All Things Wonderful at Carowinds Winterfest

The much-awaited Carowinds Winterfest has finally opened its enchanting door to bring delight, entertainment and tons of Winter wonderland fun to the whole family. If you haven't visited yet, here's an inside look at the fun stuffs to be had at this magical attraction at the park. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, so, feast your eyes!

Unique Handmade Collectible Gifts at Carowinds Winterfest Artisan Alley

After 12 years, Winterfest finally made its magical winter wonderland way back to Carowinds to offer fun and enchantment to each and everyone. An attraction that have been much-anticipated by those who experienced it in 2005, like me - its first and last year. Now the great thing about this year's Winterfest is that it's bigger, it's brighter and it offers more fun options for the family - including an Artisan Alley featuring unique handmade items from local and small business owner designers!

Fun and shopping rolled into one
What more can you ask for? Fun at the park and shopping! These unique items are a great buy even if you're not looking for something special for holiday gifts. Some of them are just worth having. The Artisans will be there until December 30th so, check them out and show them love and support by purchasing an item or two!

Enjoy The Last Days of Summer at Carowinds Carolina Harbor

The countdown begins until Summer bids us yet again, "adieu!" for the season. But, while the heat lingers and the kids are still home for Summer vacation, taking advantage of Carowinds Carolina Harbor while it's still open is your best approach to saying farewell to Summer, which is likewise, a fun way to start your kids off as they go back to school.

Welcome Summer with a Huge Splash at Carowinds Carolina Harbor Water Park

Carolina Harbor Water park officially opened it's gates to water-loving Carolinians today. A refreshing treat to welcome the arrival of Summer and its sometimes searing southern heat. The park comes to life to help you quench the heat - or drench it - whichever fits, even before it's officially Summer! So, you can just say "Summer, bring it on!"  - Carowind's got you covered.

Carowinds Taste of the Carolinas Makes A Flavorful Comeback

I had the opportunity to experience and savor the tasteful offerings of Taste of the Carolinas at Carowinds right on its opening weekend, and this year, it's a little more special...

Experience the Thrill of the Past at Carowinds New County Fair

Carowinds County Fair officially opened on March 25 of this year, with a promise that it will take you back in time to experience the good 'ol rides that brought tons of fun and excitement for the whole family in the olden county fairs of the past. My family and I had the opportunity to visit Carowinds on Easter weekend and witnessed the 4 classic rides of the newest attraction of the park in action.

Be prepared to have fun.

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of "The Great Pumpkin" At Carowinds Great Pumpkin Fest - On Us!

It's hard to believe that October is here. But that just means Fall has come. It also means it's the season for the Great Pumpkin Fest at Carowinds!

This year marks the 50th Anniversary celebration of "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", and Carowinds is celebrating in with their ultimate annual fall festival - The Great Pumpkin Fest! Think super-Halloween-goodness in one fun place.

With that, we want you to be a part of this family-friendly daytime event celebrations that includes Halloween-themed live shows, a pumpkin patch, a hay bale maze, trick-or-treating, a petting zoo and so much more! Your favorite rides will be open during the day, including the award-winning Planet Snoopy kids' area as well.  All this - ON US! 

Winterfest and County Fair Returns to Carowinds for a Jam Packed Fun for the Whole Family in 2017

In all the years my family and I have been going to Carowinds, I can pretty much say that we have seen how the park evolved through the years, from when it was still owned by Paramount, to that time the park got an entire makeover, character switches, attraction name changes and transformations, when it was acquired by Cedar Fair. During those years, we had favorite attractions that didn't make the cut during the changes. One of them is Winterfest.

Unfortunately, WinterFest lasted only one season in 2005 under Paramounts flagship. The next year, in 2006, Cedar Fair acquired the park. Now Carowinds is doing a time rewind and will be bringing back not just Winterfest but also County fair! And I'm beyond excited!

