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Deals on Summer Fun with Employee Discounts

Enjoy theme parks, state parks, North Carolina Zoo and more

Whether you want thrill rides, wildlife or mountain scenery, there are plenty of fun summer deals available for Duke employees.
Whether you want thrill rides, wildlife or mountain scenery, there are plenty of fun summer deals available for Duke employees.

Dr. Victoria Thornton loves the North Carolina mountains for their bucolic beauty, proximity to activity-filled state parks, and scarce Internet connection.

A consulting associate with the School of Nursing and School of Medicine, Thornton has used Duke’s employee discount to visit Chimney Rock State Park near Asheville with her husband and grandkids during the summer. 

“The mountains of North Carolina are beautiful,” she said. “They really take us back to nature. I find it restorative.” 

This summer, get back to nature and enjoy other destinations using Duke employee discounts. 

Love thrill rides? 

Check out Carowinds, Kings Dominion and Wet’n Wild Emerald Pointe – all of which offer savings on admission. Virginia-based Kings Dominion features rides like the Viking ship “Beserker” and “Drop Tower.” 

Kristina Eilbacher, a neurosurgery physician assistant, and her fiancé, Adam, travel through the South, chasing their favorite summer fun: roller coasters. Last summer, she used the discount at Kings Dominion and Carowinds, both of which offer special online pricing for employees through this season.

“I like the anticipation of doing that big drop,” she said.

 

Want to get up close with animals?

The North Carolina Zoo is situated on 2,200-acres in the Uwharrie Mountains in Asheboro, where approximately 500 acres has been developed into the largest natural habitat zoo in the U.S. From animal exhibits to an aviary that showcases over 3,000 tropical plants and dozens of exotic birds, the zoo brings nature to you only a few hours from Durham.

Day pass ticket prices range from $9 to $13.

Interested in a ride back in time?

Visit Tweetsie Railroad, the Appalachian Mountains’ “Wild West Theme Park,” which dates back to 1866. Besides a scenic three-mile train ride through the mountains in Blowing Rock, the park offers a carousel, live entertainment and other activities. 

“So excited that Duke has a Tweetsie Railroad discount,” said Stephanie Swan, an administrative assistant with the Metabolic/ Weight Loss Surgery clinic. “My sons will get to experience the same places that my sister and I did, which means a lot now that my sister has passed.” 

Online discount prices are $39 for ages 13 and up and $23 for ages 3-12. 

Or, return to nature like Thornton at Chimney Rock State Park. Located about an hour outside Asheville, the park consists of more than 6,800 acres, offering miles of trails, including Exclamation Point, which ends at the highest peak in the park.  

Save $2 off adult admission and $1 off youth admission. 

To access the discounts, visit hr.duke.edu/discounts and search by discount type. Some discounts require logging in with NetID and password.