I booked a "behind the scenes" tour to celebrate my birthday, and I couldn't have asked for a…read morebetter experience! Ethan, our guide, was friendly, outgoing, knowledgeable, attentive, personable... suggest other positive descriptors and he's probably that too! He was absolutely excellent - no notes! - a great source of info and stories! We chose to do half the tour outside, and I'm so glad we did! I had debated between the "behind the scenes" and "walk with the lemurs" options, and doing this part outside was like a mini walk with the lemurs experience! Hooray! We got to be just feet away from some of the various lemur species. A ring-tailed lemur even walked right up in front of us! The Sifaka lemurs were a joy to watch hopping and leaping. Seeing everyone head in for afternoon snacks was so fun too: they all had their own order for heading in, and you could really see their personalities as they went by too. Some lemurs were up in the trees, hopping between them, some down on the ground with us, and all of them seemed so content. Did I mention there is no barrier between you and them during this experience?! It is incredible. One of the Sifakas looked right at us and tilted her head to the side seeming to question what we were doing - definitely curious about us. It was so incredible to be so close to these fellow primates! The tour continued through some of the other buildings. We learned about food, enrichment, research; we met volunteers, scientists, other specialists. Everyone seemed so positive and happy to be there and like they truly enjoyed what they were doing. Can you blame them? It's such a cool place! Next, we got to visit some of the nocturnal species: mouse lemurs, fat-tailed lemurs, bush babies, and aye-ayes! They're nocturnal species, and red light was used to not disturb them. It is harder to see in these places, but the smaller lemurs and bush babies really are adorable and interesting. Ethan gave a tip that video does better than photos in this area (with camera phones at least). It really is hard to wrap your head around these small mouse-sized animals are actually mammals! We also got to view a few aye-ayes, and then even watch one get a special snack! It was very cool to see her use her special long finger to scrape peanut butter and to learn about other special feeding strategies that are used to mimic how they eat in the wild. The gift shop is clean and air conditioned very well in hotter times. There are lots of different items available there: toys, shirts, paintings the lemurs made themselves (!!), ornaments.... you can even "adopt" a lemur and get updates about them while supporting the great work done at the DLC. Even before our tour was over, I was already asking Ethan about other tours and when he recommends we visit again: a true sign of a wonderful experience is wanting to go back even before it's over! I'm so glad to have finally made it here: amazing place!! [A few things to note: there is an age minimum here (10 years old), and you definitely should make reservations for any tours ahead of time.]

The Duke Lemur Center is located on Duke University's campus. It is on 85 acres and opened back in…read more1966. Its focus is on research, and it has the most diverse group of lemurs outside of Madagascar. Lemurs are the most endangered species, so the Center studies them non-invasively. The center has also bred 3,400 lemurs, making sure to keep the diversity. If you want to visit, make sure you make a reservation. They offer a General Tour, which is self-guided; the Walking With Lemurs tour is a small-group, guided tour; and a private tour is also available. I've done both the self-guided and small-group tours. With the self-guided tours, you walk along a path and can spend as much time as you'd like within the allotted time frame, seeing the lemurs in their enclosures. Docents and volunteers are stationed at various spots to tell you about the lemurs and answer questions. Walking with Lemurs is my favorite tour. I like the smaller group of about 8 people, and you get to go into the forest to see the lemurs up close. Remember, you need to stay at least six feet away from the lemurs and cannot touch them. It is also possible that you will not see all the lemurs, as they get to decide whether to be viewed. On my last tour, some just stayed very high up in the trees, but we did see others very close. There is a free parking lot, as well as an overflow lot if that lot fills up. If they both fill, just ask where to park, and they will direct you. Make sure to visit the gift shop before or after your visit. The Duke Lemur Center is an incredible, world-class asset to the Triangle. Whether you choose the General Tour or splurge for the forest walk, it is an unforgettable experience that directly supports a wonderful cause.

This is a relatively easy trail with some fairly consistent inclines. From the parking lot to the…read morequarry and back is about 1.9 miles, so a decent hike that shouldn't take too long. We went in the winter when there were no leaves on the trees and only one other car in the parking lot. We also went in the late afternoon and didn't realize that they closed a 5:30. We got to the car at 5:31 and there was a ranger waiting. We apologized profusely and promised to pay better attention next time. The hike is nice but the quarry is absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth the walk. I know that this is a popular spot in the summer but I truly cannot imagine swimming here as it doesn't exactly look safe. I need to go again soon because I bet it's lovely right now with all of the leaves changing colors. You will not regret making this hike!

Starting at Eno River Pleasant Green access, you can access the Laurel Bluffs trail which will take…read moreyou out and around the Eno Quarry. The trail is 3.2 miles total and there is good shade throughout, with the quarry as the perfect spot to cool off midway point on the hike. The trail was relatively easy with some minor inclines and tree roots to keep an eye out for. If you go on a weekday you'll have the trail to yourself, though I have yet to have a problem finding parking at the trailhead on weekends.

