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Directions to Pullen Park:  Take I-40 east to the Wade Avenue exit.  Take the first I-440 exit (outer beltline).  Get off at the second Western Boulevard exit, toward NC State (not Cary) and continue straight.  After you cross over Avent Ferry Road, take the second left (sign points to Gov. Morehead school), and the Pullen Park parking lot will be on your left.

http://www.ci.burlington.nc.us/index.aspx?NID=233

Ride a train through the park and ride the antique Dentzel carousel!  The carousel is a recently fully restored turn-of-the-century piece with 46 authentic hand-carved animals and is the centerpiece of the 76-acre City Park in Burlington. There are 46 hand-carved wooden animals including 26 horses, four ostriches, rabbits, and pigs; reindeer, giraffes, lions and tigers, and two chariots. These animals are hand-carved out of bass and poplar wood and are a hollow series of boxes and wood pieces glued together with hide glue into the basic shape, and then carved by hand. The carousel was originally constructed between 1906 and 1910 by the Dentzel Carousel Company of Germantown, PA. and then purchased by the City of Burlington in 1948.  The Dentzel carvers were noted for their realism with the carving of the veins and muscles of the animals. The eyes are made of glass with true pupils, and the tails are real horse hair.  It is one of only 12 remaining Dentzel Menagerie carousels in the United States.

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See Chapel Hill Family Summer Movie Matinee List of Movies / Dates

Chapel Hill Library Events Calendar

www.ncartmuseum.org

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N.C. Equestrian Trivia:  Legendary racehorses Man O War, Lexington, and Secretariat (1973 Triple Crown Winner) can be traced back to the North Carolina lineage of Sir Archie, a great North Carolina racehorse who resided in Northampton County, N.C. in the early 19th Century.

James B. Hunt Horse Complex, State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC.  
Events include Appaloosa Horse Shows, Arabian Horse Shows, rodeos, dressage, and more.
www.ncstatefair.org/events/Horse05.htm
(919) 821-7400 or (919) 733-2145.

Western North Carolina (WNC) Agricultural Center, Fletcher, NC (much further afield)
www.ncagr.com/markets/facilit/agcenter/western
(828) 687-1414 or (828) 667-5121.

Sen. Bob Martin Eastern Agricultural Center, Williamston, NC (much further afield)
www.ncagr.com/markets/facilit/agcenter/William
(252) 792-5802 or (252) 809-0163.

Block House Steeplechase, Tryon, NC . (much further afield)
(sponsored by Tryon Riding & Hunt Club)
www.trhcevents.com

The Queen's Cup, Mineral Springs, NC (much further afield)
For the benefit of the Catawba Lands Conservancy.
www.queenscup.org

Stoneybrook Steeplechase, Raeford, NC (much further afield)
At the Five Points Horse Park.
www.fivepointshorsepark.com

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Berry Handling Tips:  Always handle berries very gently, keep them dry and refrigerate them, and don't wash them until you are ready to use them.  (Wash gently!)  If you have some mushed/wet berries among your fresh-picked berries, pick them out as they can cause the other berries to go bad quickly.  Also, do not wash berries before freezing them; instead, freeze them straight from picking, and then wash them only after thawing, right before you use them. 

Directions to McKee CornField Maze:  
From Durham, take Guess Rd. approx. 10 miles to Hwy 57.  Turn left on Hwy 57.  Go approx. 2 miles.  Turn left on Kiger Rd.  Go 1.5 miles on Kiger.  Turn right on drive.  Watch for signs.

From Raleigh/I-40:  Take I-40 to Hillsborough. Exit off of I-40 on Hillsborough Exit.  Turn right on Hwy 86 traveling through downtown Historic Hillsborough.  Cross over Hwy 70.  Go 0.5 miles.  Turn right on Hwy 57.  Travel 8 miles to Kiger Rd.  Go 1.5 miles on Kiger.  Turn right on drive.  Watch for signs.

