Carowinds

Steve’s take

Carowinds literally straddles the North Carolina-South Carolina border — you can ride a roller coaster that starts in one state and ends in another. If your family needs a theme park day to break up the drive, this is your I-77 version of Kings Dominion. The waterpark section is massive, the Fury 325 roller coaster is genuinely terrifying, and the kids will sleep like rocks in the car afterward. Budget a full day.