18 Best Things to Do in Mooresville, North Carolina

© The Lazy 5 Ranch

Home to more than 750 animals representing 6 of the world's continents, the Lazy 5 Ranch is a privately owned and operated zoo with exotic animals like zebras and giraffes as well as more familiar farm animals. A 3 1/2-mile driving route runs through the park; visitors are welcome to drive their own vehicles, and for an additional fee, you can take a horse-drawn wagon ride. Many of the animals come right up to the vehicles to be fed and pet, and wagon riders are provided with half a bucket of animal feed. Extra buckets are available for purchase.

15100 Mooresville Rd, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-663-5100

© Penske Racing South Facility

Sitting on a 105-acre property, the Penske Racing South Facility is a state-of-the-art facility that all three of the Team Penske racing teams call home. All the teams' NASCAR and IndyCar are kept here, and there's a 330-foot fan walk where visitors can watch as cars are prepared for upcoming races. Tours of the facility can be arranged on certain days, and if you want to bring home a souvenir, you can also stop by the 4,986-square-foot gift shop to pick up a piece of Penske Racing merchandise.

200 Penske Way, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-664-2300

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Boasting more than 140,000 square feet of indoor entertainment, the Pit Indoor Kart Racing is an excellent place to experience the adrenaline rush of go-karting and other exciting activities. The 70,000-foot track boasts 20 challenging turns and plenty of space for passing, and the karts sit only inches off the ground and can reach speeds of up to 45 mph. A viewing area with TVs overlooks the track for people who would rather watch than ride, and other activities include a black light mini golf course, a laser tag arena, and more than 65 arcade games.

346 E Plaza Dr, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-799-3470

© Carrigan Farms

Family owned and operated for five generations, Carrigan Farms grows some of the most delicious fresh produce in all of North Carolina. They typically have fruits and vegetables for sale between the middle of April and the middle of November, and there are several U-Pick options as well, including strawberries and asparagus in the spring and pumpkins and apples in the fall. The property also features a beautiful spring-fed quarry with a sandy beach volleyball court, and during the summer, visitors can attend an open swim, participate in a water aerobics class, or book the space for a private swim party.

1261 Oakridge Farm Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-664-1450

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JR Motorsports is well known in the racing world as the management company for NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and they operate a 66,000-square-foot race shop that's a must-visit for any racing fans in Mooresville. The gift shop has a wide range of items for sale, including apparel, autographed items, and used race car tires, and there's a small viewing area where you can see some JR Motorsports cars on display. The gift shop is open Monday through Saturday, and if you call in advance, you might be able to arrange a behind the scenes tour of the shop.

349 Cayuga Dr, Mooresville, NC 28117, Phone: 704-799-4800

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One of the top NASCAR teams in North Carolina, Kyle Busch Motorsports operates out of a 77,000-square-foot facility with a gift shop and plenty of interesting things for visitors to see. Many of Kyle Busch's trophies are displayed across five separate trophy cases, including the 2015 Sprint Cup Champion Trophy, and there are also some KBM Owners Champion Trophies. A number of winning cars and trucks on display as well, with highlights including Kyle’s First Cup Win car and six Toyota vehicles from the Bristol Sweep, and the gift shop offers a wide range of apparel and other merchandise to choose from.

351 Mazeppa Rd, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-662-0000

© Memory Lane Museum

Featuring an incredible collection of more than 150 unique vehicles, the Memory Lane Museum is the perfect place to learn about the history of motorsports. Many of the cars are vintage race cars and retired NASCAR cars in pristine condition, but there's also a display of wrecked race cars that shows the evolution of safety features in the sport over the years. Other items on display include antique toys, pedal cars, and a large collection of racing go-karts. The museum is open Monday through Saturday with extended hours during race weeks, and guided tours are available by appointment.

769 River Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28117, Phone: 704-662-3673

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A unique combination of living museum and coffee shop, the Welcome Home Veterans Living Military Museum was created in honor of Vietnam War veteran Richard Warren, who operated a local cafe that was a gathering place for the community's veterans. The museum houses a cafe in Richard's memory, and it also has plenty of war memorabilia on display and a gift shop where you can purchase military merchandise. Breakfast, lunch, and coffee are served Monday through Saturday, and veterans receive free coffee every Thursday. A particularly good time to visit is on Saturday morning, when musicians gather to play music.

165 N Main St, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-663-0488

© Lake Norman Antique Mall

Housed inside a historic textile mill, the Lake Norman Antique Mall is one of the best shopping destinations in town, particularly if you're looking for home furnishings and decor. Visitors can browse the stalls of more than 200 vendors selling an eclectic array of antiques and collectibles, and if you get hungry while you're shopping, the building is also home to a pizzeria and a burger joint. The mall is open every day except for Christmas and Thanksgiving, and if you can't make it during opening hours, some products can be purchased from their online store.

