|
 |
|
|
  Amusements Go Fish Hot To Shop Kids' Events Lots To Learn Other Good Stuff Outside Fun Summer Camps Summer Day Camps
|
|
Set out for fun in the jungle, on a quest for lost treasure or on a water-boggan slide. School up with other minnows at the North Carolina Aquarium and explore things that live in the ocean. Make wonderful creations from stuff you find on the beach or go on a snorkeling adventure in the sound. Ride a Ferris wheel and see forever. Take the helm of a bumper boat, try your skills in a round of mini-golf or take a spin in a go-cart. We've got some of the best summer camps on earth. And if you're interested in how the seashore environment works or want to learn how to sail a boat, the thing for you is North Carolina Maritime Museum's Summer Science School or Jr. Sailing Program. The courses are short and are out in the wild for only a few hours each day, so they won't take up your whole vacation. When you've exhausted the suggestions we've listed and you're told, "Go fly a kite!," you actually can! The Wright Brothers were right about flying things on a North Carolina beach, you know. Many of the sites for adventures that follow are also described in other chapters and, for further details, we have referred you to them.
|
|
 |
AmusementsBallastic Adventures It's zero to 80 in two seconds on the Slingshot, the newest way to terrorize yourself on The Circle. And, of course, every kid wants to do it. For $25, or two for $40, you can be projected 150 feet into the air, then free fall for 130 feet before the bungee whips you back up again, turning you end over end until, when you quit rolling, you're lowered to the ground. Best of all, there's a "no hurl guarantee" because it's simply impossible while pulling four to five G's. For an extra $10, you can buy the video tape of your face during the experience. And, no kidding, there's always a line, noon until midnight. The Slingshot propels all kids tall enough to be strapped in (at least four feet) from Memorial Day until the N.C. Seafood Festival weekend at the beginning of October. Carteret Lanes Everyone in the family can enjoy knocking down a few pins at Carteret Lanes. It's bowling in a family atmosphere with an arcade and snack bar available. Of course leagues and competitions bring out the matching shirts, but the unpolished amateurs also have lots of fun. Carteret Lanes is open year round. Fun `n' Wheels Depending on your age, you may well think of The Circle when you consider Atlantic Beach. This was the site of the beach arcade, it's where you'd go for the best bands and where the younger kids were jostled all day and night on the rides that were the centerpiece. Well, it still is. The Circle's center is home of Fun `n' Wheels amusements that, in the summer months, features the largest Ferris wheel on the island, a go-cart track, bumper boats, kiddie cars and the Amazing Gyro for kids who like to see things from many angles. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day and weekends April through October, the Fun `n' Wheels rides are open from noon until midnight. Admission is free, but you must purchase tickets for each ride. Golfin' Dolphin This expansive family entertainment complex, off N.C. 24 in Cape Carteret behind Hardee's, is where athletes of all ages and stages can hone their competitive edge. The complex includes a 50-tee driving range, baseball and softball batting cages and an 18-hole miniature golf course. While the bigger kids are sharpening their skills, the little ones enjoy the arcade games, bumper boats and go-carts. The Golphin' Dolphin also has a snack bar and a pro shop that sells high-quality golf accessories. A party room is available for private birthday parties and celebrations. The complex is open daily, "9 AM until," from March through December. Winter hours vary. Jungleland This large amusement park has something for the whole family. Here you will find bumper boats, miniature golf, an arcade, a snack bar and rides for the kids. Admission to the park grounds is free, and tickets (or day passes) are available for individual rides. The park opens daily at 11 AM from April through October. Jungleland is one of the best places to keep kids amused for hours. Playland Playland in Emerald Isle has eight superfast water slides and all sorts of rides for toddlers and youngsters, including bumper cars, bumper boats and slick and grand prix tracks. Home of "the original" Water Boggan, (252) 354-2609, and Lighthouse Golf, (252) 354-2811, an 18-hole miniature golf course, Playland also has a snack bar and a picnic area to keep the kids completely happy and give moms and dads a break. Playland is open daily during the summer months. Admission to the park is free, but you must purchase tickets for each ride. Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure
Golf and Raceway How about a ride on the mining train through caves, ancient ruins and under waterfalls to begin the adventure? The family will enjoy an active day at this new Salter Path park with go-carts on an exciting course over bridges and banked curves, a splash of bumper boats, a high-tech arcade and 18 fabulous holes of miniature golf. Hot dogs and snacks may be purchased. A picnic area can be used for parties, and group rates are offered. Tickets for each activity are sold separately. Sportsworld The sport at Sportsworld is skating, and for the local crowd it's the meet-and-compete spot for the younger-than-driving-age set. Sportsworld is well-maintained and supervised with all the right music and activity changes on the skating floor. A snack bar with arcade games is a comfortable vantage for viewing the skating without actually having to relearn the sport. Sportsworld is open year round. Skating sessions are scheduled throughout the day. A four-hour afternoon skate is $3.50. Skate rental is $1. Call for hours and activities.
|
|
|
|
Continue to Go Fishing | |
|
What
do I search for now? Well, on the Crystal Coast, there's plenty of treasure to find if you
just look for it. You might even find Blackbeard's treasure. It's out there, you know. You
could find a pearl in an oyster, Mother of Pearl, a Mermaid's Purse, some sand dollars and
other stuff worth a lot of clams. If searching is your pleasure, there's a treasure of
pleasure ahead on the Crystal Coast. The beaches are the main attraction, of course, but
if you get crabby and reach the what-do-I-search-for-now point, the choices present you
with a bountiful quest.