Things to Do in Lincolnton

Inspiration can be found in many places—at Café Elie, it frequently nestles at the bottom of a mug. Part coffeehouse, part art studio, and part home for wine lovers, the café welcomes budding artists and watercolor aficionados alike to classes aimed at students of all skill levels. While practicing upon canvases, patrons whet their whistles with the studio's caffeinated offerings or sip on wines they supply themselves.

The café's owner, accomplished artist Elie Bou Zeidan, leads students through the finer points of acrylic and oil painting, imparting knowledge he's gained through his studies and travels throughout the United States and France. Zeidan regularly displays his artwork alongside that of his students, easily viewed in monthly wine tastings, regular exhibitions, and by squinting really hard through the window.

If you paint your own pottery, there is no studio fee, and the price of the pottery includes all supplies and firing. Costs vary depending on the chosen 3D canvas. Kids’ pieces are $10–$25, dinnerware is $15–$60, and picture frames $22–$35; the average price of all pieces falls in the $15–$30 range. If you are distracted by a Night Court marathon and don't finish your masterpiece in one sitting, you can come in another day to finish for free (after that, it's $5 per visit). Upon completion, turn your project over to the pottery masters at the studio. They'll put the finishing flames on your project, which will be available for pick-up after about a week. This Groupon is also good for those who want to give glass fusing a whirl. First timers can take the glass class to learn the basics (schedule here), then put newfound skills to work building personalized frames, bowls, jewelry, and more. The typical glass project costs $15–$40.

[[m:####Clay Escape

At Clay Escape, hundreds of blank clay pieces line the walls, waiting for a new life in someone’s garden, kitchen, or dining room. Instructors help visitors pick the piece that best suits their artistic intention, and then painters go to work selecting from more than 74 paint colors and 92 specialty glazes with which to decorate their pottery. Stencils and sponges help fuel the artistic process, and a computer generates endless images for potters to paint onto a bowl or glue to a sibling’s cheek. One week later, pieces emerge glistening and brilliant, ready to take home. Clay Escape also hosts private parties for events such as birthdays, bridal showers, or Girl Scout and church meetings, and it also holds special events for holidays such as Father’s Day.:m]]

Instructors at The Painted Parrot take a lighthearted approach to painting. Each strives to empower budding artists with guidance and feedback but emphasize creative expression over technical form. Their studio space reinforces the cheerful, no-pressure vibe: green and blue walls peek out from beneath previous classes’ paintings, and the studio’s resident parrots, JoJo, Petie, and Ralphie, squawk out commands for crackers or deliver lectures on art history over the popping of BYOB bottle corks.

Located in the gorgeous High Country outside of Boone, Scream Time lets the average individual fulfill superhero fantasies and practice extreme vertigo therapy soaring above the forest floor at speeds up to 50 mph. Led by a team of rigorously certified guides trained by a band of hyperintelligent flying squirrels, patrons will float, fly, and glide from treetop to treetop on zip lines that stretch from 450 to 800 feet. Scream Time makes for a memorable first date or dynamic game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, and those not satisfied with the two-and-a-half-hour tour can book an extra ride on the Super Zip (an additional $29), a triple-wide line woven from fibers harvested from Odin’s beard and chest hair that stretches almost half a mile toward the horizon.