467 E Plaza Dr, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-799-8767

© Mooresville Arts Gallery

Located right downtown, the Mooresville Arts Gallery is a non-profit organization that has been the heart of the city's arts community for decades. There are three gallery spaces that host rotating exhibitions of art by local, regional, and international artists, and artist receptions are held once a month, usually on a Friday evening. Admission to the galleries and the receptions is free of charge, and visitors are always encouraged to attend. If you'd rather try your hand at creating your own masterpiece, you can also attend one of the many arts and crafts workshops that are held here.

103 W Center Ave, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-663-6661

© Epic Chophouse

Established in 2010, the Epic Chophouse is a fine dining restaurant that offers one of the most outstanding dining experiences in the Lake Norman region. The menu focuses on steak and seafood dishes, with highlights including the petite lobster tails and the aged long-bone tomahawk ribeye, and surf and turf options are available for anyone who wants an extra-special meal. The restaurant also features a comfortable lounge with a creative cocktail menu, and a special happy hour food menu available to customers who order a cocktail. Complimentary valet parking is available.

104 S Main St, Mooresville, NC 28115, Phone: 704-230-1720

© Pomodoro's Italian American

Formerly known as La Pizza, Pomodoro's Italian American is a sleek, family friendly restaurant that specializes in hearty, delicious comfort food. The menu offers a wide variety of salads, calzones, and pasta dishes with your choice of noodle, and when it comes to pizza, you can choose between three types of crusts and dozens of specialty toppings. Plenty of vegetarian options are available as well, and if you're not feeling too hungry, there's also an entire section of the menu dedicated to smaller dishes served with salad. Private dining rooms are available for groups of up to 40 people.

168 Norman Station Blvd, Mooresville, NC 28117, Phone: 704-663-6686

© Big Daddy's of Lake Norman

Big Daddy's of Lake Norman started out as a small, family-run hot dog restaurant on the beach many years ago, and although it's still family owned and operated, it's now a sprawling 500-seat seafood restaurant with an oyster bar. The menu offers almost every kind of seafood imaginable, but the most popular dishes are the seafood platters, which come with a delicious assortment of the day's freshest catches. If you're not a seafood fan, you can also order a steak, a pasta dish, or a hamburger, and all customers have the option to enjoy the restaurant's famous all-you-can-eat salad bar.

1162 River Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28117, Phone: 704-663-4242

© Mooresville Museum

The Mooresville Museum is located in the heart of downtown Mooresville where it preserves and showcases a treasure trove of artifacts which tell the story of early Mooresville and the people who settled there. Just of a few of the exhibits you can see at the museum include the original typeset for early newspapers, a Civil War Drum, costumes and menus from DeLuxe Ice Cream and early motors which powered Frigidaire fridges. One exhibit is filled with early medical instruments (very scary-looking by today’s standards) and another celebrates one hundred years of railway history. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday each week.

132 E. Center Ave, Mooresville, NC 28115, 704 663 1873

© Johnny Brusco's New York Style Pizza

Originally a New York pizza joint operated by a pair of entrepreneurial brothers, Johnny Brusco's New York Style Pizza is a casual pizza chain with locations all over the southeastern United States. They're best known for their specialty pizzas, which are always made fresh to order, and cauliflower and gluten-free pizza crusts are available for anyone who doesn't want a traditional crust. Other menu items include toasted subs, calzones and stromboli, and Italian-style dinner plates served with salad and garlic bread. Both dine-in and take-out options are available, and if you're in a rush, you can order online.

108 Argus Ln Suite C & D, Mooresville, NC 28117, Phone: 704-799-9261

© North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame

Celebrating everything to do with cars and racing, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame extends a warm welcome to all racing enthusiasts. The museum is aptly located in Mooresville, which is commonly regarded as the racing capital of the US. All types of racing is featured – from drag racing to stock cars and petrol-heads will have the time of their lives admiring the collection of drag racers and stock cars on exhibit, while they learn all about the drivers who sat behind their wheels and made them famous. Besides the cars, the museum is also home to a great collection of racing memorabilia which will be of interest to all racing fans.

119 Knob Hill Road, Lakeside Park, Mooresville, NC 28117, 704 663 5331

© Shelton Classics and Performance

Cars and racing have always been at the heart of Mooresville and the city is widely known a racing hub. Chances are, you wouldn’t be visiting Mooresville if you weren’t interested in cars and racing, so when you plan your itinerary you should definitely make time to visit Shelton Classis and Performance, where you can feast your eyes on a wonderful collection of modern and vintage cars which are on display and available for purchase. This is also the place to go if you happen to have a special vintage car of your own which you would like to sell. Shelton Classics is open Tuesday to Saturday.

158 Rolling Hill Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117, 704 663 0432

© GoPro Motorplex

Once you have visited all the race-related attractions in Mooresville, you are bound to be champing at the bit to get behind the wheel and do some racing of your own. This is where GoPro Motorplex comes in. The complex is home to a brilliant 0.7 mile outdoor go karting track, inspired by the Kartdromo Parma track in Italy, where you can hone your kartng skills. Drivers have to be over 16 to participate and you are welcome to bring along your own go kart if you have one. The track comprises 11 turns and the rental karts can reach a speed of 55mph, promising a thrilling and very authentic racing experience.

130 Motorplex Drive, Mooresville, NC 28115, 704 696 2926