The best places to go with kids in the areas surrounding Durham, NC

Having listed the best places to go with kids in Durham, NC, I also wanted to list some other places worth visiting within driving distance.  

Here are the best day trip activities I know of for children (in the order of distance from Duke University’s east campus):

1. Kidzu Children’s Museum in Chapel Hill, NC (20 min from Durham, NC)

This is a small (but they are expanding) storefront “museum.”  It is more like an educational play area.  But it is great for little ones.  They charge $5 per person (including adults unfortunately).  It is closed Mondays and is free Sunday afternoons.  It is on the hip Franklin Street frequented by the UNC Chapel Hill students.

2. Morehead Planetarium at UNC in Chapel Hill, NC (20 min from Durham, NC) 

This looks fun for older kids. 

3. North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, NC (25 minutes from Durham, NC)

I just wouldn’t miss this.  The 2011 N.C. State Fair is October 13-23.  It is always about that time.  The mother and child animals, the pig-racing, the model train, the petting zoo–it is fun.  Park at Carter-Finley Stadium–it’s free and close if you drive as close as you can to the fair entrance in the parking lot.

4. Monkey Joe’s in Raleigh, NC (29 minutes from Durham, NC)

“Wall-to-wall inflatable slides, jumps, and obstacle courses”–we have gone here for 6 year old and 4 year old birthday parties and it has been fun. 

5. Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC (32 minutes from Durham, NC)

Tickets are $10 for adults and only $1 for children 10 and under. Schedule page, the home page, and About page and the Facebook page.  Races typically begin at 7:00 pm (Qualifying @ 5:45 p.m and racing starts @ 7 p.m.) and ends between 10:00 and 11:30 pm.  (I found this info in the Facebook comments). 

Peltor 90554 Kid’s Earmuff, Blue

6. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, NC (34 minutes from Durham, NC)

This free museum is just great.  (It is all indoors and should not be confused with the Museum of Life and Science in Durham though they have a similar ethos).  The Meet the Animals sessions where the kids get to touch the animals are great.  There are dinosaurs skeletons and other great museumy exhibits.  We also like the free nature movies.  You have to pay a tiny bit in downtown Raleigh to park at the outdoor parking lot next to the museum but it is like 50 cents an hour or something like that.    The Museum shop is amazing–your kids will want everything. 

7. Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC (36 minutes from Durham, NC)

This is an awesome children’s museum.  Go.  Fun.  Not that educational or museumy.  More like playing.  Not too expensive ($5) if you don’t do IMAX.

8. The New Hope Valley Railway at the North Carolina Railway Museum in Bonsal, NC or New Hill, NC (45 minutes from Durham, NC) 

They have train rides one Sunday a month.  Regular ticket fare is $10 per adult / $7 per child age 2 to 12.  We went and it was fun. 

9. Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville, NC (50 minutes from Durham, NC)

Hay ride, barnyard animals, train ride, slide, fort and teepee.

10. Greensboro Children’s Museum in Greensboro, NC (1 hour and 0 minutes from Durham, NC)

We’re looking forward to visiting it.

11. North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC (1 hour and 38 minutes from Durham, NC)

Fantastic zoo.  We have been there on a day when it was scorching hot and a day when it poured rain. Both were fun.  Get ready to walk.  It is great. 

See also the many good resources at the Carolina Parent magazine website

See also AAA recommendations: