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North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Everything you ever wanted to know about nature in North Carolina is waiting to be discovered at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The museum is located in Raleigh, NC and has four floors of exhibits featuring everything from ancient dinosaurs to living examples of present day wildlife. The museum provides ample entertainment as well as being educational for the young and the not-so-young. Admission is free too, so even the price is great!

All the exhibits at the museum are great! Especially interesting is the Arthropod Zoo featuring lots of live animals including a lobster, beetles and some of the creepiest, crawliest animals ever displayed at a zoo. The Living Conservatory is an indoor tropical forest featuring live butterflies, turtles, frogs and other wildlife. Marvel at ancient creatures in their recreated natural habitats in the Prehistoric North Carolina exhibit. The Terror of the South exhibit recreates a battle between two dinosaurs.

While there may be a minimal charge to see some special exhibits at the museum, admission to the rest of the museum is free. (Check the website for details about special exhibits and admission prices.) Visitors should be able to see the whole museum in a few hours. There’s a small caf� on the 4th floor which provides sandwiches and other refreshments. The NC Museum of Natural Sciences is surely one of the best museums of any kind around, so be sure not to miss it!

North Carolina Museum of History

While there are a few interesting things to see there, most visitors may find a visit to the North Carolina Museum of History a bit boring. It’s also very disappointing that the civil war exhibit is now closed to the public and the largest exhibit, on the subject of NC’s governors, is lackluster and seems to glorify the governors a little too much.

A few of the highlights on display at the museum include the elaborate replica of an early 20th century pharmacy complete with a soda fountain. No museum of North Carolina’s history would be complete without noting the Wright Brothers’ discovery of flight at Kitty Hawk. The museum has a great reproduction of the Wright Brothers’ airplane hanging overhead at the entrance to the museum. Admittedly, the museum is not without a few other historic treasures.

One of the biggest events in the history of the country (not just North Carolina) is now almost totally missing from the museum’s displayed collections. There is very little reference at all to the civil war except for a very few items, like some Confederate money. The museum has a great civil war collection, but according to a sign at the museum it is currently being kept from public display for its protection and preservation. Today, the only way to see part of the collection is by visiting the museum’s website and viewing the online exhibit.

Presently, the biggest exhibit at the museum is called A State of Change: North Carolina and Its Governors. This exhibit is reminiscent of a garage sale. On display are things like a 20 year old VCR, an Atari game system, silverware, and some old clothing. (Yawn.) The exhibit must be an attempt to venerate North Carolina’s governors by elevating their personal effects to historic artifacts.

As an escape from inclement weather, the North Carolina Museum of History would be a nice place of refuge. For entertainment or educational purposes, there are surely better places to spend one’s time. Thankfully, admission is always free, so nothing more than time spent will be wasted there.

South Carolina Aquarium

Something fishy is always going on at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, and you don’t want to miss it! Visitors get an in depth look at underwater life in exhibits that feature animals from the Carolina Mountains, through the Piedmont to the coast and out into the open ocean. A special exhibit features animals from the Amazon Rain Forest.

Visitors may be a little surprised to find more than just waterborne animal life at the Aquarium. Among the many exhibits that feature everything from salmon to sharks there is also an anteater, otters, birds and lots more. Be sure not to miss the Touch Tank, where staff members give visitors a hands-on lesson about such things as crabs, starfish, and urchins.

The Aquarium is certainly a great place to visit for kids and adults. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and eager to educate visitors as well as entertain them. The Aquarium is focused on education and does not feature any trained seals or acrobatic whales of any kind. In fact, there are no whales or dolphins at the Aquarium at all. The exhibits attempt to show animals in their natural environment.

The Aquarium is small enough so that it won’t take all day to see everything. Visitors with more time on their hands can take advantage of a special discount offered on tickets to two other nearby attractions; the Charleston IMAX Theater and Fort Sumter National Monument (see their website or call for details on the discount offer).

