By Greensboro is one of the most underrated family destinations in North Carolina, packing a world-class science center, a hands-on children’s museum, a Revolutionary War battlefield, and a giant water park into a city that is still easy to navigate with a stroller and a diaper bag. Whether you are visiting the Gate City for a long weekend or you live here and need a fresh idea for a Saturday, this guide rounds up the best things to do in Greensboro with kids, with verified addresses, hours, and prices so you can plan with confidence.
Greensboro Science Center: Aquarium, Zoo, and Museum in One
If you only have time for a single attraction, make it the Greensboro Science Center. It is genuinely three attractions rolled into one ticket: an interactive science museum, a zoological park (think tigers, red pandas, gibbons, and meerkats), and the Carolina SciQuarium, home to penguins, sharks, and stingrays. Younger kids gravitate to the hands-on exhibits and the daily animal feedings, while older kids and teens can add the OmniSphere theater or the Skywild treetop ropes course (additional fees apply for those experiences).
Plan on at least half a day. The grounds are stroller-friendly, there are shaded picnic areas, and the layout flows naturally from museum to zoo to aquarium so you can let little legs set the pace.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 4301 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, NC 27455
- Phone: (336) 288-3769
- Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. year-round (closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day)
- Admission: General admission is ticketed by age, and children under 2 are free. Greensboro residents, city employees, military members, and college students receive $1 off with valid ID, and discounted rates are offered for SNAP, EBT, and WIC participants. Check the official site for current pricing.
Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum
Built for the under-10 crowd, the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum sits right in downtown Greensboro and is all about imaginative, hands-on play. Kids can climb aboard a real plane, shop in a pint-sized grocery store, scramble through the “Our Town” exhibits that mimic a miniature city, and burn off energy in the large outdoor play plaza when the weather cooperates. It is the kind of place where toddlers and early-elementary kids will happily lose a couple of hours.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 220 N. Church St., Greensboro, NC 27401
- Phone: (336) 574-2898
- Hours: Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Admission: $12.95 per person; children under 12 months are free. Friday evenings from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. are discounted to $6, and guests with WIC, SNAP, or EBT cards also pay $6.
Local tip: The Friday evening $6 rate is the best value in town for a weeknight outing, and downtown’s restaurants are an easy walk afterward.
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
History comes alive (without feeling like a lecture) at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, the site of a pivotal 1781 Revolutionary War battle. For families, the real draw is the outdoors: roughly two and a half miles of paved, stroller-friendly tour roads and trails wind past monuments and interpretive markers, perfect for a walk, a bike ride, or a scavenger hunt. Kids can pick up a free Junior Ranger booklet at the visitor center, complete the activities, and earn an official badge. Best of all, admission to the park is free.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 2332 New Garden Rd., Greensboro, NC 27410
- Phone: (336) 288-1776
- Visitor Center Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). The grounds and trails are open daily.
- Admission: Free
Country Park and the Carousel
Right next door to the Science Center, Country Park is a classic, free-to-enter city park that families have loved for generations. Two lakes anchor the park, with fishing piers, walking and biking trails, and several playgrounds. Kids can feed the ducks, ride pedal boats (available weekends and holidays, May through October), and take a spin on the park’s vintage-style carousel.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 3905 Nathanael Greene Dr., Greensboro, NC 27455
- Park Hours: Daily, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (weather permitting)
- Carousel: Operates daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; $2 per ride or $10 for seven rides for non-members
- Admission: Free to enter the park
Plan it together: Pair a morning at the Science Center with an afternoon picnic and carousel ride at Country Park. They are practically neighbors, so you get two outings without getting back in the car for long.
Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe (Summer)
When the Carolina heat sets in, Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe is the place to cool off. It is one of the largest water parks in the Southeast, with dozens of attractions ranging from a giant wave pool and a lazy river to gentle splash areas for toddlers and white-knuckle slides for thrill-seeking teens. It is a full-day destination, so pack sunscreen, water shoes, and a plan for lunch.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 3910 S. Holden Rd., Greensboro, NC 27406
- Phone: (336) 852-9721
- Season: Open seasonally, generally mid-May through mid-September. Daily hours typically run 10:00 a.m. to 5:00, 6:00, or 7:00 p.m. depending on the date and special events.
- Tip: Hours and operating days change week to week, so always check the official park calendar before you go.
A Quick Trip: Kaleideum in Winston-Salem
If you are basing your trip in Greensboro but want a day trip, downtown Winston-Salem is about 30 minutes west and home to Kaleideum, a five-floor children’s museum and science center that opened its new building in 2024. Hands-on exhibits cover science, nature, art, and technology, and there is a planetarium on site. It is an excellent rainy-day backup or a complement to Greensboro’s own museums.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 120 W. 3rd St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
- Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Admission: $15 adults, $12 children, $13 seniors; free for children 11 months and under
Where to Stay With Kids
Greensboro’s lodging clusters near the Wendover Avenue and I-40 corridors put you within a short drive of nearly everything on this list. Families do well with hotels that offer free breakfast, an indoor pool, and suite layouts with separate sleeping space. You will find a good mix of brands (Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and value-friendly options) bookable through Expedia’s Greensboro hotel listings, where you can filter by pool, free parking, and family-friendly amenities. For more local trip-planning ideas, Visit Greensboro keeps an up-to-date calendar of seasonal events and festivals.
Tips for a Smooth Family Day in Greensboro
- Beat the crowds: Arrive at the Science Center and Children’s Museum right at 9:00 a.m. opening; both fill up by midday on weekends and school holidays.
- Bundle the free stuff: Country Park and Guilford Courthouse are both free and just minutes apart on the north side of town, making an easy low-cost day.
- Check the weather: Save indoor spots (children’s museum, Kaleideum) for rainy or extreme-heat days, and the battlefield and parks for mild mornings.
- Watch for resident discounts: If you live in Greensboro, bring ID for the $1-off Science Center rate, and take advantage of the Children’s Museum’s discounted Friday evenings.