Hickory, NC; A great place to raise kids!

If you're wanting a family-friendly area to raise kids, the Catawba Valley area around Hickory, NC is hard to beat. No matter what the interest of your children, there are plenty of recreation activities to excite them. Hickory offers a great public library system with a huge selection of books, videos and movies in its many branches. The Catawba Science Center, adjacent to the main branch, will keep kids riveted on rainy days. And they always have new displays and presentations to keep kids wanting to go back for more. There are numerous parks within the city limits offering nature trails, water-side walks, playgrounds with the latest equipment, skate parks and public pools. The Greenway is a long community walk that offers great excercise and views. And there are horse-back riding stables with affordable lessons for kids of all ages. For those who prefer traditional organized sports for kids, we have it all. There is a huge soccer complex off I-40 at exit 121 which offers at least eight soccer fields, gazebo, two playgrounds and a jogging/riding track. There are school leagues, intramural leagues and sports activities of all types. There are community pools with recreational swimming and swim leagues. Our favorite is the East Burke Youth Athletic Association (EBYAO). They have sports leagues for younger kids up through the grade school ages in outdoor soccer, indoor soccer, football, basket ball, and wrestling. And the Girls American League Softball (GALS) has fast-pitch teams for girls of all ages. Because EBYAO understands that sports for kids should be fun first, and then competitive, kids aren't penalized for missing a practice for school, family gatherings and vacations, or church. For family getaways; We have Lake Hickory, Lake James and Lake Norman; The North Carolina coast is 4 hours, Gatlinburg, TN is 3 hours, and South Mountain State Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the North Carolina mountains are right out your back door. And for more exciting fun, North Carolina offers plenty of zoos, waterparks and Carowinds Amusement park. Come see all Hickory, NC and the Catawba Valley have to offer. www.BillWilliamsRealestate.com