Ice skating & holiday lights
Skate the Southeast's largest outdoor rink and walk the free Winter Trail at Whitewater, cruise Speedway Christmas, and stroll McAdenville — Christmas Town USA.
Hours, prices and seasonal dates change often — always check the official website before you go. Info last reviewed November 2026.
Charlotte, NC
Winter at Whitewater (mid-Nov to mid-Feb): 24,000 sq ft outdoor ice rink, free illuminated Winter Trail with suspension bridges, Highland cows, tree lot and winter market.
Ice skating $25 incl. rentals; Winter Trail free; parking $13
Concord, NC
Drive-through holiday light show at Charlotte Motor Speedway with millions of lights and a Christmas village in the infield.
Good to know: 2026: Nov 20 – Jan 3, nightly 6–10 pm.
McAdenville, NC
Whole town lit up with hundreds of thousands of lights — free to drive or walk.
Good to know: 2026: Dec 1–26, 5:30–10 pm. Arrive early.
Belmont, NC
Walk-through holiday light display with Santa visits and a trackless train on select dates.
Kannapolis, NC
Free holiday lights in Village Park with the carousel and train running, plus tree lighting and fireworks on opening night.
Belmont, NC
Decorated Christmas trees fill Stowe Park all December — free.
Gastonia, NC
Big city park with a splash pad, playgrounds, occasional train rides, and holiday lights in December.
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte's big uptown holiday parade on Tryon Street with floats, bands and balloons — free to watch (reserved seats sold separately).
Good to know: 2026: Wednesday, Nov 25 at 5:30 pm.
Charlotte, NC
Huge outdoor adventure park on the Catawba River. Warm months: whitewater rafting, ziplines, climbing, ropes courses, Wildwoods family play area and 50+ miles of trails. Winter at Whitewater (mid-Nov to mid-Feb): the Southeast's largest outdoor ice rink (24,000 sq ft), a free illuminated Winter Trail, Highland cows, a Christmas tree lot and night zips.
Free entry; parking $13/vehicle. All Access Day Pass $79; Wildwoods pass $18; ice skating $25 incl. rentals
Good to know: The Winter Trail and trails are free with parking.
Charlotte / Fort Mill, NC/SC
Amusement park straddling the NC/SC state line with Camp Snoopy for little kids, big coasters for teens, and seasonal events. Now open year-round on select dates.
Indian Trail, NC
Indoor ice rink with public skating sessions year-round.
Pineville, NC
Indoor ice rink with public skate sessions and learn-to-skate classes.
Huntersville, NC
265-acre historic Scottish-heritage farm with trails, animals and events, home of the Amazing Maize Maze each fall.
Belmont, NC
Gorgeous gardens with fountains, a children's garden, and an orchid conservatory; spring blooms and holiday lights.
Kannapolis, NC
Shady park with a playground, seasonal splash pad, paved trail, a $1.50 Venetian carousel and a small train.
Good to know: Carousel and train rides cost a small fee.
Matthews, NC
Downtown Matthews park with a playground, summer concerts and community festivals.
Rock Hill, SC
Free 11-acre garden with azaleas, fountains and a pond — stunning in spring.
Concord, NC
Indoor waterpark resort kept at 84°F year-round — slides, wave pool, a giant tipping-bucket treehouse — plus MagiQuest, arcade and ropes course. Day passes available.
Day passes from about $55 (varies by date)
Charlotte, NC
Mecklenburg County's indoor water park uptown: 3-story Blue Comet slide, lazy river, Saturation Station kids' play structure, beach entry and lap lanes. Open Fri evenings and weekends.
Low-cost county admission
Concord, NC
Indoor aquarium at Concord Mills with an ocean tunnel, sharks, rays, touch pools and Lego-themed play.
Charlotte, NC
Uptown hands-on science museum with labs, live demos, an IMAX Dome theatre, a rainforest and aquarium exhibits. Field-trip planner for groups.
Huntersville, NC
Play-based STEAM museum for toddlers to early elementary: pretend-play town, building zones, water play and live shows.
Charlotte, NC
Small nature museum beside Freedom Park with live animals, a butterfly pavilion and kid-height exhibits — great for little ones.
Charlotte, NC
Uptown racing museum with race simulators, a pit-crew challenge, historic cars and the 'Glory Road' banked track display.
Charlotte, NC
Aviation museum at Charlotte Douglas Airport featuring the 'Miracle on the Hudson' plane, hands-on flight exhibits and dozens of aircraft.
Charlotte, NC
Interactive optical-illusion rooms and photo spots — a crowd-pleaser for tweens and teens on a rainy day.
Gastonia, NC
Natural history museum with dinosaurs, NC wildlife halls, a mineral gallery, planetarium, a Catawba Indian village and an 1700s backcountry farm on a nature trail. Free 2nd Tuesday evenings (4–8 pm).
Good to know: Free admission the second Tuesday of each month, 4–8 pm.
Concord, NC
Iconic NASCAR track offering speedway tours, race weekends, and seasonal family events like Speedway Christmas.
Concord, NC
Indoor skydiving wind tunnel near Concord Mills; kids as young as 3 can fly with an instructor.
Charlotte, NC
Big family entertainment center in Ballantyne: bowling, laser tag, ropes course, rock climbing, bumper cars and arcade.
Huntersville & Pineville, NC
Bowling, large arcade, escape rooms and restaurant under one roof at two locations.
Mint Hill & Cornelius, NC
Trampolines, climbing walls, ropes courses and indoor playgrounds.
Charlotte (Northlake) & Pineville, NC
Wall-to-wall trampolines, foam zones, dodgeball and toddler time.
Gastonia, NC
Trampoline courts, ninja course and foam pits in Gastonia.
Rock Hill, SC
Trampoline park with the area's largest ninja course, foam pits, flying trapeze and dunk zone.
Huntersville, NC
Indoor ninja/parkour gym with open-play passes and kids' classes.
Concord, NC
Indoor inflatable playground with bounce houses, obstacle courses and a toddler area.
Monroe, NC
Clean, spacious indoor playground with ball pits and climbing structures.
Matthews, NC
Indoor playground for kids 10 and under with ball pits, climbing structures and slides.
Gastonia, Charlotte & Monroe, NC
Glow-in-the-dark indoor mini golf with monster-themed holes.
Concord & Pineville, NC
Big arcade and restaurant — good for rainy-day treats.
Concord, NC
Bowling, laser tag, arcade and bumper cars.
Charlotte, NC
Professional theatre for kids at ImaginOn, staging family shows and classes.
Rock Hill, SC
Natural history museum with an Ice Age Carolinas exhibit, the Settlemyre Planetarium, trails and gardens.
Rock Hill, SC
Pretend-play museum for ages 0–6 with dress-up, farm and kitchen exhibits.
Midland, NC
Site of the first documented gold find in the U.S.; underground mine tours, exhibits, and seasonal gold panning. Free admission.
Good to know: Gold panning is seasonal and has a small fee.
Pineville, NC
Birthplace of the 11th president with reconstructed log buildings, a visitor center and free guided tours.
Huntersville, NC
1800s living-history farm inside Latta Nature Preserve with heritage animals, a restored home and history camps.
Huntersville, NC
Walk a wooded trail past eagles, hawks, owls and vultures in Latta Nature Preserve; live bird programs.
Charlotte, NC
Home of the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander rock house, Mecklenburg's oldest home, plus exhibits on Charlotte history.
Charlotte, NC
North Carolina's first art museum. Free admission Wednesday evenings 5–9 pm, often with family crafts.
Good to know: Free Wednesdays 5–9 pm.
Charlotte, NC
Modern art museum uptown; Wednesday Night Live (5–9 pm) adds music and workshops.
Charlotte, NC
Uptown museum celebrating African-American art and culture with frequent free family programs.
Charlotte, NC
Free self-guided tour through the life of Billy Graham, starting with a talking-cow animatronic in a barn-shaped building.
Dallas, NC
Free museum in historic Dallas, NC with local history exhibits and a carriage collection.
Lancaster, SC
Free galleries on Catawba Nation history and pottery — great for NC/SC history units.
Lancaster, SC
Park at the birthplace of Andrew Jackson with a museum, replica 1700s schoolhouse, playground, trails, fishing and boat rentals.
Small SC state park entry fee; kids under 5 free
Waxhaw, NC
Local history museum on the Waxhaws region and Andrew Jackson's early life.
Blacksburg, SC (west of Gastonia), SC
Revolutionary War battlefield with a free visitor center, film and a 1.5-mile paved battlefield trail.
Huntersville / Lake Norman, NC
Free hands-on energy science center at McGuire Nuclear Station on Lake Norman, with a nature trail. Walk-ins Tue–Thu 12–3 pm; groups by appointment.
Charlotte, NC
Free gardens and greenhouse with rainforest plants, orchids and carnivorous plants.
Charlotte, NC
Kids' and teen library uptown with free storytimes, puppet shows, and a stop-motion studio.
Throughout Mecklenburg, NC
20+ branches with free storytimes, STEM programs and homeschool resources.
Gastonia & Gaston County, NC
Free kids' programs, storytimes and maker activities across Gaston County branches.
Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, NC
Free storytimes and family programs at branches across Cabarrus County.
Charlotte, NC
Indoor nature center, easy trails, and a unique fenced nature playground; frequent free family programs.
Charlotte (Steele Creek), NC
Nature center on Lake Wylie with live animal exhibits, trails, playground and weekly animal meet-and-greets.
Huntersville, NC
1,460-acre preserve on Mountain Island Lake; Quest nature center has a big aquarium and interactive exhibits, plus trails, horseback riding and paddling.
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte's beloved central park: large playground, lake, ducks, trails and a Play 60 NFL playground.
Charlotte, NC
Paved greenway linking uptown, Freedom Park and beyond — great for bikes and scooters.
Charlotte, NC
Paved trail alongside the light rail through South End with public art and murals.
Charlotte, NC
Stroll a colorful Victorian neighborhood uptown with Fourth Ward Park at its heart.
Kings Mountain / Gastonia, NC
Hiking with big views from Crowders Mountain and The Pinnacle, plus a lake for fishing and paddling. Free entry.
Fort Mill, SC
2,100-acre preserve with hiking, biking, kayaking, horseback riding, farm animals and the Greenway Canteen.
Day passes or family memberships (from about $12–13/month)
Gastonia, NC
City of Gastonia lakeside park with walking trails, fishing and a playground.
Belmont, NC
Treehouse-themed playground on the Catawba River with wide paved paths and a public dock with bench swings.
Mount Holly, NC
Riverside park on the Catawba River with a playground and walking trails.
Concord, NC
Large Cabarrus County park with playgrounds, ballfields, a lake and walking trails.
Cornelius, NC
Lake Norman peninsula park with paved trails, playground and lake views.
Pineville, NC
Lakeside park with a large splash pad and three playgrounds.
Rock Hill, SC
Paved Catawba River trails and nearby parks at Riverwalk.
Pineville, NC
Free indoor kids' play area inside the mall — handy on rainy days.
Concord, NC
Huge outlet mall home to SEA LIFE, Dave & Buster's and more — easy rainy-day walking.
Multiple locations, NC
Free hands-on build projects for kids on the first Saturday of the month.