To infinity but close to home
June 27, 2017 9:44 AM   Subscribe

Looking for adventure-ish birthday/date ideas for adult humans within a short drive (.5 to 1 hour) of Chapel Hill / Durham, NC.

It's my SO's birthday soon (like, less than ten days from now), and I think it's time to do something really fun or exciting or just...different.

We already do kayaking occasionally, so that wouldn't be that much of an adventure, unless it was in a new/exciting location or with some kind of enrichment aspect. I'll look through Frog Hollow's offerings, but hoping for other ideas.

I know he'd be interested in something like cave exploration, scuba/snorkeling, or a hot air balloon ride. He took me to tour the Carnivore Preservation Trust one year and that was great (we've already visited the Lemur Center).

Any ideas?
posted by amtho to Travel & Transportation around Durham, NC (7 answers total)
 
Does the idea of an escape room appeal?. A quick search shows that there are a couple of options in the Chapel Hill area.
posted by cleverevans at 9:54 AM on June 27, 2017


Orange County Speedway is a short drive, but a world away from Ch/urham. When the winning driver pops out of the car and pulls off their helmet, I've had my assumptions dispelled on multiple occasions.
posted by bendybendy at 9:55 AM on June 27, 2017


Response by poster: This may seem ridiculously easy and searchable, so I'll just add some other things we've already done (in the 20 years we've lived here).

Fun examples, would be willing to do again, but a bit far:

- hang-gliding lesson at Jockey's Ridge State Park
- sailing lesson near Wilmington
- short hike to climb a fire tower near Asheville
- white water rafting near Nantahala


Most of these seem a little less adventure-y, or a little more quiet and solitary, though:

- Segway tour in Raleigh
- trail ride on horseback
- hiking
- watched auto race
- go karting
- pontoon boat rental on Jordan Lake
- Museum of Life and Science butterfly house
- hiking up Pilot Mountain
posted by amtho at 10:08 AM on June 27, 2017


Best answer: Maybe an introductory fencing lesson. The closest places to you are:
*Research Triangle Fencing and
*Mid-South Fencing

I think there is also a club in Raleigh and one in Apex.
posted by maurreen at 10:59 AM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]


This may be too far, but the US National Whitewater Center just west of Charlotte would give you a full day of outdoor adventures.
posted by Katie8709 at 11:31 AM on June 27, 2017 [2 favorites]


Premium Tour with the Duke Lemurs?
posted by dpaul at 1:08 PM on June 27, 2017


I don't know if this reaches an appropriate level of adventure...ness(?), but the Parks & Rec department has high and low ropes courses.
posted by oakroom at 1:02 PM on June 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


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