Things to Do in Smithfield

Seasoned tour guides at the nonprofit Conservators' Center acquaint guests with 19 species of rare, rescued, and endangered animals during tours, educational programs, and special events. The conservatory's mammals reside in enclosures, allowing observers to safely watch their behavior and critique their sense of interior decoration. During tours, a 3/4-mile walk down outdoor paths and roads acquaints visitors with lions, tigers, wolves, and lemurs as guides list each animal's backstory and role in the ecosystem. On treat-feeding and enrichment tours, guides carry scents, snacks, and toys to coax out timorous creatures and foster close-up views of the animals eating, playing, or arguing the merits of Austrian economics. Photography tours grant shutterbugs backstage access as they enter areas off the regular path, and twilight tours afford views of normally inconspicuous nocturnal species, such as the genets and kinkajous.

In addition to interactive tours, three membership levels net supporters discounts on special events, a photograph of one of the resident lions, and Member of the Pride gear. Membership also supports the center's commitment to rescuing animals in need, breeding animals responsibly, and stressing the importance of conservation through community education and demonstrations of animals turning off faucets while brushing their teeth.

Rather than relying on lectures and stuffy articles, Imagination Station Science and History Museum engages visitors of all ages in the sciences with a range of dynamic exhibits and interactive programs. The museum—housed in Wilson's former federal post office and courthouse—thrills guests with rotating displays as well as 22 permanent exhibits. These hands-on galleries house animal collections, which include live specimens such as turtles and albino lizards. A range of educational programs such as field trips, themed science day camps, and science demonstrations complement these exhibits. The interactive center is also a resource for local information—a small, regional history exhibit on the third floor detail local history and culture.

With 18 acres of blooming gardens and natural North Carolina wetlands, the Sylvan Heights Bird Park provides a home for more than 2,000 ducks, geese, and exotic egg layers. As they stroll along the trails and waterfront, guests can observe birds hailing from almost every continent, such as peacocks, flamingos, and toucans. In addition to the walk-through aviaries, the park aims to educate and entertain visitors with interactive children’s programs, tours, and activities such as scavenger hunts. Among its many attractions are the Bird’s Nest Treehouse and Beaver Pond Blind, both of which showcase the state’s native plants and animals and highlight the importance of wetland conservation.

Though she had already established four fitness businesses and accrued more than 20 years of experience as an instructor, Blythe Bracey’s introduction to hot yoga was reformative. The art helped her overcome the emotional turmoil of divorce and fueled her tenacity in life, so much so that she opened me. to spread the word about hot yoga’s many benefits. Blythe guides students through classes in a room heated to 100–105 degrees, the known boiling point of inspiration. She encourages guests to make the experience a personal one—just as it was for her—and highlights hot yoga's capacity to boost mental as well as physical health.

Ballet-inspired workouts, boot camp, and Pilates courses are also part of Blythe's curriculum, facilitated by the gym's two floors and trove of equipment. Regardless of their background, all guests progress through routines at their own pace in an effort to cultivate self-awareness.

In a 2011 interview with the Rocky Mount Telegram, George Millar reveals he has been a facilitating fun for a long time. "Soccer wasn't in existence when we started," he points out, and neither were home video games. Noticing a dearth of places in his hometown where kids and families could safely enjoy themselves, he put his skills as a professional contractor to work. In 10 outdoor batting cages, he installed pitching machines that sling baseballs and softballs from T-ball speeds up to 80 miles per hour. Next, he and his crew of five guys—all of whom are still operating the business today—built an 18-hole mini-golf course modeled after those in Myrtle Beach, designing a path that winds past waterfalls, natural plantings, and tricky bunkers filled with saltwater taffy. An arcade blares with games and the crack of pool balls ricocheting inside, and an elephant-shaped inflatable bounce house bobs with jumpers inside until they come zipping out down its slide.

Throughout the week, Bounce-N-Around buzzes with activity as kids scramble and jump over the springy landscapes of inflatable bouncers. Arcade games test hand-eye coordination and aptitude at space invading, and electric kiddie rides—such as horses, cars, and helicopters—bob back and forth in their own area. A mini movie theater provides a scaled-down, all-ages cinema experience, complete with tiered seating.