Family Fun in the Queen City Part 2

Charlotte is an excellent destination for nature lovers. Here are the highlights from three attractions focused on the natural world.

Carolina Raptor Center

Located outside of Charlotte in Huntersville, NC, the Carolina Raptor Center is a facility dedicated to the conservation of birds of prey. The staff cares for injured and orphaned raptors and orchestrates the release of birds that are able to return to their habitats. Some birds that cannot care for themselves in the wild become permanent residents of the facility.

Visitors to the center can visit more than 20 different species of raptors along the outdoor nature trail that is less then a mile long. In addition to viewing the birds, additional exhibits are set up such as wingspan displays and a tribute to movie star raptors.

An outdoor art "studio" complete with easels, stools, paper and crayons allow young visitors a place to sketch pictures of the birds they saw during their visit.

The Raptor Center is open year-round and admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children over 4. Children 4 and under are free.

Sea Life Aquarium

Sea Life Aquarium, located in Concord Mills Mall outside of Charlotte, is the perfect place for kids to learn about ocean creatures in a unique, interactive environment.

Upon entering the Sea Life Aquarium, children are given a cardboard diver "mask" and a "Dive Log Book". Before the doors open to the exhibits, visitors experience a virtual simulation of making a journey into the ocean and getting prepared to "dive"in.

Once the doors are opened to the exhibits visitors can explore each area and look for dive stations to locate the answers to eight different questions in their log books. When the answers are located, guests place a stamp on the corresponding page in their book. This is an excellent way to get kids involved in reading about the animals they are seeing. At the end of the journey through the sea, kids can show their dive book to an employee at the gift shop and get a prize.

In addition to the fantastic ocean displays, there is also a large indoor play area for children to enjoy at the end of their visit.

Sea Life Aquarium is open daily and tickets can be purchased online for as low as $12.95 per person.

Charlotte Nature Museum

The Charlotte Nature Museum offers visitors a chance to explore the natural world through interactive exhibits and live animal observations. The simplicity of the exhibits makes this the perfect destination for families with children ages 3-7.

Insect Alley is a perfect place for children to learn about the features of an insect and view several species of live and preserved insects. A butterfly pavilion adds to the educational experience as visitors can walk through free-flying butterflies.

Our Big Backyard allows children to "shrink" to a smaller size and see what it would be like to live underground and travel through tunnels.

Creature Cavern displays several live NC species of animals including skunks, opossums, owls, lizards and more. 

Outdoor exhibits include a nature trail and a play area called Fort Wild.

Charlotte Nature Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and admission for all ages is $8 per person.