FUN THINGS TO DO NEAR MOORESVILLE, NC

Known for its delicious barbeque, beautiful scenery and plethora of racetracks, there are plenty of fun things to see and do in the state of North Carolina. Specifically, the city of Mooresville, also known as “Race City USA,” is famous for being the home of many NASCAR and IndyCar teams and drivers.

Mooresville is also home to NASCAR Technical Institute — a technical school offering automotive, CNC machining, welding, HVACR and robotics and automation training (the HVACR program is coming to NASCAR Tech). The campus is also home to two Manufacturer-Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) programs: Ford Accelerated Credential Training (FACT) and Mopar Technical Education Curriculum (Mopar TEC).

As a student, it’s important to have a balance between work and play. Whether you live in Mooresville or will be traveling from another state to attend NASCAR Tech, this roundup is for you. Follow along as we share some fun things to do in and around Mooresville!

Lazy 5 Ranch

At Lazy 5 Ranch, you can get up close and personal with more than 750 exotic animals. This safari-style park can be explored in your car or a horse-drawn wagon ride, which allows you to feed the animals and learn more about conservation. Portions of the park are also walkable. General admission for adults is $11 and wagon rides, which include animal feed and general admission, cost $16. Make sure to bring cash and a camera!

Lake Norman State Park

Looking for free things to do in Mooresville? If you’re in the mood for swimming, fishing and spending time in nature, be sure to check out Lake Norman State Park. Located about 12 miles from Mooresville, it’s the largest human-made lake in the state. The park has a campground area with 32 sites, as well as plenty of trails for hiking. It’s a great place to explore the outdoors and enjoy the beautiful North Carolina weather.

Carrigan Farms

Carrigan Farms is a family-owned farm that specializes in growing quality fruits and vegetables. It also hosts educational tours, weddings, swim parties and other special events. You can pick your own fruit and veggies, as well as participate in the many special events they offer. One of their most popular events is their “Haunted Trail” in October, where you can pick your own pumpkin and participate in fun fall activities. In the summer, you can jump in their spring-fed body of water to cool off.

Carowinds

Located in Charlotte, Carowinds is a 400-acre amusement park offering entertainment and a variety of thrilling rides. From the famous Carolina Skytower to a 300-foot-high slingshot, this park is a must-see for thrill seekers. Carowinds also offers shows, drinks and dining and even has a water park called Carolina Harbor.

Daily tickets start at $45. You can also choose from three different levels of season passes, which come with unlimited visits. If you’re going to be in the area for some time and want to have access to the park regularly, a season pass is a good option.

NASCAR Hall of Fame

Also located in Charlotte, the NASCAR Hall of Fame honors drivers, crew chiefs, broadcasters and other major contributors to the world of NASCAR. The Hall of Fame allows you to explore the legacies of the legends of the sport while immersing yourself in the excitement, passion and history of NASCAR through exhibits and interactive experiences.

General admission tickets for adults start at $25, which includes access to all exhibits and interactives aside from simulator rides. If you’re a NASCAR fan, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.

North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame

The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame pays homage to Mooresville’s reputation as Race City USA. This museum, art gallery, visitor center and gift shop showcases the history, growth and evolution of motorsports in North Carolina.

With more than 40 cars on display, you can learn about stock cars, drag racing and more. The museum recreates some of auto racing’s greatest moments, allowing you to take a walk through history with a newfound appreciation for racing in Mooresville.

Memory Lane Motorsports and Historical Automotive Museum

Memory Lane Motorsports and Historical Automotive Museum is known for being a classic car museum, NASCAR museum, muscle car museum, movie museum, toy museum and history museum all in one! With more than 150 unique vehicles on display, there’s something for everyone at Memory Lane.

As you visit the museum, you can explore the collection of pedal cars, movie cars, vintage motorcycles, gas pumps, tractors, antique toys and bicycles. General admission tickets cost $10, making this a great option if you’re looking for inexpensive things to do in Mooresville.

The Pit Indoor Kart Racing

If you love the adrenaline rush of indoor go-kart racing, look no further than The Pit Indoor Kart Racing . This 140,000-square-foot track offers a wide variety of activities, including go-karts, an arcade, laser tag, mini-golf, bumper cars, a peanut track (for kids) and more. Go-kart pricing starts at $24 per race for adults; however discounted memberships are available.

GoPro Motorplex

GoPro Motorplex is an outdoor 0.7-mile, 11-turn go-karting facility. Sponsored by GoPro, the track’s fleet of rental go-karts reach speeds up to 55 mph. The facility hosts some of the largest professional touring go-karting series races in the country.

Drivers of all experience levels can race the rentals; however you must be at least 16 years old and hold a valid driver’s license. Go-kart rental prices are per-racer and each race lasts 10 minutes. One race starts at $25 and additional pricing information can be found on their website

Penske Racing South Facility

Team Penske is a professional racing team that competes in open-wheel and major stock car races. Their 105-acre Mooresville racing facility houses NASCAR and IndyCar series cars and offers plenty of things for visitors to see and do. On the 330-foot fan walk, you can watch the crews prepare cars for upcoming races. As you explore, be sure to check out the 5,000-square-foot gift shop.

That concludes our list of inexpensive and fun things to do in Mooresville for students! We hope you enjoy exploring Race City USA.

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