We lost but it was still fun. The puzzles aren't to hard and theres enough time to figure them out…read more The puzzles are well thought out and creative.

Went today and did not have a good experience with the staff. Our room was run down and dirty, but…read morethat wasn't the part I cared about as much as the rude interactions I had with the staff there today.

We rented a canoe from Frog Hollow for a couple of hours on the weekend. It was SUPER affordable,…read morecheaper than anywhere I've ever been and much cheaper than renting a boat by far. They provided everything we needed (paddles, life jackets) and gave us a quick 60 second refresher on how to use the canoe before we headed off. We were at one of the channels off of Falls lake, and they gave us advice on which direction was the best to go off towards. It was pretty hot out, but being so close to the water made it cooler and the shade lowered the temperature a lot too. Along the way, we saw turtles, fish, and a couple of herons. The whole experience was very peaceful, relaxing, and low-stress. It was a great day to spend a warm morning outside, although I would recommend booking an earlier or later time in the summer since around noon there isn't really much shade on the water. Will definitely come back for another paddle!

Frog Hollow is a gem for paddling enthusiasts!…read more As someone in my mid-40s learning a young person's sport, I've had two incredible 1-on-1 sessions with Jer on flat water, with another scheduled this week and I can't recommend them enough. Jer's technical expertise, constructive criticism, and what i consider endurance training have been invaluable to build confidence for white water. It's easy to think you understand the sport by reading, watching, and listening, but reality hits when you're underwater and upside down. Jer has been fantastic in sharing both the positive and realistic sides of whitewater paddling, making the experience both challenging and rewarding. I still remind myself "nothing worthwhile comes easy at first". Lastly, if you're looking to improve your skills, fix bad habits, and gain a deeper understanding of the sport, Frog Hollow is the place to be! Thanks, Josh

Fun! Great way to spend an afternoon! Wear comfortable clothes and bring lots of friendsread more

Totally happy with our experience. We are from out of state visiting Durham. Came here during an…read moreafternoon tropical storm and looking for indoor activities. We were greeted and welcomed by a super friendly employee. He gave us tons of tips and tricks, presented us with different axes, showed us different ways to throw, taught us different games. Super personable and fun. We left happy and smiling.

Great fun miniature golf that takes it to a whole new level!…read more Venue: looks can be deceiving. Doesn't look like it can accommodate 3 courses but it sure can. Has small kitchen for food and drinks( soft drinks and beer). Has sitting area to eat. Small arcade area. The miniature golf course here is so awesome- it is not your average miniature golf course. It has unique chances a long with it- weather throwing balls, , puzzles, coordination, you name it. It even has a small zip line within! Service: everybody was very friendly Price: reasonable. Came here with my son but I enjoyed it more!

From the heart of Raleigh, NC is this unique indoor putt putt course. I was in town for a wedding…read moreand this place was the first activity that populated and I needed to check it out! There are 3 course Yellow, red, and blue. I didn't realize that there were multiple course until half way through the course I was wondering how I get on the indoor bus. Each course had a uniqueness that made it completely different from the other courses. My favorite from Yellow course was the zip line, red course was the slippery floor and the Rocket , and blue course was the bus and pool table. Each course & hole had an activity thaw was an interactive experience. The cost for this activity was $16 for all 3 courses per person, great price for this experience. The staff were friendly and answered all my questions. I didn't eat but definitely bring a water bottle as they have refill station near the bathroom. The bathrooms were clean as well as the inside & on the courses. Employee was dusting the course in between people finishing their shots. The parking lot was huge, so definitely plenty of parking. I had a great time and definitely recommend, if you're looking for a fun, unique activity. Cheers

We came to Triangle Rock Club Durham for a climb and sign event and had a great time! After filling…read moreout waivers and doing orientation, we climbed for about an hour and a half. The space is large, clean, and has a lot of variety for different levels of climbers. The rental shoes definitely run small. You may need to size up anywhere from half a size to even two sizes bigger. Just something to plan for. It's family friendly, but safety is really important, so make sure kiddos aren't running around since climbers are focused and people are moving around everywhere. I do wish there was a designated section just for beginners and kids. That said, I really appreciated how each color route is clearly labeled (by numbers) from easy to hard. It helps you know what you're getting into before you start. One note: the rocks are tough on nails. Mine aren't even long, but gripping some of the holds was tricky, so keep that in mind if you have longer nails. Overall, a great workout, a safe environment, and a fun way to try something new! We'll definitely be back.

We came for a school takeover event on a Sunday evening after their regular hours ended. The kids…read morehad a blast! They were able to try out all the different areas. The staff reviewed safety for the climbing walls and bouldering areas. Such a fun experience for elementary school kids!

Shout out to Robert for turning our day around! He quickly resolved what could have been a…read moredisappointing situation and provided top tier customer service. He was attentive, friendly, and truly made our visit enjoyable. Because of Robert alone, we will definitely be coming back. My toddler had a great time!

Kids loved it, room to move, many different activities, great snack bar/grill, friendly staffread more