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\nThis 414-acre park at the northern tip of the Cane Creek Mountains includes a restored and reconstructed farmstead, a playground, volleyball and basketball courts and plenty of open space. There also are two ponds, fishing and an 18-basket, 10-acre disc golf course. 4242 R Dean Coleman Road, Burlington. 336-570-6759.
\nChinqua-Penn Walking Trail, Reidsville
\nThe quirky stone mansion where tobacco heir Jeff Penn and his electric-power heiress wife, Betsy, lived is closed now, but you can still get a sense of their Jazz Age high life with a stroll along the Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail. Visitors can also see the “summer house” – a circular stone pavilion overlooking a pond where the Penns served Sunday brunch on tables made of millstones – and the artificial waterfall Jeff Penn dubbed “Little Niagara.” Just west of 2138 Wentworth Str., Reidsville. www.chinquapenntrail.org.
\nDowntown Warrenton
\nFounded in 1779, Warrenton was one of North Carolina’s richest towns, booming in the 1800s on the back of cotton, tobacco, education and railroads. The architecture of its heyday is its charm of today. A stopover here should start at the Chamber of Commerce for printed guides to the area’s historic structures and markers. 130 N. Main St., Warrenton. 252-257-2657, www.warren-chamber.org.
\nElsewhere, Greensboro
\nSylvia Gray’s three-story collection of dishes, clothes, classic toys and countless other items spans the 58 years she operated a thrift store and, at times, boarding house in downtown Greensboro. That vast collection forms the heart of Elsewhere, a living museum and artists’ residency program. Visitors can unleash their inner children and learn through art that spins, bangs and grows. 606 S. Elm St., Greensboro. www.goelsewhere.org.
\nHanging Rock State Park, Danbury
\nNestled in the Sauratown Mountains – named for the Saura Indian tribe that used to live in the area – this park offers amazing views, waterfalls, cliffs, lakes and hiking trails. Hanging Rock’s features include Moore's Knob, House Rock, Wolf Rock and the Upper and Lower Cascade Falls. In addition to the many trails, the park offers swimming, fishing, camping, canoeing and riding trails. 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, Danbury. 336-593-8480, www.ncparks.gov/hanging-rock-state-park.
\nHistoric Bethabara Park, Winston-Salem
\nThe Old Salem area first comes to mind when you think of the Moravians and that religious denomination’s contributions to Winston-Salem. But Salem wasn’t the first stop for the Moravians in North Carolina. That would be Bethabara (be-THA-ba-ra), where a small group of the German-speaking Protestants settled in 1753 and stayed until the bigger Salem was built. Bethabara offers a smaller, quieter, more natural visit. 2147 Bethabara Road, Winston-Salem. 336-924-8191.
\nLeasburg
\nThis is one of those places you could miss entirely if you blinked when you’re driving through. But some local interests have built eye-grabbing welcome signs that indicate this is no place to be so dismissed: “Welcome to Leasburg/Established 1752/First Caswell County seat 1777-1792.” Between the signs, you’ll spot one large, old, striking home after another from the tobacco-boom years before the Civil War. A walk around town with the Caswell County Historical Association’s Leasburg Architecture page will let you know what you’re looking at. On U.S. 158 between Yanceyville and Roxboro. bit.ly/1jvIrof.
\nPerson County Museum of History, Roxboro
\nThough the focus is Person County, the museum’s cornucopia of artifacts and architecture includes a hall of dolls, several rooms on local African-American history and a room dedicated to Major League Baseball star and Person native Enos Slaughter. 309 N. Main St., Roxboro. 336-597-2884, www.visitroxboronc.com/personheritage.html.
\nPisgah Covered Bridge,
\nAsheboro
\nThe 54-foot bridge sits just inside the Uwharrie National Forest and has had its share of ups and downs since it was built in 1911. Now, it’s a Randolph County local historic landmark. 6925 Pisgah Covered Bridge Road, Asheboro. www.co.randolph.nc.us/hlpc/pisgahcoveredbridge.htm
\nRCR Racing Museum,
\nLexington
\nNASCAR team owner Richard Childress commemorates his rich racing history in the museum, which includes more than 50 race cars. At least half of those were driven by the most celebrated Childress driver, the late Dale Earnhardt. Other features include a vast trophy room and a wildlife gallery with mounted bear, elk, deer and other animal trophies from Childress’ years of hunting. 236 Industrial Drive, Lexington. 800-476-3389, www.rcrracing.com.
\nReynolda House,
\nWinston-Salem
\nThe former “bungalow” home of tobacco magnate R.J. Reynolds has been preserved with most of its original furniture. Throughout the house, you’ll also see the largest collection of American art south of Washington. Outside, the Reynolda Gardens are their own works of art. 2250 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem. 888-663-1149, www.reynoldahouse.org.
\nRiverwalk, Hillsborough
\nA 1.8-mile commuter and recreational trail near downtown Hillsborough that follows the Eno River. There are paved paths, boardwalks and two 100-foot bridges. Main entrance is by the Eno River Parking Deck at the end of Nash and Kollock Street, Hillsborough. 919-732-1270. www.ci.hillsborough.nc.us/content/riverwalk.
\nSennett’s Hole, Durham
\nIt’s simple: This is the perfect swimming hole. It is said to be named after Michael Synnott and his mill that reportedly stood nearby. As the story goes, a surge of water took Synnott and his pot of gold and silver into the hole, never to be found in its interminable depths. So take that as a cautionary note: Sennett’s Hole, also known as Turtle Hole, should be carefully assessed before swimming. It’s in West Point on the Eno park. 5101 N Roxboro Road, Durham. 919-471-1623. bit.ly/1qCTnCV.
\nSoutheastern Center for Contemporary Art,
\nWinston-Salem
\nThis isn’t your typical art museum with paintings on the wall and sculptures on pedestals. First, there’s no permanent collection – SECCA has a series of exhibits that rotate in and out for a few months. Another unique thing is its location – adjacent to the former family home of James G. Hanes. Visitors can look at the contemporary style of the newer museum building or the traditional style of the Hanes home. 750 Marguerite Drive, Winston-Salem. 336-725-1904, www.secca.org.
\nThe Abundance Foundation, Pittsboro
\nFrom the grounds of an abandoned chemical plant complex off U.S. 64, this nonprofit is known for its do-it-yourself workshops, kid-friendly activities and community events. The nonprofit shares space with Piedmont Biofuels and other businesses specializing in local agriculture, renewable energy, clean water and conservation. One-hour tours are held every Sunday and the first Friday of the month. 220 Lorax Lane, Pittsboro. 919-533-5181, abundancenc.org
\nThe Bullhole, Cooleemee
\nFor years, Davie County residents looking for a way to cool off have ventured to this beautiful area of natural falls on the Yadkin River, right at the Davie-Rowan county line. A few years ago, RiverPark at Cooleemee Falls opened at the site. Erwin Temple Church Road, Cooleemee. 336-751-2325.
\nWake County Speedway,
\nRaleigh
\nSummer Friday nights are soaked in the rumbling sounds, bright lights and sizzling smells of a good old race at this track south of Garner. Drivers compete with several classes of cars, ranging from slower mini-stocks to swarms of speeding late models. 2109 Simpkins Road. 919-578-7858, www.wakecountyspeedway.com.
\nWeatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro
\nThis museum has an imposing permanent collection but also focuses on traveling installations. There’s much to enjoy and contemplate at this free attraction. 500 Tate St., Greensboro. 336-334-5770, weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
\nBees’ Knees Country Store, Henderson
\nThis little white building once was a gas station and grocery. Now, it’s chock full of crafts, gifts and, most importantly, honey. Bill and Marie Craig keep 50 beehives on the 72-acre lot that stretches back into the woods and along a creek behind the store. 2250 Weldons Mill Road, Henderson. 252-492-9599, www.runofthemillbandb.com.
\nCedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor
\nThe gallery’s 4,000-square-foot building features a circulating set of art from about 200 regular artists, including many North Carolinians. The mix of pottery, glass, wood and metalwork is always worth a visit, but the gallery also hosts periodic events and festivals in the spring and fall. 1150 Fleming Road, Creedmoor. 919-528-1041, www.cedarcreekgallery.com.
\nScuppernong Books, Greensboro
\nThis downtown bookstore has built a reputation as a spot for readings, music and general support for North Carolina writers. Find seats at the in-store counter for a glass of local IPA, coffee or a sandwich. 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. 336-763-1919, www.scuppernongbooks.com.
\nTrade Street Arts District, Winston-Salem
\nThis thriving, creative area is the envy of many other North Carolina cities. The eclectic mix of shops includes Earthbound Arts, with its beads, skin-care creams, herbal mists and soaps; Kindred Spirits, with its Tarot readings and “aura cleanses,” and a new, two-story outpost of the Mast General Store. Trade Street, downtown Winston-Salem. 336-734-1864, www.dadaws.org.
\nDairi-O, King
\nThe giant milkshake with two large straws heralds the entrance of this restaurant, but it’s the food and atmosphere that have been bringing folks for decades. The menu includes everything from burgersto salads, but the specialties are the hot dogs and milkshakes. You can find Dairi-O sister restaurants in nearby towns, but the one in King is the original. 365 E. Dalton Road, King. 336-983-5560, www.dairios.com.
\nEmma Keys Flat Top Grill, Greensboro
\nBurger places come and burger places go, but there’s something about the textures and flavor combinations at Emma Keys that create a line out the door of the former vintage barber shop. Part of the fun is watching these perfect burgers (and don’t miss the sweet potato fries) emanating from the bro-meets-boho crew who tend the grill. 2206 Walker Ave., Greensboro. 336-285-9429, emmakeys.com.
\nGlaze King, Asheboro
\nA popular destination with rows of sprinkled cake doughnuts, glazed raised doughnuts, apple fritters and bear claws. The shop is open all day. 1056 Albemarle Road, Asheboro. 336-318-0864.
\nHillbilly Hideaway, Walnut Cove
\nThis restaurant is open just Friday through Sunday, and its family-style breakfast is only available on Sundays. (And not even then November through February.) But when it’s served, it’s amazing – bacon, sausage, country ham, sliced tenderloin, scrambled eggs, two kinds of gravy, grits, fried potatoes, apples, a savory “hoecake” and a sugar cake that’s a decadent mix of butter, dough and brown sugar. The restaurant’s many fans love the nighttime all-you-can-eat feasts, too. 4365 Pine Hall Road, Walnut Cove. 336-591-4861, www.thehillbillyhideaway.com.
\nLiberty Oak Restaurant & Bar, Greensboro
\nThis white-tablecloth spot might give the impression that homeboy author O. Henry will drop by for a cocktail. But the food – try the fried oysters or the healthier wasabi- and sesame-crusted grilled tuna – speaks both of tradition and new Southern cuisine. 100 W. Washington St., Greensboro. 336-273-7057, www.libertyoakrestaurant.com.
\nLynch Creek Farm, Kittrell
\nBarely marked and never advertised, this place truly is a secret. Bob Radcliffe and Kerry Carter open their gate three times a month for picnics, farmhouse dinners, and jazz and bluegrass music, with room for only a few dozen guests in their cozy cabin they built. The meal might include one of Radcliffe’s pizza-like tomato pies, all soundtracked by bands from across the region. The cost of entrance supports the Ben Franklin Society, the couple’s nonprofit that helps historical and cultural endeavors. 1973 Rocky Ford Road, Kittrell. 252-767-1167, www.lynchcreek.com.
\nPulliam’s, Winston-Salem
\nFor more than 100 years, a Winston-Salem fixture with perhaps the best hot dog you will ever eat. It’s hard to pinpoint the secret to its success. Some say it’s the bun – lightly buttered and toasted on the grill. Others swear by the slaw or the chili. Either way, Pulliam’s draws blue-collar workers, tobacco company executives and Wake Forest University students to its nondescript building in the Ogburn Station neighborhood. 4400 Old Walkertown Road, Winston-Salem. 336-767-2211.
\nThe Table, Asheboro
\nThis restaurant’s fresh-made breads, pastries, salads and sandwiches change with the seasons; most ingredients come from the neighboring Asheboro Downtown Farmer’s Market. 139 S. Church St., Asheboro. 336-736-8628, www.thetablefarmbakery.com.
\n\nDoughton Park,
\nBlue Ridge Parkway
\nAt this 7,000-acre park, where the mountain landscape opens up to reveal less forest and more rolling meadows. The North Carolina Birding Trail is a great place to monitor the migrating streams of hawks, falcons, merlins, eagles and other birds of prey each fall. The National Park Service also has preserved, on its original location, the 1885 Brinegar Cabin that was home to a family of subsistence farmers. 49800 Blue Ridge Parkway, Laurel Springs. 336-372-8877, bit.ly/Doughton.
\nHiddenite Arts & Heritage Center, Hiddenite
\nWilliam Hidden searched in vain for a source of platinum in North Carolina, but in 1879 he met Alexander County farmers who showed him pocketfuls of a green crystal they were turning up with their plows. The gem eventually was named in his honor. Tourists and schoolchildren still come to the Emerald Hollow Mine to pan for gems. The center is a culture hub and museum. 316 Hiddenite Church Road, Hiddenite. 828-632-6966, hiddenitecenter.com.
\nHoly Trinity Episcopal Church, Glendale Springs
\nThis church’s door is always open, and Benjamin Long IV’s rendition of the last supper covers the front wall of the sunlit sanctuary. Long and 20 of his students painted the piece in 1980 as a finishing touch in the restoration of the church. The basement holds another fresco by Jeffrey Mims. 120 Glendale School Road, Glendale Springs. 336-982-3076.
\nJulian Price Memorial Park, Blue Ridge Parkway
\nHiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking are available at this 4,200-acre park off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rock-studded creeks beckon visitors to take off their shoes and sit under the oaks. Price Lake has seven trails of various lengths and difficulties. Milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 828-963-5911, nando.com/1lk.
\nPilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle
\nAnyone who has ever driven north on U.S. 52 has seen this isolated, 1,400-foot peak looming over the interstate. But not as well-known is the state park that surrounds the mountain. The park offers multiple hiking trails, camping, canoeing, fishing and picnicking. The “Big Pinnacle” – that rounded top you see from the freeway – is a sanctuary for ravens and raptors, who put on a nice show. 1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle. 336-325-2355, www.ncparks.gov/pilot-mountain-state-park.
\nRocky Knob Mountain Bike Park, Boone
\nThis 185-acre bike park was developed by the Watauga Tourism Development Authority with $2 million in grant money and 4,000 volunteer hours from cyclists and other residents who helped build its 8 miles of wooded mountain trails. There’s a playground that draws families with small children, too. On U.S. 421 just east of Boone city limits. rockyknob.wordpress.com.
\nSt. Mary’s Episcopal Church, West Jefferson
\nStanding just south of West Jefferson (400 Beaver Creek School Road), this little white building is the sister church of Holy Trinity Episcopal. Ben Long graced this one with his brush, too, with paintings of Jesus on the cross, a pregnant Mary and John the Baptist. 400 Beaver Creek School Road, West Jefferson. 336- 982-3076.