From Burlington/I-85:  Take I-85 to Hillsborough.  Exit off on Hillsborough Exit 164.  Turn left on Hwy 86 traveling through downtown Historic Hillsborough.  Cross over Hwy 70.  Go 0.5 miles.  Turn right on Hwy 57.  Travel 8 miles to Kiger Road.  Turn right on Kiger Road.  Go 1.5 miles on Kiger.  Turn right on drive.  Watch for signs.

A local favorite Hillsborough Blueberry Patch offers seasonal Blueberry Picking in Hillsborough, NC. (Previously known as Nice Berries and Philoxenia - was two Patches run by different owners in same location).

Nice Berries (patch on the right-hand side as you enter)

Philoxenia (fka Blueberry Hill) (patch on the left-hand side) (previously operated for the benefit of the Human Kindness Foundation), 8411 NC Hwy 86, Cedar Grove, NC  27217
Located 11 miles outside of Hillsborough.  (Take 86N through Hillsborough, and continue North on HWY 86 for @ 11 miles past the intersection of 86N and the Hwy 70 Bypass in Hillsborough.  You will see "Pope's Tires" on your right.  Continue 100 yards and take a right at the Blueberry Sign into the driveway.  Park and pick from either the berry patch on the left - Philoxenia; or on your right - Nice Berries.)  Pick the ORGANIC BERRIES on the left (picking buckets are in the kiosk stand), then weigh them and pay for them at the kiosk stand (honor system).  In the past was $2 a pound; prices subject to change.  What a great deal for organically farmed blueberries!

(919) 923-3137

Beginning around July through August (sometimes through September - depending on the year's crop), the Blueberry Hill blueberry patch is expected to have an abundance of wonderful, delicious, organic blueberries.  (For example, Blueberry Hill sold nearly six tons of delicious organic blueberries in 2005 - a great yield for a two-acre patch!)

Interesting historical note about the Human Kindness Foundation (established in 1973) that previously/owned /ran the self-pick blueberry patch in Hillsborough:  If you aren't familiar with the Human Kindness Foundation or its founder, spiritual teacher Bo Lozoff (who passed away in Hawaii in 2012 in a motorcycle accident), take a look at the their website. 

Children's icon Fred Rogers (of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood fame) was so greatly impressed with Foundation founder Bo Lozoff, that in speeches Fred Rogers often named among his heroes Ghandi and Bo Lozoff.  When he passed away in February 2003, Rogers left a sizeable bequest to Mr. Lozoff in his will in support of the Foundation's work. 

The Dalai Lama also is an admirer of Mr. Lozoff, and wrote the foreword to Mr. Lozoff's book, It's a Meaningful Life: It Just Takes Practice (Viking).  Of Mr. Lozoff's book, the Dalai Lama said, ""Anyone of any faith, or none, can benefit from the universal ideas and realistic advice in this book."  In addition, Bo’s first book, We’re All Doing Time (available in paperback and ebook), with over 400,000 copies in print, was hailed by The Village Voice as “one of the ten books everyone in the world should read.”

Supporters of the work of Bo & Sita Lozoff's Human Kindness Foundation, can visit their website catalog to see the books, CDs, tapes, videos, t-shirts, stained glass, artwork and other items they sell to support the Foundation at www.humankindness.org.

Bo and Sita Lozoff's' son, Josh Lozoff, is an AMAZING local (Chapel Hill) magician of international renown, who has also done a great deal of service work both at home and abroad. Now Joshua is regarded as one of the top magicians working today. (Previously he also has worked as an actor in L.A.; including his role as Logan in the movie "Clueless", a notable recurring role on the TV show "Cheers," as Gino Tortelli, and a recurring role as the young (flashbacks) George Clooney character on the TV show "Sisters." You can see Joshua's martial arts talent on display (he holds a 2nd degree black belt in Aikido) in the film  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Original Movie (now available on DVD at Amazon).

Small world, right? - all connected right here in the NC Triangle. If you get the chance to go to one of Josh's magic shows don't miss it! (Or book him for a party, wedding or event in the NC Triangle!)
Learn more about Josh Lozoff's fascinating close-up magic at www.joshualozoff.com.
. . .Now back to Blueberry Picking in Hillsborough!

