Greensboro Science Center: Good Deal, Day of Fun

K, E, G, and family friend A took off for the Greensboro Science Center in Greensboro, NC, a perfect distance from Roanoke for a day trip.  Recently renovated, the center includes a zoo, an aquarium, and a science museum with play area.  It's all very attractively presented, and on the weekends, we found lots of competent teen volunteers able to provide some interpretation.

For the zoo,  think "bigger than Mill Mountain but smaller than Asheboro; for the aquarium, bigger than aquatics in  Roanoke but smaller than Chattanooga; for the museum itself, around the size of the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville.  This all combines to make a very manageable day for young kids.  We adored the pneumatic tubes in the play area, the tigers in the zoo, and the expansive sting ray touch tank. Taking bigger kids?  Consider the Skywild aerial ropes course add on (must be at least 10 and 70 pounds).  E and A enjoyed an add-on dome theater show about stars.

If you go, know you can pack a picnic--there are tables in the zoo and at Greensboro's Country Park (it literally backs into the property).  There's a fountain you can play in and animals to pet at the zoo, too.  The public park also has playgrounds and paddleboats.  Educators, take your ID--basic admission to the center is free.  ASTC Passport holders are also free, or if based regionally, discounted.   We were able to combine both programs for a great deal.  You may come and go, using your receipt for re-entry.

Moores Creek Battlefield: Pleasant Walk, Well Interpreted

You know those brown road signs that point you towards attractions?  You should follow them every now and again.  On a recent trip back from Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, we passed a sign for Moores Creek Battlefield, an American Revolution site.  The battle at Moores Creek had significant implications for British strategy and caused North Carolina to be "all in" for independence at a new level.  You may not have heard of it before, but it is worth your time.

The National Park Service has done a fabulous job making the story of Moores Creek easy to access in a very pleasant commemorative setting.  Many battlefields are either undeveloped or full of monuments--this one is a nice mix of natural setting and human-made memorial.  There are short, stroller-navigable trails, including a boardwalk over a swamp-like area.  Pause at the monuments, especially the monument to Cape Fear women of the revolution and the Scottish loyalists who fought on site.  Allow an hour or so and walk a trail or two--the paths are pretty flat, the main walk is paved, and you'll see lizards, long-leaf pines, turtles, and the like.

If you didn't already know, North Carolina is the site of several revolutionary battles.  On the way to the Brunswick County beaches and/or the Grand Strand?  It's pretty easy to work in Guilford Courthouse near Greensboro and Moores Creek.  If you go, consider packing a picnic--it's a great site for a pit stop while driving, and plus, there's no site entry fee.  If you are interested in taking in the small exhibit and gift shop in the visitor's center, be sure to check visitor's center hours before stopping.  The park is in a rural area about 15-18 miles from the main road.  You'll travel paved secondary roads to get there, passing some churches, homes, and the occasional gas station--but there are no fast food outlets or stores.

Airlie Gardens: Simple Splendor Near Wimington/Wrightsville

On a quick weekend family trip to the Wilmington area, G and Kim found themselves with some free time.  They chose to spend two hours at Airlie Gardens, a very short (eight minute) drive from Wrightsville Beach.   Airlie is a relatively small garden with sculptures and wildlife.  Smaller than Brookgreen Gardens, it was easy and enjoyable to cover Airlie in a few hours on an overcast afternoon.   There are manicured and "wild" areas, and while the paths are a bit confusing to follow at times, it's fun to meander.  Plus,  there are plenty of trees with hanging moss, giving you the splendor of anywhere in the deeper south.

Kim will tell you not to miss the Bottle Chapel, an incredible (and large) folk art installation that's simply stunning in detail and color.  Made from repurposed glass and including some shells, old colorful mugs, and similar hidden delights, the Bottle Chapel can engage you for a while.   Nearby,  find a small butterfly garden (included in the admission price), and keep your eye out for animals in general (spiders, swans, squirrels, etc.). G enjoyed a temporary exhibit of Guardians of the Garden, various metal creatures lurking throughout.

Airlie is an inexpensive way to spend a few hours (Kim paid $9, G was free--the garden is "public" but there are entry fees).  There's a small gift shop, a nature trail we didn't explore with our stroller, and even an old Episcopalian cemetery on property.  There's a small pier, some fountains, and scattered benches throughout.   We hear the special events, including Christmas lights, are quite nice.  If you go,  you are extremely close to Wrightsville Beach, a wide strand beach with a mix of rental, resident, and hotel properties.  Not an urban beach but not a fully quiet one, the views of small craft and ocean are stunning.  Stop by.