By Carol Timblin

Summer time and the kids are restless.

It’s time to do special activities with the kids - and create lifetime memories.
You might adopt a turtle nest somewhere on the Carolinas coast and see how many eggs hatch.  Or fly a kite on Jockey’s Ridge.  Get up to your elbows in mud in your search of rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Visit an authentic Native American village. Tour a gold mine. Ride a paddle heeler up the Cape Fear River. Watch the polar bears play at the zoo. Build a sandcastle and watch it slowly wash out to sea. Ride a steam train. Make a fish painting. Attend an outdoor drama.  Go to a state historic site. Follow a National Heritage Trail. Or catch fireflies.

We’re lucky to live in the Carolinas – a land offering numerous places to go and a diversity of activities to pursue.  Here are some general suggestions to get you started on your way to fun, followed by a more defined list that can be accessed on AAA.com and click on the Internet:

Beach Fun
You don’t need much besides sun and sand to have a good time at the beach. Families enjoy shelling, crabbing, fishing, surfing, tanning, and other activities along the Outer Banks, Bald Head Island, the Grand Strand, Hilton Head Island, and countless family beaches scattered up and down the Carolinas coast. Miniature golf, go karts, water parks, arcade games, and other amusements add more fun to a beach experience. The coast is also home to historic forts, aquariums, maritime museums, floating ships, music halls, and theaters, not to mention plantations, nature preserves, butterfly gardens, and animal parks. And don’t forget the pizza parlors, candy stores, and ice cream parlors that add something extra on an outing.

Mountain Fun
Whether you stay in a cozy cabin or pitch a tent beside a beautiful alpine lake, traveling in the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains is always an adventure. You can go on nature walks, shoot the rapids in a raft, or wear out your jeans sliding down a big rock. You can go horseback riding or take an old-fashioned train excursion. You can listen to folktales or bluegrass music, attend an international street festival or learn to buck dance in a big barn. And don’t forget those interesting museums and gift shops in the mountains, as well as local libraries – often repositories of good ghost stories.

Piedmont Fun
Between the coast and the mountains lie the rolling hills of the piedmont – home to zoos, historic villages, and all kinds of theaters and museums. Big cities such as Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, and Columbia offer an endless list of places to entertain and educate the children – children’s museums, baseball parks, drive-in movie theaters, and more.   Dean: be sure and include the paragraph below in the magazine.

For more information on North Carolina, call 1-800-VISIT-NC or log on to www.visitnc.com. In South Carolina, call 800-617-6200 or log on to www.discoversouthcarolina.com