Everyone looks forward to the stress-free, lazy days of summer. We count down the days, we push through finals, endure work, and put up with responsibilities just to finally reach those beautiful 3 months when we have nothing to do, and everything is wonderful....until we realize that we have nothing to do. Summer can get boring pretty quick when there's no plans and no ideas of how to spend those endless days. If you're from North Carolina and part of the many people there who believe NC has hardly anything to offer in the summertime, then I'm here to introduce you to several options that can make your summer a little less boring, and a lot more adventurous.

1. Drive-In Movie Theater

Surprisingly, these don't only exist in Grease. If you're located in the central part of NC, then you're not too far from real-life drive in movie theaters. Badin Road and Eden Drive-Ins are just a couple outside theaters to choose from. To make it better, you pay less than the price of one regular movie ticket for a double-showing at some of these locations.

2. Carowinds

If you're looking for record-breaking roller coasters, then Carowinds is where you need to be. If adrenaline rush doesn't sound appealing, you can also enjoy other rides as well as live entertainment and a full water park inside. Fun fact: Carowinds stretches into South Carolina, so you can stand in two places at once!

3. The Biltmore Estate

Apart from the fact that this mansion is "home" to Richie Rich in the popular movie about a young, very wealthy kid's life, The Biltmore is an actual home that was built in the late 1800's and is now a beautiful tourist attraction that brings in people from all over the nation. If you're not into tours, you're in luck, because this house sits on thousands of acres where you can explore gardens, visit farm animals, go horse back riding, and much more.

4. Tubing

For those of you who insist on sitting all day, then there's an inner tube with your name on it just waiting to float you down one of NC's amazing rivers. You can spend hours exploring the New River and Watauga River by way of kayak, canoe, or tub. Wahoo's Adventures, located near Boone, can supply you with inner tubes as well as transportation to the rivers.

5. Ghost/Haunted Tours

Whether you find yourself at the beach or the mountains, if you've exhausted your activity options, you should try out one of the many haunted tours that towns such as Asheville and Beaufort have to offer. These "ghost walks" can give you insight on pirates, murders, and other spooky NC history while entertaining your imagination.

6. Zip-lining

Last but not least, you can view NC's mountains from a whole new perspective during a fun and thrilling zip-line excursion. Navitat adventures can offer you up to 3 and a half hours worth of zip-line adventures with bridges and hikes incorporated into your canopy tour.