\nWilkes Heritage Museum, Wilkesboro
\nThis museum sprawls over both floors of the old county courthouse and into two buildings nearby. Among those honored are Chang and Eng, the original “Siamese twins” who settled here for several years. A prize exhibit is the first race car driven by NASCAR godfather Robert Glenn Johnson Jr., better known as “Junior” Johnson. The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame is here, too. 100 East Main St., Wilkesboro. 336-667-3171, wilkesheritagemuseum.com.
\nWilson Creek Wild and Scenic River, Collettsville
\nWilson Creek tumbles down steep mountain slopes, losing nearly a mile in altitude in its 23-mile run from Grandfather Mountain to the Johns River. For decades it has been a draw for fishing, hunting, camping and hiking. There are surging rapids for kayakers, broad pools for swimmers and a few wide beaches. 7805 Brown Mountain Beach Road, Collettsville. 828-759-0005, explorecaldwell.com/wilson-creek-visitor-center.
\nThe Blair Fraley Sales Store, Crossnore
\nDubbed the Saks Fifth Avenue of thrift stores, it carries the usual used clothing, housewares, books, appliances – just a lot more quantity and variety than the norm. It’s housed in a massive, two-story building that’s nearly the size of a department store. 100 DAR Drive, Crossnore. 828-733-4228, www.crossnoreschool.org/blairfraleysalesstore.php.
\nDowntown Boone
\nOn West King Street, thrift shops, co-ops and art galleries mingle with bars and restaurants. Hands Gallery, at 543 W. King St., is Boone’s oldest cooperative crafts outlet (nando.com/1lo). The store is celebrating 40 years of selling pottery, baskets, paintings and more from member and consignment artists. The nearby Dancing Moon Earthway Bookstore and Funky Folks Collective (nando.com/1lp) has been around roughly 27 years. A new kid on the block, Art of Oil, has more than 45 varieties of organic and unfiltered olive oils and balsamic vinegars on tap. (nando.com/1lq).
\nPhipps General Store, Lansing
\nThis general store in a restored building has local arts and craftwork. On Friday nights, it hosts a mountain string-music jam. 2425 Silas Creek Road, Lansing. 336-384-2382.
\nSally Mae’s on the Parkway
\nAlso known as the Northwest Trading Post, this is a rare commercial outpost on the Blue Ridge. It has a pretty impressive selection of cabin-chic art, jewelry and baked goods. It reopens for the season on April 16. Milepost 259 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 336-982-2543.
\nBlack Jack’s Pub & Grill,
\nWest Jefferson
\nServing a pretty mean, handcrafted burger in a laid-back bar room in downtown West Jefferson. 18 North Jefferson Ave., West Jefferson. 336-246-3295,www.blackjackspubandgrill.com.
\nFarm to Flame, Boone
\nThis wood-fired street food truck has pizzas – regular or gluten-free – that are thin and crispy, the right size for sharing with a travel buddy. It also sells strombolis, dessert pizzas, salads and appetizers. The mobile business practices environmental responsibility, running on biodiesel from High Country Biofuels and powering the “kitchen” with an array of 20 240-watt solar panels. Find the truck every day at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, except Saturday’s when it heads down to the farmer’s market. 163 Boone Creek Drive, Boone. 828-851-1712, nando.com/1ln.
\nKitchen Roselli, East Bend
\nIn a re-purposed former general store, Laura and David Roselli dish up classic Italian recipes – with fresh local ingredients and a contemporary twist – Thursday through Saturday nights. Specialties include his granny’s famous “Sunny Italy” salad dressing and her specialty cream puffs. But the restaurant only makes about 50 of them a night, so you’re wise to order your dessert when you arrive to ensure you get one. 105 E. Main St., East Bend. 336-699-4898, www.kitchenroselli.com.
\nVidalia, Boone
\nSouthern, seasonal and local fare is accessorized it with a reclaimed wood bar and other comfortable touches. Good bets for dinner are the Vidalia onion rings, chicken and waffles, and homemade pimento cheese. 831 W. King St., Boone. 828-263-9176, nando.com/1lr.
\n\nCamden County Heritage Museum, Camden
\nThis museum, housed in the former Camden County Jail, offers a unique view of the past that includes historical photographs, tattered letters, old weapons, artifacts and 18th-century relics from a Yeopim Indian reservation. The second-floor bullpen shows four cells designed to hold up to four prisoners each. 17 N. N.C. 343, Camden. 252-338-5530.
\nLivermon Park and Mini-Zoo, Windsor
\nAsheboro might claim the state’s largest zoo, but Windsor is likely the only town where a pair of buffalo roam within a block of downtown. The town operates a free mini-zoo alongside a playground, housing dozens of animals from emus to donkeys to peacocks. The zoo has been a fixture of the Bertie County seat for more than 30 years. 102 N. York St., Windsor. 252-794-5553, windsornc.com.
\nDeadwood, Bear Grass
\nDown a country road there is a small, clever Old West-style theme park with a train, kiddie roller coaster and mini golf course. The storefronts include an arcade, ice cream shop and the Smokehouse Grill Restaurant, which is packed on weekends. 2302 Ed’s Grocery Road, Bear Grass. 252-792-8938, www.deadwoodnc.com.
\nDe’Tours,
\nElizabeth City
\nInside Elizabeth City’s oldest brick house, a Greek revival structure dating to 1853, you can see wonderful antiques – a sampling of furniture and wares from the 1840s Empire Period to the 1890s Eastlake Period – and hear Bonnie Calliotte tell their stories. Calliotte also offers a scrumptious proper tea, putting out her great-grandmother’s hand-painted china and serving her own homemade treats – tiny sandwiches (the crusts cut off), scones and Devonshire cream, hand-rolled truffles, tarts with goat-cheese fillings and an array of sweets. 400 W. Main St., Elizabeth City. 252-435-5427, www.detours.embarqspace.com.
\nDismal Swamp State Park, South Mills
\nNot as dismal or as swampy as the name implies, this part of the swamp was heavily logged in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the roads and ditches the loggers built helped make it drier. The park is home to bears, river otters and lots of birds. You can rent canoes and kayaks. 2294 US 17, South Mills. 252-771-6593, www.ncparks.gov/dismal-swamp-state-park.
\nHistory House Museum, Tillery
\nThis museum features old photos, artifacts from daily farm life and a video featuring the stories of Tillery’s oldest residents. 321 Community Center Road, Tillery. 252-826-3017, www.cct78.org/history-house.html.
\nJim “Catfish” Hunter Museum, Hertford
\nNot too many people have legendary status in New York and Hertford, N.C., but that is the case for Jim “Catfish” Hunter. At this museum, you can delve into the life history of a native son who was more noted for his football prowess (and good looks) in high school than the pitching arm that gave him national professional baseball prominence. A pitcher, Hunter who 224 games and five world championships in his 15-year major league career with the Kansas City/Oakland A’s and the New York Yankees. He retired to farm and coach Little League in Hertford, where he died in 1999 from ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. 118 W. Market St., Hertford. 252-426-5657.
\nMerchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville
\nThis pond’s dark, tea-colored, acidic waters are shaded by towering bald cypress and tupelo gum trees, gnarled and twisted by free-growing mistletoe. Spanish moss drapes from tree branches, and resurrection ferns are a common sight. Aquatic plants, such as the floating yellow cow lily and the submerged coontail, thrive. Visitors can enjoy the flora and fauna many ways – by canoe, hikes, fishing and camping. 176 Millpond Road, Gatesville. 252-357-1191, www.ncparks.gov/merchants-millpond-state-park.
\nNewbold-White House, Hertford
\nBuilt by a Quaker family in 1730, this compact farm house overlooking the Perquimans River is the state’s third oldest house and the oldest one open to the public. It was designed to look like an English cottage and is made of brick, which helped it survive. There’s a colonial kitchen garden and a muscadine grape vineyard, as well as a visitor’s center, gift shop and a replica of an 18th-century dugout riverboat called the Periauger. 151 Newbold-White Road, Hertford. 252-426-7567, www.perquimansrestoration.org.
