Surrey Tour with Charlotte NC Tours

But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two - or six if it's a surrey!

We'd been hoping to go on a guided tour of uptown Charlotte again, previously we'd done a segway tour with Charlotte NC Tours and it was a great time. A guided tour is a wonderful way to get to know the city better, learn some history and have fun. Unfortunately the segways aren't kid friendly. Luckily Charlotte NC Tours offers surrey tours so the whole family can enjoy the experience together.


The kids got to ride in the front seats (I brought an additional belt strap and shoulder strap to keep our 1 year old fastened in). They donned helmets and were ready for speed! Grandma and Grandpa manned the back seats while my sweet hubby was the captain at the steering wheel and brake. I sat shot gun with my faux wheel that I treated as though it had true steering powers.

And we were off - our guide Jordan kept us safe from traffic when we were crossing over on the busier roads. He also helped keep our speed up around corners and literally pushed us up a few small hills. The surrey doesn't have gears so the hills would have been a bit tricky without Jordan-power! He had some great stories and shared many tidbits about the city we didn't know as we cycled through through the 4th ward. It was a lot of fun, and a little bit of a work out!

The kids laughed and our daughter squealed through a huge grin "We're going SUPER fast!" Our 1 year old was taken by all the sights and did his job waving to on lookers. If you haven't been to the 4th ward it is worth a tour. You'll discover interesting facts about the antique homes built there, can enjoy the lush parks, shallow fountains and general southern charm of the area. Charlotte NC Tours offers segway tours, walking tours, bike tours, van tours, relocation tours and of course surrey tours for the family of the 4th ward and many other areas around Charlotte.

Clay Escape - Paint Your Own Pottery

Father's Day was fast approaching, and buying for my husband is a difficult job. I wanted to get him something that was cute and personal and that the kids could have a 'hand' in making. I brought this dilemma to Clay Escape in Fort Mill, SC and their answer of a hand painted mug with both kids hand prints on it fit the bill. Bonus - it was fun for the kids to create.

We picked a coffee cup to paint. S who is 4 painted it like a pro and E who is 1 watched on until it was time for both of them to get some paint on their hands and make it super special for their dada/jaddy. The cost was about $20 all told after taxes, but they offer a large range of items and prices from tiny trinkets up to large platters. All fully customizable one of a kind fun for the family, and a great gift for Dads, Moms, Grandmas and Grandpas.

Once the painting is finished the project will have a dull, grainy, chalky feel to it. It takes Clay Escape about a week to put it in the kiln and have it ready for pick up. At pick up the colors are vibrant and it is covered with a lustrous finish perfect for every day use. Dress the kids in painting clothes and grab a brush to make a special project and fun memories. Clay Escape also hosts birthday parties, ladies nights out and corporate functions. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sky High Sports

If your kids are bouncing off the walls at home this summer bring them to Sky High Sports where that behavior is encouraged! If you're looking for a new kind of jumping adventure, guaranteed to elicit smiles and really great naps - look no further. Instead of blown up castles and slides, Sky High Sports offers jumping entertainment on trampolines, pits of foam to hop or swing into, dodge ball, exercise classes and an all around hopping good time. You'll see kids (and some adults) with advanced jumping skills showing off their flips and feats of air-borne prowess, it's really something to see. The next time we go back I'm going to try the rope swing into the pit of foam - the idea brings out the inner kid in me. 

Upon arrival you'll notice the place is huge - there are three different jump areas, one for little kids, and then two others for bigger kids and adults. We visited on a Wednesday afternoon around 1:30 and reserved our jump time online (which is recommended), and mostly had the kids area to ourselves. If you have older kids there is an area where parents can kick back in comfy recliners to read, watch TV and monitor kids on the cams installed in the jump areas. They also offer a large range of food and beverages at their cafe. Sky High Sports specializes in birthday parties and corporate events for bouncing fanatics.

Kids and kids at heart can jump in sneakers or bare feet. We had three 4 year olds and a 2 year old who all really enjoyed the experience. My 1 year old was too small for it, and I'd only recommend this for kids who are very balanced walkers. All four kids bounced for two hours straight, and loved every second of it. There are employees to watch over safety concerns and guide the kids as they bounce.

The cost is $12/hour Fri-Sun, and $10/hour Mon-Thurs and $8/each additional hour. They also offer jump punch cards for a lower per hour fee. A waiver must be signed for anyone jumping. Reservations can be made online up to two days in advance, and are recommended because it can get busy. There is ample parking and is stroller friendly.

Arthur's World at Imaginon

Step into the interactive world of Arthur from May 18th - September 8th 2013 at Imaginon. The exhibit is free and allows kids ages 2-10 to play in Arthur's kitchen, sit in his class room, camp out overnight in his tent, co-star with him on TV and explore the streets of Elmwood city. This is a really cute exhibit and a great way to beat the heat or use as a rainy day activity.

The exhibit is NOT stroller friendly and they will make you leave your stroller at the entrance and little ones will have to be carried. Worried about parking uptown? Don't be - there is free parking under Imaginon for 1.5 hours when you have it validated at the front desk. It's important to note if you've never parked at Imaginon that the entrance for the underground parking garage is on 6th St., opposite the main Imaginon entrance. Not keen on driving in? The light rail drops you off right next to Imaginon.

While you're at Imaginon you can enjoy the Arthur's World exhibit and also check out some new reading material for the kids. Terriffic Tuesdays offers free shows for the kids every Tuesday through August 6th.