Originally written by Rachel Hoeing and Brittany Bray; updated and maintained by the Triad Moms on Main team.

Summer in the Triad means one thing: a very long list of “what are we doing today?” This is our master list — museums, farms, bowling alleys, skating rinks, parks, water fun, indoor play, art studios, ballgames, and movie theaters across Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Burlington, and the towns around them. We’ve kept this post going since 2015, and we just gave it a full top-to-bottom check for 2026: closed businesses removed, renamed/rebranded spots updated, and current pricing wherever we could confirm it.

Museums, Factories & Historical Venues

Kaleideum — 120 W. 3rd Street, Winston-Salem. Heads up if you remember this as two separate museums: the old Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem and SciWorks merged and moved into one four-floor downtown building in February 2024. Pricing: ages 1–19 $12, ages 20–61 $15, ages 62+ $13, Museums for All (EBT) $3, under 1 free.

Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum (formerly Greensboro Children’s Museum) — 220 North Church St, Greensboro. General admission $12.95 (under 12 months free). Discount night is now every Friday, 5–8pm, $6/person (also $6 with WIC/SNAP/EBT).

High Point Museum — 1859 East Lexington Ave., High Point. Still free admission. Tue–Sat 10am–4:30pm.

Körner’s Folly — 401 South Main St, Kernersville. Kids under 6 still free; adults $14+tax, ages 6–18 $7+tax. Tue–Sat 10–4, Sun 12–4.

Mrs. Hanes Cookie Factory — 4643 Friedberg Church Road, Clemmons. Tours now run by reservation, Monday–Friday, January through mid-October, 9am–1pm (about 90 minutes) — call ahead rather than planning a drop-in visit.

Timothy S. Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology (Wake Forest University) — 1834 Wake Forest Rd, Winston-Salem. Still free (donations welcome). Tue–Sat 10am–4:30pm.

NC Transportation Museum — 411 S. Salisbury Ave., Spencer. No longer free — now Adults $10, Seniors/Military $9, Children (3–12) $8, members and under-3 free (train rides are an additional $10–$16).

Old Salem — 600 South Main St, Winston-Salem. The historic district streets are still free to walk and a few shops don’t require a ticket, but most exhibit buildings now require paid admission: Adults $30, Students/Children $16 (0–3 free), rising to $36/adult during the holiday season.

Reynolda House Museum of American Art — 2250 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem. Free admission is now limited to children 4 and under (not 18 and under as previously listed) — other free-admission groups include EBT cardholders, college students with ID, and military/veterans. Call ahead or check reynolda.org for current adult pricing.

Nido & Mariana Qubein Children’s Museum — 200 Qubein Avenue, downtown High Point. A major newer museum (75,000 square feet across two floors) that wasn’t part of the original 2015 list. Admission is a flat $15/person. Closed Mondays; Tuesday 9am–1pm, Wed–Sat 9am–5pm, Sunday 1–5pm.Museums, Factories & Historical Venues

Science Centers, Farms & Animal Fun

Greensboro Science Center — 4301 Lawndale Dr, Greensboro. Current admission: Adults (13–64) $21.99, Children (3–12) $19.99, Seniors (65+) $20.99, ages 0–2 free. New since our original list: SKYWILD Treetop Adventure Park, a seven-course zipline/ropes course above the zoo, added as a separate ticketed add-on — $49.99/person ($29.99 for GSC members), minimum age 8, 250 lb weight limit, closed-toe shoes required. Runs June through mid-August, 9:30am–3:30pm.

Frank Sharpe Jr. Wildlife Education Center: Greensboro’s Free Science Museum – Small Wildlife center in Greensboro that is Free.

All-A-Flutter Butterfly Farm — 7850-B Clinard Farms Road, High Point (also listed under Colfax, NC — same location). Weekday visits still appear to be appointment/group-based; call to confirm current group minimum and pricing.

Homeland Creamery — 6506 Bowman Dairy Rd, Julian. Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 1–7pm.

Lazy 5 Ranch — 15100 Mooresville Rd, Mooresville. Still cash/NC check only — no credit cards. Adults (12–59) $15, Children (2–11)/Seniors (60+) $11, feed buckets $3.

North Carolina Zoo — 4401 Zoo Pkwy, Asheboro. Pricing now varies by season: peak season (Mar 15–Nov 15) Adults $20 on-site/$18 online, children (3–12) $16/$14; NC EBT cardholders $5 in person.

