NORTH CAROLINA: THE TAR HEEL STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
Traveling is the kind of activity, which almost all the people love. For someone it
is an opportunity to relax and abstract from everyday busy life. For others it
is interesting to observe the way people of other cultures and mentality live. Some people
consider it to be the best way to have fun and always try to visit as many clubs,
pubs, restaurants and cafes as possible for their wallets and time limits. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
North Carolina thrills you with swashbuckling pirates and spectacular mountain highways, sensational beaches and a gamut of historic sites.
White
sand and surf lure sun worshipers and adrenaline junkies to the state's 480km
(300 miles) of barrier island beaches; surfers paddle out to ride the renowned
swell at Cape Hatteras; hang-gliders launch off dunes the size of small
mountains at Jockey's Ridge; and wild horses roam the beach at Corolla in the
Outer Banks.
If
flopping on the sand doesn't do it for you, try North Carolina's historic
attractions. Think Europe has the stately home market tied up? Think again.
Built in the late 1800s, Biltmore House is the USA's largest home and is
reminiscent of a French château. Or you can head underground at Reed Gold Mine,
site of the country's first documented gold discovery. The state's oldest town
is Bath, but you're more likely to find traces of Blackbeard here than Jane
Austen.
Come
autumn, convoys of sightseers cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 406km (252-mile)
scenic drive through mountains and dense forests, to snap the state's
kaleidoscopic colors.
But
North Carolina's pièce de résistance is its world-class ice climbing. While you
can stand and gaze at plummeting waterfalls in summer, hacking your way up them
with crampons and an ice axe is a sure-fire way to crank up the adrenaline.
Starshine, a 60m (200ft) route on Whitesides Mountain, is considered one of the
gnarliest.
Looking
for some city action? Famed for its NASCAR racing, Charlotte is also home to
the US National Whitewater Center and the outstanding Blumenthal Performing
Arts Center. Raleigh meanwhile boasts over 40 free attractions, including the
terrific North Carolina Museum of Art.
Where
to stay in North Carolina
Hotels
There is a wide range of
accommodation in North Carolina, from large chain hotels in the major cities to
budget-friendly bed and breakfasts. Hotels in North Carolina include many of
the large famous brands as well as independent boutique hotels, guesthouses and
budget motels. There is also a good selection of camping grounds in North
Carolina as well as vacation rentals and resorts with hotels and extensive
facilities.
Things
to see and do in North Carolina
Biltmore Estate
Tour George Vanderbilt's
elaborate 250-room Biltmore Estate (www.biltmoreestate.com)
located in the western Blue Ridge Mountains town of Ashville. The estate
includes a winery with a visitor center, tasting room and shop where bottles of
the local vintage are sold.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Travel along the scenic
Blue Ridge Parkway (www.nps.gov/blri), which winds 755km (469 miles)
along the spine of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains from Tennessee to
Virginia.
Cape Hatteras
National Seashore
View the attractions along
the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (www.nps.gov/caha)
including the Outer Banks ponies, Bodie Island, and the candy-striped Cape
Hatteras Lighthouse, the nations tallest and most famous.
Carowinds
Go for the adrenaline rush
on thrilling rides at the state's biggest theme park, Carowinds (www.carowinds.com),
10 minutes south of Charlotte. It pays tribute to the film Wayne's World with a white-knuckle, wooden rollercoaster
ride called Hurler, which soars
riders through eight inversions.
Crystal Coast
Explore the Crystal Coast
area (www.crystalcoast.com),
which includes the deep-sea port of Morehead City, the historic waterfront town
of Beaufort, and many beautiful beaches.
Durham
Visit Durham, known as
'The City of Medicine'. The city is home to the world-famous Research Triangle
Park, where over 150 research and development facilities are based (www.rtp.org),
and Duke University (www.duke.edu) with its lovely chapel and gardens.
Fireman's Museum
Visit New Bern's Fireman's
Museum (www.newbernmuseums.com), formed by the two oldest
continuously operated fire companies in the USA. Included in the exhibits is
'Fire Horse Fred', who pulled the fire-hose wagon for 17 years. He died in 1925
while pulling the fire wagon to a false alarm.
Morehead Planetarium
Journey through the
Morehead Planetarium (www.moreheadplanetarium.org)
in Raleigh where more than 100 of the USA's astronauts trained before venturing
into space.
Mount Mitchell
Hike, drive, ski or camp
in the magnificent North Carolina Mountains, including Mount Mitchell
(2,040m/6,684ft), the highest peak in Eastern America. Two hundred peaks in the
Appalachian Mountain chain reach more than 1.6km (1 mile) high.
New Bern's Tryon Palace
Tour the restored New
Bern's Tryon Palace (www.tryonpalace.org), built in the 1760s as the
first permanent capital and home for the Royal Governor of North Carolina.
North Carolina Museum of Art
View the works by
Botticelli, Monet, Raphael and Rubens at the North Carolina Museum of Art (www.ncartmuseum.org)
in Raleigh.
Old Salem
Step back in time in Old
Salem (www.oldsalem.org),
a preserved and restored 18th-century Moravian village. Attractions include the
Old Salem Visitor Centre offering tours of the districts, the St Philips
Moravian Church (the oldest extant African-American church in North Carolina),
the Old Salem Toy Museum and the restored Herbst House.
Raleigh
In Raleigh, explore the
North Carolina Botanical Gardens (www.ncbg.unc.edu),
containing almost every plant found in the state.
Tweetsie Railroad
Enjoy a ride on the
Tweetsie Railroad (www.tweetsie.com), a steam locomotive that carries
passengers through mountain passes and a frontier village close to the Blue
Ridge Parkway.
USS North
Carolina Battleship Memorial
Across the river from
Wilmington's Cotton Exchange, tour the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial (www.battleshipnc.com),
and walk the decks of this famous WWII battleship. Her story is told on summer
nights in 'The Immortal Showboat', a spectacular sound and light show.
Wilmington
Visit Wilmington, North
Carolina's largest seaport, and once the site of sailing ships bringing
treasures from around the world. The Cotton Exchange (www.shopcottonexchange.com),
a 19th-century structure converted into shops and boutiques, once exported more
cotton than any other port in the world.
Wright Brothers Memorial
Stand on the windswept
beach at Kitty Hawk and see where the Wright brothers made the first powered
flight off Kill Devil Hills in 1903. The event is commemorated at the Wright
Brothers Memorial (www.nps.gov/wrbr) at Kitty Hawk.
REFERENCE SITES:
My favorite memories growing up in North Carolina were
hunting and fishing with my father and brothers. There, I developed a deep
appreciation for protecting land and waterways. There, I learned
outdoorsmanship.
Louis Bacon
No comments:
Post a Comment