Fun Friday
Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure.
Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to the beautiful state of North Carolina
1.) Blue Ridge Parkway This 469-mile scenic drive links Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, while protecting the cultural and natural features of the Blue Ridge.
2.) Elijah Mountain Gem Mine and Goat Farm located in Hendersonville hours of operation are 10-6pm TripAdvisor’s #1 gem mine in the US, #1 family activity in the mountains, #22 Thing To Do in the US and #4 in the world Family-Friendly Fun on TripAdvisor's 2021 Best of the Best! No reservations needed. Come pet and feed our goats and chickens at the barn and see our peacocks and wild game bird habitat. We double all competitor’s coupons and we’ll even buy you a coke! Covered outdoor and Indoor gem mining year round for your comfort. At Elijah Mountain Gem Mine in Hendersonville, NC, you become a prospector from the 1800's and mine for real gem stones that you can keep! Gems found daily include Rubys, Sapphires, Emeralds, Quartz crystals, Citrine, Amethyst, Garnets, Moonstone, Fluorite, Aquamarine Crystal, geodes, fossils and more! You can even picnic by the creek or Jurassic Pond then watch the kids challenge their skills on the obstacle course. Our Crystal store is the largest in the state with the largest selection and best prices in NC. Food truck and tap room open weekends.
3.) Dry Falls Following paved walkways from the parking area, you can walk directly underneath the tumbling 75-foot waterfall.
4.) Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park hours of operation are 8:30-5:30pm Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is an international outdoor destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western NC, attracting visitors from around the world. Highlights include:- 75-mile panoramic views overlooking Lake Lure- Hickory Nut Falls, one of the highest of its kind east of the Mississippi River- The Last of the Mohicans scenes were filmed here- ancient geologic formations- 198-foot tunnel & elevator inside the mountain- six scenic hiking trails- guided rock climbing & more The Park's modernized elevator offers a handicap-accessible 35-sec. ride to the iconic Chimney, an alternative to "nature's Ultimate Stairmaster," the Outcroppings trail. Chimney Rock has something for everyone from the family-friendly Great Woodland Adventure trail to the stunning Skyline trail to Exclamation Point. Recognized as one of the Southeast’s most iconic outdoor attractions, Chimney Rock is located 25 miles southeast of Asheville on Highway 64/74A in Chimney Rock, NC
5.) Wheels Through Time Transportation Museum located in Maggie Valley This is one of the best motorcycle museums in the country. The museum consists of all American made motorcycles from mostly the early years. Most bikes are still in working condition and they will even start them from time to time. You could absolutely spend days here.
6.) Museum of the Cherokee Indian located in Cherokee price of admission is roughly $12 hours of operation are hours of operation are 9-5pm Tells the history and culture of the Cherokee Indians through displays and modern computer images. Make sure to see our current changing exhibit.
Oconaluftee Indian Village hours of operation are 9:30-4:30pm A guided tour of the Oconaluftee Indian Village; a replica of a 1750s Cherokee Village. See Cherokees making traditional crafts using centuries old techniques. The Village Square Grounds is a place of ceremony where you will learn about traditional songs and dance, our clan system and beliefs. Inside the Village Council House you will learn of our government, family and structure.
7.) Asheville Pinball Museum do you want a blast to the past? You're not going to want to miss stopping here. Roughly $15 will get you all the play time you want except for a few games that are $.50 each play. There are also some classic arcade games such as Centipede, Donkey Kong, PacMan and Ms. Paxman, Qwerty, Galaxie and others. They also have a ton of memorabilia from that time. Boom boxes, toys, posters. There is also a small snack bar.
8.) Crystal Mountain Gem Mine hours of operation are 10-6pm Brevard, NC's #1 Attraction! Crystal Mountain Gem Mine brings you and your family the unique experience of engaging in your own Gem Mining adventure! By joining us in our downtown Gem Mine - full of precious gems from private mine shafts around the world - you're able to mine for your own gemstones and try your luck at striking it rich! Just like a real prospector from the 1800's! You get to keep everything you find! Easy access from Hendersonville and Asheville!
9.) Western North Carolina Nature Center located in Asheville hours of operation are 10-4:30pm Visit the Western North Carolina Nature Center - home to over 60 species of animals including river otters, black bear, red wolves and cougars. The Western North Carolina Nature Center connects people with the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, and advancing conservation of the region's rich biodiversity. The Nature Center is proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. Less than 230 facilities in the United States have met the high accreditation standards set by AZA
10.) Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine located in Franklin hours of operation are 10-4pm Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine is Macon County's ONLY 100% Unsalted Gem Mine, located in the heart of the beautiful Cowee Valley of North Carolina's Smoky Mountains. NOTE: Cherokee Mine is OPEN
11.) Foggy Mountain Gem Mine located in Boone hours of operation are 10-4pm Foggy Mountain Gem Mine has been family owned and operated for generations. We are located in the mountain community of Boone, which is in the beautiful High Country of North Carolina. We are the choice Gem Mine in our area because of the experience that is offered to our guests by our knowledgeable staff, and because we offer buckets of the finest gem ore from the best gem mines in the world. You are invited to come and satisfy your craving for a gem mine adventure and experience the thrill of discovery as you pan for gems. Just like miners from the old days, you will sift through dirt and rock using water flumes to find your treasures in the safety and comfort of our year round location on Hwy 105 in Boone. Regardless of the weather, you can search for gems since we have both outside and inside flumes. Each bucket of our gem stone mix contains genuine rough gems. We guarantee a gem find every time.
