Cary trip
 

Our family will be traveling to Cary during Christmas week. What would be fun for the kiddies. My 9 year old loves sports. We gave him a choice of either the University OF NC basketball game vs. Rutgers or traveling 2 1/2 hours to Charlotte for the bowl game on Dec.30 Navy VS. Boston College. Also what about some kid friendly restaurants in the Cary area. Someone mentioned a moose restaurant or something like that. Also is anyone familiar with the ice skating park that is outside in Cary. What is that all about?
Thanks.

My son graduated from Chapel Hill and plans to be back over the holidays. He mentioned that every home game is sold out?.. .... unless you have an in. The ice skating park in Cary that I'm aware of is a standard indoor ice skating rink. Not sure if the Hurricanes are in town that week - but that could be an option (they look pretty weak this year... but if you like hockey?). Or if you would be willing to go to an NC state game - that's always an option.

Cary, NC is a bedroom community of Raleigh. Not much but housing subdivisions and big box stores in town.

You'll have to get UNC tix through resale, probably way above face value because the team is #3 but should be ranked higher (ok, I'm a fan). But you should see if the other schools in the area have home games during your stay. Probably can get NCSU tix game day at the box office. And see if the Hurricanes are in town they are the reigning NHL Stanley Cup champions.

Raleigh has several museums aimed at kids. IF you can, take them to the Monet exhibit at the art museum, well worth the $$ admission. I think the Raleigh tourism website is VisitRaleigh.com.

Go to the basketball game - the excitement level will be much higher there, and you'll save 4 hours driving.

Julie,I heard there is ice skating in a little makeshift christmas village in Cary. There is food and shops. I forgot what they called it. Someone told me that if we go to the game in Chapel Hill we should be able to get tickets outside because it is Christmas week and that many students would not be in town who would normally go to the game.

I think I will go to the basektball game because my son did not like the idea of traveling for 2 1/2 hours. He lost his gameboy and I told him he is not getting a new one.
I do not mind paying more than face value for a ticket but do not want to go crazy. Any idea how much the seats may go for re-sale. Again I am hoping because of Christmas week many students will not be there.
Cary is just the hub where we are staying for 5 nights. We will explore form there. We had to use a ticket from Southwest Airlines before end of year or we would lose it. The only place where we could fly direct from Tampa was Raleigh.

OK.. The Cary ice skating rink is something I don't know about (left this area a few years ago). .. Not sure banking on tix outside is safe. The students that come to sell the tickets would stay for the game. I'd be hesitant to count on that.

I would be willing to pay over the top from a broker for tickets. Only you can decide if that is worth it. Since my son was an athlete at UNC, his former coach gives him tickets when he is in town... Otherwise, he hasn't been successful finding reasonable options this year (we are all huge tarheel fans!!).

Sorry.. missed your exact question. I have no idea what tickets are going for... though this particular game isn't a big match up... So it might be just slightly above face value. I bet people that are not in town might sell on ebay. You might want to check there.

Bigal9, it isn't the students that sell out the games but the alumni and other basketball fans.

Thanks for your ideas. There will probably be less students attending the game though. And I guess Rutgers is not a big draw from what you are saying. We are just excited to see what it is like inside,with one of the best teams in College Basketball.

yep. Did a Raleigh search on craigslist. Chose tickets. Did a search for Rutgers. There were some tickets for sale.

Wondering if we could get some before game time. Read my post on Knoxville TN and you will find the answer to the second home vacation place.
Thanks to all.

I would have to imagine that you could get tickets before game time. I went to school there, and I don't remember a game other than a Duke game where there wasn't a handful of people standing at the steps of the Smith Center selling tickets. So, a game against Rutgers is likely to have tickets available from someone.

I would, however, say that more than 2 together might be tough. In my experience, tickets sold out front at a game are usually just pairs.

It wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on ebay, though.

Go Heels.

I agree with you,about the 2 tickets. Not sure if my wife and my younger child want to go. If not what can they do while we are at game in Chapel Hill? I believe it is a night game?

A movie?

If you only have one car, have your wife drop you off at the park-and-ride lot at the Friday Center (I think it's exit 274 from I-40, the sign will say UNC for the exit). I assume you both have cell phones so call when you leave the game and have her pick you up at the park-and-ride lot.

Southpoint Mall is only a couple of miles away (no need to get back on I-40, stay on highway 54 to highway 751 south to Renaisance Parkway). It has a all the standard mall shops, plus a food court, restaurants, and a movie theater.

If you go the way I mentioned to the mall, you pass a Target and some other stores in a nearby shopping center.

I think the official website for UNC basketball is carolinablue.com. See if they list tix for sale.

Now this is a great idea except for one reason. You are costing me more money by having my wife go shopping. Actually we will only have one car and 2 cell phones. This is a very good idea. How many minutes apart are the 2 sites?

Cary is in close proximity to Chapel Hill, Raleigh and even Durham. That said, a tour of the Dean Dome or Kenan Stadium (Go Heels!) would be fun. A Duke tour probably isn't your best bet, the stadium isn't that impressive.

Well we are staying in Cary across from a mall. When we go to the game in Chapel Hill,we were thinking of going earlier to explore the area. If we do this how much time would we need and what should we look for. I agree with taking a tour of the University.

I think the website is tarheelblue.com, but I don't usually go there so it could be a third option I haven't thought of yet.

Cary is exits 290 - 293 off of I-40. Southpoint mall is exit 276 (Fayetteville Rd., but my directions for you above are from CH). The exit for UNC is 273 (probably 273A, you loop around to exit -- usually backed up onto the highway for game day). Exit numbers are related with highway miles. So if you are staying in the Crossroads area of Cary (exit 293), it's 20 highway miles to exit #273.