Escape The Intense Heat All Summer Long at Carowind's New Carolina Harbor Waterpark

Summer and Summer heat is upon us - and with a vengeance! It's so hot out there, it's enough to cook a pizza in the open heat! Yes, pizza. Not just eggs anymore. It's pizza! But, don't get caught under all these intense heat and melt - literally. Hiding in the comfort of your air conditioned home is not a very good Summer-long option either. Not with the kids home for the Summer and the inevitable threat of cabin fever - you've got to be kidding yourself if you opt to endure these! - You'll go nuts! Count on it.

But you don't have to. There is no need to. Here's a great option to get your family and your Summer vacation off to a great start, or Summer-long, whichever applies to you. All you need to do is go to Carowind's and take advantage of their new Carolina Harbor Waterpark. Your kids will thank you for it and so will yourself! Best of all, you won't be subjected to the nasty angst of FOMO.

Carowinds Alert: Snag your Season Pass Before Price Hike

Haven't gotten your Season Pass for the year yet? 
Well, you better sprint to Carowinds soon or you'll miss your chance of getting a golden deal on your passes.  The prices of 2016 Season Passes goes up on May 31st.

The Great Pumpkin Fest 2015 Last Hurrah For The Season This Weekend

Girls having fun at the Bubble Machine / Photo: +Maricris G 

This is the last week before Carowinds closes it's spooktacular gates for the season. If you haven't yet, this week is your last chance to go and have fun at The Great Pumpkin Fest with your little and not-so-little-ones. And I should say, this is the best week to go because it's Halloween weekend! A great way to end the season with Carowinds.

Now take a quick look inside The Great Pumpkin Fest to help you plan your visit this weekend. My #1 tip? Bring a change of clothes for the wee ones! You'll need them at the Foam zone. Trust me. You will.

Not showing? Watch directly on our channel: The Great Pumpkin Fest

And if you don't know yet, see what Carowinds have in store for you in 2016! Tons of great additions ahead!

Carowinds Revealed Another Secret to Knock You Off Your Seats in 2016

Literally. During their official announcement of Carolina Harbor, they ended their video presentation with a cliffhanger showing a picture of a crossed-out leaf and a distinct zombie growl. We had no idea what to make out of it, but that was basically the clue which is now unveiled! How does Plants Vs. Zombies sounding like to you?

Water You Doing 2016 Promises Exciting Transformations To Carowinds

Photo +Maricris G 

Thursday, I was one of those privileged to witness the meaning behind the hashtag #wateryoudoing2016 where Carowinds made a HUGE revelation showcasing the incredible changes coming to their theme park. Additions and expansions that made me giddy with excitement, as were most of those that were in attendance. And there's a good reason why, which you will agree with as soon as you see the line-up in the works.

Carowinds Big SEAcret is Out and Here's An Inside Look! (Video)

Yes! The big SEAcret is out and we're giving you an exclusive sneak peek inside Carowinds exciting additions to the park! Revealed on Thursday during their media event attended by yours truly, VIP's, News, Media and loyal fans, the changes coming to the theme park in 2016 will surely make the theme park your family's top destination next Summer. Take a look!


The transformation of Carowinds began in 2015 with the addition of Fury 325.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Now With Kid-Friendly Options

Photo: +Maricris G 

Different and kid-friendly-er are probably the two words that will pop out of your mind when you visit the Garden this year. And rightly so. I haven't been to the gardens in ages and I can definitely see the recent changes and upgrades they have done within - in my opinion - to make it more conducive to families with younger children. A good business move as well if you ask me.

Last time we were there (ages as I've mentioned), there was nothing for my young child to get "lost" into, thus making the visit rather "boring" for her. Much as we adults enjoyed the visit, we never dared go back since we didn't want to "bore" our child again and give us grief in the process. Fast forward. We went back! We had a reason to go back. And surprisingly, there was something for my kiddo. I was hopeful. She's a lot older now but is still young enough to gravitate towards "child stuffs" especially in a boring-to-a-child-garden setting.

