Huntersville has 13 town playgrounds, a children's museum downtown, birds of prey on Sample Road and a summer splash pad. Story times and rainy-day picks.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Details come from each place’s own website, linked below, and the Town of Huntersville’s facilities page. Town parks and programs: Huntersville Parks and Recreation, 704-766-2220.
Huntersville runs 24 parks and facilities with 13 playgrounds, there is a children’s museum downtown, and a birds of prey center is on Sample Road. Here is where to go, by type of day.
What this means for you
- Indoor: Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville, Tuesday to Sunday.
- Animals: the Carolina Raptor Center, with a storytime for ages 1 to 5.
- Outdoor: 13 town playgrounds and about 12.8 miles of greenway.
- Summer water: the HFFA splash pad and the county’s free spraygrounds.
Indoor and rainy-day picks
- Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville, 105 Gilead Road: a children’s museum with a full-size fire truck exhibit and live shows such as a puppet show and a science show. Open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday; closed Mondays. Sensory-friendly hours are 2 to 4:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month; the next is Nov. 1. 704-286-8302.
- Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatics, 11725 Verhoeff Drive: a 25-yard pool and a 50-meter pool, with Child Watch and Kid Keepers child care for ages 3 to 10. 704-766-2222.
- North County Regional Library, 16500 Holly Crest Lane: part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library; check the library’s calendar for story times.
Animals and nature
- Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Road: birds of prey along the Raptor Trail. Raptor Tales is a picture-book storytime for ages 1 to 5, included in admission; the next is 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Owl-O-Ween is Oct. 17; see our Halloween events page.
- Daniel Stowe Conservancy, 6500 South New Hope Road, Belmont: free Learning for Littles sessions for ages 0 to 4 with a read-aloud story, puppets and an activity, 9 to 9:45 a.m. on alternating Wednesdays and Fridays in season. The Adventure Trail and Prairie Castle Playground are open during garden hours.
- Rural Hill, 4431 Neck Road: fall corn maze and the November sheepdog trials; see fall festivals.
Playgrounds
The town has 13 playgrounds. From the county’s park data:
| Park | Address | Also there |
|---|---|---|
| North Mecklenburg Park | 16131 Old Statesville Road | Ball fields, mountain bike trail, walking trail |
| David B. Waymer Park | 14200 Holbrooks Road | Tennis, basketball, walking trail |
| Huntersville Athletic Park | 11836 Verhoeff Drive | Ball fields, walking trail, recreation center |
| R.C. Bradford Park | 17005 Davidson-Concord Road | Disc golf, ball fields |
| Rosedale Nature Park | 9519 Rosewood Meadow Lane | Dog park, walking trail, greenway access |
| Holbrook Park | 100 Sherwood Drive | Tennis, pickleball, walking trail |
| Richard Barry Memorial Park | 13707 Beatties Ford Road | Shelter, walking trail |
| Abernathy Park | 205 Glendale Drive | Basketball, ball field |
| Greenway Park | 226 Greenway St. | Playground |
On Lake Norman, the county’s Blythe Landing Park, 15901 N.C. 73, also has a playground. Field and facility conditions: 704-766-2250. More on our parks and trails page.
Splash pads
- HFFA outdoor splash pad: a fun house, zero-entry access and slides, open in summer through Labor Day.
- County spraygrounds: free, daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day; two are in north Charlotte, at Clarks Creek and Nevin parks.
Dates and hours are on our summer camps and pools page.
Free town events for kids
Huntersville Parks and Recreation’s free family series, from 2026:
- Just Kidding Around: summer morning shows for kids at Veterans Park, 10 to 11 a.m.
- Movies in the Park: PG movies at dusk with free popcorn, June to August.
- Kids to Parks Day: a park photo scavenger hunt with prizes on the third Saturday of May.
- Halloween in Huntersville, Oct. 25, and Santa’s Village, Dec. 10-12; see our trick-or-treat hours and Christmas parade and tree lighting pages.
Camps and programs are in the town’s Rec1 catalog.
More: free things to do and spring break.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do with kids in Huntersville?
Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville downtown, the birds of prey at the Carolina Raptor Center, 13 town playgrounds, about 12.8 miles of greenways, the HFFA splash pad in summer and free town events such as Movies in the Park.
What are Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville’s hours?
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday; closed Mondays. It is at 105 Gilead Road. Sensory-friendly hours are 2 to 4:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month.
Is there a story time for toddlers near Huntersville?
Yes. The Carolina Raptor Center holds Raptor Tales storytime for ages 1 to 5, included in admission; the next is 10:30 a.m. Oct. 31. Daniel Stowe Conservancy in Belmont runs free Learning for Littles sessions for ages 0 to 4.
What can kids do in Huntersville on a rainy day?
Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville, the indoor pools at Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatics, and North County Regional Library, 16500 Holly Crest Lane.
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