This article is brought to you by OrthoCarolina. You. Improved.
Mooresville has rightfully earned the nickname Race City USA for its plethora of racing related businesses, NASCAR garages, and museums, but the vibrant town has a lot more to offer residents than all things NASCAR — especially when it comes to ways to stay fit and healthy. To get to the bottom of finding the very best places in the area to help you reach your fitness and health goals we consulted with the doctors and staff at ORTHOCAROLINA’S Mooresville Office at 124 Welton Way as our August experts on Locals Living the Healthy Life, the Mooresville Edition.
With their help we found a myriad of incredible options to get outdoors and fun ways stay active from mountain biking trails and popular swimming holes to fitness classes designed for new moms and paddleboard yoga.
Best Places to Walk/Bike/Run in Mooresville
Not only does Bellingham Park have a one-mile, paved walking trail that’s ideal for a leisurely stroll or run, but the scenic trail also features five different fitness stations along the way that are sure to get your heart pumping.
Mazeppa Park is another great place to get in some cardio work. It’s home to a paved walking trail that stretches to approximately two miles as well as almost five miles of mountain biking trails. The Mazeppa Park Mountain Bike Trail is a singletrack trail that snakes through the property’s scenic woods and was designed to suit every type of rider from beginner to advance.
Best Places to Walk Your Dog in Mooresville
While you can take your favorite four-legged friend for a walk along many of the area parks’ walking trails — as long as they’re on a leash — Academy Street Park has a dedicated dog park for your pet to safely run off-leash inside a fenced-in area. The dog park is broken into two seperate areas with one area designated for smaller dogs to play and the other for larger breeds.
Most Underrated or Unknown Exercise Options in Mooresville
Get of part your weekly cardio training in at the War Memorial Pool, where you can swim laps to your heart’s content. The pool offers an adult’s only lap swim every weekend for two hours between 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Admission is only $3.
Best Free or Almost Free Fitness in the Area
Throughout the year Mooresville Parks & Recreation offers a wide variety of opportunities to work out and stay active for free at several different locations throughout the area. You can take your pick from exercise classes that are designed to build up strength and flexibility to square dancing and organized walking clubs. Mooresville Parks & Rec also offers free open gym nights at the Talbert Recreation Center located at 210 Talbert Pointe Dr. The rec center has a variety of cardio and weight lifting equipment available.
Best Nearby Outdoor Activities for Families
Spend that last few days of summer outdoors cooling off at the War Memorial Pool. From now through Labor Day the pool is open for public swim every Monday to Friday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 and there is a on-site concession stand that serves snacks and drinks.
Get up close and personal with all sorts of exotic animals from giraffes and zebras to kangaroos and camels on a on a wagon ride through Lazy 5 Ranch. Rides for adults are $16 and $11 for children ages 2-11. Be sure to purchase a bucket of food for even more excitement along the trip.
Zootastic Park is also close by and another great place to spend the day outside surrounded by beautiful creatures. You can walk around the zoo with your family to enjoy the animals at your own pace, or, opt for a wagon ride. Admission is $13.50 for adults and $11.50 for children ages 2-11.
Best Nearby Outdoor Activities for Dates
Next time you’re looking for an adventurous date idea consider taking the big leap into the popular quarry Carrigan Farm. The farm offers a daily open swim from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and admission is $15 per person. To go the extra mile and extend the date you can pack a romantic picnic lunch to enjoy on the property after swimming.
Try something new together while testing your balancing skills during a paddleboard yoga class with Lake Yoga Tribe. Even if you end up off balance and in the water at least your significant other will get a good laugh, right? Not into the whole water thing? They also offer several different yoga classes on land.
Best Neighborhood Studios in Mooresville
Whether you’re new to yoga and looking for beginner classes, or, someone who’s been practicing a while and looking for a full body workout, Gotta Yoga has a weekly class that’s perfect for you. The studio offers everything from deep stretching and warm yoga flow to gentle and restorative yoga. Unlimited monthly memberships are $45. New students can purchase two weeks of unlimited yoga to try the studio for $20.
Just because you’ve got a little one (or two, or three) at home doesn’t mean you have to completely give up on your fitness journey. The Fit4Mom gang knows how tough it can be to be a new mom and stay in shape, and they’re dedicated to solving the problem with classes centered around having your little one right there with you. Their Stroller Strides and Stroller Barre classes are two of the most popular — and as the names suggest they both incorporate your baby stroller (and hopefully sleeping baby) into your workout. Mooresville classes are usually held at the Talbert Recreation Center, The Bridge Church, and Flying High Gymnastics.
Best Vegetarian/Vegan/Juice Restaurant in Mooresville
Stop by Clean Juice Mooresville after a workout and take your pick from their long list of organic juices, smoothies, cold-presses, and acai bowls. Have the kiddos in tow? They even offer kid smoothies so your little ones can learn healthy habits at an early age. And, if you want something a little more hearty than a juice or smoothie, but still want to stick to something healthy, Clean Juice also has a variety of mixed green and quinoa bowls.
Whether you’re looking for a vegetarian-friendly breakfast, brunch, or lunch spot, Famous Toastery has you covered. And, with two locations — downtown and Town Square — in Mooresville you’ve got options on where to go, too. The restaurants’ menus feature a wide selection of vegetarian options that range from an avocado Benedict, and portobello and roasted veggie wrap with lemon garlic dressing to a quinoa and kale salad drizzled with raspberry dressing.
Best Place to Eat After Your Workout
After a hard workout get your fill of fresh-cut veggies and load up on proteins like beef tenderloin, yellowfin tuna, and salmon with a signature salad from Field of Greens Cafe. Or, build your own salad exactly the way you like it. The menu also boasts several delicious homemade soups and wraps.
Best Neighborhood Outdoor/Athletic Store to Buy Your Gear in Mooresville
The Charlotte Running Company’s Mooresville location makes it easy to get your hands on the latest in running and training gear. They carry a wide selection of shoes and apparel from top-of-the-line brands like Brooks, Altra, Under Armour, and Mizuno, as well as accessories like Camelbak backpacks and Garmin GPS watches.
Now that you’ve seen our list of bests, we’d love to hear about the ways you stay fit, active, and healthy in Mooresville. Leave a comment with your favorite places to get active or grab a healthy meal.
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