Looking for something to do? Here is a list of 50 things to do in and around Gaston County to help you make the most of your visit.

1. Tiptoe through the tulips

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Located on 380 acres along the banks of Lake Wylie, spectacular gardens, sparkling fountains, a conservatory dedicated to the display of tropical plants and orchids, a visitor pavilion, a garden store and nature trails await visitors.

2. Grab a day pass

Whitewater Center

The Whitewater Center is the world's premier outdoor facility featuring whitewater rafting, biking, ziplines, live music, craft brews, and more.

3. Sample mouthwatering barbecue

Gaston County’s ‘Cue Trail

Whether you’re a barbecue aficionado looking for new experiences or you just want to try something new, look to the Gaston County 'Cue Trail. We have our own unique and historic traditions in barbecue culture. Use this trail guide to try all our best spots.

4. Enjoy a day in the park

George Poston Park

Looking to get outside this weekend to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air? Gaston County's George Poston Park is a perfect destination and is our largest park.

5. Learn something new

Schiele Museum of Natural History

Gastonia's Schiele Museum of Natural History is the best science and natural history museum located in Gastonia offering exceptional educational programs, exhibits, and more.

6. Wander this peaceful campus

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont Abbey is a private Catholic liberal-arts college located in Belmont. Founded in 1876 by the Benedictine monks, this beautiful campus is a great location for a walk.

7. Watch a game

Spectator Sports

In Gaston County we pack the house as spectators roar with cheers for their team and favorite athletes.

8. Find the best trails

Carolina Thread Trail

The Carolina Thread Trail online map is an easy way to navigate the trails within the Thread Trail network. Filter by location, trail type, ADA accessibility and more to find the best hikes in the area.

9. Dine in a remodeled 1930’s theater

Webb Custom Kitchen

This historical, 6,500-square-foot theater has been reinvented into a fabulous restaurant offering multiple levels that reveal ravishing relics from the Roaring Twenties, when cinemas were works of architectural art.

10. Check out the latest art exhibits

Gaston County Museum

Located in the historic Hoffman Hotel in Dallas, Gaston Museum houses two floors of changing exhibits of history and art. A carriage house features the state’s largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles, and a textile exhibit displays artifacts of the area’s primary commodity from the late 1800’s to mid-1900’s.

11. Stroll along Main Street

Gaston County’s historic downtowns

Enjoy the unique experience each of our small neighborhood towns have to offer including great shopping, dining and entertainment.

12. Play games, live music, art and more

Confluence

Confluence is a gathering space where visitors can come in off of the river after a day of paddling, grab a beer, enjoy art created by local artists, kayaks and other equipment like ping-pong and disc golf.

13. Sip a wine flight with friends

Veronét Vineyards

This 70-acre estate includes six acres of vineyards and a winery offering a variety of spaces to enjoy the day. Check out the indoor tasting room with floor to ceiling windows, the front lawn overlooking the vineyard, and a wraparound patio offering stunning views of the peaks of Crowders Mountain & The Pinnacle.

14. Hike to the top of it all

Crowders Mountain State Park

Climb Crowders Mountain on a clear day and witness breathtaking views of the city of Charlotte.

15. Find your favorite flavor

Tony's Ice Cream

Take a drive down East Franklin Blvd. in Gastonia on any old day and you will spy Tony’s Ice Cream, a yellow brick building with its oval sign perched on top of a red pole. Step inside and you will be transported back to 50s. Tony's still has the original booths covered in red vinyl as well as the original 1960’s two-sided slide top ice cream freezer which is always fully stocked. On the wall hangs an old fashioned pink and green neon clock.

16. Take a taste from Carolinas oldest distillery

Muddy River Distillery

Stop by for a fun and flavorful tasting of rum, a fascinating tour of the distillery and learn about how Muddy River came to be.

17. Order up a paddle board

Mobile Paddle Services Catawba and South Fork River

Anchored Soul, offers high quality paddle board rental services with all the amenities you need for a comfortable experience on the water.