Paramount's Carowinds Theme Park

From relaxing rides like the Carolina Skytower to the heart stopping Borg Assimilator everyone is bound to have a fantastic time at Paramount's Carowinds Theme Park, which is located just south of Charlotte, NC right on the NC/SC border. Although they seem to specialize in the death defying rides that thrill seekers crave, there's plenty for everyone to enjoy. There are 10 areas of amusement to explore.

Nickelodeon Central is sure to please the kids. There are lots of rides there tailor made for the young ones, and a few that even the big kids might be reluctant to ride. They can meet their favorite Nickelodeon characters there too, like SpongeBob Squarepants, his buddy Patrick, and Dora the Explorer, just to name a few.

If you're all set to get wet, Water Works is for you! Your swimsuit and your sunscreen are all you'll need to find plenty of cool things to do there! There are tube slides, a wave pool, raft rides and lots more to keep everyone happy and soggy!

Be sure not to miss the SpongeBob Squarepants 3-D movie at the Paramount's Action F/X Theater in the County Fair area! It's not just a movie, its a ride too! It's a hilarious romp under the sea that you'll probably want to see more than once.

All the areas offer tons of entertainment for the whole family. More than a full day is needed to see everything. Be warned: Like most theme parks, beverages and food is not a bargain. Expect to pay too much for refreshements. Other than that, a good time is sure to be had by all!

North Carolina Zoo

If you're going to see everything there is to see at The North Carolina Zoo, you'd better arrive early and plan on being there all day, because it's a big place! Although there is a tram available to relieve visitors of some of the walking, you should still expect to get a lot of exercise.

You'll see all the animals you would expect to see at a zoo, and quite a few more that you didn't realize existed. They have many animals that one would be hard pressed to find in any other zoo. All the habitats (not cages) are clean and spacious, and emulate each animal's natural environment. One regret is that a few of the habitats are so large that one is kept at quite a distance from some of the animals. This is probably good for the animals though, because they have lots of room to roam. In these instances, binoculars are available in the viewing areas (for a small fee).

When you visit, don't be so busy enjoying all the animals not to notice the fantastic gardens at the zoo. An observant person will surely be amazed! Throughout the park the gardens are spectacular, but especially be sure not to miss the desert plants in the garden just outside the desert pavilion.

Hollywild Animal Park

Although it is somewhat "amateur" when compared to larger zoos The Hollywild Animal Park is a great place to visit. There are plenty of great animals to see, and visitors can get very close to even the most dangerous of animals. One can stand within 5 feet of the lions and tigers in their cages. The best part is the safari that's offered! Visitors ride on modified buses through a field of animals. There are deer, buffalo, emu and llamas. Bread is provided to everyone to hand feed the animals, which proves to be fun for everyone, especially the animals. One word of warning: the restrooms are horrendous! Hold it if you can!

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Nature lovers will surely enjoy a walk through the magnificent fountains and flora at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, NC. The whole family can picnic in a veritable paradise of greenery enhanced by a wealth of stunning flowers. There are even facilities for celebrations.

Flowers abound along the walking paths at the garden. The place is kept in immaculate condition so that visitors can fully enjoy the breathtaking scenery. The water fountains are fantastic! Especially clever is the fountain that arcs jets of water over the path so guests can pass underneath. The topiary trees are spectacular, with exceptions being some of the animal shaped topiary that appear to be works-in-progress.

Cameras are welcome at the garden and many great shots are guaranteed. Artists are permitted to bring art supplies too. Drinks and snacks are available in the gift shop. Better yet, visitors are encouraged to bring a picnics and coolers. A number of tables are available on the terrace for anyone to use.

Facilities are available for large or small social gatherings, such as weddings or business meetings. The Nellie Rhyne Stowe White Garden was designed especially for weddings, with “an ever-changing display of white flowers and foliage against an evergreen backdrop”. It’s extremely elegant.

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is truly a natural beauty! After a trip there, visitors are sure to come away with many ideas for their own gardens, even if some of the biggest of those ideas will never be realized.