I had a beautiful walk around City Lake Park today! The weather was perfect! I enjoyed taking…read morephotos of all the sculptures around the lake which was a nice touch. The lake had a 1/2 mile concrete path around it with plenty of benches. There's also a gazebo to enjoy shade at the center of the lake or go fishing. If you enjoy feeding the ducks, geese, and fish, there's food for 25 cents. When you're walking and work up an appetite, Chico's Mexican restaurant is a short walk away at the old power plant. Come enjoy the lake!

Plenty of free parking, located downtown and there are a few places to grab a bit to eat and enjoy…read morethe park. The park is small but a wonderful sight to see in person. If you're in town this is a must see.

We came here based on a friend's recommendation. My toddlers loved looking at the whirligigs and we…read morewent on a sunny and slightly windy day. We parked on the street and there is seating and a green area in the middle. We didn't explore beyond but heard music coming from a nearby restaurant. We also stopped at the Wawa (it's a Jersey thing and is nearby).

This park is a hidden gem. The hiking & biking trails are well-maintained and the facilities,…read more(pavilion, campgrounds, restrooms) are clean and new. If you're in eastern NC and think Raleigh has a corner on the state park 'market' give this pretty place a try. Come up for a day trip. Hike the trails, go fishing in the creek(s) -- with a license of course then jet to Littleton for a good selection of cuisine. Or, camp at the pristine campground, where a sweet little cabin, complete with Adirondack chairs will finish off your relaxing, peaceful day. Kudos to the Medoc Mountain State Park crew.

I have always drove by the park entrance so I decided to visit one day with my dog for a little…read morehike. There are a lot of trails here that makes for an excellent workout via hiking, running, or walking. It has a visitor center with bathrooms. I particularly like that there are picnic tables and fun jungle gym area for kids. It is worth the visit.

I had the absolute best time and the park rangers and staff are all friendly! There are so many…read morebirds and exhibits! I loved the landing zone where you can feed flamingoes and parakeets and there are a couple sun conures in there too!

This was worth the two-hour drive from the Triangle to spend a couple of hours in a…read morebeautifully-landscaped retreat with a huge variety of birds. It's a bargain at only $14 for adult entry. I recommend getting one of the seed sticks for the Landing Zone, where a flock of colorful parakeets will eagerly perch on the stick and eat out of your hand. If you're skittish, note that they will also maybe land on your shoulder or head, or pull at your shoelaces until they realize they aren't food. But for those who are game, it's a ton of fun and the birds come in a beautiful variety of colors. All of the various sections have plenty of birds, and they're easy to see, not hidden away in the back of some enclosure. They all look healthy and comfortable and seem to have plenty of room. There are also tons of plants and lovely flowering bushes throughout the park. Some particular favorites of mine were the Wings of the Tropics and the boardwalk (sponsored by Duke Energy) where you can get an idea just how much an impact beavers have on creating essential wetlands for bird habitats. All of the various zones are close together, and there are plenty of benches and places to rest throughout, so it's not physically taxing and guests with mobility issues could still enjoy it. It's definitely off the beaten path, but it's worth the trip if you have an interest in our feathered friends.

