Your youngest children (up to age six) will thank you for a visit to Discovery Place KIDS, where two stories of hands-on exhibits await them. They can take a ride in a replica submarine, make “food” in a large restaurant area, climb on a fire truck, explore a doctor’s office and much more. One reviewer advised to allow three hours for the visit “if you want to leave without a fight.” An alternative that the entire family will enjoy is a visit to the Carolina Raptor Center, where you will see more than 20 species of birds of prey. There are live-raptor presentations and you can stroll through the compound on your own self-guided tour. Learning the back stories of each individual bird is half the fun: most are there because they were orphaned or injured, and most are scheduled to be returned to the wild after rehabilitation.
If you have NASCAR fans in the family, then be sure to check out Joe Gibbs Racing, a museum/shop put together by the former American football coach and NASCAR team owner. Merchandise from Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth is available, and you can get a great view of a number of race cars. Right next door to the Carolina Raptor Center is the Latta Plantation where a period-dressed guide will tell you about the life of the owners and the functioning of the plantation as a whole. If you have not seen a southern plantation before, this is a great place to start, as it is not large enough to be overwhelming. See the live demonstrations, wander through the outbuildings and the slaves’ quarters, and step back in time to a period that is still emotionally divisive in the country’s self-perception.
While you are learning about history, include a visit to the Historic Rural Hill Farm, the homestead of an officer of the Revolutionary War and signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. It is now a center for the study of Scottish heritage as well as being an historic landmark. But what may interest your family even more is what you can do on the farm’s 265 acres: there are separate “maize mazes” for adults and children, ongoing festivals, Highland games, sheepdog trails and more. The mazes are open both day and night and are the most fun with a group of people. You are probably ready for a break by now, so head over to Kilwins for homemade fudge (you can watch them make it) and an impressive number of ice cream flavors. Both are rated excellent, and it is a nice way for your family to rest up and spend a quiet hour together.
Stay at one of the Huntersville, NC hotels below, all surrounded by southern history and fun modern attractions. Plan your next vacation to include this charming part of the south: you will be delighted with the southern hospitality that awaits you here.