Yesterday, I spent the entire day at the U.S. National Whitewater Center with my friend Allie. The USNWC is essentially a giant playground for anyone who loves outdoor activities. They offer everything from hiking trails and rock climbing to kayaking and whitewater rafting.

We went to the USNWC with the intentions of kayaking (with the $25 QuickSport pass) and hiking (free). We found out when we got there that the trails were closed because it had rained a few days prior, so our hiking plans went out the window. We had already planned to spend the entire day there so we decided to upgrade to the CoolSports Pass. This pass allows you access to all land and flatwater activities.

Here’s a breakdown of what it cost for us to go there:
$5 parking fee
$10 storage tub for personal belongings
$44 CoolSport Pass

We went kayaking, rock climbing, and zip-lining. We also did the obstacle course and Adventure course (intermediate ropes course). My favorite activities were kayaking and the Adventure course. Kayaking was our first activity for the day so it wasn’t crowded. The weather was perfect and everything was so peaceful.

I liked the Adventures course for other reasons. It is a ropes course  that is 20ft in the air. Once I actually began the course, I realized how scared I was. I actually was very close to turning around and coming back. With the encouragement of Allie and a random guy in line behind me, I ended up finishing the whole thing. It is a great feeling to accomplish something you are scared of, especially when it is physically challenging!

Here are some other pics of the whitewater rafting area:

I do have to mention that I was really disappointed in the restaurant here, River’s Edge Bar and Grill. The service was SO slow. From the time we sat down at our table to the time we paid the check, we had been there for 2 hours. It took 20 minutes for our waitress to bring us our drinks and she seemed flustered the whole time. We actually saw a table cancel their order and leave because things were taking so long. Someone (I think a manager) came around and asked how things were. We told her that it was taking a really long time to get our food and her response was, “Well, we have a 30-minute cook time for all of our food but I will check on it.” I thought this was not the best response to an unhappy customer.

When we finally did get our food, my sweet potato fries were cold. Part of me wanted to ask for new ones but I didn’t because I didn’t want to wait longer. We were so annoyed because there were a lot of things we wanted to do and we wasted our time eating here. The poor service was especially annoying because the USNWC asks that you not bring in outside food or drinks into the center. If this is the case then they should have good customer service for the dining options they provide.

Anyway, I got a turkey wrap and Allie got pimento cheese dip with pita bread and a side salad:

There is a ‘market’ right beside this restaurant that sells grab-and-go food. I will definitely check that out the next time I am here.

Overall, I really loved the Whitewater Center and will definitely spend many summer days here. I probably will not be purchasing a lot of passes because they are pricey but I plan on biking and hiking here as the weather gets warmer.

If you love outdoor activities and are ever in the Charlotte area then you should definitely check this place out!