It's that time of the year again; the weather starts to get a little bit warmer, the sun goes down later and we're all tired of being cooped up during the frigid winter. That's right, it's spring break
1. Enjoy The Great Outdoors.
Not all Spring Breaks have to be at a beach! Most areas have a camping area nearby which requires little planning and the use of a local sporting goods store such as REI or Dicks Sporting Goods. Being outdoors isn't limited to only camping and bonfires. The length of your trip can vary from a day to a week and include multiple activities such as:
-Kayaking/Canoeing - Many places will allow you to show up and in a few minutes have you ready to get
-Mountain Biking - Much like canoeing, showing up is pretty much all you have to do. Mountain Biking areas typically have options to rent bikes if you don't have one.
-Whitewater Rafting - The Nantahala River in Western NC is a fantastic place to go, I have personally gone many times. Another place is the US National Whitewater Rafting Center in Charlotte which also offers much more than just whitewater rafting, including biking, hiking, and zip-lining.
-Hiking - Any local park will have hiking trails, some of my favorite are: Chimney Rock, Grandfather Mountain, Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain, and Stone Mountain.
-Camping - Camping is easy, all you need is a tent, sleeping bags, and a portable stove and a love for the outdoors. Cheraw State Park in South Carolina is my personal favorite, but you can also camp in your backyard!
-Fishing - Make sure you have your fishing license, then find a river or lake or stream and that's all you need!
-Geocaching - This is easiest to describe as a treasure hunt with a GPS. Visit https://www.geocaching.com/play for an in-depth explanation!
2. Visit A Zoo/Aquarium.
Asheboro and Columbia Zoos are wonderful places to visit, you can feed the giraffes and birds! A close aquarium is the Charlotte-Concord Sea Life Aquarium that has over 5,000 sea creatures.
3. Amusement Park/Water Park.
The Great Wolf Lodge is an indoor water park in Concord, NC for all ages. The Tweetsie Railroad gives a great historical look at NC railroads.
4. Biltmore Estate.
The Biltmore is more than just the biggest estate in North Carolina, you can bike, fly fish, wine tour and tasting, and much more! Visit http://www.biltmore.com/ for more information.
5. Snowboarding/Skiing.
I have personally enjoyed my Spring Break on the slopes of Snowshoe in West Virginia. But more local options are Cataloochee near Western Carolina University, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Sugar and Beech Mountain are all located in Boone, NC.
6. For The 'Of Age' Crowd (21 and older).
Now days, microbreweries are popping up everywhere, and vineyards are never more than a stone's throw away. The Duplin Winery on the eastern coast of North Carolina is the oldest and largest operating winery in NC. If you've never tried one of their sweet muscadine wines, then you're missing out big time.
North Carolina claims the most breweries in the South with more than 100 in the state. Some greats ones to include Red Oak Brewery about an hour northwest of Raleigh, The Highland Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada, and the Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery.
After the tours and tastings, bar-hopping local bars around you can be a fascinating experience.
7. Around Town.
All towns and cities have places for groups to have events or for the lone wolves out there, you can always go by yourself. For a short list of activities:
-Rollerskating
-Bowling
-Minigolf
-Lasertag
-Paintball
8. Sporting Events.
You can go watch local sports team play whether it be minors or major, college or professional, you can find a sports team to watch at short notice.
Whether you enjoy going outdoors or an alcoholic beverage or watching sports there is something on this list for everyone. Now go out this Spring Break and have a great time!
