Carowinds

The theme park straddling the South Carolina-North Carolina line opens for weekends starting today. In fact, the theme park’s open daily through Monday (for those with the long holiday weekend to play). You can check out what’s new from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, challenge yourself on the thrill rides (nearly a dozen of them, including some hair-raising coasters). For details, check Carowinds.

Winthrop Farm

You probably know Winthrop Lake. Or maybe you don’t. It’s the place off to the right of Winthrop Coliseum on Eden Terrace, a great place for walking and sunning. But venture out while you’re there and discover the Piedmont Wetlands Project, an acre of native species trees and shrubs, where you might spy a heron or two from the boardwalk. And don’t forget to check if there’s a baseball game going on.

Local parks

How many parks are there? Let us count the paths ... Cherry Park and Glencairn Garden and the Greenway and ... well, you get the idea. You can’t toss a stone without finding a green spot for it to land. So pack a picnic and drive around. Might we recommend the little gem of Fewell Park tucked away on Alexander Road. You’ll find a comprehensive list in the online version of The Herald’s York County Magazine.

The river

You might know it by its proper name, Lake Wylie, but being out on the river is one of the best ways to soak up nature. We hear the water level’s up a bit, enough to make sitting on the deck at T-Bones (next to the Buster Boyd Bridge up near River Hills) worth the time. The beer’s optional, but feeding the ducks is a must. You can try one of the boat landings, just for sitting or putting in if you’ve a mind.

Your backyard

Some folks don’t want to venture any farther out than the backyard. Or maybe just the screened porch. That’s fine. If you’re inclined, grab a book and sit back under the shady canopy. Psst ... we bet the wireless reaches out there, too, so if you tote along the laptop, we won’t tell.