\nParker’s Ferry, Winton
\nThis is one of three remaining cable ferries in the state, where a system of steel cables guides the boat across on a short ride across the river. A century ago, these crossings were a common sight along the wide rivers of Eastern North Carolina, but most have long since been replaced by bridges. Parker’s Ferry can handle just two cars and no more than six passengers at a time. Plenty of tourists make the trek for the novelty. Parker’s Ferry Road, Winton.
\nRoanoke River Lighthouse, Edenton
\nThis lighthouse was built in 1886 and for 68 years sat on pilings near Plymouth. Emmett Wiggins bought it in 1955 and had it moved by barge to Edenton, where he made it his home until he died 40 years later. The four-room lighthouse is now a state historic site and has been filled with period furniture. Colonial Park, Edenton. 252-482-7800, www.edentonlighthouse.org.
\nTaylor Theater,
\nEdenton
\nThis theater, built in 1925, originally opened as an opera house. It then operated as Edenton’s primary movie house for years until facing demise several years ago. But the town rallied with a “Save the Taylor” fund-raising campaign. The Taylor still offers first-run movies and afternoon and evening fun for those interested in a step back in time. 208 S. Broad St., Edenton. 252-482-2676.
\nWater Street museums, Plymouth
\nIn a three-block area on Water Street in picturesque downtown Plymouth, you can stroll among three museums. The Roanoke River Maritime Museum explores the heritage of the area’s waterways, including a replica of the Civil War ironclad, the CSS Albemarle. Down the street, wander deeply into the Civil War era at the Port O’ Plymouth Museum, with its cannon balls and other artifacts. Then there’s the God’s Creation Wildlife Museum at 111 Water St. There, you can see an impressive array of mounted and model animals from four continents. Water Street, Plymouth. Maritime museum: 252- 217-2204. Port O’ Plymouth: 252-793-1377. Wildlife museum: 252-793-6600. www.visitplymouthnc.com.
\nWhalehead Club,
\nCorolla
\nThis 21,000-square-foot lodge harkens to another time – the Outer Banks of 1925 encountered by Edward Collings Knight Jr., the wealthy railroad executive and amateur artist who built the Whalehead. It’s a splendid five-story ornamental art noveau winter home, where Knight and his wife spend six months each year. But in 1933, they left just three weeks after their arrival, an abrupt and unexplained departure. That mystery lingers today as the daring take one of two ghost tours offered at the mansion-turned museum. Pirates and seafarers are the subject of ghost stories told on the Whalehead grounds and in the 39-acre Currituck Heritage Park. Inside the old hunting lodge, the stories are spookier. Paranormal researchers have documented abnormal activity inside the club and on park grounds. 1100 Club Road, Corolla. 252-453-9040.
\nLayden’s Supermarket, Belvidere
\nAn old-fashioned country store with an impressive selection of smoked pig parts and store-made candies. Specialties include country ham, sausage and hoop cheese 1478 Belvidere Road, Belvidere. 252-297-2875.
\nGrapevine Cafe,
\nWoodland
\nA classic small-town diner, where owner Barbara Outland calls everyone “sugar.” Her menu is full of Southern diner staples: open-faced roast beef sandwiches smothered in gravy, hamburger steaks and fried catfish. The daily specials come with a choice of a dozen or so sides such as butter beans, corn pudding and fried okra. On Sundays, Grapevine sets out a 50-item buffet for the after-church crowd, and the restaurant’s country breakfast menu has an “amen corner” gathering by 6 a.m. W. Main St., Woodland. 252-587-0345.
\nLa Tiendita Carniseria Y Taqueria,
\nElizabeth City
\nNo Tex-Mex here. This restaurant has built a reputation locally for its tortas, tacos and tamales, which Tina Preciado makes every Sunday. 211 S. Hughes Blvd., Elizabeth City. 252-338-5376.
\nNothin’ Fancy Cafe & Market, Edenton
\nThis restaurant specializes in Southern cooking with an emphasis on fresh vegetables. But when co-owner Gail Singh recognized she didn’t have a good meatloaf recipe, she borrowed one from the mother of her daughter’s friend. It’s a “Northern” recipe, she says, and appears on the menu as Cathy’s Mom’s Meatloaf. Dessert selection changes every day. And if you’re itching to shop while you wait for your food, the dining room is lined with antiques and gifts. 701-C North Broad St., Edenton. 252-482-1909.
\nToyama, Elizabeth City
\nThis Japanese restaurant and sushi bar has an avid local following. 218 N. Poindexter St., Elizabeth City. 252-338-5021.
\n\nBear Island and Hammocks Beach State Park,
\nSwansboro
\nThe largest dwellings on Bear Island are birds’ nests, conch shells and pup tents. To get there, visitors have to paddle or motor their own boat, or take the pontoon-boat passenger ferry that comes from Hammocks Beach State Park just outside Swansboro. Once they get off the ferry, they can walk the half-mile path from the marshy back side of the island across the dunes to the broad sandy ocean beach. A concession stand offers ice cream, snacks and cold drinks during the summer. Ferry runs from April to October, with reduced hours before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. 1572 Hammocks Beach Road, Swansboro. 910-326-4881. www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/habe/main.php.
\nBodie Island and Cape Hatteras Lighthouses,
\nCape Hatteras National Seashore
\nThe Bodie (pronounced “body”) lighthouse is a charmer with a natural view of marshland, ocean and the Pamlico Sound. Tackle the 214 stairs of the horizontal black-and-white-banded beauty. (There are eight stairwell landings where you can catch your breath). Not winded yet? Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is ahead with 257 steps. N.C. 12, Cape Hatteras National Seashore. 252-473-2111, http://1.usa.gov/1ao136N.
\nCatfish Lake Waterfowl Impoundment,
\nCroatan National Forest
\nMany species of song and wading birds can be seen here, as well as ducks, alligators, otters, deer and other wildlife. Average water depth in the impoundment is 1 to 2 feet, and surrounding canals are 5 feet deep or more. Most hunters paddle small boats or canoes, but hikers and primitive campers can stay on high ground on the periphery. From U.S. 70 between New Bern and Havelock, turn right onto Catfish Lake Road. Go 7 miles, crossing two bridges. Just past the second bridge, turn right onto Catfish Lake Road. Go about 3 miles and turn right on FS3006. http://1.usa.gov/1C08aLT.
\nChurch ‘Moved by the Hand of God,’ Swan Quarter
\nOn Swan Quarter’s Main Street, you’ll see Providence United Methodist Church, which gets its name through legend preserved by oral history. In 1874, the church was built, but its location was contentious. The preferred spot was on property owned by Sam Sadler, who wouldn’t sell his land. So the church was erected on donated land nearby. Then, the story has it, on Sept. 16, 1876, a storm blew through with heavy winds and flooding rains. The church began to float down the road, turning here and there until it came to rest smack dab on Sadler’s property. He was persuaded. The original church is now attached to a newer brick church. A plaque on the door proclaims, “The church moved by the hand of God.” Main Street, Swan Quarter.
\nFrisco
\nThe little town of Frisco features a maritime forest, quiet beaches and an artsy vibe. A few locally owned galleries cluster on N.C. 12, where you’ll also see the strangest sight on Hatteras – a round, silver spaceship, circa 1970s, that has been a family home, a newspaper office and a hot dog stand. The Futuro House is now abandoned, with alien heads peeking through the windows, an often photographed oddity. N.C. 12, Frisco.
