Greystone Recreation Center - A Rainy-Day Delight!

 It poured down rain, and we went to the playground! I wish I could say my kids are super tough and love to play in the cold rain, but I can't. I took them to Greystone Recreation Center (an indoor playground) in Raleigh.

I really had a great time, and so did the girls. It has a little jungle gym area (pictured above) and an 8-foot rock climbing wall. My kids were too little for it, but it looks like fun for when they get just a bit older.

It's a lot smaller than I expected and is located within a strip mall. But it was clean and perfect for a short trip on a rainy day. I have heard that they only allow so many kids and on a rainy or bad-weather day (cold, snow, hurricane/tropical storm) it can fill up fast, and they will turn you away. But we had no problem with that.

The hours, too, are a bit funny. It's open from 9-11 a.m. and reopens at 12:30- 5 Monday thru Friday. It's open 9-12 on Saturdays. So it's not terribly convenient, but I think it's worth it to break up a day or even week of bad weather!

7713-55 Lead Mine Road Raleigh, NC HIGHLIGHTS: I love the rock-climbing wall; it's a great alternative when the weather is not ideal, wonderfully decorated/painted, and the parents were incredibly friendly! I've found that's a bigger deal than it should be, but a fun park can be ruined but unfriendly moms and dads (which I saw a lot of!). LOW LIGHTS: It's in a strip mall and not the easiest to find, it's pretty small so when the kids get bored with what they see, they're done, vending machine (I dislike them greatly, as my kids then want to spend time asking for snacks they can't have instead of playing), the hours are short in the a.m. (which is the best time for my toddler and preschooler to play). COST: Free!