12.) Cradle of Forestry located in Pisgah Forest hours of operation are 9-5pm Continuing a legacy of forest conservation history, the Cradle of Forestry offers a snapshot of life at America's first school of Forestry along the Biltmore Campus Trail. You can also take a picturesque walk along the Forest Festival Trail complete with a restored 1914 logging locomotive, or take a simulated ride with firefighters aboard a helicopter on their way to a roaring fire in the wilds of Idaho in the Forest Discovery Center Exhibit Hall. Come explore the sights and sounds, check out the events and activities, and plan your adventure at the birthplace of Forest Conservation in America - the Cradle of Forestry in America. We are CLOSED November-March.
13.) Mystery Hill located in Blowing Rock hours of operation are 10-6pm Explore North Carolina's Only Natural Gravitational Anomaly - WIth multiple unique experiences - Hands On Science Fun, Giant Bubbles, History, Second largest private Native American Artifacts collection in the world, Gem Mining, Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, Old Time Photos, Tomahawk Throwing and More! One of North Carolina's most unique attractions for over 70 years.
14.) Smoky Mountain Trains Museum located in Bryson City this is a museum of model trains. If you take the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Ride then the price of admission to the museum is free. It's fun to see the trains and push some of the buttons for some interactivity, but you probably only need to spend 30 minutes or so here. There is a gift shop as well.
15.) Emerald Village located in Little Switzerland hours of operation are 10-5pm Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 1 hour from Asheville, NC, is Emerald Village, North Carolina’s #1 gem mining attraction! Go underground in a real mine at the NC Mining Museum. See old mining equipment and displays, and enjoy the splashing waterfall! Tour the Company Store, re-creating an old mining town. Visit Discovery Mill, with 10 levels of displays, including the Music Museum, the Homestead Museum, the Blue Ridge model railroad display, and gift and snack shops. Spend time at our spectacular Gemstone Mine where you’ll have “buckets” of fun searching for real gems. Find colorful gems and keep them all! We also offer custom gem cutting, jewelry making, Gold Panning, night time Black Light mine tours, digging for minerals and digging for emeralds at the world-famous Crabtree Emerald Mine! You’ll have a gem of a day! Open April 1st through October 31st.
16.) Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center hours of operation are 10-6pm We are a family fun center that has trout fishing, gem mining, & "summer tubing" in the spring and summer, and ice skating and snow tubing during the fall and winter.
17.) Apple Valley Model Railroad Club located in Hendersonville hours of operation are 1-3pm Largest model railroad in western North Carolina housed in the historic 1902 train depot in Hendersonville, NC. A 100' X 20' HO scale model railroad based on western North Carolina in the mid 1900s fills most of the depot and a real caboose sits just outside. Artifacts from real railroads are on display throughout the depot. The club has a 60' X 12' outdoor G scale layout that is very popular. Inside, there is also a separate Thomas the Tank train layout for young engineers to operate, a telegraph and an old engine named Pauline. For those interested, we also offer a scavenger hunt. Just ask one of us for a copy. The Apple Valley Model Railroad is open to the public Wednesdays 1 to 3 and Saturdays 10 to 2. Admission is free, and donations are greatly appreciated.
18.) Hands On! Children's Museum hours of operation are 9-5pm Hands On! is the place where LEARNING comes into PLAY! Located in Downtown Hendersonville, Hands On! is a children's museum that provides educational exhibits and science programs to children ages 1-10, along with their caregivers. More information can be found at their website on special programs and classes, memberships and birthday parties.
19.) Team ECCO Aquarium & Shark Lab located in Hendersonville The Aquarium is home to more than 275 saltwater fish and invertebrates and amazing reptiles! Our fun exhibits will immerse you in life beneath the waves. Listed as the first inland aquarium in NC, we are also active members of the NC Science Network, NC Environmental Education , the American Elasmobranch Society, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, and Oceana. Talk with our student docents who willingly share their knowledge and passion for our finned residents. Watch our shark and ray feed at 1:30. Relax, learn, and return!
20.) Hickory Ridge Living History Museum located in Boone hours of operation are 10-2pm Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, located on the grounds of "Horn in the West," is an eighteenth-century living history museum highlighting the daily lives of our mountain ancestors. At the Hickory Ridge Living History Museum you can learn what life was like in the 1700s as our country was formed and expanded. Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, located on the grounds of "Horn in the West," is an eighteenth-century living history museum highlighting the daily lives of our mountain ancestors. The museum is a production of the Southern Appalachian Historical Association.
