Although the weather has been slightly cooler than previous July’s here in Charlotte, it can still get pretty hot! August is typically the hottest month, so we thought it would be a great time to mention these…
6 Places to Cool Off Around Charlotte
What I love about these 5 places is that they are all great places to cool off and have some fun, but they are also really unique from each other (well mostly). Whether you want to take your kids, take a date or relax by yourself, you’ll find a bunch of places all within a 10-20 minute drive from uptown Charlotte.
US National Whitewater Center
The National Whitewater Center is one of my favorite places to visit and a great place to cool off and have some adventure at the same time. It got off to a rocky start when it first opened, but things have really turned around there are some great crowds. Depending on the day you go you can also catch some live bands and enjoy some local food and beverages (adult and kid-friendly beverages). If you’d rather stay dry but want to get active they offer tons of stuff like bike paths, zip lines, canopy tours and rock climbing.
Great Wolf Lodge
The Great Wolf Lodge is a great place to take the family and cool off in their huge indoor water park. I recently had a friend go there, with his two young kids, and he could not stop talking about how fun their ‘staycation’ was. In order to access the park you have to have accommodations for the night, so if you’ve go the time enjoy a little staycation yourself.
Ray’s Splash Planet
If you’d still like to get to go to an indoor water park but don’t want to commit to a night in a hotel Ray’s Splash Planet is what you’re looking for. It’s run by the Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec so they also offer great stuff like swimming lessons, fitness classes, birthday parties, and it also makes it affordable. It’s location right uptown also makes it easily accessible from anywhere.
Lake Wylie & Lake Norman
Besides there being 2 lakes on the list I love all the different places to cool off because of their uniqueness. Because these two lakes are on opposite sides of the city your specific location will often determine which lake you visit. From my experience I think both are a blast, but they are a little different from each other. Lake Wylie is a little calmer, and Lake Norman has more of a ‘party’ atmosphere. Up at Lake Norman you can also dock your boat at a restaurant and grab some food and drinks.
Both do have boat access and various places to rent motor boats, jet skis, canoes and kayaks. So whether you want to get out on the water with a big group or just relax by yourself either is a great option.
Boomerang Bay
Boomerang Bay is the outdoor water park located inside Carowinds. I can’t speak for the water park itself because I’ve never been on any of the rides, but the park in general is a blast. Enjoy some carnival games, roller coasters, great food and cool off in the water park.
There’s a ton to do right in the Charlotte area and when you are looking to cool off there are certain a lot of unique options. Which of these is your favorite?
