Day trip from Raleigh to Charlotte with the kids (theatre, taxi)

[AireRed]

We're thinking of doing a day trip to Charlotte and back with the kids (ages 3, 5, & 10), mostly for the experience of riding the train.

We'll be in Charlotte about 7 hours (arriving 10a & leaving 5p) - any suggestions on kid friendly stuff to do near the train station, and how to get around while we're there?

[SunnyKayak]

I have two recommendations Discovery Place and Rays Splash Planet

You will need to catch a cab probably just five bucks ( cabs sit outside upon train arrival)

[NCgirl]

Imaginon is a few blocks from Discovery Place. "It's a Library, a Children’s Theatre and so much MORE!"
Website

Current Exhibitions

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by AireRed

We're thinking of doing a day trip to Charlotte and back with the kids (ages 3, 5, & 10), mostly for the experience of riding the train.

We'll be in Charlotte about 7 hours (arriving 10a & leaving 5p) - any suggestions on kid friendly stuff to do near the train station, and how to get around while we're there?

The train station itself is safe, but in a sketchy area. Take a taxi right outside the front door for the short ride into uptown Charlotte.

Have the driver bring you to Discovery Place.

Once you spend a couple of hours there (kids should love it) you can walk over to the light rail station and take a ride down to Pikes Old Fashioned Soda shop for lunch and ice cream or malts - yum. You get off at the Atherton Mills stop and walk a block back to it: Google Maps

After lunch get back on the light rail to ride back into uptown for a visit to the Nascar Hall of Fame. They say even if you aren't a huge Nascar fan that this place is amazing. http://www.nascarhall.com/exhibits-and-events I believe you'd get off at the 3rd Street stop and walk a block back to it.

From there take a taxi back to the train station for your trip home.

Hope you have a great day!

[alise007]

Let us know how that goes...we thought it would be fun to take the train somewhere one day with out kids as well.

What would you recommend for the opposite trip to Raleigh? We have a 2 and 4 yr old. I used to live there but it has been forever and I was single!

I agree with the Discovery Place suggestion. I love it even as an adult. We haven't tried Imaginon yet but it is on our radar now that the kids are a bit older.