Love 2 Travel With Kids: October 2013

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Carowinds Great Pumpkin Fest Daytime Activities in October

Carowinds Amusement Park in October © Katrena

In October, Carowinds begins to transform itself into two main themes. During the earlier part of the day, kids can enjoy a variety of fun and games geared toward October and Halloween. Many of these activities start after the park opens and some are offered on a schedule or between certain times. After dark, the amusement park becomes SCarowinds with elaborate frightening trails scattered throughout the NC/SC theme park.

October Musical Shows at Carowinds © Katrena

In 2013, Carwinds offers three October shows in the Peanuts Showplace near the back of Planet Snoopy. The Peanuts Spooktacular features Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy all decked out in Halloween costumes. This is a musical show featuring lots of fun tunes like Wooly Bully and Thriller and a bit of dancing and drama.

Puppet Show at Carowinds © Katrena

The puppet show encourages the audience to help Fraidy Cat get over Halloween fears. The Kiddie-Oke show encourages children to sing on stage, so this one in particular is dependent on audience participation. When we visited the Kiddie-Oke show, one child danced on stage for about a minute and then headed back to her seat. They asked if anyone else would like to sing or dance and when no children responded, they simply said the show was over.

Trick-or-Treat at Carowinds © Katrena

Quite a few children dress in costume to attend the costume parade and dance party. Stations are set up around Planet Snoopy where children can trick-or-treat. One type of candy is offered at each station. Kids can pick up a free trick-or-treat bag in the shop across from the Flying Ace Aerial Chase roller coaster. They will allow kids to trick-or-treat who are not dressed in costume and who do not have a bag.

Hay Bale Maze at Carowinds © Katrena

Those riding on Gr8Sk8 can get a nice aerial view of the hay bale maze located right in front of the ride. Kids are challenged to use critical thinking skills as they try to navigate from one side to the other. The maze paths are flanked by hay bales, but they are short enough that many smaller kids can easily see over.

Foam Zone at Carowinds © Katrena

The Foam Zone is another popular spot in the October-themed Carowinds mix. This area allows for the smaller kids within certain height restrictions to have a blast in the bubbles. Lots of children emerge from this area covered with foam and a big grin. Those sending kids into this area will be thankful to have an extra set of clothes for children who look like they have taken a bath in foam.

Fun October Activities Near Charlotte © Katrena

The older truck parked beside the Baby Care Center begins to work magic by making bubbles...and more bubbles...and more bubbles. Lots of kids and even a few adults headed to that area to pop a few bubbles or perhaps see a cool view of the Intimidator roller coaster through a "bubblescope!"

Daytime Halloween Theme at Carowinds © Katrena

A few other areas to note are the talking pumpkin named Peter, who interacts with the children standing nearby and a mural wall where kids are invited to color a scene and then see their work displayed on the wall near Snoopy's Junction train ride. They also feature a "mumpkin" patch where children can pick out a mini-pumpkin to decorate and keep.

Charlie Brown with Halloween Costume © Katrena

Charlie Brown was a hit with me. He was the lone character walking around for photo shoot opportunities. He was sporting his famous ghost sheet costume! The above activities were offered free of charge after entry into the amusement park. I would recommend picking up a paper with show times – we found some near the hay bale maze.

Spooky and Silly Decorations at Carowinds © Katrena

Is Carowinds scary in the daytime during October? For my family, the answer was a bit mixed. My youngest child is pretty scared of spooky decorations. Skeletons, coffins, and various other haunted décor line the walkways throughout most of the amusement park. Once we got over the Planet Snoopy, the scenery was pretty tame and not so scary, although my youngest tended to keep looking over her shoulder just in case a creepy skeleton had tried to follow us over there.

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Fun Family Activities for October © Katrena

Find additional travel reviews and articles by Katrena at the Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids site maps.

Monday, October 21, 2013

2013 McAdenville NC Christmas Lights Dates and Times and Tips

McAdenville 2013 Dates and Times © Katrena

McAdenville, a town in North Carolina, has been offering a unique Christmas light show since 1956. Residents all over the town string red, green, and white lights on over 375 trees and homes to provide a beautiful free light show for motorists and pedestrians along the approximately 2-mile stretch through town. You might be able to hear Christmas carols from church chimes or perhaps a home.

McAdenville Christmas Light Show © Katrena

McAdenville Christmas Town USA plans to turn on the lights on December 2, 2013 and continue the nightly light show through December 26. On Monday through Friday each week, the lights will turn on at 5:30 p.m. and turn off at 9:30 p.m. The light show times extend until 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tips for Seeing McAdenville Christmas Lights © Katrena

The lights are on automatic timers and will turn off at scheduled times, regardless of traffic still traveling through the town. Plan to arrive early in the evening, walk through, or visit on a weeknight to avoid some of the long wait times as this light show attracted more than 600,000 people to the small town last year.

Best Free Christmas Light Shows in NC © Katrena

Visit the Christmas Town USA official web site for additional information, history, pictures, areas for parking, and more.

Readers may also wish to read:

Drive-thru Christmas Light Show in McAdenville, NC © Katrena

Visit Katrena's Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids site maps for a list of all articles of family-friendly travel tips, pictures, and reviews.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Carolina BalloonFest in Statesville NC – Great October Fun for All!

