Summer is almost here, which means I am looking for every excuse to get in the water and cool off. Monday is usually the armpit of the weekend, but this week it wasn’t that bad. Jonathan scored tickets to a Carolina amusement park and we jumped on the opportunity for a local adventure up to Carowinds!
Initially we were worried because the forecast called for rain. But instead, we spent the day in the high 70°s with cloud coverage, and not a drop of rain or flash of lightning. And even better, there were zero crowds or lines! It was the perfect day.
Road Trip to Carowinds
I am not a morning person, unlike Jonathan who is already in a meeting at work by 6:30 am. So rolling out of bed is hard for me. Thankfully, the Keurig fueled my morning as I finished packing a day bag with snacks, swimsuits, towels, and sunscreen.
Charlotte-Ann on the other hand, although groans like me at first wake, is able to fully wake with cheer if she wants too. Whispering “do you want to go to the water park” had her wide awake and alert in a split second.
We loaded up the car and hightailed it to Carowinds!
Of course we stopped for coffee and breakfast at Spinx. I ordered an iced coffee, which is not actually an iced coffee. It’s sweet and creamy, and has some flavor in it. Charlotte-Ann and I also both got breakfast in a bowl- egg patty, a protein, and hash brown. They’re less than $2 each!
At one point, Miss Logical says, “I think I’m going to go to sleep now, so I’ll be rested when we get there.” I wish bedtime was that simple!
Roller Coaster Junkie
During her nap, Jonathan and I set out the game plan: dry rides first, lunch, then the water park. Peeling a child away from a splash pad and/or peeling a wet bum off a dry ride were not on our to-do list
.
Our timing was perfect, as the gates opened exactly as we pulled up. We parked in the very first non-handicap spot, and made our way to the gate. By 9:45 we were inside and waiting in the central square for the security detail to let us through. We were pleasantly surprised to hear the national anthem play! Even if we were the only two guests to remove our hats and stop talking.
The clock struck 10:00 and we made our way to the fastest, most popular ride. Jonathan was eager to hit some roller coasters. While he was doing the loopy loop thing, I found a map and realized the kiddy zone was all the way on the other side of the park. Oops.
Camp Snoopy
First, Charlotte-Ann went on the swing ride. I am not a fan, because I know how physics works if one of the the chains break. Then we went on the “tea pots” as a family, but she wasn’t a fan of the spinning. For a moment I thought, perhaps she’s not a fan of rides.
But then we got to the miniature roller coaster. This 3 year old child made me go on a pretty intense child roller coaster 5 times in a row, while Daddy hit up another big roller coaster. What in the world? I thought I had the easy job, but my stomach says otherwise.
Lunch
Our entire trip was sponsored by Nucor- the admission tickets, parking, and even lunch! There were hotdogs, chicken tenders, baked beans, and macaroni salad. It may not have matched our macros, but it tasted good anyway! There were also cookies and ice cream, and Charlotte-Ann had two cones as she waited for “the water park to open”. A white lie doesn’t hurt when you’re keeping a child away from water.
Water Park
Alas, we headed to the water park. Jonathan abandoned me, again, for a roller coaster. I thought, wrongfully again, that I had the easy job. We were headed to the lazy river… how hard is that? Instead, we ended up at a splash pad. The water was freezing, and the buckets that dump on your head were everywhere. My fearless toddler demanded I go down the slides with her. At least six buckets landed on me.
And to make matters worse, the lazy river was closed!
But the wave pool was open, and that’s just as fun. By the end of the day, we were exhausted! Jonathan went on one last roller coaster as we changed out of our swimmies. Then, the miniature roller coaster junkie, requested one more ride before we left.