\nGoose Creek State Park, Washington
\nThis park offers paddlers a place to drop a boat or take a dip in the Pamlico River. Hiking trails, all of them on the short side, lead through wetlands and under oaks draped with Spanish moss. 2190 Camp Leach Road, Washington. 252-923-2191, www.ncparks.gov/goose-creek-state-park.
\nGraveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Hatteras
\nIn a building shaped like a wooden ship’s hull, the museum offers an eclectic collection spanning shipwrecks, piracy and diving history. One artifact will give you chills: a log entry from the Hatteras Weather Station in 1912 – the first distress call sent from the Titanic. Though the two weather watchers on duty that night reported the call, they were initially reprimanded by superiors who didn’t believe the story. 59200 Museum Drive, Hatteras. 252-986-2995, www.graveyardoftheatlantic.com.
\nLucy and Ricky’s Nest,
\nNags Head
\nAt Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe, on the causeway between Manteo and Nags Head, ask for a spot by the southside windows. While enjoying dinner, you’ll get a gander of the resident lovebirds – a couple of osprey affectionately known as Lucy and Ricky. Their large craggy nest is perched on a pole in the Roanoke Sound, at the perfect height for Lone Cedar diners. Osprey mate for life, and they fly to South America for the winter. For several years now, they have returned to the same nest, where new babies hatch each spring. 7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head. 252-441-5405, www.lonecedarcafe.com.
\nOriental Waterfront
\nThe best way to tour the town of Oriental (named after the 1862 grounding of the iron steamer “Oriental”) is to drive until you hit water, then get out and walk or paddle. The Neuse River wraps around the town’s south end. South Avenue makes for a good walk, passing by a series of guideposts. There’s the old Artesian Well, where locals built a concrete bench under a willow oak and which once served as an informal gossip and sweetheart-kissing spot. There’s the Lost Block, where in 1933 a hurricane took out houses and roads. And there’s Lou-Mac Park, which offers riverside deck chairs perfect for telling fish stories. South Avenue, Oriental.
\nRed Wolf Center, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
\nNorth Carolina is the only place in the world with a wild red wolf population. Learn more at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, whose programs feature two red wolves named Hank and Betty. 1221 N.C. 94 South, Columbia.
\nBig Oak Drive-In & Bar-B-Q, Atlantic Beach
\nYou’ll long remember a meal here, especially if you come at closing time, have to pull onto the shoulder of N.C. 58 to wait for another diner to vacate a space in the parking lot, and then have to queue up with the flip-flopped and hungry hoping to get your Shrimpburger order in before Big Oak closes for the day. In addition to the Shrimpburger – fried shrimp piled on a bun and served with hot sauce – Big Oak offers other seafood sandwiches, burgers and pork barbecue. 1167 Salter Path Road, Atlantic Beach. 252-247-2588, bigoakdrivein.com.
\nBill’s Hot Dogs, Washington
\nThis little storefront has no tables, only a take-out counter, where an assembly line of employees prepares your hot dog – the bright red kind. The dogs sizzle in a pan of oil before they’re nestled in a steamed bun, slathered with mustard, a sprinkle of onions and the secret Bill’s ingredient – a spicy white chili. Don’t bother to ask for ketchup; they don’t have it. 109 Gladden St., Washington. 252-946-3343, www.facebook.com/billshotdog.
\nBrantley’s Village
\nRestaurant, Oriental
\nThis locals’ favorite features a sampling of every creature that swims, skitters sideways or hides inside a shell. The soft-shell crab sandwich comes with legs protruding, as it should. But the homey restaurant is also popular for its grits and gravy biscuit breakfasts and its fried chicken and collards for buffet lunch. It’s simple and inexpensive inside, not designed for the diner who demands fancy décor. The lemon, coconut and chocolate pies are the stuff of legend. 900 Broad St., Oriental. 252-249-3509.
\nHatterasman, Hatteras
\nGrab a fried flounder sandwich or a softshell crab on a bun at this old-school drive-in. The burgers are hand formed and cooked to order. Try the Hatterasman burger, an 8-ounce patty with cheese, onion rings, BBQ sauce and bacon. It’s not unusual to encounter a cornhole tournament in the parking lot, where locals and tourists mingle. 57449 N.C. 12, Hatteras. 252-986-1005.
\nThe Silos Restaurant,
\nOriental
\nBreaking with Oriental’s maritime theme, the Silos gives visitors an unexpected detour into Italian cuisine. Favorites include the specialty pizzas, homemade meatballs and dollar beers on Thursday. The craft beer selection is deep here, which can be rare for a rural county. Triangle travelers will recognize many of their home brands. 1111 Broad St. Ext., Oriental. 252-249-1050, www.silosnc.com.
\nChildren’s Secret Garden at Wilson Botanical Gardens, Wilson
\nThis garden within a garden is full of surprises for children and the young at heart. Who wouldn’t be delighted by a clubhouse with a motion-activated rain wall or a banana split sundae garden where all of the plants share a connection to the classic dessert? A music court and a dinosaur dig also can be found among the flower beds and tree stands. 1806 Goldsboro St. SW, Wilson. 252-237-0113, wilson-co.com/198/Wilson-Botanical-Gardens.
\nCliffs of the Neuse State Park, Seven Springs
\nThis 1,050-acre state park, along the banks of the Neuse River, has been home to a ceremonial ground and hunting expeditions for the Tuscarora and Saponi Indian tribes. Erosion has created 90-foot-high cliffs along the south banks of the river, and a state park was created in 1945. Grab a map at the visitors center. And if you need to cool off, head to the park’s lake for a swim or to rent boats or stand-up paddleboards. 240 Park Entrance Road, Seven Springs. 919-778-6234, www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/clne/main.php.
\nContentnea Creek, Greene County
\nMore than 40 miles of Contentnea Creek meander through wetlands and farmland in Greene County, offering paddlers in canoes and kayaks hours of shady solitude. The banks of the creek, a major tributary of the Neuse River, are lined with water oaks, loblolly, sycamores, cypress and other hardwoods, draped in a cascade of Spanish moss in some spots. Visitors to the Contentnea can find entry points all along the creek. In downtown Snow Hill, boating access is near the county courthouse. A few miles away, beginners or those simply looking for a short trip can paddle a route between two downtown Hookerton ramps. 801 Mill St., Snow Hill; 107 N. William Hooker Drive or 532 E. Main St., Hookerton.
\nFour Sisters Gallery of Self-Taught Visionary Art, Rocky Mount
\nA collector’s donation in 1989 launched this gallery, which is tucked beside the admissions office at N.C. Wesleyan College. The artists and sculptors featured in the gallery have no formal training, and most have unconventional techniques. Tony Wise is a paralyzed drive-by shooting victim who paints colorful, abstract canvases with a brush in his mouth. Demarquis Johnson has never set foot in an art supplies store and often uses paper bags as a canvas. New artists are found through referrals or “by dumb luck.” 3400 N. Wesleyan Blvd., Rocky Mount. 252-985-5268, www.ncwc.edu/arts/four-sisters.php.
\nNorth Carolina Baseball Museum, Wilson
\nBaseball fans should prepare to geek out in the museum adjacent to historic Fleming Stadium, home of the Wilson Tobs. The museum has two large rooms of memorabilia – authentic uniforms, signed baseballs, baseball cards and equipment used by baseball icons, including North Carolina players Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Enos Slaughter and Buck Leonard. 300 Stadium St., Wilson. 252-296-3048, www.ncbaseballmuseum.
\nTull’s Mill Pond,
\nDeep Run
\nHenry Tull was a relocated New Englander who settled in Lenoir County and created a 185-acre lake in what’s now Deep Run. What remains on the edge of the privately owned lake is a tiny former house where visitors can buy a cold soft drink and a honeybun, and enough bait to fish all day for bream, bass and crappie. Or just pack a picnic and enjoy it on the lake’s shore, admiring the old cypress trees and listening to the rush of the water over the dam. 1594 Old Pink Hill Road, Deep Run. 252-568-4634.
