Whether you’re celebrating Father’s Day or just looking for a sign to try something new, check out ways to rev up, unwind, explore, and live the good life.
Break Stuff at iSmash
Suit up and get to smashing!
We’ve all thought about recreating that iconic scene from Office Space. Now you can make it a reality. The new iSmash rage room in Wake Forest equips you with all you need to let some energy out. Opt for a sledgehammer, crow bar, baseball bat, or golf club, and let loose on glassware, electronics, or even car windshields. Kids as young as 8 can participate with parental consent. Younger kids can still make a mess: iSmash also offers splatter paint sessions for ages 3 and up.
Make a Splash at Fantasy Lake Adventure Park
The quarry lake at Fantasy Lake Adventure Park is divided into sections for different activities, including this floating obstacle course. Contributed photo.
In the 1950s, a former stone quarry flooded with clear, cool spring water. Today, the resulting quarry lake is sectioned off into multiple areas for designated activities including scuba diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, and an inflatable water park. Now’s your chance to pretend you’re on Wipe Out. A kid zone lets those as young as 3 get in on the fun.
Go Fast (Virtually) at Apex Racing Lab
The realistic racing simulators are equipped with turn-by-turn motion for an exceptional motorsport racing experience.
Located in Cary’s MacGregor Village, Apex Racing Lab is the largest simulated racing center in North Carolina. Its 20 simulators — pods featuring professional-level equipment with immersive turn-by-turn motion and dynamic virtual tracks — deliver a hyper-realistic racing sensation whether you choose NASCAR, Formula One, or a build-your-own-race experience.
Learn History Facts (and Have Tacos) with Triangle Adventures
Tours stop at notable sites, like the Clayton Cemetery, for intriguing local facts.
With titles like Ghosts, Mystery, & Creepy History and Tacos, Taps, & Local Facts, e-bike tours with Triangle Adventures practically sell themselves. Climb on a state-of-the-art bike offering pedal assist and take a leisurely ride through a historic town with stops for cool facts, tasty food, and local brews.
Vibe at Hunky Dory Record Shop
Have a beer, strike up a conversation, and stay awhile at Hunky Dory.
“There is something really cool and nostalgic and peaceful, if you will, about that crackle, that hiss” when you play a record, says Hunky Dory owner Michael Bell. Whether he collects vinyl or just appreciates diverse music and a sense of nostalgia, we’re sure Dad would love to pass some time in the cozy shop. Oh yeah — there’s craft beer on tap, too.
Get Meaty with the Ultimate School of Barbecue
Students learn hands-on details from a grand champion pitmaster at the Ultimate School of Barbecue.
“If you spend the next month straight watching YouTube videos about barbecue, you will still not learn as much as 8 hours of my class,” says pitmaster Chris Prieto. He closes down his restaurant, Prime Barbecue in Knightdale, once per quarter for an all-day crash course in all things meat. “We teach about pellet cooking, cooking on a Big Green Egg, vertical water cooking, indirect heat cooking. We do a multitude of meats that demonstrate how you can stretch your thinking.” And lucky for you, the next class is coming up Sunday, June 22.
Go Vertical at Triangle Rock Club
Jaycee Hua of Raleigh clings to a crack feature while bouldering at Triangle Rock Club.
With locations in Morrisville, Raleigh, and Durham, Triangle Rock Club is ready to take you to new heights. The Raleigh location alone features over 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art Eldorado Climbing Walls and 7,000 square feet of world-class bouldering terrain with more than 40 lanes of lead and top rope climbing. Climbing routes and bouldering problems rotate weekly. Never tried it before? No worries: Orientation teaches you everything you need to know.
Throw Axes at Graffiti
Axe-throwing specialist Will Bolding shows patrons how it’s done.
Graffiti: Spirits, Axes & Art invites local artists to paint fresh works monthly, leading to an ever-evolving atmosphere in the street art-themed cocktail bar in downtown Cary. Graffiti also offers more than a dozen flat-screen TVs, six axe-throwing lanes, a seasonal cocktail menu, a wide variety of spirits, a thoughtfully selected wine list, and domestic and craft beer. In other words, if you’re looking for a good time, you’re going to find it here.
