The U.S. National Whitewater Center was one of the stops I was most excited about during a road trip to the south east. Just the idea of having something of this magnitude in your own backyard made me consider moving to Charlotte, North Carolina.
The massive complex was well planned and constructed. Recreation, entertainment and even dining all tied into one. You could spend an entire day at the Whitewater Center and while you might be worn out, you certainly won’t be bored.
It’s a sprawling complex of outdoor activities that could get even the most die hard couch potato a reason to put down the remote control.
And once you step inside – quite simply – you’ll wish your city had something has a cool as this.
While whitewater rafting is the main reason visitors come here – you can also kayak, try stand up paddle boarding, rock climbing, hiking, bike riding and more. The center features live music on certain nights and has a place to dine for lunch or dinner. The food was actually quite good – and reasonable in price.
Standing in front of the man made river where visitors can raft through.
As you’ll see when you watch the Bill On The Road episode, I zip lined for the first time and tried my hand at climbing and balancing myself over 40 feet in the air. Sure, you’re strapped in so you won’t really fall – but who wants to dangle 40 feet in the air like a pinata?
Proudly, I remained balanced and didn’t fall once. Though, it wasn’t as easy as I first thought. You’ll understand when you see the view looking down. My only regret is not having more time to spend exploring. This is absolutely a place I’ll return to in the near future.