18. Discover our history

Belmont Historic Trail

This walking tour of the historic structures and sites of Downtown Belmont NC brings to life the people, events and industries that motivated the existence and culture of current day Belmont through both sight and sound.

19. Drop a line

Rankin Lake Park

Discover a 1.5-mile paved walking trail around the 80-acre lake, complete with fishing pier and boat dock. Canoes, kayaks, johnboats and pedal boats are available to rent and a clubhouse and picnic shelters create a great place for group events.

20. Experience a great tasting weekend

Ridgeline Craft Beverage Trail

Thirteen unique producers of craft beverages including two wineries, one distillery, and various breweries, located outside of Charlotte along the ridgeline of Crowders Mountain and the Catawba River Basin.

21. Casino excitement is here

Catawba Two Kings Casino

Now open in its pre-launch temporary facility, Catawba Two Kings Casino brings great gaming action with the newest slot machines and electronic table games in a smoke-free environment. As this facility continues to expand on the types of gaming and number of machines, it is quickly become North Carolina’s premier gaming facility.

22. Catch a whopper catfish

Robinson Cat Fish Lake

Robinson Catfish Lake is a small lake stocked with fish including catfish where family and friends meet all trying to make a big catch.

23. Try rock climbing

Crowders Mountain State Park

Crowders Mountain is home to some of the best rock climbing in the Piedmont Plateau. This is the beginner's guide to rock climbing at Crowders Mountain State Park.

24. Sit on a patio over looking the water

JR Cash's Bar and Grill

JR Cash's Grill & Bar in Mount Holly is a great place to sit back on their covered patio and overlook the Catawba River.

25. Find the best ways to explore our farms

Visit NC Farms App

The farms and farmers markets in Gaston County can all be found on The Visit NC Farms App. Developed by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, this app connects millions of North Carolina residents and visitors to farmers and local food – one community at a time.

26. Be king or queen for the day

Martha Rivers Park

Children head straight for “the castle” playground. The wooden structure houses a fort, a ship, a race car, slides and swings. Children designed the playground, and community volunteers built it. The park’s youth sports complex contains baseball, softball and soccer fields; batting cages; a sand volleyball court; and walking trails.

27. Have a blast in jail

The Jailhouse

Welcome to The Jailhouse, a unique bar and cigar lounge experience within the cells of downtown Belmont, NC's former jail.

28. Take in live performing arts

The Rooster

Showcasing local and regional artists to display their gifts in a safe, inviting environment offering the people in this community of all demographics a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience that is welcoming, fun.

29. Tee up to some beautiful views

Crowders Mountain Golf Course

Gaston County will challenge golfers of all levels. Beckoning you with beautiful rolling fairways and incredibly scenic views, our courses offer mountain like terrain.

30. Revel in the art

Gaston County

Delight in the beauty of a garden for all seasons, saunter through an art gallery or revel in the performances from our local actors then pick through antiques located along our historic main streets. Let us show you how arts, culture and heritage take center stage in Gaston County.

31. Pick to your heart's content

Antique trail

Antique stores located along the main streets of Gaston County feature unique, one-of-a-kind finds. Get primed to find your next bargain, picking to your heart's content.

32. Rent a boat

Every day is a good day to be on the water if you are in Gaston County as the scenic views, public access areas and boat rental options are plentiful. Check out our marinas.

33. Explore our rivers

11 Mill Blueway

The 11 Mills Blueway is Gaston County’s premier blueway initiative, encompassing both the Catawba River and its South Fork. Along the way paddlers will find places to launch their boats for a fun day on the water.

34. One of the best public lights display in the nation

Christmas Town USA

Christmas Town USA located in McAdenville a small town just west of Charlotte, offers one of the best Christmas light displays in the United States.

35. Reserve your space for a half-day paddle

The Boathouse

Kayak, canoe, standup paddleboard, raft, hike, and more from the Boathouse, self-guided kayak rentals, guided tours, and lessons available on the Catawba and its South Fork.

