Yesterday I mentioned that we spent a good part of Saturday at the US National Whitewater Center with K’s sister and her friend. They were nice enough to come down and visit us for the weekend!

The USNWC is definitely on the list of things you must do when you come to visit Charlotte. It sits on the Catawba River and has tons of outdoor activities- kayaking, whitewater rafting, paddle boarding, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. There are also ropes courses, a zip line, a canopy tour and probably lots of other things I am leaving out!

I basically think of it all as a giant playground for anyone who loves the outdoors.

We got to the USNWC in the early afternoon and decided to start with kayaking. We had a nice time out on the river!

So many people were out that day. I especially loved the people who rode by on their boats jamming to some tunes

After we changed clothes, everyone else went and did the zip line. I decided to sit that one out… Long story short, I was kind of tired and I had also zip lined the last time I was there. I decided to hang out by the white water rafting, which is right below the zip lining, so I could see everyone.

They had a great time and it was fun to watch them!

We had lots of fun and I’m glad the weather cooperated. K and I are already talking about going back again sometime before the summer is over.

If you’re visiting the Whitewater Center for the first time, here are some tips:

-Parking is $5 so be prepared for that. Carpooling is good if you’re going with a group of people.

-It is really crowded on the weekends. Come early! We got there at 1pm and all of their whitewater rafting trips were taken for the day.

-There are several options for storing your belongings. You can pay to rent a tub or purchase a coin to lock your things in a locker. I prefer the tub because you can get things out whenever you want. With the lockers, you have to use a coin each time you want to lock things up.

-If you’re doing the water activities then bring a change of clothes and a towel. You may not need them if it’s sunny, but it’s nice to have that option in case you get drenched.