Piedmont Environmental Center — 1220 Penny Road, High Point. A free city-run nature center with 6.6 miles of natural-surface trails (including the 1.8-mile Bill Faver Lakeshore Trail and 2.3-mile Deep River Trail), small animal exhibits, and a large walk-on topographic map of North Carolina. Building/exhibit hours 9am–5pm daily; trails open sunrise to sunset. Free.

Reverence Farms — 1568 Haw Ranch Road, Graham. A free, working farm open to the public sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week — no reservation needed, just show up. Self-guided walking on along the Haw River, with views of the farm’s livestock from a respectful distance. A few rules to pass along: no outside pets allowed, stick to the marked gravel/farm roads, and don’t approach or feed the animals. The Farm Store is open Saturdays 11am–12pm for seasonal products.

Strawberry Farms
Blueberry Picking Near Greensboro, Winston-Salem & the Triad (2026 Guide)

Bowling & Skating

See our full Kids Bowl Free in the Triad guide for every participating alley and current-year details.

Bowlero Winston-Salem (formerly AMF Major League Lanes) — 811 Jonestown Rd, Winston-Salem. Current promos: Family Unlimited Sat/Sun 11am–3pm ($15.99/person), Endless Summer Nights ($19.99/person).

AMF All Star Lanes — 910 South Holden Road, Greensboro. Still under the AMF name as of this writing (unlike the Winston-Salem location) — worth confirming by phone. Family Unlimited $12.99/person, Endless Summer Nights $14.99/person.

Countryside Lanes — 1005 Masten Dr, Kernersville. Open bowling from $3/game. Participates in Kids Bowl Free 2026 (M–F 10am–5pm, May 12–Sep 26).

High Point Bowling Center — 309 West Fairfield Road, High Point. Participates in Kids Bowl Free 2026 (M–F 11am–5pm, Sat/Sun 12–5pm).

Spare Time Entertainment — 5502 Hornaday Rd., Greensboro. Kids Bowl Free 2026 runs May 1–Sep 30, 2 free games/day for ages 15 and under.

Main Event – Greensboro

Greensboro Ice House — 6119 Landmark Center Blvd, Greensboro. Public skate $15/2-hour session (limited schedule — check current hours, it primarily runs as a hockey/training facility).

Skateland USA — still four Triad locations: Skateland USA North (3801 N Church St, Greensboro), Skateland USA West (200 Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro), Skateland USA of Clemmons (2512 Neudorf Rd, Clemmons), and Skatehaven USA (120 Hood Dr, Winston-Salem). Call ahead — some listings show inconsistent hours.Bowling

Duckpin Bowling at Roar — ROAR WS Family Entertainment Center, 633 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem. A different style of bowling with shorter lanes, smaller balls, and heavier pins — $60 per lane per hour, up to 6 people per lane. ROAR also has an arcade (ROARcade), mini golf (The Twisted Putter), and a rooftop area.

Parks

Burlington City Park — 1388 Main Street, Burlington (address updated). Aquatics center, 12 lighted tennis courts, athletic fields, greenway, playground, and a newer seasonal Splash Park. Amusement rides $1 each (10-ride book $8).

Dan Nicholas Park — 6800 Bringle Ferry Rd, Salisbury. Note: the miniature train ride has been permanently closed since an August 2024 accident. The Water Plaza is now branded the Splash Pad (free, opens May 22), and the Petting Barn is now the Stanback Barnyard. Carousel $1/ride, Mini Golf $4, Gem Mine and Wildlife Adventures still open.

Hanging Rock State Park — 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, Danbury. Free day-use entry; swimming fees $6 adults/$4 children (free 5:00–5:30pm daily).

High Point City Lake Park — 602 West Main Street, Jamestown. Train, carousel, mini golf, and pontoon boat tours (weekend-only outside summer). Aquatic Center: ages 3+ $10 resident/$15 non-resident.

Tanglewood Park — main park entrance 4061 Clemmons Road, Clemmons (golf course specifically is 4201 Manor House Circle) — use the US-158 main entrance, GPS sometimes misdirects. Golf, aquatic center, tennis, horseback riding, playgrounds, trails, and new additions since our original list: a dog park (“Tanglewoof”) and BMX racing. General entrance $2/vehicle.

LeBauer Park — 208 N. Davie St, downtown Greensboro. Free splash pad (May–September, 10am–8pm), playground, the Lincoln Financial Children’s Garden with a sensory-friendly play space, ping-pong and foosball tables, and a dog park. Open daily 7am–10pm, no admission fee.

