of a business that brazenly markets itself to the passing traffic.
Ages & Stages: 6-10: Creative Ways to Beat Summer Boredom
Some of my finest childhood memories are of sweltering summer days spent wading through the shallow creek close to home. With an empty jar in hand, my neighborhood buddies and I spent hours catching minnows and examining streambed rocks in search of the best skipping stone.
Creative Care Packages
While your camper is busy camping and you are spending your days missing them or doing the "Happy Dance," show them that they are not too far away with these creative care package ideas. Choose one and call it done or do one a week for those who camp for weeks on end.
50 Years of High-Flyin' Fun
While throwing a popcorn lid at a Thanksgiving Day picnic more than 50 years ago, inventor Walter Fredrick Morrison was inspired. Afterward, he took a gravity-defying concept to an innovative toy company with a plan to bring his revolutionary flying disc concept to back yards, parks and beaches everywhere.
20 Outings under $20
If you’ve found yourself frustrated by the cost to take your family out for a day of fun, we can relate. This summer, enjoy the following 20 things for under $20 based on a family of four. Details are subject to change, so be sure to call before you go.
Just Next Door: Statesville
Just up I-77 from Charlotte, Statesville is a medium-sized town of just under 11,000 people. with a big heart. Located in Iredell County, Statesville’s a growing area with a mix of industries that boasts three public high schools, four private high schools and easy access to a variety of colleges and universities. Statesville is a young town, with ties to the old North Carolina industries of textiles and furniture, and to the new industries of NASCAR and technology.
A New View of Homesickness
A new report urges parents and children's doctors to change their thinking about homesickness among children, to see it as a nearly universal but highly preventable and treatable phenomenon — rather than an unavoidable part of childhood.
House of Leng
House of Leng, located in the Mallard Crossing plaza at the corner of Mallard Creek Road and Mallard Creek Church Road, is easy to overlook. Tucked down at one end, past the Harris Teeter, House of Leng has an understated entrance. Don’t let that fool you. This family-owned restaurant serves up consistently good food with flavors that pop.
5 Summer Boredom Busters
You can find lots of ways to beat the blues with your kids when summer boredom sets in — even in your own back yard.
5 Benefits to Family Camp
Parents across the country pick their children up from camp to hear them tell tales of new friends, singing songs around the campfire, and other unique programming, such as rock star lessons, swimming with manatees, rock climbing, and even trapeze lessons! Listening attentively, parents find themselves wishing they could have gone to camp too, and now, they can!
Sushi 101 - Noodle Sushi Bar
Sushi is a hard sell for most kids, but Sushi 101-Noodle Sushi Bar, tucked away in the Shops at Woodlawn Road, came highly recommended by friends, so we decided to give it a try and "noodle" reassured us that our son would find something other than sushi on the menu.
Low Country Luxury at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff
As the end of summer draws near, so does the end of vacations, making the long stretch of school days ahead seem rather bleak. But you don’t have to wait until winter break for a family getaway. Many schools have teacher workdays scheduled for mid to late October, making for a nice long weekend.
Airport Diversions and other Kid-Friendly Tips
Summertime travel with children, especially when it includes airports, can be challenging. Jerry Chandler, aviation expert and father of five, is a correspondent for Cheapflights’ "Flight News" blog. He offers these tips for families flying with kids. • Book direct, non-stop flights whenever possible, to avoid airplane changes.
10 Tips for a Summer Block Party
Looking for a way to finally introduce yourself to the new neighbor down the street? Are your kids begging you to host an all-day water balloon war? Whether wanting to swap recipes or socialize within the neighborhood, block parties are time-honored traditions in neighborhoods all across the country.
Give Board Games a Spin
The next time your family is making a beeline toward the video game department of a toy store, try taking a detour into the board game section. You’ll find plenty of old favorites and new variations. Along with the simpler luck-of-the-dice racing games for younger children, there are complex scenario strategy games for older kids and teens.
Boudreaux's Louisiana Kitchen
Some children shy from spicy, but the offer of eating real alligator may win them over. At Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen, your family can decide how adventurous it wants to be.
Grandparents + Grandkids: It's a Trip!
There are more than 70 million grandparents in the United States and many of them have a passion for travel, providing an incredible opportunity to share this love with their grandchildren. Traveling with grandkids offers a unique bonding activity that can’t be experienced during a family get-together or a short visit.
Safety Tips for Traveling with Pets
Labor Day weekend signals the end of vacation season, and many dogs and cats will be joining their owners for a final summer getaway. Although car trips can be stressful for many household pets, experts agree that they do not have to be if drivers take some simple precautions.
Make Johnny Appleseed Proud!
If Johnny Appleseed would love North Carolina! Our state has an abundance of fresh farm apples to pick this fall, so take advantage of it. Try any of these fun activities or recipes to make the most of the season.
Pike's Old Fashioned Soda Shop
Frankly, I was not expecting much from Pikes Soda Shop on the Camden Road. Despite the appealing façade and inviting forecourt tables, I probably would never have ventured-in had it not been to do this review.
Family Fun Places for Fall
The kids are back to school and busy most every weekday. On weekends, they need a break and beg for creative ideas—something fun to do ... indoors and outside. Here are a few kid-tested, family things to do this autumn in North Carolina.
Be Safe, Be Seen on Halloween!
Did you know? Halloween is the most dangerous day of the year for children under 14 to walk? Children are four times more likely to be killed while walking on Halloween than any other night of the year.
Birthday Party Guests: How Many Is Too Many?
Like most children, my son, Ryan, was discussing his dream birthday party for months leading up to the actual event. He was certain that he wanted a Spiderman theme and ice cream sundaes in lieu of a birthday cake. He wished to fill our backyard with pools and waterslides and have all of his friends there. Everything seemed simple enough until we started the guest list.
