Adventure Kingdom, Lumberton

Seven acres of mini golf, bumper cars, paddleboats, and other attractions enthrall the young and young-at-heart at Adventure Kingdom. The park's Renaissance theme pervades 18 holes of mini golf, where colorful plaster knights joust, and a period stockade locks up players deemed criminally over par by a jury of their opponents. Fueled by gas, the bumper cars swivel and smack, and paddleboats shaped like swans gracefully float along tranquil waters. Hot days make Water Wars a must-see, as visitors hurl water balloons toward targets that trigger an onslaught of noise, splashing, and spontaneous melting.

Nearby, a log cabin built in 1932 hosts the opening scenes of birthday parties and field trips. As the birthday child tears into gifts atop a throne bordered by rich hardwood paneling, a rough-hewn wooden table sports guests' goblets and supplied tiaras. Field trippers enjoy a history lesson about Texan frontier life or about the Renaissance before racing toward free volleyball courts and horseshoes or picnic tables and tents perfect for outdoor feasts or meetings about new recess-line etiquette.