Woven Works Park — Murrow Blvd & E. Lindsay St, downtown Greensboro, right along the Downtown Greenway. A free public-art playground themed around Greensboro’s textile history — kids can climb through denim-inspired structures, spin on stools honoring the 1960 Woolworth sit-in, and explore a sandbox designed around loom-yarn patterns. A genuinely unique stop that’s easy to combine with LeBauer Park.

** In addition to the parks above, we have 30 more favorite parks/playgrounds found here:
Favorite Greensboro Parks
Favorite High Point Parks
Favorite Winston-Salem Parks

Water Fun

Great Wolf Lodge — 10175 Weddington Rd, Concord. Indoor water park, day passes available.

Keeley Park Splash Pad — 4100 Keeley Rd., McLeansville. Daily 11am–5pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Call 336-373-5888 to confirm current pricing.

Kernersville Family YMCA Water Park and Slide Pool — 1113 W Mountain St, Kernersville. Members/guest pass; 2026 summer hours Mon–Fri 11am–7pm.

Southside Splash Pad — 401 Taylor Avenue, High Point. Daily 8am–8pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Call 336-883-3504 to confirm current pricing.

Wet’n Wild Emerald Pointe — 3910 South Holden Road, Greensboro (address updated).

See also Tanglewood Park’s aquatic center and Dan Nicholas Park’s splash pad (Parks section above).

All Local Pool Listings – TMoM Directory here

Find the Best Splash Pads, Spraygrounds, and Water Slides in the Triad

Best Swimming Holes & Watering Holes Near the Triad NC (2026 Guide)

Bounce Houses & Indoor Play

SkyZone – Greensboro

Urban Air – Greensboro

Ninja Kidz Action Park (formerly Airbound Trampoline Park, Greensboro) — 4215 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro.

Airbound Trampoline Park — 7840 N Point Blvd, Winston-Salem.

Bumper Jumpers — 4217 W. Gate City Blvd, Greensboro (address updated — High Point Road was renamed Gate City Boulevard). $12/child all-day play.

Chuck E Cheese — 620 Hanes Mall Blvd, Winston-Salem, and 702-A Pembroke Rd, Greensboro.

Safari Nation — now three Triad locations: Greensboro (3900-H W. Market St.), Winston-Salem (3191 Peters Creek Parkway), and High Point (230 E Parris Ave).

Ruckus Climbing Gym — 5005 High Point Rd, Greensboro. An indoor rock climbing gym with a dedicated Kids Zone (age-appropriate bouldering and rope climbing), climbing classes, camps, and birthday parties. Party packages start at $275 for up to 8 climbers. Minimum age for open climbing wasn’t listed on their site — call ahead to confirm for younger kids.

Arts

ArtQuest (at GreenHill) — 200 North Davie St, Greensboro. Free Family Nights are still offered periodically — check GreenHill’s current calendar for this season’s day/time.

Little Blank Canvas — 3735 Admiral Dr. Suite 105, High Point (now also a second location in Oak Ridge).

Mad Splatter — 2917-A Battleground Ave, Greensboro.

Wine & Design — Greensboro location at 1821 Pembroke Road with kids programming (“Art Buzz Kids”) and birthday parties. The Jamestown location (121 East Main Street) may now run in tandem with Greensboro — call ahead.

Marshall Muse Gallery – Greensboro. Has a kids DIY station, classes, and gallery scavenger hunt.

Outdoor Fun

Adventure Landing — 1600 South Stratford Rd, Winston-Salem. Mini golf from $9, bumper boats $8.50/rider, new “Do-It-All Pass” $15.

Burlington Sock Puppets (formerly Burlington Royals) — Burlington Athletic Stadium. Now a wood-bat collegiate summer league team (the Appalachian League is no longer MLB-affiliated), not a farm-system minor league club.

Winston-Salem Dash — now at Truist Stadium (formerly BB&T Ballpark), 926 Brookstown Ave, Winston-Salem.

Greensboro Grasshoppers — First National Bank Field, 408 Bellemeade St, Greensboro. Now the Pittsburgh Pirates’ High-A affiliate.

High Point-Thomasville HiToms (formerly Thomasville HiToms) — Historic Finch Field, Thomasville.

Bowman Gray Stadium — 1250 S Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Winston-Salem. 2026 pricing: adults $15, kids 6–11 $2, 5 and under free.

Celebration Station — 4315 Big Tree Way, Greensboro.

