outdoor activities near me Archives

Historic Yates Mill County Park – Hike and Learn

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

Historic Yates Mill County Park is not on my usual round of go-to parks.

This is mainly because it’s a longer drive for me than either Umstead State Park or Bond Park, both of those parks have longer trails – and these days I’m usually looking more for a place to have a serious hike than to entertain kids.

Raven Rock State Park is another great place to take younger kids, but it’s an hours drive away….

But a couple of weeks ago, I had an hour to spend and didn’t want to get too sweaty.

So I dropped by Historic Yates Mill County Park to take an active break.

I’d visited Yates Mill once before, in the winter, but this visit I got to see what it was like in the summertime.

I wasn’t disappointed.

There’s a pond, a few shorter – mostly shady – flat hiking trails, and fishing (with a permit).

Plus, it’s got a historic working water-driven grist mill. So there’s that 🙂

Based on what I found, if you’ve got grade school or younger kids, or even Middle-schoolers who (unlike mine) DON’T refer to hikes as “forced marches”, Historic Yates Mill County Park could be a wonderful hang-out for your family!

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Hike, Bike or Just Relax at the North Carolina Museum of Art Park

Most recently updated October 7th, 2022

Signpost on the Green trail at the edge of the NCMA park.

The North Carolina Museum of Art Park has been a tremendous gift to the whole Raleigh community.

The park’s trails and open lawns, ponds and pools, larger than life outdoor art, plus the amphitheater and outdoor movie screen provide a beautiful open air gathering place for everyone.

Don’t Miss the Grand Re-Opening Celebration!

Several new collections are opening this October, along will all of the re-imagined NCMA galleries.

This October, the NCMA galleries will re-open after an amazing update with a weekend full of family-friendly (and free!) activities.

READ HERE ABOUT THE UPDATED GALLERIES!

Visit ncartmuseum.org/peoplescollection for a full schedule of opening weekend celebrations.

I’ve gotten a lot of good use from the safe – and inexpensive – outdoor activities for kids the Museum Park has made available over the years.

From the time my daughter was in kindergarten through her college years – and even now as a young adult in the community – the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) and the Museum Park events and grounds have been a big part of both of our lives.

Continue reading Hike, Bike or Just Relax at the North Carolina Museum of Art Park

Go Llama Trekking at Divine Llama Vineyards

Most recently updated January 16th, 2022

From the moment I heard the phrase “llama trekking”, I was hooked. I love to hike – and who doesn’t love a llama??

Even better, when you go llama trekking at Divine Llama Vineyards, there could be wine involved 🙂

Divine Llama Vineyards is equally famous for its wine and for the Llama Treks they host together with their neighbor, the Four Ladies & Me Farm.

I stopped by for a visit one afternoon after a day of hiking at nearby Pilot Mountain State Park. It’s so close, you can see the mountain from the vineyard, and they’ve put Pilot Mountain on their label.

The big pinnacle at Pilot Mountain State Park

Equally close by is Hanging Rock State Park – so I plan to reward myself with another visit to Divine Llama after a day of hiking there, too! Continue reading Go Llama Trekking at Divine Llama Vineyards

Explore Lake Crabtree County Park – Sail, Fish, Bike, or Hike

Most recently updated September 21st, 2022

Lake Crabtree County Park is arguably the best in-town alternative to a trip to the beach for a quick fix of sand and time on the water.

View of the Observation Tower from the marina

In my opinion, any park where you can take your kids to paddle or even just watch the sun on the water is a big bonus – especially when you don’t have to drive more than 15-20 minutes to get there.

While Bond Lake and Symphony Lake are also centrally located, they don’t have nearly the size or water access afforded by Lake Crabtree.

Ice-sailing on White Bear Lake in Minnesota

I grew up on a large natural lake in Minnesota, with sailboats in the summer and snowmobiles, skis and ice-fishing in the winter.

So lakes make me feel good – and I logged a lot of hours on the Open Play field on the shore of Lake Crabtree when my daughter was little.

These days I spend more time hiking the 6 mile Lake Trail loop than flying kites. But you could do both!

Located in a forested area between Cary, Morrisville, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Lake Crabtree County Park offers visitors a 520-acre flood-control lake adjacent to a 215-acre wooded site, with 16-plus miles of trails, picnic areas that are perfect for outdoor games, boating, geocaching and catch-and-release fishing.

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Get Outdoors with Your Toddler at JC Raulston Arboretum

Most recently updated September 22nd, 2022

Years ago, when my daughter was about 3 years old and I was looking for outdoor activities for smaller kids, a friend introduced me to the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh.

For my daughter – and for me, too – it was a magical place.

This was partly because we were living in a rented townhome with not even a minimal yard, and partly because the arboretum really is magical! 🙂

But seriously, it does seem to be getting more difficult to find simple inexpensive fun outdoor activities for toddlers, especially if you don’t have a home with your own yard.

This is a real shame, because toddlers love getting outdoors to run around in the sunshine, play with bugs, and eat dirt.

Part of a border garden at the JC Raulston Arboretum

Fortunately for me, the JC Raulston Arboretum was only a short drive away, and was a great place to get outdoors and explore without any admission or parking fees – or even funnel cakes or anything-on-a-stick that I had to say “no” to.

Fortunately for everyone, although it has grown a lot in the past 20 years, the JC Raulston Arboretum is still a magical and inexpensive place to take young children to play outdoors.

They can feel the sunshine, eat dirt, and maybe learn a few things about trees and plants, too.

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Prairie Ridge EcoStation – Easy Family Hikes, Fossils and Fun!

Most recently updated January 16th, 2022

A couple of weeks ago, when I was searching for outdoor activities for kids, I saw an event posting for a Fossil Dig at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation.

My initial thought was, “Fossils? Digging? I must go!” 🙂

But first I had to find out more about the Prairie Ridge park.

Bees take advantage of the flowering plants in the Prairie habitat

I learned that the Prairie Ridge Ecostation is the west Raleigh branch of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. The main branch of the Museum was created in 1879, when the State’s agricultural and geological collections were merged.

It’s the largest institution of its kind in the South East and the most visited museum in North Carolina.

The main branch is located in downtown Raleigh and there is a third branch in Whiteville (Columbus County, NC).

The Prairie Ridge Ecostation , located off of Reedy Creek Road in Raleigh, offers outdoor experiences and learning for kids and adults year-round, and charges no admission. Continue reading Prairie Ridge EcoStation – Easy Family Hikes, Fossils and Fun!

Walk or Run on Stroller-Friendly Routes in Bond Park

Most recently updated June 21st, 2023

Bond Park and Umstead State Park in Cary, NC are a couple of local places that I go to hike, walk and run that are easy to get to and always deliver a really good experience.

Minimum driving, maximum time on the trail is what I’m usually looking for.

I’ve been using the trails and other park amenities both on my own and with my kids since I first moved to the area in 1996.

Like all of us, the park has changed over time and also – I hope like all of us – has improved with age as well.

Actually, I recently took an afternoon break to walk Bond Park’s Lake Trail, and found significant improvements to all of the the walkways and bridges along the way!

Updated bridge on the Lake Trail in Bond Park.

Read on to learn about the Lake Trail and other trails and combined routes inside Bond Park.

Continue reading Walk or Run on Stroller-Friendly Routes in Bond Park