Summer Fun Guide – Outside

The Lake
Perhaps your 23-foot Air Nautique was the first thing to go after you got that pink slip, but for less than $25 per person, you and nine friends can get out on Lake Norman on one of Kings Point Marina’s pontoon boat rentals.  Sure, you won’t be doing 360 tail grabs behind it, but think of it as a floating party barge you won’t ever have to worry about insuring, cleaning or maintaining.  Rentals: $225 for a full day, with a 10-person limit. 704.892.3223
morningstarmarinas.com

The Park
Freedom Park is THE BEST park in Charlotte for everything from a summertime first date to a lazy stroll with your first grandchild: walking trails, shady picnic spots, and 98 acres of  people to watch – all just two quick miles from the heart of uptown, at 1900 East Blvd.  The sparkling lake is the park’s centerpiece, and feeding the resident ducks is always fun, so don’t forget to bring a few slices of bread. Beware the geese, though; they can be a bit testy. Pick up lunch from one of a dozen restaurants just outside the park’s entrance, spread out your blanket, and enjoy.  Open from sun-up to dusk: charmeck.org
Day Hikes   Crowder’s Mountain State Park offers Charlotte’s best, and deservedly most popular, day hike. True, it’s a 45-minute drive from town, but it costs nothing more than a few gallons of gas to get there and back – entering the park is FREE. An extremely invigorating 1 1/2-mile hike will put you on top of the mountain and in front of 20-plus mile, 360-degree views. On a clear day you can count every crane in uptown Charlotte: ncparks.gov

Indoor Skydiving
Flying lessons were too expensive in 2005, and jumping out of a plane is still hundreds of dollars. The next best thing is indoor skydiving or what’s called body flight. They say it’s comparable to free fall from an airplane but takes place in a vertical wind tunnel. All you have to do is drive out with a couple friends, jump into a wind suit M.C. Hammer would be proud of, take a 30-minute lesson and then crank on the fan for realistic, controlled free fall. There are two wind tunnels pretty close by: one outside of Asheville and one east of town in Raeford. Call before you go to make reservations.
Raeford:
paracletexp.com
Asheville:
verticalwind.com/aac.html

Multi Sport
At the U.S. National Whitewater Center, as the name suggests, whitewater rafting and kayaking are the facility’s premier attractions.  But there are miles of mountain bike trails, a climbing wall, and a 1,123-foot-long Mega Zipline. The AllSport 2010 Season Unlimited Pass is a killer value – $149 buys unlimited access to almost everything the place has to offer and it’s good until the end of the year. For those on a tight budget, you don’t even have to own a bike or a boat; just rent one for the day from the Center’s array of the latest gear. Be sure to visit the website for the complete list of USNWC activities, pricing and for accurate driving directions to the center: usnwc.org

Disc Golf
Forget all the stereotypes you may have heard about “frisbee” golf, because they aren’t true. Well, okay, you’ll probably see some tie-dyed t-shirts, and might be offered a bong hit while out on the course, but it’s a ton of fun, and it’s FREE. Unlike “ball golf” courses, leashed dogs and coolers packed with ice-cold beverages are more than welcome here. I’ve even seen baby strollers out on the course. If you’re a golfer concerned about being challenged, know that extremely narrow fairways and infuriating tree placements go a long way to make up for the lack of club to ball contact. The Charlotte Disc Golf Club has an unbelievably thorough website with area course maps, printable score cards, information on competitive events, and even a list of stores where you can buy discs. Beginners should invest $15 on a brightly colored—and easy to find in the woods—Innova Pro Roc, a versatile disc that you can use to drive, approach, and putt. Choose from a half-dozen well maintained courses all over the city: charlottedgc.com

~ Matt Kokenes