Charlotte, NC is a great city to live in and a great base for travel in the southeastern United States. We are two hours from mountains and three hours from beaches. Columbia, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham are all within a three hour drive. And the city itself offers lots of opportunities for family exploration and adventure. My trip reports below highlight some of our favorite family activities that you can experience as a day or weekend trip from Charlotte.
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Riverbanks Zoo - Columbia, SC
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Carolina Harbor - Charlotte, NC
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US National Whitewater Center - Charlotte, NC
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Green River Cove Tubing - Saluda, NC
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Chinese Lantern Festival at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens - Belmont, NC
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Cedar Lake Tree Farm - Iron Station, NC
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The Quarry at Carrigan Farms - Mooresville, NC
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Grandfather Mountain - Linville, NC
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Zootastic Park - Troutman, NC
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South Mountains State Park - Connelly Springs, NC
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Lake Norman State Park - Troutman, NC
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Linville Falls - Linville, NC
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Linville Caverns - Marion, NC
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Morrow Mountain State Park - Albemarle, NC
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Carolina Renaissance Festival - Huntersville, NC
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Lazy 5 Ranch - Mooresville, NC
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Christmas at Biltmore - Asheville, NC
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The North Carolina Arboretum - Asheville, NC
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Anne Springs Close Greenway Prairie Loop - Fort Mill, SC
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Tiger World - Rockwell, NC
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Big Rock Nature Preserve - Charlotte, NC
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Congaree National Park - Hopkins, SC
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Lake James State Park - Mill's Creek Trail
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Cedar Creek Stables - Lake Lure, NC
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Crowders Mountain State Park - Kings Mountain, NC
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Carolina Raptor Center - Huntersville, NC
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Windy Hill Orchard - York, SC
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McDowell Nature Preserve - Charlotte, NC
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Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster - Banner Elk, NC
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Otter Falls - Seven Devils, NC
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Whitewater Center Lights - Charlotte, NC
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Appalachian Ski Mountain - Blowing Rock, NC
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Hawksnest Zipline - Seven Devils, NC
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North Carolina Zoo - Asheboro, NC
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Dupont State Park - Cedar Mountain, NC
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Immersive Van Gogh - Charlotte, NC
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Carowinds WinterFest - Charlotte, NC
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Sky Valley Zip Tours - Blowing Rock, NC
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Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train - Blowing Rock, NC
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Woolly Worm Festival - Banner Elk, NC
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Museum of Illusions - Charlotte, NC
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Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds - Charlotte, NC
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Art of the Brick - Raleigh, NC
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Duke Lemur Center Walking with Lemurs Tour - Durham, NC
