Planning a Trip Summer 2009

Hello!

We%26#39;re planning a trip to NC this coming summer to visit race shops, Lowe%26#39;s Speedway and a side (on the way back home to Richmond VA area) trip to the NC Zoo. I%26#39;ve been looking and trying to find ideas/tips for the trip. Our group will be three adults and three kids (11, 8, 2 1/2).

Any suggestions for web sites, places to not be missed, or activities would be much appreciated!

Thanks for any suggestions or tips!

Planning a Trip Summer 2009

Opening in Spring 2009 (think you need to have accomodations to access this water park/resort)...

http://www.greatwolf.com/concord/waterpark

Minor League baseball in Kannapolis (town next to Concord, about 15 minutes up 85 from Speedway blvd.)...Kannapolis Intimidators

US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte...all types of outdoor activities.

You mentioned the zoo, which is great (about 45 minutes).

Planning a Trip Summer 2009

I%26#39;d recommend staying in Mooresville. Its home to DEI (err, whats left, I think the giftshop/viewing is still open to the public), JR Motorsports, Penske Racing, Braun Racing, Fitz Motorsports, Rusty Wallace, Inc, Wood Brothers, Roush/Fenway truck and Busch (Nationwide) cars, Petty Racing and a lot of other truck/Busch shops.

We stay at the Sleep Inn or Hampton Inn - there are a lot of others. The Sleep Inn is really nice, but for a neat treat - the Hamption Inn is race themed in decor. Anything off Exit 36 on I-77 would be a good bet.

The other big shops aren%26#39;t too far. Joe Gibbs is in Huntersville, just south on I-77 (exit 28 I believe). Michael Waltrip Race world is in Cornelius, also down I-77 - this one costs $15 for a tour, its neat if you%26#39;ve never been in a race shop before, but a lot of the other shops are open for free and you can see pretty much the same stuff.

Roush/Fenway, Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt-Ganassi and Yates/No Fear Racing is about 20 minutes away out towards Concord, near the race track. Stewart-Haas is out that way, too - they%26#39;re only open to the public on Friday afternoons though.

You can also head out to Welcome and check out the Richard Childress shops - the museum there is worth the entrance fee if you%26#39;ve got a Dale Sr fan! (Also check out the Dale Trail for more sights along the way) The winery isn%26#39;t too far from there either. Kernersville has Kevin Harvick, Inc. Bill Davis Racing is down by High Point. The Petty museum and the Victory Junction Gang Camp are down in Randallville.

I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;ve been there before - there is a van tour you can take of the shops, or you can drive there yourself. We%26#39;ve never done the tour, but have seen people there and they%26#39;ve enjoyed it. Its not hard to find the shops. You can find a great map of the area and directions to the shops at this website, along with a lot of great info on the Mooresville area: http://www.racecityusa.org/

I%26#39;ve been down that way many times, let me know if I can be of more help! Its a great trip. Be sure to have dinner at Lancaster%26#39;s in Mooresville one day - its a neat NASCAR themed bbq joint that has amazing hush puppies! We%26#39;ve also seen drivers and crew members in there each time we%26#39;ve ate there.

Thank you so much for all your advice! Our boys are really excited about this trip! We wanted something special that was relatively close (and not too expensive) and thought this was a neat option for our Jimmy and Jeff fans (as well as our Denny and Carl fans!!!).

My experience with NC has mostly been Asheville (once) and Wilmington (a lot as a kid...close family friend lived there). Thanks for the info on the ';other'; side of the state!

If you all are an active family- I recommend the US National Whitewater center. All your kids will have a great time on the climbing wall (our 2.5 yr old LOVED it) and the older kids and mom or dad will like rafting the man made whitewater. There%26#39;s also miles of hiking and mountain bike trails. It%26#39;s always a must-do for our family.

there are a ton of hotels right around Lowes so that won%26#39;t be a problem. I%26#39;m not sure if the Great Wolf lodge is open yet but with the waterpark, that%26#39;s sure to please kids. Concord Mills outlet mall is right down from there too. If you don%26#39;t mind a little more of a drive there is always a AAA baseball team, Charlotte Knights, but that%26#39;s about 45mins to an hour away in Rock Hill, SC. And i would personally recommend Carowinds. It%26#39;s an amusement park just across the border into SC. also about 45 mins to an hour. It%26#39;s a lot of fun and has a huge waterpark also. HAVE FUN!!!

Hi,

Yes the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, right next to outlet mall is open. There are many things to do in the area. I have lived in Mooresville aka Race City for 12 yrs. (a transplant from OH) so I know the area very well. We always take our motor home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway during the race weeks and camp at the speedway. Not that it is far from our home (only about 15min. ) We just love the fun and friends we have made over the years. They have also built a brand new drag strip there too. If your into that. Mooresville also has 2 car museums, indoor go cart racing. The outlet mall has a Nascar Speed Park. In Charlotte there is Carowinds Amusement Park and campground, (owned and operated by Cedar Fair Amusments which also ownes many others like Cedar Point in Sandusky OH). Lazy 5 Ranch, Mooresville, it is drive thru zoo or you can ride on there wagon tour. Either way you can feed the animals. If I can be of any help let me know.

Reg. reggie0915@yahoo.com

Definitely do Carowinds. It%26#39;s on the NC/SC border, but has a Charlotte address. On the south side of town, right off Interstate 77 as it crosses the border. The state line actually runs right down the main entry and they have a line showing where one state ends and the next one starts.

They have a new coaster for 2009 and another megacoaster on the way for 2010 if rumors can be believed: they are defintley building SOMETHING huge at the front of the park where all the construction is going on and several older rides have been taken out.

Since they have a built in water park, it will be a good place to cool off too.

I absolutely love Lazy 5 ranch for kids--the website is www.lazy5ranch.com. It is a safari type of zoo where you can drive thru and feed the animals or take a hay ride around.

Also, have you checked www.visitnc.com? It may be able to help you make decisions. There is much to see and do in NC with a family.