Things To Do & Map
Saturday's Celebration Drop-In
At the kiosk in the middle of the neighborhood entry, enter gate code: #2001.
Carowinds Amusement Park
A well-known amusement park, roller coasters, and more. About 20 minutes from both Matthews and Gastonia, on Hwy 485. On the map view above, it's near Pineville, NC.
Uptown Charlotte
It's a big city, but pretty easy to navigate. Check out the link for some of Amy and Mel's fav activities: Mint Museum, Blumenthal Center for the Arts, NASCAR Hall of Fame (great whether you're a racing geek or not), Panther Stadium (aka Bank of America Stadium)
Matthews Downtown
Historic downtown Matthews is a sweet spot for quaint shops, old-fashioned hardware store, Heritage Museum, Stumptown Park, and the family favorite restaurant, The Portrait Gallery.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
near I-85, I-74, I-485. If the weather is nice, this is a great outdoor venue: walk around, watch kayaking and rock-climbing, rent a kayak or join a rafting group, zip-lining, stroll down to the river, rent a mountain bike. $5-10 per car, OK to take in food. Good restaurants, food trucks on-site. On the map view above, it's near Mt. Holly, NC.
Daniel Stowe Conservancy
On the map above, it's about halfway between Belmont and Lake Wylie.
Floyd & Blackie's ice cream and sandwiches
On the map, this is just below the Belmont marker and just off of I-74 between Charlotte and Gastonia. This local ice cream shop is where Mel and Amy shared their first meal together, in Cramerton, where Amy lives (and a coffee concoction there--the "Ferris"--is named after the former owner of her home!). Take your ice cream or sandwich and stroll across the bridge of the South Fork River, to the pretty Goat Island Park, playground, and greenway. OR head up the hill to "Confluence" to rent a bike or kayak. If you kayak, head upstream (left) to reach a scenic dam and go for a swim--something Amy's done dozens of times over the years.
The Chapel at Morning Star
On the map above, just east of Matthews.