13 kid-friendly things to do in and around the Triangle
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Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
School's back in session, but I'm sure plenty of y'all are still looking for weekend kid-friendly activities in the Triangle.
Drawing inspiration from readers and friends, we've rounded up a handful of the best kid activities throughout Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex and beyond.
- This isn't a complete list of everything you can do with children around the Triangle. Have any other fun ideas to add? Let me know: [email protected].
- Be sure to check with each spot for their respective hours and policies.
Museum of Life and Science in Durham
Details: 84 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits, featuring everything from a tropical butterfly house and exotic insectarium to an expansive farmyard, dinosaur trail with life-sized dino sculptures, and a wildlife exhibit with black bears, lemurs, tortoises and red wolves.
- Crowd-beating tip: A membership lets you access the museum early (9am).
Stop by: 433 W Murray Ave.
Cost: A general admission adult ticket is $23, and $18 and for children 3-12. Children under 2 get in free.
North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro
Details: The North Carolina Zoo is in the center of the state, roughly a 90-mile drive from Raleigh. The state-supported zoo is home to more than 1,700 animals from around the world, from baboons to lions to African elephants. Animal habitats are divided up by region.
- Check out the zoo's website for animal feeding times.
Stop by: 4401 Zoo Pkwy. Hours vary depending on the season.
Cost: $15 for general admission for adults, $11 for children 2-12. Children under 2 get in free.
Pleasant Park in Apex
Details: A dream afternoon destination for kids of all ages. The new 92-acre park boasts athletic fields, a splash pad, play villages with huge colorful climbing structures and a 35-foot slide, a splash pad, musical features little kids can bang on, a rubbery ground to soften inevitable falls and lots more.
Stop by: 3400 Pleasant Plains Rd.
Cost: Free
1870 Farm in Chapel Hill
Details: The 17-acre educational farm plays host to events like birthday parties and puts on summer camps, classes and workshops. Explore the farm village and interact with pigs, horses, goats and donkeys.
Stop by: 1224 Old Lystra Rd.
Cost: "Open Farm" sessions are $18/day. Children 2 and under get in free.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Details: Take the family on a stroll through 55 acres of lush, picturesque gardens in the heart of Duke University's campus in Durham. Keep an eye out for special programming for children, including birding and story time in the garden.
Stop by: 420 Anderson St.
Cost: Free
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh
Details: Plan on carving out plenty of time for this one. The downtown museum's permanent exhibits range from its popular Dueling Dinosaurs to a Nature Research Center, and it also showcases special exhibits, like the current one on pollinators.
Stop by: 11 West Jones St.
Cost: It's free to visit the museum. There are costs associated with 3D movies and some visiting exhibits, though.
Downtown Cary Park
Details: Cary's years-in-the-making, $68 million, state-of-the-art park opened last year. The 7-acre park has something for everyone in your crew — gardens, an amphitheater, a playground with climbing features, a dog park and "The Bark Bar" for humans with beer and wine, walking bridges and picnic areas.
- Bonus: The park's a social district, too, so you can sip an adult beverage while you supervise your child or dog playing.
Stop by: 327 S Academy St.
Cost: Free
Piedmont Wildlife Center
Details: Another solid option for the young animal lovers in your family — some wildlife housed there include box turtles, owls, snakes and rabbits. This environmental education and conservation center is located in Leigh Farm Park, a public City of Durham park.
Stop by: 364 Leigh Farm Rd.
Cost: Free
Take a hike
Details: Explore one of the Triangle's many parks, greenways and trails. A free and easy way to enjoy the region's vast green space.
- Pictured below is Hollow Rock Nature Park in Durham.
Cost: Free
Kidzu Children's Museum in Chapel Hill
Details: A hands-on museum for young children with a range of learning environments, including an outdoor garden, a mini performance space, a building exhibit with oversized ramps and blocks and a climbing wall. The museum hosts events, parties and camps, too.
- Of note: Due to flooding from a water main leak over the summer Kidzu is currently closed as of September 2024. It's unclear when it will reopen.
Stop by: 201 S Estes Dr. (inside University Place Mall)
Cost: General admission is $8.50 for nonmembers.
Eno River Farm
Details: Head to this expansive Hillsborough farm for a range of U-pick produce and plants, from blueberries and strawberries to mums, depending on the season. Save plenty of time post-picking for a cone of their decadent homemade ice cream.
Stop by: 2127 St. Marys Rd.
Cost: Varies
Storytime at the local public library
Details: Plenty of public libraries throughout the Triangle offer interactive, family-friendly story times during the week and on weekend mornings, with books read by a librarian, music, games and dancing.
Stop by: Location varies by library branch.
Cost: Free
Durham Bulls game
Details: Durham Bulls games are super kid-friendly (there's a kids' zone with inflatables and games, and of course, kids love the Bulls' kooky mascot, Wool E. Bull). Even if your family doesn't care about baseball, come for the downtown views and ballpark fare — hot dogs and Loco Pops, anyone?
Stop by: 409 Blackwell St.
Cost: Varies. See the schedule here.
