Every Easter, we take the kids on a day trip to the beach. This year several friends suggested Wrightsville Beach. Since it is significantly closer than the other options, we decided to give it a try.

Keep in mind we were daytripping.

Keep in mind it was Easter.

But I have to complain that it was a bit too crowded - and crowded with college kids - for my taste. Not that I have anything against college kids. With their beer and bikinis.

But I would have preferred, if a crowd was necessary, a crowd of other quiet families. Okay. My kids aren't quiet. But you know what I mean.

So while this is a nice beach for a day trip because it is close to central NC, we probably won't go back for our Easter trip next year. Still, not a bad day at the beach.

I'm not a park snob. My kids can get by with 2 swings and a rickety slide. So when our friends suggested a play date at Pullen Park, I didn't have expectations.

Wow. I can't begin to say what a great park this is.

First, the attractions - a train around the (rather large) perimeter of the park. A beautiful, restored carousel. Paddle boats (which we haven't been out on because the weather has not, yet permitted). An old train engine for exploring.

Next, the park - amazing play structures. Net climbing structures. Sand area. Multiple, nice play structures for a wide variety of ages.

And don't forget the open space and the beautiful pond. There is room for the kids to just run. Play. Explore. Imagine.

And finally, the even have concessions. Now this might sound a little amusement-parky. But it really doesn't feel that way. We have always brought our own food, but I hear the concessions are good and they apparently have an extensive gluten-free menu.

The park is close to NC State and downtown. A must-see for any family visiting Raleigh.

On March 17, our family was invited to an N.C. State Baseball game. We were invited because my daughter is a cancer-survivor. The amazing young men on the N.C. State baseball team decided to raise money to fight childhood cancer. They did this by shaving their heads - yep, the whole team, coaches, everything - to raise money. The event raised over $100,000 which will go directly to research for cures for childhood cancer through the St. Baldrick's Organization.

The game was such fun! Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge sports fan. My husband and daughter, on the other hand, donned their baseball caps, grabbed a bag of peanuts, and began singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame!" the minute we arrived.

My son, who is almost 5, is a little more like me. His attention span runs slightly shorter than mine. He and I occupied ourselves by wondering the stadium and sampling most of the concessions.

And the price of tickets ($5 for kids, $7 for oldies) wasn't bad for a few hours of entertainment in the sun. This April and May, NCSU hosts quite a few home games. If you're in Raleigh and close to campus (which is close to downtown and not too far from Cary), head on over to a game.

And after, zoom over to LocoPops (only about 5 minutes away) for a refreshing gourmet popsicle!

So when the ticket came, my husband took a deep sigh. He's not the frugal one in the family, so I knew it wasn't good.

BUT ... the meal was worth it. We sat on the covered patio on a picnic table. There were four kids and four adults. We could be fairly noisy without disturbing anyone around us. The kids ordered your usual - tacos, quesadilas - which weren't bad but probably weren't worth the price.

My husband and I shared an ordered of steak tacos (delicious) and enchiladas puebla (three unique styles of enchiladas - I loved one, my husband loved the other two, so it worked out). I had the most amazing, very spicey soup.

And the fried ice cream. Oh the fried ice cream!

But the best thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere. It is a very unique restaurant and that, I think, is what you are paying for. You are outside, but there are fans if it is hot. There is a small train overhead that circles the perimeter. Kids are definitely welcome.

I would not want to eat inside with kids in this restaurant -- it is very, very dark and feels crowded with decor. My kids affectionately call it "That Spooky Restaurant". But if the weather is warm, go, eat outside, and enjoy.

On our last two trips to the Eno, my daughter has said, "We should come here every Sunday!" And frankly, we might. No matter how hot it is, this park always feels a good 5 degrees cooler! The trails are great, the river lovely, and there are plenty (but not too many) other friendly hikers with kids and pets.

There are other decent places to hike that are closer to our house. Yet we still find ourselves trekking all the way to Durham. The Eno offers a number of trails to choose from with difficulty levels ranging from easy to strenuous. My four and six year olds easily handle the "moderate" trails without begging to be carried.

Be sure to swing by Few's Ford and wade in the river. Though I strongly recommend Tevas or Keens or other water-friendly shoes as the rocks are just small enough to be painful on your soles and just big enough to be slippery!

Many hikers bring their dogs and I would highly recommend this if you have dogs that love to hike or wade in the water.