Faircloth Farm - 577 Gilmore Rd., Chapel Hill, NC  27516  Call before visiting for hours and availability.
(919) 967-2131

Herndon Hills Farm - Durham - Pick your own Blueberries, Blackberries and Muscadine Grapes (or buy pre-picked) -- Beautiful family farm is located a stone's throw from Southpoint Mall -
7110 Massey Chapel Rd. / Barbee Rd., Durham, NC  27713 Herndon Hills Farm has run a pick-your-own-farm since 1987 (and the farm has been home to the Herndon family since the late 1700's.)  Call before visiting for hours and availability.
(919) 544-3313

Call (919) 544-3313 for hours and daily update.

Directions: To get to the Herndon Fills Farm from I-40, take the Fayetteville Road exit (Exit 276) and go south. Take the first left on Herndon Road. Go 1/2 mile. Take a right on Barbee Road. Go 1/4 mile to farm on right.

Strawberry Picking at Jean's Berry Patch

Jean's Berry Patch, 3003 NC Hwy 751, 9.5 miles south of I-40 on the left (at intersection with Lewter Shop Road), Apex, NC 27523.  Seasonal strawberry picking at its best! Pick your own or buy pre-picked.  A fun activity for the whole family.
www.jeansberrypatch.com
(919) 362-5800.

Hunt's Strawberries, 4505 Watkins Rd., Raleigh, NC  27616.Call first for availability.
(919) 266-1619

Lyon Farm Strawberries, 5 minutes north of Durham, Exit 186A off I-85, follow the signs. Strawberry picking from Spring through mid-June.  Kids will also enjoy feeding the goats!  Have a strawberry picking birthday party on the farm (children can pick berries, feed the goats, have ice cream and cake in the picnic area.  $4.50 per child includes quart container of berries).
(919) 528-3263.

Waller's Family Farm, 5005 Kerley Rd., Durham, NC  27705.  Pick your own strawberries!  A fun activity for the whole family.  (Located just a few minutes away from the shopping center at New Hope Commons and Patterson Place; from New Hope Commons on 15-501, take Mt. Moriah Rd. to Erwin; left on Kerley; Waller Family Farm is at the intersection of Mt. Sinai and Kerley Rd.)
www.wallerfamilyfarm.com
(919) 225-4305

Hanover Park Vineyard (further afield in Yadkinville, NC around 1 1/2 hours from Chapel Hill)
1927 Courtney-Huntsville Rd., Yadkinville, NC  27055.
Come see lots of Fall activity in the vineyard!  Bring the family to explore the vineyard and have a picnic beside the 1897 farmhouse under the shade of the old oak trees.  Interesting trivia: Hanover Park Vineyard is the first bonded winery established in Yadkin County since prohibition.  Hours:  Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12-6; Sunday 1-5.  Directions:  I-40 to exit 170 onto US-601.  Go North 9.8 miles.  Turn right onto Courtney-Huntsville Rd.  The vineyard is one mile on the left.
www.hanoverparkwines.com
(336) 463-2875.

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Festivals

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Health Clubs

02 has 10 ocations in the NC Triangle, including 2 convenient locations in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, NC!

02 Chapel Hill, NC Location
Village Plaza, 257 S. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(conveniently located in the Village Plaza on Elliott Rd. between Franklin St. and 15-501)
(919) 932-7115

The 02 Chapel Hill, NC location features:

* Personal LCD Screen on Every Treadmill, Elliptical, Bike and Stepper with over 60 Channels available

* Cardio Cinema Room: watch the hottest new movie releases on the BIG movie screen with surround sound

* Personal Trainers available
Testimonial:  The personal trainers at 02 are excellent!  I can't say enough good things about the personal training team at 02; they are professional, fun, hard-working, and they help their clients get the results they want.  It's fun to actually witness people getting amazingly fit working out with the trainers at 02.  They can help you take your fitness to a whole new level.

* Classes for Seniors

* Kids' Camps/ Classes/ Child Care

* Group Fitness Classes: Pilates, Yoga, BodyPump?, Kick Boxing, Spinning, Boot Camp, Silver Sneakers and more!