2013 Statesville Balloon Festival in NC © Katrena

While many folks are searching for pumpkins on the ground or apples in the trees, several thousand people know they can get a beautiful treat by looking up in the sky above Statesville Regional Airport. The air is usually crisp and clear in the middle of October, a great time for a balloon festival.

Balloon Launch from Statesville Regional Airport © Katrena

The 2013 Carolina BalloonFest runs October 18, 19, and 20 and benefits the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Statesville. Balloon launches are scheduled for dusk on all three days and also at dawn on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday evening, the crews return to set up for a balloon glow after dark. The balloon launches and glow are dependent on weather conditions.

NC Balloon Festival in October © Katrena

This event attracts large crowds, so arriving early is a must in order to fully enjoy the event and avoid long wait times to get in. Ticket prices and a schedule of events are offered on the Carolina BalloonFest web site. Prices are lower on Friday and Sunday, but the Night Glow is only offered on Saturday evening.

Fun Things to do in Statesville © Katrena

Those traveling to the Statesville Regional Airport for the Carolina BalloonFest are treated to live entertainment sponsored by Wells Fargo in 2013 and a nice variety of foods and drinks. Wine Maestro is offering "A Taste of Wine & More" for the adults.

Fun Family Activities in Iredell County © Katrena

Kids will be thrilled with a great variety of fun games, including a bounce house, inflatable slides, and games. The event also offers ticketed activities for the kids like a bungee jump, laser tag, and double zip line. Kids also find ways to entertain themselves, like the ones who are thrilled to run or roll up and down the hill that flanks the launch area.

Carolina BalloonFest on October 18, 19, 20, 2013 © Katrena

The three-day event, celebrating its 40th year in 2013, draws thousands of families and photographers from near and far every year. You might get a little exercise at the event by running....not running after the balloons but running with the balloons in their first 5K or Fun Run offered on Sunday, October 20, 2013.

Those who wish to take to the sky and see the event from above can sign up to take a ride with a balloon team. Tethered balloon rides are also offered for those who would like the thrill of a shorter balloon ride that is anchored to the ground.

Many folks bring a blanket or chairs to sit on the lawn to watch the balloon crews at work. Some crews work quickly in an effort to rise to the skies first while others take their time and savor the moment. Photographers love having the opportunity to get up close and enjoy a wealth of opportunities as envelopes are unfolded and begin to take a life of their own before rising high in the sky.

My family loves to get close to the action and watch as each crew works together to get their colors up and flying. The balloons take on a nice variety of shapes and colors. We try to guess which one will go up first and which will go the highest. Many of the balloons flew directly over our heads this year!

Some of the balloons have character shapes while others advertise for a variety of businesses. We saw American flags, stripes, stars, birds, horses, a van, and chuckled at the black and white Sparky and a Purple People Eater in 2013.

Many balloon crews participate in the event every year while families may make this an annual tradition. Children age 12 and under are offered free admission on Friday. Military veterans can enter for free on Sunday.

My family has enjoyed this event several times. Would we do it again? Absolutely! Looking for more of Katrena's articles about balloons or fun things to do in Statesville?

Find additional family-friendly tips, articles, and pictures at the Love 2 Travel with Kids site map.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

2013 Tanglewood Festival of Lights Show Dates, Rates & Times

Many folks in or near the Piedmont area of North Carolina enjoy visiting the Festival of Lights, a huge drive-through light show near Winston-Salem that attracts nearly a quarter million people each year. Some of the lights are animated and a few are set to music. Visitors may park and go in the Holiday Gift Village to find locally made Christmas gifts, roast marshmallows or pose for a picture with Santa while traveling through the Festival of Lights.

The Festival of Lights will be open every evening from November 23, 2013 through January 1, 2014 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. If you are interested in getting a photo with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, they will be available until 9:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays or until closing on Fridays and Saturdays.

2013 Rates for the Tanglewood Festival of lights are:

Vehicle Type	Monday-Thursday excluding Holidays & Eves	Friday-Sunday and Holidays & Eves
Family (car, truck, van)	$10	$15
Commercial (van, limo, mini-bus)	$20	$25
Motorcoach/Bus	$90	$90

Four throwback nights are offered for 2013. These are themed nights in which people are encouraged to dress the part for a little fun! The 2013 Throwback nights and themes are:

November 25 & November 26: Wear your favorite sports team paraphernalia
December 2 and December 3: Wear Santa hats

Discounts are offered on the Throwback Nights, so this is a great option for those on a tight budget. Admission price for Throwback nights at the Festival of Lights are:

Family (car, truck, van)	$5
Commercial (van, limo, mini-bus)	$15
Motorcoach/Bus	$65

If you have a flexible schedule, I'd highly recommend visiting the Festival of Lights early in the season on a Monday through Thursday. The rates are higher and wait times can exceed two hours on Friday through Sunday and on holidays and eves. The Christmas spirit might elude you while packed into a car with whining kids as you wait two hours, especially if one of them suddenly announces the need to use the restroom. Just sayin'....

If you with to learn more about Tanglewood Festival of Lights, here are some of Katrena's articles:

Visit the Love 2 Travel With Kids site map to find additional family-friendly activities, travel reviews, and more.

Dates, times, and prices obtained from the Forsyth County web site accessed on 10/2/2013.