MISSION STATEMENT Southern Appalachian Historical Association is a non-profit that preserves the diverse cultural heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountain region.
21.) Fort Defiance located in Lenoir -come learn about 6 generations of Lenoirs from revolutionary war through the civil war. And how they contributed to the settlement of N Carolina and surrounding areas. The volunteers have done a great job preserving this piece of history.
22.) Battleship North Carolina located in Wilmington hours of operation are 8-5pm As you walk the decks of the NORTH CAROLINA, imagine yourself in the South Pacific during WWII searching the sky for enemy aircraft, anticipating what may happen next. Step aboard the most decorated US Battleship of WWII! Explore nine decks, crew's quarters, gun turrets, and much more. Discover where history comes alive. Located at the junctions of highways 17, 76, 74, 421 on the Cape Fear River across from historic downtown Wilmington. Open every day!
23.) Wright Brothers National Memorial located in Kill Devil Hills hours of operation are 9-5pm Park where visitors can see a replica of the Wright Brothers' plane and receive an entertaining history of flight.
24.) North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences located in Raleigh hours of operation are 10-5pm The Southeast's largest natural history museum features dinosaurs, whale skeletons, live animals, walk-through dioramas, special exhibits, hands-on science education and accessible scientists. IMLS National Medal Finalist, 2014.
25.) Cape Hatteras Lighthouse located in Buxton hours of operation are 9-5pm The nation's tallest lighthouse was moved to a different location to preserve it.
26.) NASCAR Hall of Fame located in Charlotte hours of operation are 10-5pm The NASCAR Hall of Fame is where legends live on. Where fun lives on. Where the race lives on. Enjoy amazing artifacts, interactive exhibits, simulator rides and special events at the High Octane Theater. Plus, you can grab a bite to eat in the NASCAR Hall of Fame Café or at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. You also can take home a souvenir at the gift shop to help you remember it all.
27.)Currituck Beach Lighthouse located in Corolla hours of operation are 9-8pm Open daily for climbing from 9a-5pm, weather permitting through December 1. Climb the 220 steps to the top for a breathtaking view while learning from docents, brochures, and exhibits about shipwrecks, the lives of lighthouse keepers, the history and national significance of the tower (it filled the last remaining dark space on the east coast in 1875) and the tower's original 1st order Fresnel lens. The beacon continues to be an active aid to navigation (3 seconds on, 17 off). The station is a preservation effort of the Outer Banks Conservationists along with the State of NC and the USCG through the NHLHP Act of 2000. $12/person (card or cash); admission paid at tower. No online or advance reservations available. Climbers ages 4+ welcome. Dogs on leashes welcome on grounds. Drones and drone operators must stay outside the fence line.
28.) Museum of Life + Science located in Durham hours of operation are 10-5pm Located just blocks from downtown Durham, the Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top family destinations. Situated on 84-acres, our interactive science park includes a two-story science center, one of the largest butterfly conservatories on the East Coast, and beautifully landscaped outdoor exhibits which are safe havens for rescued black bears, lemurs, and endangered red wolves. Other popular attractions include over 60 species of live animals, Dinosaur Trail, Ellerbe Creek Railway, Into the Mist, Hideaway Woods, and Earth Moves. The Museum of Life and Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
29.) Greensboro Science Center hours of operation are 9-5pm Experience the wonders of an aquarium, science museum, zoological park, and immersive 3D theater all in one attraction! See sharks, penguins, otters, stingrays, a fishing cat and other amazing animals from around the world in the Wiseman Aquarium. Get eye-to-eye with tigers, meerkats, gibbons, lemurs and other unique animals in the Animal Discovery Zoo. Walk among dinosaurs in Prehistoric Passages, experience extreme weather, and have fun in SciPlay Bay in the Museum. Watch amazing 3-D shows that make science come alive in the OmniSphere Theater.
30.) North Carolina Zoo located in Asheboro hours of operation are 9-5pm We are excited to welcome you to the Zoo! Tickets can be purchased at the gate on the day of your visit. At the North Carolina Zoo, we seek to inspire a lifelong curiosity about wildlife and a passion for protecting it. As the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, the North Carolina Zoo and its dedicated staff of experts provide expansive spaces and world-class care for the more than 1,700 animals here giving our guests the chance to witness the majesty of the wild in the heart of North Carolina. At the same time, our animal experts work tirelessly in the Zoo and around the world to ensure the protection of the world’s most amazing creatures and the places they call home. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
With so many different bodies of water, parks, waterfalls and many specialty gift shops and things there is something for everyone in this state. I highly encourage you to search where you are traveling. There's something to do around every corner.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.
Written by: BeautifulChaos318