02 Carrboro, NC Location
503 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC
(919) 960-9910

02 in Carrboro, NC offers a convenient location with easy parking (near the Carrboro Fire Station, Town Hall/Farmers' Market, a block from Weaver Street Market) and Fitness Classes, Cardio, Free Weights, Yoga & Pilates, Child Care and more.

02 Client Testimonial:  As a mother with young children, I highly recommend both the Chapel Hill and the Carrboro 02 locations.  Both offer free childcare, convenient hours, and easy parking, making it possible for mothers to take time to focus on their own fitness and health.  Making time to work out at the gym can improve your quality of life in so many ways.  (If mom's happy, everyone's happy!)

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Historic Attractions

Alliance for Historic Hillsborough
Take a trip through time when you visit beautiful historic Hillsborough, a pre-revolutionary-war-era town located near Chapel Hill, Durham and RTP off Old 86.  Stop by the visitor's center (a lovely 18th-century house) and enjoy shopping and dining in the downtown.
Click here to visit www.historichillsborough.org.

Highlights of Historic Hillsborough:

Walking Tour of Revolutionary War Era Sites, Departs from the Orange County Visitors Center, 150 E. King St., Hillsborough.  Guides dressed in period costume offer walking tours of Historic Hillsborough; includes a map of over 40 historic sties.  Tape-recorded tour also available.  
(919) 732-7741.

Alexander Dickson House, 150 E King St., Hillsborough, NC.
Late 18th-century Quaker-plan house is the home of the Orange County Visitors' Center.  Adjacent garden features traditional 18th- and 19th- century plants used for cooking, medicinal remedies and dying cloth.
(919) 732-7741.

Ayr Mount (ca. 1815) and the Poet's Walk, 376 St. Mary's Rd., Hillsborough, NC. (919) 732-6886.  (See listing below for more information.)

The Burwell School, 319 N. Churton St., Hillsborough, NC.
Site of the Rev. and Mrs. Burwell's School for Young Ladies from 1837-1857.  Two-story frame house (c. 1841), brick music building (c. 1849), brick necessary house (c. 1940) and formal gardens.  Free.  Thurs.-Sat. 11am-3pm; Sun. 1-4pm; guided tours on the half-hour.
(919) 732-7741.

Occaneechi Indian Village at the foot of Cameron St. (along the banks of the Eno River).  Recreated Occaneechi Indian Village (complete with abodes made of mud, straw, and sticks) marks the site along the Eno River where the tribe lived 300 years ago, and is home to interesting festivals and Occaneechi historical living re-enactments throughout the year.
(919) 304-3723.  

Old Orange County Courthouse, N. Churton St. & E. King St., Hillsborough.  Built in 1844-1845 and still used for county judicial business; Greek Revival architecture.
(919) 732-7741.

Old Town Cemetery, N. Churton St. & W. Tryon St., Hillsborough, NC.
(919) 732-7741.

Ruffin-Roulhac House, 101 E. Orange St., Hillsborough, NC.
Early 19th-century home once owned by Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin is now used as the Town Hall.
(919) 732-1270.

Bennett Place 
4409 Bennett Memorial Rd. Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-4345
From the website: "This simple farmhouse was situated between Confederate General Johnston's headquarters in Greensboro and Union General Sherman's headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1865 the two soldiers met at the Bennett Place, where they signed surrender papers for Southern armies in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Today James Bennett's reconstructed farmhouse, kitchen, and smokehouse give visitors a glimpse into the life-style of an ordinary Southern farmer during the Civil War years."

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Closed Sunday and Monday.

Duke Chapel 
Duke University, Durham, NC
(919) 684-2921
This beautiful, famous neo-gothic chapel has a 5,600-pipe organ and a 50-bell carillon.  The University Carillonneur performs a 15-minute recital on the 50-bell carillon Monday through Friday from 5:00 to 5:15 p.m. and before and after the Sunday worship services (at 10:45 a.m. and 12:00 noon). The carillon is located near the top of the Chapel tower and can best be enjoyed outside in the vicinity of the Chapel.

