Visiting local attractions

Our week of "stay-cation" in Lake Wylie is zooming by faster than a bass boat on tournament day. We've entertained a bit, consumed a gazillion calories in junk food, put lots of gas in the boat, and supported the local economy, thank you very much.

Traditionally on a beach vacation, the menfolk play golf one day, while the ladies head to town for lunch and shopping. Our Lake Wylie vacation had a slightly different version, but with the same spirit. My husband and son visited Golf Masters Driving Range in Lake Wylie and whacked a bucket of balls. My mother, daughter and I had lunch at Cafe 49, then visited the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens.

I have to admit that this was my first trip to the gardens, which considering its beauty and close proximity, is simply criminal. I made up for it by purchasing a family membership, and plan to return very soon! The new orchid conservatory is delightful. I snapped a few photos, but will return with my tripod and more time to attempt to do justice to the rare and intricate flowers.


Today we enjoyed a "big city" day. We began our morning at the Original Pancake House in Charlotte. We've been a time or two over the years, always on the weekend. It was quite a treat to arrive at 9:30am this weekday morning and be seated immediately! (Often on Saturdays and Sundays the wait can be an hour!)

Our next stop was Discovery Place. I used to take the kids when they were younger, but haven't visited in a few years. My husband Tony had never been before. I'm happy to report that the magic is still there! Tony and Jimmy (age 15) particularly enjoyed all of the hands on exhibits, and were inspired to stop at Home Depot on the way home to buy materials for thier very own . . . um . . . science project

Meanwhile, I'm going to update our homeowners policy and get back to staycating. The back porch and another paperback are calling my name.

Thanks for reading my blog. If you'd like to read more, please visit my Gardening in Lake Wylie blog, Events and Activities in Lake Wylie, and other blogs about living in Lake Wylie and Lake Wylie Real Estate.