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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Terrific Tuesdays at Imaginon

If you're like me you appreciate free fun for the kids in a comfortable and air conditioned space. Enter Terrific Tuesdays at Imaginon where child-friendly acts show up to entertain the kiddos in Imaginon's theater. Terrific Tuesdays run every Tuesday until August 6th with shows at 11am and 1pm. The shows range from juggling, to balloon making, to soaring birds and more!

Tickets may reserved online two weeks before the show and up to 6 tickets may be reserved per person (even babies need a ticket). Check the website here to view the release dates for tickets and information about the remaining shows. Reserved tickets may be picked up at the will call window prior to the show.

Didn't get a chance to reserve tickets? Many people aren't able to make it to the shows and those reserved tickets will open back up for people waiting in the stand by line 10 minutes before the performance. The show lasts about an hour, strollers must be left outside the theater. There is free parking for 1.5 hours available in the parking garage below Imaginon, the entrance for the parking garage is off of 6th. Be sure to bring your parking ticket to the front desk to have it validated. The light rail also stops right next to Imaginon if driving in isn't your thing. When we visited the parking garage was full so we found street parking close by for $2 for 2 hours - just be sure to bring some quarters with you!

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Drivers. Start Your Engines. The NASCAR Hall of Fame

Fast cars, intense rivalries and turbulent crashes – that’s NASCAR. However; I learned during our trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC there is far more beyond that which makes NASCAR so interesting and popular.

NASCAR began when bootleggers in the south attempted to run from the law as they distributed alcohol during prohibition, faster cars meant less jail time. The NASCAR Hall of Fame shows an exciting 13 minute movie at the High Octane Theater on the jumbo screen that explains the history of NASCAR that fueled the nation’s appetite for speed. 

Each person received a hard card which gave us an all-access pass to explore the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We customized our card with the car, driver and helmet at one of the many interactive exhibits. The pit crew area was the kids’ favorite. They pretended to fill the cars with gas, change the lug nuts, and explored the inside of a NASCAR trailer. S especially liked Glory Road where all the cars are displayed, she enjoyed stepping up onto the extremely banked race track. 

My favorite part of the museum was exploring the marvels of engineering that have contributed to the cars’ speed and safety. The exhibit of crashes left me speechless as we learned that the drivers had survived the wrecks. Many exhibits showed the engineering and safety precautions that keep the drivers alive – from car mechanics, to suits, to helmets – and how it has all evolved over the years. 

My step-dad, Brian, who is a huge NASCAR fan joined us, and his favorite part was the simulator ride where we got to race against each other. The kids had to ride on our laps because of height limitations. I was glad it wasn’t a ride that could make you sick with motion, it was more like an interactive video game, and was a lot of fun. At the end of the race we got a printout of where we placed – I placed dead last. Apparently driving a minivan is not akin to driving a NASCAR car! Brian also enjoyed the Hall of Honor that paid tribute to drivers and innovators in NASCAR. 

Parking was easy in the parking garage next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The entire facility is new and beautiful and offers easy access for strollers. Admission is $19.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids 5-12. Kids under 5 are free. The simulator was $5 per ride, or $14 for an all day pass.  They have a concession area with food and drink if the little ones get hungry, and it’s located right next to Buffalo Wild Wings.

Want to experience the NASCAR Hall of Fame with your family? Enter our contest and win a 4 pack of tickets to the NASCAR Hall of fame! Contest runs 5/18/13 at midnight – 5/26/13 at midnight. The winner will be emailed and announced in the comments below this blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Fort Mill Strawberry Festival

This week's weather hasn't been the normal Carolina Blue skies, but that didn't seem to put a damper on the festivities at the annual South Carolina Strawberry Festival in Fort Mill, SC. Things were hopping when we arrived despite the looming dark clouds. They had vendors for local businesses showcasing their wares, any fried food you could imagine, music, rides and of course - strawberries (even fried strawberries!). Unfortunately we missed the strawberry shortcake eating contest - something my skinny hubby could have given many of the contestants a run for their money at, but caught several musical acts on the two stages. My favorite part was the funnel cake covered in real strawberries that the local girl's softball team was selling as a fundraiser.





The parking was either at the high school with transportation by a bus or parking in a field with about a half mile trek to the park. We opted for the walk, which I didn't mind, but we had the moby to carry E in which made navigating the bumpy grounds much easier.  I saw many strollers but the parents seemed to struggle as they pushed them around the festival - it's wasn't flat and was still damp from all the rain.

The festival is held at Walter Y. Elisha park, so the kids had a large playground to entertain themselves on as they took in the sights. Friday night they offered a $15 ticket for unlimited rides for kids, and there were several events leading up to the festival including a golf tournament, a strawberry pageant for Teen, Miss and Mrs contestants and a strawberry pick and flick (pick-your-own strawberries and a movie).

Overall, I'm not a lover of fair-like-festivals. That's just me. If you like fairs, festivals and strawberries, well then this is your ticket - and apparently it's many people's ticket because they broke the 2012 attendance record with over 55,000 attending this year.

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