Staycation Challenge: How to Beat The Summer Heat Without Breaking Your Bank And Losing Your Sanity

Photo: MaricrisG

We're heading into the middle of Summer and it's getting hot, hot, hot out there! The heat is on and there's no escaping it. And for those who are stuck staycation-ing, it can be a little challenging especially when the kids are home with you 24-7 and for the entire Summer. I can assure you, you'll lose your sanity pretty quick - guaranteed. But, before you lose your cool - I know how that is - do as I do. It will even save you some money. Though I can't guarantee your sanity remaining intact, you at least have some great options for your staycation challenge here besides going to your neighborhood pool or staying at home all day.

Here are places and ways to make your Summer creatively bearable and enjoyable with the rest of the family (that meant the kids of course) and saving you some money as well:

Summer Escape Plan: How to Make Use of Malls and Shopping Centers To Your Advantage

Photo: +Maricris G 

Staycationing? Then let's talk. Worn-out mom to another worn-out mom. When people mention either the Mall or Shopping Centers, which thought comes to your mind? Shopping right? Well, listen, that's already a given but if you think creatively and out of the box, you'll see that there is actually more to these shopping havens that you can take advantage of especially during the hottest season of the year, Summer! Think of it as your escape plan for beating the Summer heat and keeping your sanity intact. Remember, Kids are home all Summer. Good enough reason, no? I think so.

And here's more. Malls should not be just for shopping in your vocabulary any more. They have play areas for your young ones. Free wifi if you must need to catch up on some online work. And if you've got older kids, you can go shop-hopping with them. How fun is that? No guarantees you won't buy anything but at least you had fun with your kids. If not, you can chill at a Starbucks cafe or lounge at the mall's numerous lounging areas, with your favorite pretzels, preferably with your favorite coffee drink in hand. Maybe you can people-watch too. You didn't hear it from me, but it can be fun! I'm watching you!

Summer Perks: Movie Theaters with Free Admission and Summer Deals

Photo: +Maricris G 

It's that time of the year again. Popcorn and Free movies? Heck yeah baby. Who would say no to free movies and unlimited popcorn galore? I sure can't and won't. So should you too! Thankfully, Summer is here and most theaters offer perks that are FREE, dirt cheap or almost free to its young patrons and their budget-conscious parents -  the entire Summer. Sweeeet! Not to say, it's a great escape plan when cabin fever starts to set in and you want to give your air conditioner a break.

Check out this list of local Movie Theaters in Charlotte with Summer deals for 2015 and make your Summer awesome!

Carowinds Live Event: Daughtry in Concert + Special Discount Code For You

Summer is officially here which means Charlotte's premier Summer destination, Carowinds, have opened its gates for another year of awesome fun! And for the music lover and big fan of their live concert series, you're in luck! The multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band Daughtry is performing at Paladium Amphitheater on Thursday, July 2 at 7 PM with rock band 21st Century Goliath opening for the show. This is a great start to your 4th of July celebration for sure! Then to top it all, grab the special discount code for some cool savings to make it more super-duper-extra-fun for you!

Finding Hidden Gems in the Urban Jungle of Charlotte and the Surrounding Lakes

Photo by MaricrisG

The past Memorial day weekend have presented us with some sort of a dilemma at how to spend our holiday-endowed "free time" in the urban jungle that is our city of Charlotte. We can go uptown but I-77 is one of those we consider "hostile" highways to travel during the holidays. In our "street-smart" minds, cruising close to home - roughly translated, would mean about 5-25 miles radius parameters - that, and away from the craziness of uptown madness, is a must! But living close to the borders can sometimes present an issue on its own - if you don't know where to look. Unplanned escapades can be a real challenge specially when you wanted to do "something" other than bumming off at your couch in front of the TV and yet have no clue where to go. What to do?