\nVollis Simpson Whirligig Park, Wilson
\nThis park honors the work of whirligig maker Vollis Simpson, who died in 2013. Several of his whirligigs are on site, including an impressive spinning one that is 55 feet long, weighs 4,200 pounds and contains 15 to 20 different structures. 301 Goldsboro St., Wilson. 252-243-8440, www.wilsonwhirligigpark.org.
\nOverland Gallery and Buy Local Gallery & Wine Bar, Kinston
\nThe main downtown drag in Kinston is filling with restaurants and unique shops. Overland Gallery displays and sells works from 65 North Carolina artists, offering jewelry, pottery, glass, paintings and textiles. Three artists have mini-studios set up, so you might get a chance to chat with them as they work. Around the corner, Buy Local Gallery & Wine Bar also sells the works of North Carolina artisans and craftspeople, including hand-crafted furniture by Venerable Bench. Overland Gallery, 125 W. Blount St., Kinston. 252-686-8007, theoverlandgallery.com. Buy Local Gallery & Wine Bar, 115 W. North St., Kinston. 919-933-8591.
\nBlackbeard’s BBQ and C-Food, Tarboro
\nYou wouldn’t know it from the modest storefront, but the menu here goes well beyond the wood-fired, whole-hog ’cue. They even have healthy options like seafood salad (crab, salmon and tuna) and broccoli nut salad. Charissa Summerlin, who owns Blackbeard’s with her husband, Lewis, got her training at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Much of the seafood is straight from the coast, and some of the produce is grown on the Summerlins’ own farm. 5232 U.S. 64 Alternate, Tarboro. 252-641-0103.
\nBum’s Restaurant, Ayden
\nLatham “Bum” Dennis and his family keep things simple, serving wood-cooked barbecue, fried chicken, collards and other staples to generations of fans. Place your order at the counter, where a hand-lettered sign offering the restaurant’s homemade banana pudding is almost impossible to resist. The restaurant grows or buys what it can locally, including collards at Dennis’ home a few miles away. 566 Third St., Ayden. 252-746-6880, bumsrestaurant.com.
\nMickey’s Pastry Shop, Goldsboro
\nThis family-run retail and wholesale bakery has provided fluffly goodness for 68 years. Rainbow rows of handmade treats – cream puffs, doughnuts, cakes, tarts, muffins and more – beckon from the glass display case. Through a window behind the counter, catch a glimpse of the bakers decorating birthday and wedding cakes. 2704 Graves Drive, Goldsboro. 919-759-4741, mickeyspastry.com.
\nThe Kountry Kitchen, Wilson
\nOwner Tim Whitley runs the restaurant, while his brother David keeps the buffet filled with fresh fried chicken, collards, hefty slices of meatloaf, sweet corn and banana pudding with extra fluffy peaks of meringue. It’s the type of place where neighbors catch up with one another and the servers know customers by name. 618 Ward Blvd., Wilson. 252-243-0715.
\n\nBadin Road Drive-In,
\nAlbemarle
\nThis drive-in screens double features every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night in the summer. Just tune into the right radio station for sound and find the perfect spot to sit, in or outside of the car. The two digital screens offer different lineups, so there’s something sure to satisfy every member of the family. 2411 Badin Road, Albemarle. 704-983-2900, badinroaddrivein.com.
\nCalloway Forest Preserve, Hoke County
\nThis 3,288-acre preserve not only allows majestic long-leaf pines to grow, but also to burn periodically as part of their nature life cycles. The Calloway Forest was originally bought by the state transportation department as part of efforts to protect the red-cockaded woodpecker. After setting up an endowment for its stewardship, the state transferred it to The Nature Conservancy. From Fayetteville, take U.S. 211 West. Look for Calloway Road on the left. The park is on the right. 910-246-0300, bit.ly/1o4WT6w.
\nEllerbe Lions Club Lawn Mower Racing, Ellerbe
\nBring your John Deere and drive in circles. Or just watch other people race lawnmowers around a track. One Saturday a month for much of the year, the local Lions Club hosts lawnmower races. The events typically draw a crowd of about 200 people. And the mowers get some speed, up to 70 mph. 306 Millstone Road, Ellerbe. 910-417-9537.
\nHamlet Depot & Museums, and National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame,
\nHamlet
\nThe rise of the railroad industry built Hamlet, and its original depot still stands, renovated in 2004 and moved farther from the tracks. Downstairs, train lovers will find a sprawling model of Hamlet as it looked in 1952. There’s another model train set across the street in a building that houses a replica of the Tornado, the first train to arrive in Raleigh along the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad. And across town, there’s more train history at the National Railroad Museum. Hamlet Depot & Museums, 2 Main St., Hamlet. 910-582-0603. National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame, 120 E. Spring St., Hamlet. 910-280-9253.
\nPee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, Wadesboro
\nIn the 1930s, Lockhart and Hazel Gaddy began to offer their property as a safe haven for more than 10,000 Canada geese each year. Their efforts led to the establishment of the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, which spans about 8,500 acres. The peak of the geese season at Pee Dee is from Christmas to February. But during the other months, the refuge provides a place to hunt for deer, and fish for bass and catfish. Visitors can also hike the trails or venture deep into the pines and hardwood trees. Expect to see plenty of fox squirrels. U.S. 52 North, six miles north of Wadesboro. 704-694-4424.
\nRankin Museum of American Heritage, Ellerbe
\nThis museum has an exhibit honoring Andre Roussimoff, better known as wrestler “Andre the Giant,” who lived in Ellerbe before his death in 1993. There’s also a taxidermied jaguar, polar bear, leopard and plenty more animals from around the world. Kids can dig for the teeth of megalodons and wooly mammoths or use pictures to create a food chain. 131 W. Church St., Ellerbe. 910-652-6378, www.rankinmuseum.org.
\nRaven Rock State Park,
\nLillington
\nThis 4,667-acre destination for leisure and educational opportunities spotlights the Raven Rock formation itself, which stretches along the sparkling Cape Fear River. About half a mile upstream, an overlook offers a matchless view of the river. 3009 Raven Rock Road, Lillington. 910-893-4888, www.ncparks.gov/raven-rock-state-park.
\nSTARworks Center for Creative Enterprise, Star
\nThis former textile mill now is home to a gallery, ceramics supply shop and artists’ studios. Arrive early for the best chance to see glassmakers working in front of roaring furnaces that were built on site. For an extra special visit, time your trip to one of the center’s special events, including a “pumpkin patch” that features thousands of glass pumpkins in October and an ornament sale in December. 100 Russell Dr., Star. 910-428-9001, www.starworksnc.org.
\nTown Creek Indian Mound, Mount Gilead
\nNo one knows the name of the Native American tribe that built a mound and village in what is now Mount Gilead. They left before Europeans arrived, but historians figure the people who inhabited the area were greatly influenced by the Pee Dee culture. Several artifacts have been unearthed at the mound, including pieces of pottery and arrowheads and hundreds of skeletons. A temple on top of the mound has since been recreated. 509 Town Creek Mound Road, Mount Gilead. 910-439-6802, www.nchistoricsites.org/town.
\nAntiques District, Cameron
\nHusband and wife Ken and Jane Fairbanks moved to Cameron in 1986 and restored the building that became their Old Hardware Antiques store – then the fourth antiques store in the small town off U.S. 1. Now consisting of a dozen stores, the Cameron Antique Dealers Association will be putting it all on display during the Fall Antiques Street Fair on Oct. 1. Carthage Street (Highway 24/27), Cameron. 910-245-1231, www.antiquesofcameron.com.