Chapel Hours:
During the academic year: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Summer hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Holidays and Breaks: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Closed to the public for weddings, funerals, and other special events.
Check the schedule before planning your trip by calling (919) 684-2572.

Chapel Information Line:  (919) 681-1704  

Duke Homestead and Tobacco Museum
2828 Duke Homestead Road, Durham, NC 27705
(919) 477-5498 
From the website: "See the early home, factories, and farm where Washington Duke first grew and processed tobacco. Duke's sons later founded The American Tobacco Company, the largest tobacco company in the world. The tour includes Duke's restored home, an early factory, a curing barn, and a packhouse. The Tobacco Museum exhibits trace the history of tobacco from Native American times to the present."  Hours:  Tuesday - Saturday 10 am-4 pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

2005 Special Events at Duke Homestead and Tobacco Museum (All events are free.)
Jan.1-Dec. 31 "The Spitting Image: A History of Spittoons and Cuspidors." This exhibit, the first in the nation devoted solely to spittoons and cuspidors, features more than 50 different artifacts. These range from a spittoon shaped like a turtle that opens when its head is pressed, to a brass cuspidor used in the old N.C. Senate chamber until 1961.

March 14 Regional History Bowl. Middle school classes from thegreater Triangle area compete in tournament on North Carolina history. Winners advance to state championships in Raleigh in May. Open to the public, fun and educational for all ages. Cosponsor: Bennett Place. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

June 4 Herb and Garden Festival. Historical outdoor herb festival with traditional herbal-use displays, herb and craft vendors, and refreshments. Craft demonstrations and pottery, baskets, and herbs for sale. Historic games for children, afternoon musical performances for all. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

September 10 Tobacco Harvest Festival and Mock Auction. Costumed interpreters demonstrate traditional tobacco harvesting, stringing, and curing. Hear the sounds of the only tobacco auction left in Durham. Enjoy historic games, music, and refreshments. 10 am-4 pm.

October 22 An Evening at the Homestead. Duke's Junior Interpreters present music, wagon rides, fall foods, and 19th-century children's literature! Bring a picnic for dinner. 2-6 p.m.

December 2 Christmas by Candlelight. Celebrate an 1870 Christmas and an evening tour of the homestead. Period decorations, caroling, hot apple cider, and other goodies. Entertainment in visitor center. 7-9 p.m.

Horace Williams House, Chapel Hill, NC
Preservation Society of Chapel Hill, 610 E. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, NC  27514.
(919) 942-7818.
Historic Chapel Hill house features changing art exhibits and hosts chamber music concerts.  The Horace Williams House hosts numerous events throughout the year (including an annual Easter Egg Hunt and Fourth of July celebration and ice cream social).  Click here for the events calendar. Free. 

From Sunday, April 24 - Sunday, Mary 22:  The Horace Williams House will be open for an art show featuring watercolors by Luna Lee Ray, collages by Lisa Morton, and baskets by Peg Rees.  

House in the Horseshoe, Sanford, NC (further afield)
324 Alston House Rd., Sanford, NC 27330, (910) 947-2051.
Hours: October 1, 2004 - April 1, 2005
Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Closed Sunday and Monday.

Historical plantation (ca. 1770) was owned by Philip Alston, whose band of Whigs was attacked in 1781 by Tories. Subsequently, four-term governor Benjamin Williams lived in the house, which now contains colonial and Revolutionary War-era antiques.  The house is now open to the public and the grounds are the site of revolutionary war re-enactments.

Special annual events include:
end of April Spring Militia Muster. Encampment of Revolutionary War soldiers and camp followers. Small arms and artillery demonstrations, craft demonstrations.   
early August Annual Battle Reenactment. Reenactment of the skirmish at the house in 1781 between Loyalist and Rebel militias. Encampment of soldiers and families, artillery and small arms demonstrations, craft demonstrations.
early-mid December Christmas Open House. Kick off the season at a special open house featuring costumed tours, refreshments, and militia demonstrations.
mid-December through around December 23rd: Special Christmas Tours. Programs show how Christmas celebrations have changed in North Carolina over the centuries.

