1. Harris Lake
City: New Hill, NC
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (919) 387-4342
Address: 2112 County Park Dr.
Description: Harris Lake County Park sits on a peninsula of land jutting out into the cooling lake that serves the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant in southwestern Wake County. Its 680 acres include two playgrounds, a primitive campground for supervised groups, a mountain bike trail, 5 miles of hiking trails, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Canoeing and kayaking are allowed on the lake. The park has a handicapped-accessible fishing pier and a rod-loan program.
2. New Hope Valley Railway
City: New Hill, NC
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (919) 362-5416
Address: 5121 Daisy St.
Description: On the western edge of Wake County, you can board a train and take a one-hour round trip between New Hill and Bonsal. The New Hope Valley Railway owns several diesel engines and one steam engine, and the track runs through a wooded, sparsely populated area that has not seen commercial service since 1981. For any child or adult bitten by the train bug, this is a day to remember. Not only can you ride the train, but visitors can also see the North Carolina Railway Museum’s historic railroad equipment and the garden-scale replica railroad, which includes a Thomas the Tank Engine. Admission to the museum and scale railroad is free. Tickets are required to ride the railway. Christmastime rides feature Santa and are very popular, so it’s advisable to buy tickets long in advance via the Web. The railroad cars are covered but open to the elements, so dress for the weather.