740 W. C St., Kannapolis
704/920-4339
HOURS: Daily dawn–dusk;
hours of specific amenities vary by season
COST: Free;
fee for extras like splash pad and Rotary Express train
Like other area parks, Village Park has walking trails, a splash pad, an amphitheater, picnic shelters, a playground, and plenty of open space.
It’s the Rotary Express train that makes the park a standout. The train is a scale replica model of a CP Huntington, which was the first locomotive purchased by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1864.
Carrying the number 262 (of 320 that have been made), the model was handcrafted in New Orleans and moved to North Carolina just two weeks before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. Tracks run through the park allowing visitors to ride the rails. Each trip is $1.