North Carolina State Capitol  (further afield in Raleigh)
1 East Edenton St., Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 733-4994
Tours of the Senate and House of Represenatives chambers; 14 monuments on Union Square.  Hours: Mon- Fri 8 am - 5 pm; Sat 10 am - 4 pm; Sun. 1 pm - 4 pm.

Patterson's Mill Country Store
5109 Farrington Rd., Chapel Hill, NC  27514.  (Between Hwy. 54 and Old Chapel Hill Road)
(919) 493-8149.
Beautiful old country store serving the community in the same spirit as the original  Patterson & Company Store of the 1870's.  Patterson's Mill is a haven for those seeking a moment from an earlier age!  (You may feel as though you just walked into the General Store from Little House on the Prairie days!)  Contains some of the finest collections of mercantile American in the country, including a nationally recognized pharmaceutical collection and tobacco memorabilia collection.  The rambling store building houses a furnished early twentieth century doctor's office, early artifacts from the Patterson's Mill community, and aisle after aisle of memorabilia, much of which has remained in the same farming and merchant family since R.S. Leigh opened the store on his plantation over 100 years ago.  Admission is free.  Permanent collections are not for sale, but a large selection of local and regional crafts, books, and many antiques and collectibles are offered for sale.  (Patterson's Mill also hosts a wonderful Christmas Tree and Greenery sale during the holidays.)  HOURS:  [Check the Patterson's Mill Facebook page for any changes in days/hours.] Tues.-Sat. 10-5:30pm, Sun. 2-5:30pm, closed Mondays. 

Patterson's Mill Country Store has a great selection of used books about North Carolina local history like these books about Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Wake Forest, NC lighthouses, Eastern and Western NC, etc. also available new at Amazon if you want to learn more about the history with great vintage photos of your own local North Carolina community.

Sanford, NC (further afield)
South of Pittsboro on 15-501, has a walking tour of its historic district.

Snow Camp (further afield)
Founded by Quakers in 1749, Snow Camp is the site each summer of the Historical Drama Society's performance portraying the Quakers' struggles in the Revolutionary War and their efforts to transport fugitive slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

St. Mary's School (further afield in Raleigh)
900 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC
(919) 424-4000.
Dates to 1842 and is the home of a chapel designed by Richard Upjohn.

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Ben & Jerry's
National chain serves everyone's old favorites in primo location right on West Franklin St. Kids will enjoy the brightly painted interior (not to mention the dazzling selection of ice cream).  Open daily, 12 pm - 11 pm.

W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 27516.  (919) 967-9068.

 

Cold Stone Creamery
Several locations in the Triangle area offer yummy made-to-order ice cream with mix-ins (mixed in front of you on an ice-cold slab of marble) and huge waffle cones.  There are so many flavors and specialty cones (for example, the strawberry shortcake cone, apple pie cone, "Black Forest Dream," and "Mud Pie Mojo" cones) that you may have a hard time deciding!  Cold Stone Creamery also offers beautiful ready-made ice cream cakes, and kids' theme cakes (such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Harry Potter, and Nemo).  A fun family outing right on E. Franklin St. (as well as other area locations listed below).

131 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 27514.  (919) 933-2323.

Also additional NC Triangle area locations

Francesca's Dessert Cafe
Elegant ice cream parlor offers gelato and sorbets along with coffee, tea, cakes and other desserts.

706B 9th St, Durham, NC 27705
www.francescasdessertcaffe.com
(919) 286-4177

La Vita Dolce Espresso & Gelato Cafe
Wonderful gelato, Italian Sodas, coffee and espresso and baked goods.  We were transported back to Italy as we tried some of the many delicious home-made gelato flavors!  The decor and ambiance are soothing, and the large shop-front windows offer a nice view of the Southern Village green.

610 Market Street, Southern Village Marketplace .
http://www.lavitadolcecafe.com/
(919) 968-1635

Lickity Split Ice Cream
Hand-dipped ice-cream and hot dogs makes for happy kids!