I'm sure your wife understands you can't pack too much stuff into the going home suitcases.

You are correct about the suitcases but she sure seems to know how to have items shipped. I feel like the kids in the neighborhood are playing tricks by ringing our doorbell and running away. But everytime I look at the door it is another item from either Fed Ex OR UPS!! Thanks for the exits.

HI. I read in our paper the other day about $5 discounts on tickets to the Rutgers game and the one on the 3rd, so I think that means that it is not sold out. Upper level, of course.

After all of this talk I started,my wife is trying to get me to go to Eastern TN now instead. We may be able to pull it off with out any extra costs. She says there is more to do there for the children. The reason we chose Raleigh at first is becuase we had tickets that we had to use,or we would lose them. And Raleigh was the only place we could get non-stop.

I would definitely go to the basketball game if you can find tickets. You should expect a fairly subdued crowd, compared to usual, with all the students away for the break, but it is still fun. UNC has a great team this year too.

I would consider the hockey option too, unless your family doesn't care for it. The Anaheim Ducks are here for a game next Friday night. This would be a match up of the reigning Stanley Cup champs against probably the best team in hockey this year.

I second the recommendation for the Monet exhibit. It is very good.

Even if you don't go to the UNC game, Chapel Hill is worth a visit.

Not sure anyone knows what you are talking about. A little too much egg-nog perhaps. University of TN has basketball and a better Football system I hear. There are boating lakes there,which Raleigh does not have. 2 1/2 hours from Nashville which has major sports also. Not far from Atlanta,Louisville ect. I am talking about vacatin home now not place to uproot my family. If it were a full time move I would most likely go to the Cary area. Leave some egg-nog for the guests now.

And she wants to know why you need to be snotty with her? Hmmm
Nashville is a shorter to Knoxville area than it was from Raleigh to Charlotte where you say the big NFL team is. Also Raleigh is without motor boating lakes. The mountains are 30 minutes away as opposed to hours. The only thing closer is the beaches. But we have them here in Florida,real nice ones and only 25 minutes away. Not sure what you mean by the "we know you" like I said,lay off the egg nog.

Pick where you want to go, but do know Raleigh has boating lakes nearby.

Jordan Lake (south-west of Raleigh)
Falls Lake (north)
Kerr Lake/Lake Gaston (farther north)

Not sure if you can put a motor boat in Lakes Wheeler, Benson, or Crabtree, but you can canoe/kayak.

I guess you're not too knowledgable about college basketball. You're giving up the change to be in the area of UNC and Duke, both highly ranked in men's and women's bball. NCSU is an up and coming team and next year NCCU will move to division I.

Those lakses do not compare to the great Tennessee lakes. A little slant to her home area I detect!!
I am very familiar with college basketball and just got back from the Knoxville,Maryville,Farragot,FT. Lauden,Vonore area.
In matter of fact we went to a University of Tennessee game. They were ranked 23rd. Not bad!! Big blowout. Same as if I would have gone to the University of Carolina vs. Rutgers game. Very impressive though. Sounds like you do not have much knowledge of the TN area. You win with basketball,overall. But you can not compare any of those football teams to the Volunteers!!
Again,if I were to raise my family the Raleigh triangle would be my choice. Most likely Cary. But as for a vacation destination,most agree I believe that this is not the best area for that.

Wow. Progress HAS been made!

I don't think either TN or Cary are a "vacation destination" of the type you are talking about--buying a home in an established subdivision. Same old same old as the Charltotte, Lake Lure, Asheville threads.
Ummmm, let's see. This year for college football. Can you say "Wake Forest"?

I did not know Wake Forest played in Raleigh. I guess you did not know that plenty of people vacationed in Tennessee. Not many in Raleigh I see. There are certain areas in which people have 2 homes. There are a lot more planned developments being built now in the Mountains. Keep on reading,you will learn from my trips. It is obvious when someone does not like a certain area.

Wake,Duke,UNC-CH,NCState--we WERE talking about the 35 mile diameter area of Cary (admittedly mostly west of Cary) that has some pretty fine athletics. Short term memory loss?.
Oh, and just north, there is the Blue Ridge Parkway and its glorious mountains.
And now I am off to the beach, which would be a haul from TN. But you have that covered. Do you go?
By the way, the Georgia mountains are gorgeous. I haven't seen that you have inquired about them.
And around Greenville, SC are some beautiful places. You haven't even begun to scratch the surface!!

Wake Forest plays in Winston-Salem which is not close.
I have checked out the Greenville are and we did like the Clemson Seneca area.

We chose the Knoxville area for our vacation home. Actually next to Maryville TN,15 miles south of Knoxville. Beautiful area in a waterfront community called Lowes Ferry. Only 20 minutes to the airport,30 minutes to the football stadium and basketball,or we could boat there in 45 minutes the said. Also only 30 minutes from Smokey Mountain Park. Great for the kids. We were also told that we were within an hour from Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
The beauty of the area is breathtaking. It will be a gated community with boat docks and a clubhouse. We bought an interior in walking distance to the lake. Did not feel like paying $550,000 just for a lot on the water without a house. Especially when it is only a vacation home.
The only downside for us was there did not appear to be much diversity in the local area. However,the mix of people that will live in this community are from all over the country. Many from Florida,mid-west and some from the Northeast. The usual on the eastern part of the US.

I just hardly know what to say--you have found your spot. I will say it==CONGRATULATIONS!!

Thank you. Also the shortest reply from you, I believe,ever.

You have often left me speechless--but I rose to the occasion. This time, the occasion left me speechless!!

And everyone can thank me for leaving you speechless by donating to the vacation fund. I only bought the lot,still have to build a house!!

Congratulations.

Thanks for the congrats. Who said you guys could not be nice?