Pre-Trip Fun for Charlotte, North Carolina

"Days of Thunder" -- Get your kids' engines revved up before going to Lowes Motor Speedway. (Teens and up)

"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" -- Teens who are into NASCAR will appreciate this funny movie, but it's not appropriate for younger children. (Teens and up)

"Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" -- If your kids are going to try making their own animation at ImaginOn, watch this first for inspiration. (Pre-schoolers and up)

Barbecue Pork: Smokey, sweet, tangy, barbeque -- a Carolina favorite.

Banana Pudding: There's no better finish to a southern meal than banana pudding.

Brunswick Stew: A popular southern dish that often accompanies barbecue pork.

"A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors" -- This field guide will help kids to tell the difference between a hawk, eagle, and vulture. Test their prowess at the Carolina Raptor Center. (Ages 10 and up)

"T is for Tarheel: A North Carolina Alphabet" -- Learn about North Carolina from A to Z ("zoom," of course, is for NASCAR). (Ages 4-8)

"Quick Draw Flip Books" -- Practice the basics of stop motion animation before you get to ImaginOn. (Ages 9-12)

Race car craft: Get psyched for NASCAR by making these fun race cars. They're not stock cars, but they'll still get your kids into the spirit of things.

Butterfly garden: Get ready for the Nature Museum by learning about the plants that attract butterflies.