1. Falls Lake Recreation Area
City: Wake Forest, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 676-1027
Address: 13304 Creedmoor Rd.
Description: Spreading across parts of eastern Durham County and northern Wake County, the 26,000 wooded acres surrounding the 12,000-acre Falls Lake are home to 300 campsites for tents and RVs. The Rollingview sites are open year-round. Most other sites are open mid-March through November, so be sure to check before heading out. The Holly Point area on the north shore of the lake off N.C. 50 has 153 campsites. Of those, 89 have water and electric hookups. Showers, restrooms, and dump stations are located nearby. The Rollingview area on the south shore of the lake off N.C. 98 offers 80 campsites with water and electric hookups for RVs and 35 sites for tents and trailers. Backpackers can find 47 hike-in sites accessible via the Shinleaf area on the south shore of the lake east of Rollingview. The park also has group sites available by reservation.
2. North Carolina Renaissance Faire
City: Wake Forest, NC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (919) 755-8004
Address: 13239 Capital Blvd.
Description: Jousting, juggling, and the trappings of another era mark this celebration of all things Elizabethan. The event runs for three consecutive weekends. Three jousting bouts are staged daily. Costumed interpreters and vendors demonstrate medieval crafts, court dancing, acrobatics, dance, puppetry, and theater of the era on seven stages. The festival itself is a large bit of theater, as courtesans, gypsies, pirates, and peasants populate the streets, acting out the storyline of the day. Food vendors sell turkey legs meant to recall the appetites of kings alongside modern (read deep-fat-fried) fair food. Between 4,000 and 5,000 attendees show up to watch the drama and comedy unfold. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for children and seniors.
3. Falls Lake State Recreation Area
City: Wake Forest, NC
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (919) 676-1027
Address: 13304 Creedmoor Rd.
Description: North of Raleigh, where the counties of Granville, Wake, and Durham meet, 12,000 acres of water and 26,000 acres of woodlands comprise Falls Lake Recreation Area. Beginning in 1978, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Neuse River to create Falls Lake and control flooding in the area. Boating and fishing are popular pastimes. For more details on those, see the Recreation chapter of this book.The area surrounding the lake offers opportunities for hikers, mountain bikers, and campers as well. RV and tent campers can drive to more than 300 campsites, while backpackers can hike to 47 sites and two group areas. Hikers can follow the southern shore of the lake for more than 20 miles on the Falls Lake Trail, which is part of the statewide Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Parts of the trail traverse game lands, so take precautions during hunting season. Shorter walks into the woods or along the lake start at the Rolling View, Sandling Beach, Beaverdam, and Holly Point recreation areas. Swimmers can jump into the lake from sandy areas at Sandling Beach, Rolling View, and Beaverdam. Falls Lake’s woodlands include 13 trails for single-track mountain biking. Half are designated as easy to intermediate, and half are advanced. The trailheads are at the Beaverdam area.The recreation area charges a $5 per car fee for day use of the park between Memorial Day and Labor Day and on weekends and holidays in April, May, and September. Camping fees range from $18 to $23 per day. The area is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. November through February; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. March, April, September, and October; and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. May through August. The park is closed on Christmas Day.
4. The Heritage
City: Wake Forest, NC
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (919) 453-2020
Address: 1250 Heritage Club Ave.
Description: The Heritage is the centerpiece golf course and club for the development that shares its name in Wake Forest. It sits at the center of a collection of 21 neighborhoods on what was once a dairy farm. Designed by Bob Moore, the semiprivate 6,929-yard, par-72 course features tree-lined fairways and fast greens. The club includes a putting green and driving range, a pro shop, and clubhouse. Private lessons are available from PGA instructors. Rates range from $40 to $62 in the off season, December through February, and from $48 to $84 March through November.
5. The Factory
City: Wake Forest, NC
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (919) 453 1839
Address: 1839 S. Main St.
Description: The Factory is one-stop shopping for kid activities, which makes it a meeting point for parents and children. The complex includes: Delicious Skate Board Shop and Park, which has a 25,000-square-foot skate park; South Main Speedway, with an 18-hole miniature golf course and go-karts; Jumpin’ Beans, a bounce-house center with inflatables plus an espresso bar with free Wi-Fi for parents; the Polar Ice House skating rink; MVP Sports Factory, an indoor soccer facility; the Factory Ballpark, which has six baseball and softball fields and a field house; and a YMCA location. Shops and restaurants within the complex or an easy walk away mean parents can browse or eat if they have downtime while the kids are playing.