Chimney Rock State Park – is considered one of the most iconic sites in North Carolina. From its top, you’ll soak in the 75-mile panoramic views of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure. Five hiking trails including the Great Woodland Adventure, which is a great hike for the kids and the young at heart.
Summer hours: 8:30 – 5:30
Price: 4 and under/Free; 5-12/$5-$7; adults/$10-15 Come after 4, Come Back for More
Planning to visit later in the day? When you purchase your admission after 4pm, hold onto your receipt and it's good for admission the next operating day at no additional cost!
Call: 828-625-9611 or visit the website for up-to-date information.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad – What child wouldn’t love a train ride? Located in Bryson City the scenic rail excursions take you through the countryside. A special event on select weekends is the Dinosaur Train.
Price: Varies depending with options.
Call 800-872-4641 to make reservations or visit the website for more info.
Cradle of Forestry – offers a look at the life of America’s first school of Forestry. Located near Brevard, the Cradle of Forestry is a fun place to visit for kids and adults alike. A special feature is The Zone. This is a collective of hands-on activities, both indoors and outdoors, that was designed with children and adults with autism in mind.
There are special events happening through out the summer. Watch our calendar for kid’s events at Cradle of Forestry.
Price: $5.00 for adults 16 years of age and older; FREE for everyone on Tuesdays! *FREE for youth ages 15 and younger; special events are $6.00 for adults 16 years of age and older and $3.00 for youth 15
Open daily – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Orchard at Altapass – The Orchard at Altapass (Mile 328.3 on the Blue Ridge Parkway) offers a variety of family fun :Hiking trails, a storytelling hayride, a guided storytelling or nature walk and more. Super Saturdays offer kids from 6-12 the opportunity to learn a variety of heritage skills over the course of the summer.
Summer Hours: Wednesday thru Saturday – 10am to 5:30 and Sunday noon to 5:30.
Price: No admission charge; Music and Walking trails are free; $5 for Super Saturdays and $7 for Hayrides.
Phone: (828) 765-9531 or (888) 765-9531 or visit the website for more info.
Tweetsie Railroad – let’s kids imaginations run wild. They can be a cowboy, an Indian or an engineer. It’s a Wild West Theme Park. There are rides, a Wild West Train adventure, shows, gold panning, arcade and fair games, a small zoo, and steam locomotives. Lots of special events.
Hours: Through May 26, only weekends, 9-6pm; May 30-August 17, 9-6pm, 7 days a week.
Price: Kids under 2 are free; $26/child – (3-12); $39/adult; Special events will be higher.
Kids in Parks – Get "un-plugged" and connect with nature with this network of kid friendly educational hiking trails on and in communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway. These "TRACK" Trials have a series of brochure-led self-guided adventures designed to turn an ordinary hike into a fun-filled adventure. Furthermore, kids earn prizes for TRACKing their trail adventures in their online nature journal. The first TRACK Trial is at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (Milepost 384), a 1.5-mile long loop trail follows a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Go to their website to download the free guides.