503 Meadowmont Village Cir, Chapel Hill. (919) 929-8402.

Maple View Farm & Dairy
Voted Best Ice Cream (Chapel Hill News Rose Award in multiple years).  Also named one of the Top 12 Ice Cream Parlors Nationwide (!!! Nationwide !!!) in Saveur Magazine (June/July 2005 issue).  Maple View Farm is a family dairy farm located just northwest of Chapel Hill, and its ice cream shop/Country Store is a destination outing for everyone!  Enjoy delicious freshly made ice cream while lounging on rocking chairs on the shop's front porch, which looks out over a vista of rolling countryside and the Maple View Farm.  Check their website for a calendar of Maple View weekly specials and events.  During the holidays try the yummy egg nog, and the pumpkin ice cream!  The Country Store also sells milk, cream, and other fresh dairy products year round.  Maple View dairy products do not contain hormones.  (You can also purchase their milk products at Harris Teeter, Whole Foods and Weaver Street Market.)

Hours (Check website for updated hours.)
Sunday ? Thursday: 12 pm ? 9:30pm
Friday & Saturday: 12 pm ? 10pm
* Hours subject to change; also longer evening hours in the summer.

**All Mapleview products are hormone-free and antibiotic-free.** (from the website 2012)

Maple View Store: 6900 Rocky Ridge Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278

Maple View Main Farm (across the street from the store):
3109 Dairyland Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278. 
(919) 960-5535.

Note:  *Despite the mailing address, the original store is not in the town of Hillsborough proper.  From Chapel Hill, take Airport Road to Homestead Road, turn west on Homestead Road and go straight for approximately 10 miles (Homestead Road becomes Dairyland Road) to intersection with Rocky Ridge Road.  Ice Cream Store will be on your right at corner intersection of Dairyland and Rocky Ridge.  Maple View Farm map and directions.

S&T's Soda Shoppe (further afield, in Pittsboro)
Beautifully restored old-fashioned ice cream parlor located in the heart of Pittsboro.  Menu includes lots of great lunch and dinner selections for grown-ups and kids.  A destination in itself; but you may also wish to visit some of the many Pittsboro area attractions, such as the Carnivore Preservation Trust.  Business Hours (as of May 2009):  Open Tues. through Sat. 11am - 7:30pm  (Closed Sundays and Mondays.)

85 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro, NC.
(919) 545-0007

TCBY
National frozen yogurt chain offers cones, specialty drinks, cakes and other treats.  There are tables inside and outside seating as well.

Eastgate Shopping Center, 1800 E Franklin St #22, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
(919) 967-0629.

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Click here for our listing of local Chapel Hill - Durham - Raleigh, NC Children's Museums, Science Museums, Art Museums, Transportation Museums, and more!

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A wonderful outing for adults and children -- bring a picnic and wear your walking shoes!  Described as the "Crown Jewel of Duke University," the Sarah P. Duke Gardens encompass 55 acres in the heart of the University's West Campus, next to Duke University Medical Center.  According to the garden's website, the garden is "recognized as one of the premier public gardens in the United States, renowned both for landscape design and the quality of horticulture."  The garden also has a Terrace Shop and Terrace Cafe (only open during the warm seasons).

Throughout the year, Duke Gardens offers events and performances for families with children, including Arts in the Garden, Nature Adventures Camp, Nature for Sprouts (nature workshops for pre-school 3, 4, and 5 year old children), and storytime in the Children's Classroom, Doris Duke Center.  (Children must be accompanied by adults; $Fee.  No registration required for storytime, unless bringing a large group. Call 919-668-1708).  Check the website for more details about current programs.

Directions.  (Take 15-501 east from Chapel Hill, and get off at the NC 751 exit. Follow signs to the gardens.  You might also want to visit the Duke University Chapel and the Duke campus (and its gothic-style chapel) while you are there.)

Each year (usually late September through mid-December) visit the Annual Sculpture in the Garden exhibition at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. The annual invitational show features outdoor sculptures by North Carolina  artists.

Open daily (year-round), 9am-5pm (till 6pm, Mar.-Apr. & Sep.-Oct.; till 7pm, May-Aug.). Lovely one-mile walking trail traverses woodlands and pastures along the banks of the Eno River, with views of the Kirkland family cemetery, the Indian trading path, and a pond that is home to a chorus of frogs.  (Dogs allowed, but must be on leash.)  The historic home is open to visitors (for a fee) during regular visiting hours.

