Get Lost at Gallberry Corn Maze
A local favorite, Gallberry Corn Maze in Hope Mills offers much more than a corn maze. Each Saturday and Sunday from September 27 through October 26, guests will experience a Fall Harvest Festival that includes a Hayride, Jumping Pillow, Double Barrel Tube Slides, a giant Corn Shack (with a slide inside), the Bouncy Ball Corral, Corn Hole games, and other attractions. Mr. Hee-Haw, the farm's mascot donkey, greets all visitors. Also in residence are alpacas, pigs, bunnies, chickens, goats, a turkey, and peacocks.
However, the main attraction is the 6-acre Corn maze, which is cut into tall stalks of sorghum. The paths create an intricate puzzle the guests must solve to leave the maze. A Maze Cop on the tall observation tower in the maze is available to help lost guests.
Want to challenge your family with a second corn maze? Gillis Family Farm Corn Maze includes hayrides, a playground and a sunflower field.
Throw in a Line at Hope Mills Lake
The entire family will enjoy a few hours at Hope Mills Lake. All the angler in your family needs is a North Carolina Fishing License, and they can fish for bass, crappie, bluegill, and sunfish from the shore. If they’d prefer to fish from the water, rent a kayak from Whenever Watersports and fish the deeper waters.
Other family members can relax in the shade on the shore, play on the playground, or swim, weather permitting. While there, be sure to get a Snoball from BigT’s. In addition to 74 flavors of Snoball’s, BigT’s also serves ice cream, specialty drinks, and a variety of food choices.
Tour the Cape Fear Botanical Garden
While the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is beautiful throughout the year, the fall is especially lovely. Two miles from downtown Fayetteville, the 77-acre Cape Fear Botanical Garden's highlights include Camelia, Daylily and Shade Gardens, Butterfly Stroll and Children's Garden and the Heritage Garden with an 1886 homestead and agricultural structures.
In late summer and fall visitors will see asters, goldenrod, beautyberry, perennial mums, camellias, Liatris, pickerel, Clethra, and water lotus in bloom. Fall is also a wonderful season to observe migratory birds, butterflies and hummingbirds. Because the mating season is over, they are very active and beautiful. Be sure to visit the Great Lawn when you explore the garden.
After touring the garden, explore the Garden Shop.
Take a Hike and Enjoy a Picnic Lunch at Carver’s Creek State Park
Visit Carvers Creek State Park to stretch your legs and explore 10 miles of easy trails. At the Long Valley Farm access point in Spring Lake, two hikes lead to Long Valley farm, James Stillman Rockefeller’s winter estate.
At the Sandhills Access on McCloskey Road in Fayetteville, hikers, bikers, and horseback riders can explore seven trails of varied lengths. Each of the trails offers a unique look at the ecology and wildlife in this rare Longleaf Pine ecosystem. During a hike, visitors will likely see the active red-cockaded woodpeckers (marked with a white band), and even a fox squirrel scampering into the woods. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are a federally protected endangered species and one of the largest populations resides in this region.
After your hike spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic.
If you’d rather enjoy some local food, consider Noble Meats & Eatery, a Spring Lake staple for 25 years. This local butcher shop also serves lunch every Monday through Saturday. If you are thinking a local butcher shop should know meat – you are correct. The daily menu includes barbeque, brisket, pulled chicken, and a variety of homemade sides.
Spend an Afternoon at Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom
What started as a local brewery has expanded into a complex with various options. On five-acres of land. Dirtbag Ales offers a brewery, an on-site restaurant, Napkins, a permanent Redneck Labs BBQ food truck, a large playground area, a dog park, and lots of open areas. So pack a few chairs and bring the pup and kids and spend some time together outdoors.
For everyone over-21, Dirtbag Ales recently opened Dirty Whiskey, a craft cocktail bar. They serve specialty cocktails and local North Carolina spirits.
Dirtbag Ales hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including the hugely popular Dirt Bag Ales Farmers Market on Sundays, a Misfit Market featuring local artists, comedy shows, movie nights, and musical acts.
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