Pat and I were spoiled by our proximity to Cedar Point when it comes to amusement parks. We didn’t realize this, of course, until we took our first trip to Carowinds on the NC/SC border as new Charlotteans.
Expecting Magnum-like coaster amazingness, we were instead met with a Wayne’s World themed area featuring “The Hurler” and other equally lackluster rides. It was like Boblo with a vaguely Southern theme.
I was busted for my Northernness within minutes of stepping foot inside the park for calling Coke “pop.”
So, we hadn’t been back since until this summer (some 15 years later — no lie — how have we been in NC that long?).
But all Nathan and Vivian could talk about longingly for the past few summers was this magical place their luckier friends had visited, rife with hair-raising rides and a water park. Certainly we couldn’t be talking about the same Carowinds.
I begrudgingly dropped the mean mom act and got a few discounted day passes. My friend La and her boys Evan and Alexander joined us for a summer’s end marathon Carowinds session (including Boomerang Bay, the water park) in late August.
I haveto say, even though we spent nine, yes NINE, hours at the park and it rained off and on, it was fun. The kids had a blast.
So much so that when other friends mentioned they were getting family season passes for 2014, The Sutherland family did so, too.
We took advantage of one last park day in October as newly minted season-pass holders (and took Nani with us for good measure).
We’ll be BFFs with Carowinds in 2014 for sure. I admit, I am looking forward to it right now, but check back with me in July.
The Sutherlands 