36. Zipline

Whitewater Center

Stretching across the center’s campus. Varying from 200 feet to more than 1,000 feet long, ziplines carry passengers above the tree canopy and across the whitewater course.

37. Sweets treats can be found here

Cotton Candy Factory

For those of you who like to indulge, here is your go-to guide to ice cream, flakey pastries, creative cookies and cupcakes, sugary sno-cones, and sweet and savory popcorn to top off your stay in Gaston County.

38. Watch a ballgame

Caromont Health Park

The Gastonia Honey Hunters are a professional baseball team in the Atlantic League based in Gastonia. Get your tickets now for a fun night out.

39. A night of dirt track racing

Carolina Speedway

Roaring to life with spectacular dirt track races the Carolina Speedway is known as “The Action Track”. This 4/10th of a mile oval track hosts different divisions each week. Check the calendar for 700 horsepower engines thundering around the track in the Late Model Division, Street Stock Division, Open Wheel Modified cars, Four Cylinder, Renegade, Hornets or the NDRA Late Models.

40. Catch air

George Poston Park

This 344-acre park features North Carolina’s first asphalt pump track, designed for cyclists and skateboarders. Mountain bikers also enjoy 13 miles of single-track trail. Other amenities include lighted athletic fields, seven miles of hiking trails, stocked lake with fishing pier, dog park and horseshoe courts.

41. Learn how to hit a hole-in-one

Hangtime Golf

Your Local Destination for Fun, Food, and Family. Located in the heart of Gastonia, North Carolina, lies a hidden gem for golf enthusiasts and families alike. HangTime Golf on S. New Hope Road offers a unique and exciting experience that combines the thrill of golf with delicious food, refreshing drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere.

42. Try Deep Water Solo

Whitewater Center

Deep Water Solo is a form of rock climbing that utilizes falling into a deep pool of water instead of traditional climbing protection. The Whitewater Center’s Deep Water Solo Complex has five walls ranging from 20 to 45 feet in height.

43. Mountain bike along the South Fork River

The Boathouse

The South Fork River trail is a natural surface trail located along the South Fork of the Catawba River in McAdenville, NC. Access to the trail can be found just beyond the parking lot for the Boathouse on the edge of this historic mill town. Unload and hop on the trail.

44. Make the most of a rainy day

Indoor attractions

When the weather is gloomy and you can't get outside, but you are still looking for something to do, here is a list of great ways to make the most of your time indoors and have some fun with family and friends in Gaston County.

45. Take a winter hike

Warlick Family YMCA

Winter is a great time to take a hike, boost your mood and your vitamin D naturally. Layer up and hit the trails at the Warlick Family YMCA on Robinwood Lake.

46. Snowless tubing

The Chutes

This Christmas spend a night of fun with your friends and family on the snowless tubing lanes, at the Chutes at Crowders Springs. This fast and dry custom-created tubing chute with long lanes replicate a snow tubing experience, without freezing your buns off.

47. Find dog friendly adventures

Pet friendly adventures

Now is the time for you and your best fur-friend to hit the road for a weekend of fun. Hike our shady trails, splash in cool river water, chill out at a dog-friendly brew pub or restaurant patio, and catch an outdoor concert before hitting the hay under the stars. The parks and businesses in Gaston County welcome dogs and their owners with open arms.

48. Talk to Santa

Kings Mountain

Don’t miss Christmas County, an extravaganza of festivals and events designed to celebrate this special time of year. Kings Mountain is a unique place with holiday lights and is a great place to talk to Santa Claus an his many helpers.

49. Check out our annual events

Gaston County

Take a look at our list of signature events which are our biggest and most unique, drawing in people for fun in Gaston County. From live music to events based on outdoor adventure there is sure to be something for anyones interests.

50. Walk the lake loop

Crowders Mountain State Park

A quick hike that will get you outside in the fresh air with some spectacular views making it really worth it! So, the next time you are in the area, check out the short and sweet Lake Loop at Crowders Mountain State Park.