Summer Bucket List in the Heart of NC

Your childhood vacations may have included a station wagon, soggy PB&J sandwiches, layers of sunscreen, and pesky mosquito bites. But we are sure they also included campfire stories, games of freeze tag with cousins, and harvesting fresh vegetables from the garden. Relive the affordable experiences your parents offered you as a child and let’s explore the Heart of North Carolina together. With several once-in-a-lifetime adventures for your family, we want to offer you options of indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy. We invite you to refresh your spirit, rejuvenate your mind, and reconnect with nature while making memories with loved ones.

Outdoor Fun

• Get back to nature with a walk, hike, or bike ride on any of our 19 nature trails with lots of visible markers and multiple levels of expertise along the Deep River State Trail.

Photo Credit: Piedmont Legacy Trails

• Soar through the forest in the shadow of Purgatory Mountain on Richland Creek ZipLine - 14 zip lines, three sky bridges, and one swinging bridge for an adrenaline rush in some of the Heart of NC’s most scenic wilderness areas.

Photo Credit: Richland Creek ZipLine

• If a farm adventure is what you are seeking, plan a visit to Millstone Creek Orchards to pick your own seasonal fruits or vegetables, take a hayride tour, and weekly farmers market through August.

Photo Credit: Millstone Creek Orchards

• The ultimate outdoor adventure park is conveniently located near I-85 in Archdale. Kersey Valley Attractions is known nationwide for its fall haunted attraction Spookywoods, yet there is activity on this 70-acre farm all year round. NEW this year to Kersey Valley is Bomb Bowling, a mashup between football, bowling, horseshoes, and cornhole. Additional group activities include: Axe Throwing - in a controlled environment with a guide throughout the 18-hole course | Laser 
Tag – an outdoor high tech military grade tactical laser from Laser Tag Pro that shoots harmless infrared light over 1,000 feet with the protective gear required! | Escape Room – choose from five amazing-themed rooms and solve the puzzles in time to escape in record time. Individual challenges include: Zipline - a first-class zip line featuring a closed course aviation theme with 14 lines and 1.5 miles of cable employing massive, engineered sky towers representing airport city codes from across the country and around the world

Indoor Inspiration

Consider a fun museum crawl while learning historical facts across Randolph County.

• North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame – home of Piper J-3 "Flitfire" flown by Orville Wright
• See one of the largest private collections of antique Harley-Davidson® motorcycles in the country including 45 bikes ranging from 1936 to 1978 at the American Classic Motorcycle Museum 
• Race into the Petty Museum showcasing the careers of this four-generation NASCAR Hall of Fame racing family including Lee, Richard, Maurice, Kyle, and Adam Petty. Follow the family from the early “dirt” days to the present with displays of cars, trophies, and awards.
• View more than 26 fully restored John Deere™ tractors, a 1926 return tube boiler from P&P Chair Company in Asheboro (producers of the Carolina Rocking Chair used by President John F. Kennedy), and multiple steam engines from the 19th century at the Neal Agricultural & Industrial Museum.
• See more than 800 pieces of pottery, artifacts, and photographs tracing NC’s pottery history from Native Americans to the present at the North Carolina Pottery Center.

• Shop your way around several antique stores in Downtown Asheboro – one is home to over 95 dealers within a 35,000 sq ft space.
• Specialty boutiques and shops are abundant throughout our area. Check out the Randolph Arts Guild Shop and Morings Art Center Gallery for local artists and unique gifts. Shop Southern Swag Farmhouse for rustic farmhouse goods, repurposed and new home decor, vintage jewelry, and boutique clothing. Take a step back in time at Melvin’s Variety & Hardware Store (celebrating 59 years in business!) specializing in household goods, tools, seasonal décor, and vintage games.

• Plan your own Seagrove Pottery tour in “The Handmade Pottery Capital of the United States” with more than 100 individual potters to visit. When you take a piece of Seagrove pottery home, you are also supporting this large family of artists who make a living in this craft.

Feed Your Mind & Soul

Whether you need a quick coffee and pastry break at The Table Farmhouse Bakery, a hearty steak dinner at Holly Ridge Golf Links on their breezy patio, or live music and a food truck with an intimate setting at The General Wine and Brew – our dining establishments are top notch experts in their safe hospitality and cuisine!

Photo Credit: Food Diary of a City Girl  

Relax & Recharge

Check into your overnight accommodations after your adventure-filled day. Choose from affordable hotel brands – located in Archdale and Asheboro, quaint bed & breakfast inns – in the Town of Seagrove, fun themed & family-friendly campgrounds in Asheboro – near the North Carolina Zoo, or our newest remote tiny cabins, Getaway Asheboro. Insider tip: do not forget to ask about their military discount offerings. For a complete list of options, visit our website, HeartofNorthCarolina.com or click here

Photo Credit: Getaway Asheboro

Family-friendly Summer Itinerary Ideas

We have taken the work into our own hands and created a weekend of fun for your family! Get inspired and plan your time in the Heart of North Carolina with this quick itinerary link HERE!

We look forward to following along during your visit – tag us at #theHeartofNC. Make sure to order your FREE travel guide bit.ly/FREETravelGuide for more planning tips.