\nEldorado Outpost, Eldorado
\nThis well-stocked general store is the perfect jumping off point for Uwharrie National Forest adventures. The shelves are lined with everything you need for camping, fishing, hiking and more. Buy some sandwich fixings to tote along to the lake or stop by the nothing-fancy deli counter for a hearty meal. Be sure to take some time to get to know the folks running the store, who have tips galore to make your trip a good one. 4021 N.C. 109, Eldorado. 910-572-3474, www.eldoradooutpost.com.
\nAlbemarle Sweet Shop, Albemarle
\nCustomers flock here for birthday cakes, fruit bars and sugar cookies shaped like clowns. Recipes have been handed down over the years, from owner to owner. Customers order their goods and leave, because there’s nowhere to sit in the shop. But as one customer said, it’s tough to make it out of the parking lot before taking a bite. 128 King Ave., Albemarle. 704-982-1235.
\nConvenience Corner, Hamlet
\nIt might not look like much, but locals can’t seem to get enough of this place. They crowd into the side of a gas station and place their orders at the counter for bacon-and-egg biscuits, cheeseburgers and milkshakes. But don’t expect a traditional dining experience with your breakfast sandwich. Convenience Corner doesn’t have tables and chairs, so customers get their food from the friendly fry cooks and head out. 801 Marlboro St., Hamlet. 910-582-2724.
\nMama Noi’s Pizza & Hot Sub, Ellerbe
\nNo matter what you’re craving for dinner, one restaurant on Ellerbe’s main drag probably has it. Mama Noi’s features American favorites – pizza, wings and burgers – but also Hibachi plates, Chinese food, Italian fare and subs. Owner Kone Daoheuang said customers want variety, and that’s what she gives them. The eatery, which draws a crowd for lunch and dinner, features a special sauce, but the recipe remains a secret. Let’s just say it adds some zing to sandwiches. 2076 Main St., Ellerbe. 910-652-2496.
\nMrs. Wenger’s Restaurant, Sanford
\nThis restaurant, founded by the eponymous Dorcus Wenger, preserves down-home hospitality and age-old recipes such as red-eye gravy. Doors close for lunch at Mrs. Wenger’s promptly at 1:30 p.m. 105 Charlotte Ave., Sanford. 919-776-2131.
\n\nBlack River,
\nPender County
\nDespite being the color of tea, the Black River is one of the cleanest rivers in the state (the color comes from the tannins that leach out of decaying vegetation into the water). You’ll see plenty of old cypress trees along the river, which flows through Bladen and Pender counties. Take a river guide for your first trip on the Black – it’s not a great place to get lost. The state Wildlife Commission has two public boat landings, and there are several bridges in Pender where you can put in. Or take an organized trip by Mahanaim Adventures. 910-547-8252, mahanaimadventures.com.
\nBurgaw Depot, Burgaw
\nIt claims to be the oldest depot still in existence in North Carolina. Today it houses a small transportation museum with a replica of a station master’s office and old telegraph equipment. 115 S. Dickerson St., Burgaw. 910-259-9817.
\nJones Lake State Park, Elizabethtown
\nThe large parking lot shows the popularity of the park’s beach and boating. But it’s easy to get away from the crowds on the four-mile hike through the bay forest around Jones Lake, which leads to a spur tail to Salters Lake. For the less ambitious, there’s the one-mile Cedar Loop trail, lined with ferns and fragrant with fallen cedar trees and offering occasional views of the lake and the Spanish-moss-draped pond cypress trees along the shore. 4117 N.C. 242 N, Elizabethtown. 910-588-4550, www.ncparks.gov/jones-lake-state-park.
\nLumber River State Park, Orrum
\nThousands of visitors annually have come to enjoy the sheltering cedars and unpredictable twists and shallows of this river as it winds for 115 miles through four North Carolina counties. 2819 Princess Ann Road, Orrum. 910-628-4564, www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/luri/history.php.
\nMoores Creek National Battlefield, Currie
\nThis National Park Service site covers 87 acres, and there are two short trails. One loops you through the battleground where North Carolina’s Continental soldiers fought British loyalists. The other offers a natural history lesson. Both trails are flat, and a boardwalk and a bridge make it easy going over the creek. Take bug spray and plenty of water. 40 Patriots Hall Drive, Currie. 919-283-5591, www.nps.gov/mocr.
\nOsgood Canal Greenway, Burgaw
\nOne of the best ways to walk around Burgaw is along the greenway that follows the canal through town. It’s an easy 2-mile loop that goes over downtown sidewalks, along a tree-covered path by the canal and over a stretch of gravel through the gardens in one of the town’s parks. The town played the role of Chester’s Mill, Maine, in the TV show “Under the Dome,” and the courthouse was often featured. The building and the Courthouse Square area were also featured in the TV show “Revolution” and the Melissa McCarthy/Susan Sarandon film “Tammy.” Corner of E. Ashe Street and Timberly Lane, Burgaw. 910-663-3450.
\nSampson County History Museum, Clinton
\nWhat began in 1997 as a five-room history exhibit in a turn-of-the-20th-century home a few blocks from the county courthouse has morphed into Sampson County’s version of the Smithsonian history museum. There are now 11 buildings on the 2-acre lot, with special exhibits on the military, agriculture, law enforcement, medicine, sports and the Civil War. 313 Lisbon St., Clinton. 910-590-0007, www.sampsonhmc.com.
\nThe Kindred Spirit Mailbox, Sunset Beach
\nIf you drive to where the road ends on Sunset Beach and then keep walking down the sand toward South Carolina, you’ll eventually come to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox, tucked up into the dunes in the Bird Island state nature reserve. Here, inside a rural mailbox next to a wooden bench that faces out to sea, you’ll find about a dozen pens and several notebooks where people have written their thoughts in a public diary of sorts. Look for the American flag flying in the dunes, Sunset Beach.
\nThe Riverwalk,
\nFair Bluff
\nThe stretch of the Lumber River that divides Columbus and Robeson counties is part of the national Wild and Scenic River system and is lined with thick cypress forest and swamps – not the kind of place you go for a stroll. But this elevated walkway carries you above the muck and the snakes. The trail begins behind the visitors center downtown, and it’s a little more than a mile out and back. 1140 Main St., Fair Bluff. 910-649-7202, www.fairbluff.com.
\nBulk & More Store, Beulaville
\nNeat rows of baking and cooking supplies, dry goods, dairy, candy and homemade breads line the shelves of this small country outpost painted a cheerful red and nestled against a cornfield in southern Duplin County. The store is run by the Mobley family, who bring in a variety of goods from Mennonite and Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as from North Carolina farms. 889 Fountaintown Road, Beulaville. 919-298-2183.
\nBrown Dog Coffee Company, Burgaw
\nSmack in the middle of Burgaw is a coffee house where any hipster would feel right at home. It sells local pottery, honey and T-shirts with a brown Lab on the front. The berry smoothies are ice cold and tasty. The owners, Donna Best-Klingel and her husband, Barry Klingel, roast their own coffee, and the blueberries in those smoothies are locally grown. 103A W. Fremont St., Burgaw. 910-259-3349, www.browndogcoffeecompany.com.
\nCasey’s Buffet, Wilmington
\nChicken and barbecue are the top sellers, owner Larry Casey says, but pigs feet is a close third, and some days he sells more chitlins than barbecue. There’s also spiced catfish, fatback and 20 kinds of vegetables, including his best-seller, pan-fried okra without breading. Many of the recipes are from dishes his mother and grandmother made. The restaurant’s slogan is, “Miss Ya Mamma’s Cookin’? Come Home to Casey’s!” 5559 Oleander Drive, Wilmington. 910-798-2913, www.caseysbuffet.com.
