Love the outdoors?

Located 10 minutes from Elon’s campus, the Burlington City Park is a great place to go if looking for a place to exercise or relax. The 75-acre park features 12 lighted tennis courts, a year-round aquatics facility and an amusement park, complete with carousel and train. Home to the annual Burlington Carousel Festival, Easter egg hunts, and year-round art, music and cultural events, the park provides opportunity for community and fun.

Lake Mackintosh Park and Marina is a six-mile long lake with a 100-mile shoreline that serves as a fantastic place for members of the community to fish, picnic and paddleboat on the weekends. It is the primary water reservoir for Burlington and several walking and/or running trails loop around the lake.

For additional hiking, canoeing and kayaking opportunities, the Haw River Trail features a paddle trail and hiking trail available for community members. It has several access points for those looking to canoe and kayak, and towns along the trail offer a unique look into what the Haw River area has to offer. Featuring four wineries and vineyards, the Haw River Wine Trail provides a glimpse of North Carolina wine country. Stop along the trail and sample the selection of wines, talk to knowledgeable staff and attend events held on the trail, and at each winery, year-round.

Also along the Haw River is the small, historic town of Saxapahaw, which features several cultural events during the summer months, including a farmer’s market and outdoor concert every Saturday. It also features several lofts and apartments for rent, just a short walk from the town’s fitness facility and rivermill marketplace.

Festivals take place in the area throughout the year, and the visitnc.com events page consistently lists the festivals and events taking place in the state. With the ability to search by region, the site is a great place to receive information about events taking place in our area.

An avid sports fan?

Elon University’s varsity athletics teams are NCAA Division I in the Coastal Athletic Association, and students, faculty and community members attend athletics events regularly. If professional games are what you are looking for, there are several teams located in the surrounding area with scheduled contests you can attend with family or friends.

Baseball

Greensboro Grasshoppers baseball game.The Burlington Royals, a rookie affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, is Burlington’s minor league baseball team. Their games are played in the Burlington Athletic Stadium, just a 20-minute drive from campus. The Greensboro Grasshoppers, a single-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, are a minor league team whose stadium is a 30-minute drive from Elon. The Durham Bulls, a triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, are also nearby.

Soccer

North Carolina FC (formerly the Carolina RailHawks) and the Carolina Dynamo are two of North Carolina’s professional soccer teams. Based in Cary and Greensboro respectively, these teams are members of the United Soccer League and play games throughout the summer and early fall.

Hockey

A professional team based in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes have games scheduled from October to April.

Basketball

The Charlotte Hornets have a packed schedule during the winter months, with games against the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat, the Utah Jazz and other NBA teams.

Football

Charlotte-based NFL team the Carolina Panthers have home games throughout their season.