So I know I can't be the first person to want to hit the Thelonious Monk Trail in Rocky Mount. But…read moreit looks like I'll be the first to write about it. I was visiting Raleigh, and I wanted to do the pilgrimage so bad that I hit the road early one bright Sunday morn headed east. Here's what I saw: 1) Thelonious Monk Plaza - I came into town this way, just a slight bit north of the main downtown strip. This plaza is one in the old-school sense - you won't find a minimall with Bath & Body Works around here, rather it's the old train station. This is where the historical marker is planted that identifies one of the true American greats. It makes sense to have jazz markers by the old train stations - it brings back the America of old, and also reminds you that the musicians generally built their careers by moving out. 2) Thelonious Monk Mural - I walked about half a mile from the Plaza to see this (incidentally, on a bright Sunday morn I was the only sign of life in downtown Rocky Mount). If you didn't know it was a tribute to Monk, you would just think it's a slightly unusual mural - a triangle of houses with a trompe l'oeil river stream/piano keyboard that literally flows out onto the pavement (entitled "Monk's Corner"). This was apparently one wall an arts center that no longer exists, sadly - it's near the Harambee Street Apartments. I walked back to my car via Main Street, which allowed me to look at the attractive old historic buildings in downtown, none of whom were doing any business on Sunday. 3) Thelonious Monk Park - Now this was a slight hunt, considering not even Old Man Google registers this park as a place. Further, there's a street address given near Washington/Dunn, but the sign that names the park is over on Wye which spurs off of Washington. That confused me a bit - you can basically identify the park, but I felt like I was slightly trespassing when I wandered along the residential neighborhood to get there. This is a "park" in the sense that you can have a picnic under the gazebo or push your kids on some swings - otherwise it's just a small green space. Monk's childhood home no longer exists but would have been somewhere on the grounds. 4) Monk Rd - This road, just a block south of Monk Park, was obviously named after the man, but there's about as much significance to the name here as there is to the man they named Washington Street after (whoever that was) - its just the name. Nice that it runs parallel to the train tracks, at least. And that's pretty much it at this point. There's been talk about erecting a statue for Monk here, which would be a great idea - the great John Coltrane statue in High Point would be the model to follow, down to the sound samples and all. Here's hoping that happens. Until then, though, you've got this at least. And if you check it out, put on "Pannonica" for the soundtrack - that's what I was listening to, and it seemed to capture the feel perfectly.

If you're ever in the Rocky Mount, NC area, Rocky Mount Mills is definitely worth checking out! The…read moreatmosphere and vibe here were absolutely amazing. We stayed overnight in our fifth-wheel through Harvest Hosts, and we'd gladly do it again. We had dinner at Tipsy Tomato, then explored some of the other spots around the mills including Mixers, HopFly Brewing Co., Goat Island Bottle Shop, and more. The next morning, we stopped by River Walk Coffee Co. for lattes, refreshers, bagels, and breakfast treats before heading out. The entire place had such a fun, laid-back vibe with plenty to see and do. Definitely a spot we'd recommend!

Beautiful historic mill surrounded by delicious restaurants. Plenty to see and do if you're in the…read morearea.

A hidden gem of a park! What a beautiful setting!…read more Ventured out to this park and brought my sidekick, Bo, with me. This is a lovely park, complete with trail options, restrooms, bbq grill, benches, play area for kiddos and a really nice butterfly park! The views are gorgeous! I took a lot of photos but honestly, my pics don't do this area justice. I was the only person here on a Saturday morning, the birds were chirping, the weather was perfect and it was a really nice day for the mile walk. The facilities are very well kept, the grounds were immaculate as well. Plenty of parking, too, with a few spots shaded by gorgeous trees. This park is fantastic!

We normally go multiple times a week, and it is always clean. It may look small but it is very…read morespacious, and our 3 dogs enjoy it very much. There are not very many safe places we can take our pups where they can be themselves. It is very enjoyable for us to see them so happy. Thank you!

I was looking for a dog park in the area to take my pooch Shadow and came upon this gem. Shadow is…read morepredominantly around humans and I want him to get some animal interaction to socialize him. The park is amazingly big with plenty of room for dogs to run around freely, meet and greet, and play with other dogs. There is a small dog area, a large dog area, and an agility area. There are benches and water fountains in each area. The large dog area has pools in it for dogs to get wet. I do wish there was one in the small dog area however I don't mind going in the large dog area so that my Shadow can enjoy and cool off. The agility area has a few obstacles that pets can run and jump on. The areas are large enough for you to get some steps in, sit and watch your pets, or play with them. While we were there two other dogs and I met some very nice dog owners. I will definitely be taking Shadow at least once a week.