[fsu18cheergirl]

I went to Carowinds for the first time this past summer with a group from my school while were passing through. Carowinds was excellent...I luved it and plan to go back. We stayed at the Holiday Inn express across the street, but there wasn't anything else at that exit. What's up with that??? A Wendys and convenient stores. We saw this Mall in a big blue building and some kind of pottery place -- we didn't go to it ..what is that ?

[Dukeis#1]

I Believe your refering to Carolina Pottery.

And the reason that Carowinds does not have many hotels around it is because it is in an industrial/office park. (There's another story there as well)

[CarowindsZone]

I think there is three hotels on Carowinds Blvd. The park was built in a industrial/office park (i think) because it was planned for the park to include a lot more. One hotel is closed, it was the Carowinds Hotel. Anyone know the story about that?

[fsu18cheergirl]

That was it --- Carolina Pottery. What is that? We saw billboards for it, but we didn't have time to check it out. What is it?

The Mall however, looked kinda dead.

And what is the deal with the industrial park? Why don't they put more shops and things to do around there?

[Jonathan]

If you go 2 minutes down the interstate then there are tons of things to do. Restaurants, shops, movies, fun centers, and so on and so on.

[MarkD]

cheergirl I feel your pain. Altho I live here when you go to some of the other parks they have more to do outside the park than inside. Island of Adventure comes to mind as I was just there in August.
Altho Carowinds is in an industrial park it seems like they could get together with the local officals from both states and get some more attractions, accomodations, eateries around.
As for the Carolina Pottery Mall? I have never seen it busy and I don't do pottery.

[Jonathan]

But, why would Carowinds want more to do around it? If there aren't many places to eat beside the park, then people are forced to eat inside the park and pay park prices. With that said, there is a ton to do around Carowinds, just not within walking distance. Kings Island and Kings Dominion are both off the interstate with virtually nothing near them.

[fsu18cheergirl]

I agree with the previous post. There needs to be more at that exit. That was the impression me and my friends had.

But has anybody been to this Carolina Pottery? It looked kind of interesting from the bill boards...i love home decor stuff...is that what is in that big warehouse building?

[pkidude03]

The mall with the blue roof is Crossroads Mall. It isn't a very popular mall because there aren't very many popular stores in it.
I have been to a Carolina Pottery, but it was a few years ago & it was in Asheville. If you're into home decor and ceramic stuff.. you would like it. I just remember a lot of decorative ceramic things, odds & ends... stuff like that. Just stop by there next time you go back to Carowinds.
Hope that helps...

I do agree that more needs to be added along exit 90. More hotels & motels would be great! I don't really know how more stores would lower Carowinds's income because across PKI is a whole other waterpark and a tennis stadium. PKI still does pretty well.

[Jonathan]

Carolina Pottery is essentially the only reason that mall is there, and it is the only reason the mall has survived. It's always been a pretty popular place, and I would say 99% of the people who are in that mall each day are either there because they wanted to go to Carolina Pottery, or they're there because they just came out of or are going into Carowinds.

[Trev32]

that mall right across from carowinds?? that thing looks smaller than a YMCA

[Jonathan]

I've seen some crazy-huge YMCA's, though. B)

[CarowindsZone]

YMCAs? The mall is pretty small.

[fsu18cheergirl]

B) Thanx for your comments. I just talked to a friend of mine who lives in Charlotte and she said that the Mall sucks...but that Carolina Pottery is pretty cool. She goes there all the time. I think I'll check it out the next time I go to Carowinds.

[Sw33tGirl]

Carloina Pottey is OK but Pottery Barn or Michael's are better and not that far away. The mall is dead and is mostly for older folk .... the Hamrick's store has tour busses come from retirement homes all the time.