Our three towns of Lake Norman: Cornelius, Huntersville, and Davidson have activities and fun for people of all abilities to enjoy. Lake Norman is committed to having accessible activities so that everyone can explore our towns and all they have to offer. From arcades to festivals to shopping, keep reading to learn about the most accessible things to do in the area!


 

Cain Center for the Arts

Want to admire some art or enjoy a show? Cain Center for the Arts is an organization dedicated to the creative expression of those in the Lake Norman region. This center offers an array of literary, visual, and performing arts for you to enjoy. Anyone who has an appreciation for the arts will have a blast here!

Cain Center for the Arts strives to make its art accessible. The art galleries and theater are fully accessible, with accessible seating available in several locations throughout the theater. They also have Assisted Listening Devices available for every performance.

You can request accommodations in advance through phone or email to the Cain Center, or in person the day of your desired event through the main lobby. Staff can direct guests to accessible seating or provide them with Assisted Listening Devices. 

There is also accessible parking available on Milling Way. You can view their parking page here for more details. 

Cain Center for the Arts currently does not have any sensory programs at this time but are currently looking to expand its offerings. 

 

Cain Center

 

Cain Center for the Arts


 

Birkdale Village


Birkdale Village

If you feel like doing some shopping, Birkdale Village is a great place to stop by. Birkdale Village is an outdoor shopping, dining, and residential area with fun places to check out, from boutiques to dessert shops to plenty of restaurants.

Birkdale Village offers concierge services that include complimentary wheelchair and stroller rentals. Handicap parking is also available in the decks and surface lots. The plaza and fountain areas, where most of the events take place, are wheelchair accessible. These spaces are located behind the concierge and valet. The public restrooms have wheelchair accessible stalls and the crosswalks are wheelchair accessible as well. 

 


 

Carolina Renaissance Festival

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a vibrant and exciting celebration of Medieval and Renaissance culture with all kinds of fun activities including costumed performers, artisan vendors, and lively entertainment. There are also plenty of games and rides, a horseback jousting tournament, mermaids and fairies, and tons of food and drink options for feasting! This event takes place on weekends and runs from Oct 5 - Nov 24.

This festival is also fairly accessible and accommodations are available. There is a mild grade throughout the fair and it is located on firmly packed ground. This event is outdoors and the pathways vary from dirt, grass, and graveled lanes. Accessible parking is available as well as ADA-compliant portable restrooms. 

Wheelchairs are also available to rent for $30.00 on a first-come, first-serve basis through the Belrose Costume Rental Shop which is located just outside of the festival entrance.

For neurodivergent individuals and those with sensory issues, this festival is full of colorful sights and loud sounds sometimes coming from multiple directions. It is recommended to have a caregiver attend the event first to help decide if it is right for you. 

Carolina Renaissance Festival


 

Discovery Place KIDS

 

Discovery Place

Discovery Place Kids

Want to unleash your creativity and explore? Or maybe you have kiddos that do? Discovery Place Kids is a learning-focused children's museum that has interactive exhibits to get lost in and explore. People of all ages should be able to have a great time here!

Discovery Place Kids has wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-serve basis at all of their museums. Visitors can request a wheelchair at the ticket check-in and they are sanitized after each use!

They also offer sensory-friendly hours from 9:30 am - 1:00 pm to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for children with sensory sensitivities, including those on the autism spectrum, those with sensory processing disorders, and those with vision or hearing impairments. During these dedicated times, the museum adjusts various elements to create a more inclusive experience for all visitors. These adjustments include reduced noise levels, softened lighting, limited attendance, and designated quiet spaces. 


 

Sparetime in Huntersville 

Sparetime Huntersville is a premier entertainment destination offering a dynamic and fun-filled experience for people of all ages. This venue features many fun activities such as a bowling alley with 27 bowling lanes, and arcade with 115 arcade games, 4 escape rooms, and a full bar and restaurant. 

The entire Sparetime building is ADA accessible with ramps for everything and no steps required for entry. They have ADA bowling alleys and the laser tag arena is also wheelchair accessible. 

sparetime

Light and sound modifications can also be made upon request for those with sensory issues. Sparetime also welcomes service dogs into the venue. 


 

Frankie's Indoor

 

Frankie's of Charlotte

Frankie's of Charlotte is an entertainment center that promises endless fun and excitement for visitors of all ages! Frankie's offers many different attractions such as arcade games and bowling. They also have a full-service restaurant and bar with plenty of food options to choose from if you get hungry!

The entire park is wheelchair accessible including the bowling alley. Many of the arcade games/attractions are accessible and inclusive to people of different abilities.

However, Frankie's is very loud and has a lot of flashing lights so it is not recommended for those with sensory issues.


 

Northern Regional Recreation Center

The Northern Regional Recreation Center is a facility that offers health and wellness activities, nature education programs, and therapeutic recreation programs for all ages! Providing a top-of-the-line facility, the center offers a broad range of features such as a pool, yoga studios, garden spaces, and more. 

This center's family pool is accessible as it includes an ADA pool lift. Accessible gardening beds are also available. Gardening Free Time is held Wednesdays 2:00-3:30 pm and Thursdays 1:00-2:30 pm and open to people of all abilities. 


Northern Regional Recreation Center


 

Quest at Latta Nature Preserve

Quest at Latta Nature Preserve is an engaging environmental education center located in Huntersville. This facility serves as a hub for nature exploration and learning, offering visitors a wide range of interactive exhibits and hands-on activities designed to foster a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Latta Nature Preserve Quest Center

Quest Center Latta Nature Preserve

The Nature Center is accessible to any users with four ADA accessible parking spots right in front of the building. 

Quest at Latta Nature Preserve is also a location for the Tackle Loaner Program.  The Tackle Loaner Program is a fantastic initiative aimed at making fishing more accessible to everyone, especially beginners and those without equipment. This program allows individuals to borrow fishing gear such as rods, reels, and tackle boxes at no cost.

Adaptive fishing gear can be loaned to anglers with disabilities at this site. This gear includes a Velcro reeling system and assistive arm or hand pole holders/grips for those with limited or no hand function. Wheelchair pole holders are also available.


 

Davidson College Campus


Davidson College is a prestigious liberal arts college in the town of Davidson. This diverse campus has over 1,700 students from various states and countries. The campus is also over 170 years old, so many buildings and features date back to its early days and provide a great history of the school. 

There are accessible pathways around the main buildings such as Chambers, Union, and Wall. Some locations like Turner and Campus Summit are not wheelchair accessible. 

 

Davidson Campus


 

These are just some activities Lake Norman has to offer for people of all abilities. Next time you visit Lake Norman, stop by and share your adventures by tagging us @visitlakenorman! We hope you have a blast.

Additionally, we want our website to be accessible and useable to as many people as possible. Our partnership with AudioEye includes their AudioEye Ally Toolbar (the blue icon in the very right bottom corner) which immediately improves website accessibility. The goal of this tool is to remove access barriers potentially impeding access for individuals of varying abilities, so you can browse to your hearts content!