Center City Park — 200 North Elm Street, Greensboro. The old “Tunes at Noon” and “Art in the Park” (2nd Tuesdays) events have been replaced with current programming: Sunday Sessions, Music in a Bottle, Noches Latinas, Jazz in the Park, and Storytime in the Park — check the current downtown parks calendar.

Frisbee Golf
Archdale – Creek Side Park
Asheboro – North Asheboro Park
Greensboro – Barber Park & Gulford Meadows
High Point – Johnson Street Park
Kernersville – Patriot Disc Golf & Triad Park
Thomasville – Old Plank Road
Winston-Salem/Rural Hall – Horizons Park

Greensboro Parks & Rec Sprayground — Jimmie Barber Park, 1500 Dans Rd, Greensboro. Free, $20 fee for large parties (call to confirm current terms).

Kersey Valley Attractions — 1615 Kersey Valley Rd, Archdale. Zipline (from $79), high ropes, escape rooms ($39/person), and laser tag (from $39) — now also axe throwing and Bomb Bowling.

Paintball Central — 6106 Burlington Rd (some current listings show this as Gibsonville rather than Sedalia — same area, call to confirm hours).

Triad ECO Adventures — 176 YWCA Way, Winston-Salem. Segway tours and paddleboarding still offered; the business has expanded into Triad Trolleys and Pedego Piedmont Triad e-bikes.

Beaches
Check out our list of favorites here.

Farmer’s Markets
Located all over the Triad!

Summer Camps & Vacation Bible Schools
Visit our Summer Camp Directory here.
Visit our VBS Directory here.

Movies

*Summertime kid movie deals listed HERE!

a/perture cinema — 311 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem. Still open under new nonprofit leadership after a 2024 financial restructuring — call to confirm current hours.

Carousel Cinemas at Alamance Crossing (formerly Alamance Crossing Movie Theater) — 1090 Piper Lane, Burlington.

Carolina Theatre of Greensboro — 310 South Greene Street, Greensboro. A nonprofit performing-arts/historic venue that still screens films periodically — not a standard first-run multiplex.

AMC High Point 8 (formerly Carmike 8) — 2705 N. Main Street, High Point.

TREX Cinema (formerly Countryside Cinema) — Kernersville — call to confirm current address, sources vary slightly.

Eden Drive-In — 106 Fireman Club Rd, Eden. Still open, unchanged.

AmStar Four Seasons Station by Santikos (formerly The Grand Theatre 12) — Greensboro — call to confirm current street number, sources vary between 4700 and 2700 Vanstory St.

The Grand 18 — 5601 University Parkway, Winston-Salem. Still open, unchanged.

Lexington Cinema 8 — 235 North Talbert Blvd, Lexington. Now independently operated (not a chain).

Marketplace Cinemas — 2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem. Still open, unchanged.

Regal Greensboro Grande & RPX — 3205 Northline Ave., Greensboro.

Regal Palladium Stadium 14 & IMAX — 5830 Samet Drive, High Point. Still open, unchanged.

AMC Hanes 12 (formerly Wynnsong 12) — 1501 Hanes Mall Blvd, Winston-Salem.

Triangle Area Summer Activities

NC Museum of History — 5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh. Free admission.

Marbles Kids Museum — 201 East Hargett Street, Raleigh.

Hill Ridge Farms — 703 Tarboro Road, Youngsville. Jump pillow, giant slide, splash pad (in season), corn house, wagon/train/carousel rides. General admission $18.95, Superpass $21.95–$23.95 (adds gem mining + duck race).

Morehead Planetarium & Science Center — 250 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill. Closed Mondays. Adults $16.95, children/students/seniors/military $14.95 (show + admission).

Museum of Life & Science — 433 West Murray Ave, Durham. General admission $24, seniors $22, children (3–15) $19, ages 2 and under free.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences — 11 West Jones St., Raleigh. Still free. Daily 10am–5pm.

Bounce U
3419 Apex Peakway
Apex, NC
*Save money with the Birthday Club

Charlotte Area Summer Activities

Charlotte Motor Speedway “Feel the Thrill” Speedway Tour (renamed from “Thrill Tour”) — 5555 Concord Parkway South, Concord. Garage access, Winner’s Circle photo, banking ride-along; book via 704-455-3223.

Carowinds — 14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte. Single-day admission from $44.99.

US National Whitewater Center — 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte. Pricing is now activity-based: climbing $25, whitewater rafting $59, All Access day pass $79 adult/$69 child.

Reading Reward Programs

Don’t miss 2026 Summer Reading Programs

Looking for more? Check out our full Kids Bowl Free in the Triad guide for every participating bowling alley this summer.