Chatham Park is focused on providing its residents a high quality of life in all aspects from working and learning to relaxing and playing! There are many fun and exciting options this summer within Chatham Park and the Pittsboro area for people and families in all stages of life to enjoy. Whether you like to hike, swim, or just relax, we have found the perfect places and activities to explore in and around our neighborhood.

Knight Farm Community Park: Memorial Day weekend 2021 saw the dedication ceremony of Knight Farm Community Park, the first of many recreational parks and open spaces planned within Chatham Park. Just down the street from our Information Center, the park has already become an inviting staple in our development. The 10-acre park integrates natural materials repurposed from the site’s former farmland into its Natureground play area, a spacious dog park, and the measured walking trail around its perimeter. Knight Farm Community Park offers several fun activities for kids of all ages, including a large splash pad where colorful water fountains cool you off. Other activities include whimsical playhouse equipment, a dragon-shaped climbing gym, a large multi-use field, a musical chime garden, and a covered pavilion with public restrooms and picnic tables. Walkable to downtown Pittsboro, Knight Farm Community Park is definitely the only one of its kind in Chatham County!

Downtown Pittsboro: When you live in the Vineyards at Chatham Park, you get much more than just beautiful scenery and neighborhood parks. You also get an intimate community that is within walking distance to the charming historic streets of downtown Pittsboro. Watch the daybreak over the iconic Chatham County Courthouse and clocktower while you munch on a freshly baked treat from Willy’s Cinnamon Rolls Etc.
Stroll quaint stores like New Horizons Downtown or French Connections where you can find everything from outdoor apparel and gear to jewelry, antiques, handmade crafts, and more. Pick up a meal and head home with authentic farm-to-table flavors from Angelina’s Kitchen. This Pittsboro staple creates Greek and New Mexican inspired dishes using local farm produce and meats. There are also family-friendly opportunities held throughout the season that you will not want to miss! For more ways that you can enjoy downtown living just steps away from your front door, visit the downtown Pittsboro website for summer activities and events.

Chatham Beverage District: Located at 220 Lorax Lane in Pittsboro, less than 2 miles from Chatham Park Information Center, Chatham Beverage District is a 17-acre campus dedicated to hand-crafted libations and local eats. Fair Game Beverage Co., Chatham Cider Works, Starlight Mead, and Copeland Springs Farm & Kitchen are permanent residents of the district, offering tastings and tours of their award-winning products and processes. Hand-crafted, small-batch, and local spirits, wines, and ciders pair perfectly with the organic and sustainable kitchen fares provided by Copeland Springs. Rent a bicycle, join an axe-throwing contest, or try your tasty treats at the picnic tables located throughout the campus. Check out their website for each vendors’ hours and events.

Bynum Front Porch: Bynum, NC is a former mill town located on the Haw River. To preserve the old general store and post office, residents created a non-profit music and story-telling series centered on the front porch, a part of homes where many southern Americans gathered for conversation and song with their neighbors and families during hot summer evenings. On Friday evenings and Saturdays throughout the summer, you can attend a free music concert or hear family-friendly lore shared from the porch stage. On the 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays of the month, the Bluegrass Circle Jam invites all levels of musicians and their instruments to join the acoustic porch pickin’ from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Storytelling night occurs on the 2^nd Saturday from 6:30 – 9 p.m. Make sure to carry some cash to put in the hat when it gets passed around, as this is a completely donation-funded community event. 

Lower Haw River State Natural Area: With over 1,000 acres of preservation land, the Lower Haw River has hiking and running trails, canoe and kayak launches, top-rated bird watching and photography scenes, and is home to several endangered species and habitats. The Haw River Trail has two trailhead accesses and several miles of pathway inside Chatham County and makes up part of the 70-mile mixed use trail running from Haw River State Park to Jordan Lake Recreation Area. This hiking trail combines with the well-known Mountains-To-Sea trail and follows the Haw River down to Jordan Lake. 

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area:  Jordan Lake is another popular destination near Chatham Park where many Triangle area residents enjoy spending their summer weekends. The state park offers hundreds of RV and tent camping sites, as well as playgrounds and swim beaches. Several boat ramps and a canoe/kayak launch get busy during the hotter months of the year, and anchoring in a quiet cove for floating or grilling is a favorite pastime for motorboaters. Water sports such as skiing, jet skiing, and knee-boarding are also excellent ways to enjoy a day on Jordan Lake. There are rental and excursion companies throughout the Triangle that provide RV and/or boat rentals, or even a guided boat or kayak trip for those unfamiliar with the area. Fishing is done year-round from one of the many docks or on the banks under the shade of trees. Designated swim areas are safely roped off and located close to the playgrounds and picnic tables for a convenient kid-friendly outing. 

Chatham Park is honored to provide a community that is convenient to an array of fun, family-friendly activities this summer. Whether you are a current or future resident of Chatham Park or just passing through, we hope that you will take advantage of these area attractions and make your summer of 2021 unforgettable!