From the website:  "This 388-acre park is located along a two-mile stretch of the scenic Eno River, six miles north of downtown Durham. You can enjoy a leisurely picnic and stroll around the grounds, or take a hike through the woods on one of the park trails. Feel free to bring your canoe or kayak and experience the beauty of the Eno River."

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Chapel Hill Community Center Parent-Tot Morning Extravaganza (in the Community Center gymnasium) Located at 120 South Estes Drive, (across from the Main Post Office and University Mall; 1 1/2 miles NE of downtown Chapel Hill ).
Call Chapel Hill Parks (tel. below) for more info (dates/times); Free.
Toys are available for toddlers to play with, and you can also bring your own toys that won't scratch the floor.
(919) 968-2716

Carrboro Century Center Toddler Preschool Playtime (for children 5 years old and younger) in the Century Hall.
Contact Carrboro Parks for more info (dates/times).
Tumbling mat, toys, and music provided; also some directed activities.

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Visit The ArtsCenter website for information and to see the schedule of performances.

300-G East Main St., Carrboro, NC  27510.
(919) 929-2787.

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Zoos and Animal Sanctuaries

The North Carolina Zoo is open every day of the year, except on Christmas Day. (Visit the NC Zoo website for the most up-do-date hours/days of operation). Winter hours begin October 1 and extend from 9am - 4pm.  Summer hours begin on April 1 and extend from 9am-5pm in the North America section of the Zoo, and from 9:30-4:30pm in the Africa section of the Zoo.  Admission fee (or free with Zoo Society membership).  Note:  Members of the NC Zoo get free admission at the NC aquariums (see listing below), and vice versa, so bring your membership card with you when you visit the member facilities for free admission.

Of interest to Zoboomafoo fans:  The Duke Primate Center also was the home of "Zoboomafoo," the adorable lemur in the Kratt Brother's televised PBS show.  The real "Zoboomafoo" was named "Jovian," a young male Coquerel's Sifaka who was born at the Duke Primate Center.  (Jovian's mother was born in Madagascar.)  The Zoboomafoo production crew came to the Primate Center in September, 1997 and filmed there for a little over 2 months. Part of the set for the Zoboomafoo show's "Animal Junction" was built inside Jovian's cage, and that is where they filmed the parts of the show where Chris and Martin are interacting with Zoboomafoo (Jovian).  (Martin Kratt received a BS in Zoology from Duke University.) 2016 update: Sadly Jovian passed away a few years ago, but he was the proud father of numerous little lemurs who still live at the Duke Lemur Center.

- N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher (Amazing see life right before your eyes!  Watch the sea horses and pet the starfish.  Interact with scuba divers who answer questions from the audience while swimming around with sharks, fish, skates, and other sea life!)  Located on US 421 @ 15 miles south of Wilmington, just beyond Kure Beach.  From Southport take the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry.  900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach, NC  28449.  (866) 301-3476.

- The N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (Closed for renovation & expansion! Look for reopening in mid-2006, including wonderful features like a sunken pirate's ship with sea life swimming all around it and much more.)  (Located five miles west of Atlantic Beach off Highway 58 in the Theodore Roosevelt Natural Area.)  P.O. Box 580, 1 Roosevelt Drive, Atlantic Beach, NC  28512-0580.  
(866) 294-3477.

- The N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island (Located at 374 Airport Road, off Highway 64 BUsiness on the north end of Roanoke Island near Manteo.)  P.O. Box 967, 374 Airport Road, Manteo, NC  27954-0967.  (866)332-3475.

For all three of the NC Aquarium facilities, the daily hours year-round are 9am to 5pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. [Check www.ncaquariums.com for UPDATED hours/days of operation.]

Admission:  Adults, $7, Seniors & Activie Military, $6, Children ages 6-17, $5.  Note:  Members of the NC Zoo get free admission at the NC aquariums, and vice versa, (with some restrictions - check their website for more info) so bring your membership card with you when you visit the member facilities for free admission.

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