When you set out to kayak the historic Haw River it's hard to suppress speculative thoughts about…read moreyour adventure and wonder how it will all turn out. This was on our minds as my wife and I drove past an "entering Alamance County" road sign on our way to the Haw River Canoe & Kayak Company at Saxapahaw, North Carolina. A leisurely drive along Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Road parallels the Haw and suggests a hint of our forthcoming adventure. A tough bridge built for hard times stands over massive, craggy, dark gray rocks, chiseled into the river bottom by the waters bonding the town of Saxapahaw to the earth and the history of this area. On arrival, we could see paddlers struggling to sandwich their watercraft among the rocks around the Saxapahaw bridge. But we never foresaw when we left here, our memories would bear an indelible imprint of this place as "Aramanche" -- a place where Native Americans saw water flow through blue clay. One reason to rent a Kayak here is to unplug yourself from the present and reconnect with the past. In fact, the owner and his staff will tell you his fondest wish is for customers is to "unplug and reconnect." When you cast your eyes out over the Haw as you paddle a kayak, you'll see tranquil and rapid running waters, deep cuts into riverbanks and tree lines, and evidence of the dominating torrential waters that have run for millennia along this 110-mile river down to the Cape Fear basin near the Atlantic coast. The geological history of this place is violent. But there's more. There's tons of history and culture to absorb. Generations of native Americans and later, European colonists, are bound up in the history of this river. Native Americans ran The Great Trading Path that ran from Chester County, PA, along the Shenandoah Mountains roughly to where I-81 and route 220 meet near Danville, Virginia, today. From there, settlers found their way into North Carolina along the Haw. Why Go? If you're interested in American history, you'll visit to have fun and to bask vicariously in the river that was once part of the Underground Railroad. Along this river, Quakers would shepherd slaves from house-to-house, across the Ohio River, and into the free territories in the west. If you're a history buffwith an archaeological bent, you'll visit the Haw to find that blue-gray clay the Siouan Indians used as body paint. It was found in Saxapahaw, and the Indians called this clay "Aramanche", meaning, a place where "water flows through blue clay" in Eastern Siouan. If you're interested in seismology, you'll be curious about the natural fault line running from this area down to Charleston, S.C., that triggered the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886. You can see this line on the surface under a little bridge in the nearby village of Glencoe, N.C., along Highway 62. If you enjoy riding the rapids as a Kayaker, you'll need to sign up for a class-III white-water adventure. The fault line that runs from Glencoe down toward the Cape Fear river basin features sharp drop-offs triggering the rapid waters adrenaline junkies crave. A guided tour along the Haw lasts about 3-hours. Go, unplug, reconnect with American history and, enjoy!

This place is great! Recently came here with some friends for the day and had a blast…read more So it's a little confusing on their website, but you can indeed just rent kayaks, paddle boards or canoes. It made it seem like the only way to go on the river was through signing up for a class, but that's not the case. For $30 you can rent a boat for half the day and they'll drive you upstream a bit to the dock. From there you can go upstream on your own and enjoy some paddling + swimming. We had a great time! There ARE a bunch of fun day trips (and a moonlight night trip!), plus some other routes so I'm definitely going to sign up for one of those. But if you just want to rent for a few hours, that's cool too! Pro tip: Come before 11 a.m. It's a little cooler, and they won't be as crowded.

Lake Johnson Park is one of Raleigh's best spots when you want a workout that actually comes with a…read moreview. The 3-mile loop gave me the perfect mix of cardio, scenery, and just enough challenge to keep things interesting. The trail is mostly paved and very well maintained, but there are also a few off-road paths if you want to switch things up. The lake views are gorgeous throughout the walk, and the heavily wooded sections make it feel peaceful and shaded even on warmer days. I also appreciated that the trail has a few solid uphill stretches. I'd say it's ideal for intermediate walkers, runners, or cyclists looking for a scenic challenge without venturing into hardcore hiking territory. The only downside is the parking situation, which can get pretty tight during busy hours. Still, once you're on the trail, it's absolutely worth it. Raleigh really lucked out with this gem of a park.

Natures finest!…read more Local park with free (but limited) parking. Walking trails. Kayak and paddleboard rentals. Birdwatching. Clean picnic and public bathrooms. Great place to go and enjoy nature.

So fun!!! Missing all the MN public lakes, we were looking for a place to rent a pontoon and spend…read morethe day on the water. Crosswinds was very easy to book. Sign all the papers online, book the boat you want and pay. You will pay additional gas once you get back but it couldn't have gone smoother. The 2 teens that helped us were very helpful and nice. And the boat was very nice and drove well. We all had a nice day on the water. We definitely plan to rent again!

We had the best day renting a pontoon from you! The staff (while socially distanced) was very…read morehelpful and informative while getting us loaded up and on the water. The condition of the pontoon was very nice! Super clean and definitely a newer boat. (The reviews had me nervous). We literally spent the day socially distanced and technology free and we all needed that! It was easy to get back to the dock and the staff even offered to fill up the tank and just text us the receipt which was great because a wicked storm was rolling in pretty quickly. Can't wait to do this again! We truly had a blast! Thanks so much!

Love it!! This is our third year enjoying kayaking with friends and family. The staff is amazing,…read morefriendly, and welcoming. The equipment is always in good condition and the process is very well organized. I love that you can email them and they respond quickly! Looking forward to next year's adventure!! i recommend them 100%!!

We did a family canoeing trip for an hour at Cape Fear River Adventures and it was nice. The…read morescenery was nothing exciting and it was full sun the whole time, but our daughter enjoyed the experience. I think tubing would be a little more exciting. Everything was very organized and well run. The grounds are nice too; there's some chairs to sit, relax, and watch the river while the kids play.

There were ample camping/picnicking sites near the water. There was plenty of shade and the sites…read morewere clean.

Who knew that this huge lake existed?! My native North Carolinian buddy Tim did, apparently! After…read morea bit over an hour long car ride heading east of Winston-Salem, we found ourselves unloading our fishing boat at the dock of B. Everett Jordan Lake. Everyone there was so friendly, quick to wave as you passed them by while zipping over the waters. The beauty of this place - from the flora to the fauna - is breathtaking; perfect location for camping, fishing, swimming and/or water sports fanatics such as myself. Even the wildlife (falcons, cranes, etc.) will stun you.... in the best way! Whatever (ahem) floats your boat, if you're looking for a quiet, serene location to escape the insanity, Jordan lake is definitely it! My friends (seen pictured upon the boat, in the background) didn't believe me when I said I would dive into the deepest end of the lake and swim my way back to shore... so these selfies snapped are proof of my claims! Hopefully, next time we return they'll be brave enough to join me in making a splash!!

It's a nice park in the area! You'll get to expose yourself to sunlight and nature! Great place to…read moredo picnic or outdooring like fishing and playing toys on the lake! Cool place

What a scenic experience! The wind and good weather blew me here and it was just the space I needed…read moreto clear my head.

Super friendly staff and the area well kept. Keep an eye out for when they stock trout! Remember…read more... TAKE IT OUTSIDE!

We love Kayaking and what better place than lake Higgins marina, we became a member of the local…read moremarinas and find ourselves always coming back here. We love the easy in and out boat ramps, the friendly faces that work for the city of Greensboro . We truly think we are lucky to have such a clean, well organized and fun place to kayak. We also love the events such as moonlight paddling they put on!