\nHolland’s Shelter Creek Fish Camp, Burgaw
\nSteve Holland’s restaurant serves up generous platters of catfish, shrimp, oysters and frog legs – 60 pounds of frog legs a week – and a sweet view of Shelter Creek. 8315 N.C. 53 E, Burgaw. 910-259-5743.
\nLanes Ferry Dock & Grill, Rocky Point
\nOwner Kenny McManus serves a full country breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., then switches to grilled hot dogs and burgers until 2:30 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, he serves hand-pulled barbecue slow cooked with hickory and apple wood in the shed out back. It’s small – six tables and five stools – but in good weather you can sit at the picnic tables outside. 11016 N.C. 210 East, Rocky Point. 910-602-7110, www.lanesferry.com.
\n\nBlue Ridge Distilling Co., Bostic
\nA former storage facility for sea diving equipment, oddly sited on a 100-acre family farm in the hills north of Bostic, is now a distillery making Defiant single malt whisky from brewer’s barley. Take a tour and watch the distillers control everything with iPads. If they offer a taste, say yes. 228 Redbud Lane, Bostic. 828-245-2041, defiantwhisky.com.
\nBullington Gardens,
\nHendersonville
\nThis 12-acre preserve was started by retired New York City police officer Bob Bullington, who with his wife, Sally, ran an ornamental nursery from 1979 until he died a decade later. The property includes a native woodland garden, a rain garden, a dahlia garden, a pollinator garden and a therapy garden. 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville. 828-698-6104, bullingtongardens.org.
\nEarl Scruggs Center, Shelby
\nThe old courthouse in the heart of Shelby is now the Earl Scruggs Center, 6 miles from where Scruggs grew up in the Flint Hill community. See the instruments he and his family played, learn about the culture where he grew up, hear the evolution of Southern music, watch videos and listen to oral histories. 103 S. Lafayette St., Shelby. 704-487-6233, earlscruggscenter.org.
\nFlat Rock Playhouse,
\nFlat Rock
\nThe playhouse opened in 1952, and at first offered only a few weeks of plays in the summer. Now it’s open eight months a year and stages elaborate modern productions of dramas and musicals. 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. 828-693-0731, www.flatrockplayhouse.org.
\nGorges State Park, Sapphire
\nAt this, the farthest-west state park in North Carolina, car-camping doesn’t exist. Every site is walk-in only, and the shortest walk is three-quarters of a mile. The second thing to know is that if you camp next to Ray Fisher Pond, you’re going to spend the night with some seriously loud bullfrogs. With this knowledge, you’re equipped to see Rainbow Falls and dozens of others. 828-966-9099.
\nHighest Point on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Waynesville
\nAt 6,053 feet, the winding Blue Ridge Parkway hits its apex just south of Waynesville on the Jackson County line. Milepost 431 is worth a stop, if only to see the crowds of bikers gathered around the big wooden sign, count the number of out-of-state license plates or to hear foreign tourists say “highest point” in German.
\nHouse of Flags Museum, Columbus
\nThe museum holds more than 300 flags that have represented colonies, states, religions, brigades, veterans, republics and the USA itself; each has a story, and together they tell the story of our country. Ask about the symbolism of snakes and trees, and of flags with one star (North Carolina once had one). 33 Gibson St., Columbus. 828-894-5640.
\nJudaculla Rock, Cullowhee
\nAccording to Cherokee legend, a giant named Judaculla lived in the Balsam Mountains off what is now Devil’s Courthouse, lording over sacred hunting grounds and controlling the weather. His footprint remains in the corner of a soapstone boulder in the valley below. The car-sized boulder is marked from top to bottom with petroglyphs that archaeologists now believe to be thousands of years old. To get there, follow N.C. 107 south of Sylva, turn left at Caney Fork Road and follow the signs.
\nJump Off Rock,
\nHendersonville
\nThis scenic overlook’s name comes from a legend about a Cherokee maiden who flung herself off the rock’s ledge when her great love was killed in battle. Whether this is true or not, this is a spectacular place to ponder the vastness of earth and sky, or to take one of several short hikes. Take Fifth Avenue West from Hendersonville. It becomes Laurel Park Highway, then the road dead ends at Jump Off Rock. A short walkway leads to the pinnacle.
\nNorth Mills River Campground and Recreation Area, Mills River
\nSituated at an elevation of 2,200 feet, this Pisgah National Forest campground has access to the forest’s cascading waterfalls and hiking trails through dense woodlands. With fewer than 20 sites and no hookups, it’s quiet and peaceful, but also includes two parking areas for day-trippers who pay $3 per car and bring their own inner tubes for playing in the water. 5289 N. Mills River Road, Mills River. 828-890-3284, nando.com/millsriver.
\nTail of the Dragon,
\nDeals Gap
\nIn a short stretch of U.S. 129 that runs over the Tennessee border, a motorist will encounter 318 turns in 11 miles – hence the road’s menacing name. Note especially the Tree of Shame, which is covered with smashed-up parts left behind by passers-by, each one lovingly signed and dated by the driver who lost it. To get there from the North Carolina side, follow U.S. 129 to where it meets N.C. 28.
\nThomas Wolfe’s Angel,
\nHendersonville
\nIn Hendersonville’s Oakdale Cemetery, small signs will direct you toward the graveyard’s most notable resident, the marble angel that sat in the Asheville funeral monument shop window of W.O. Wolfe until 1906. Historians say this is the one Wolfe’s son, Thomas Wolfe, described in a short story and again in his career-launching 1929 novel, “Look Homeward, Angel.” At the intersection of U.S. 64 and Valley Street, Hendersonville.
\nTsali Recreation Area,
\nAlmond
\nAlmost everyone you meet at Tsali, a part of Nanatahala National Forest, will be wearing Lycra shorts, a thick helmet and a coating of thick mud. These fast, single-track mountain bike trails draw the hardiest riders in the state, and their bloody scars are worn like medals. The trails ring the edge of Fontana Lake, offering stunning views of the Smokies on the rare occasions when they emerge from thick forest canopies. Open April through October. 828-479-6431.
\nWestern N.C. Air Museum, Hendersonville
\nFounded in 1989 by three local fliers, the museum’s collection includes replicas of a Wright Brothers’ flyer and a 1917 Curtiss, along with more than a dozen preserved or restored craft such as the 1936 Piper Cub and a 1928 Heath Parasol. 1340 Gilbert St., Hendersonville. 828-698-2482, westernnorthcarolinaairmuseum.com.
\nWilderness Taxidermy & Outfitters, Franklin
\nFor more than 30 years, Bill and Linda Fuchs have handled trophies shipped from as far away as Africa, and their studio is hung from end to end with the heads of elephants, lions and zebras. The pair draws roughly 70 people a day to their business’s ever-changing wildlife museum, which also includes a moonshine still seized in a raid and half a human skull. 5040 Highlands Road, Franklin. 828-524-3677, www.wildernesstaxidermy.com.
\nWorld’s Largest Ten Commandments, Murphy
\nEvery letter of the passages from Exodus is 5 feet tall, making the words from Scripture cover an entire mountainside. It’s the Bible Belt’s equivalent of the Hollywood sign. Part of the larger Fields of the Wood Bible Park, the attraction also includes a baptismal pool, available by appointment only. Get there on N.C. 294, about 18 miles west of downtown Murphy. 828-494-7855, www.fieldsofthewoodbiblepark.com.
\nClay’s Corner, Brasstown
\nThe courts and legislators in Raleigh have long squabbled over the annual Possum Drop on New Year’s Eve, but few have actually seen the spot where the critter gets lowered at midnight. Clay Logan’s business has stuffed opossum dolls for sale, an ice chest decorated with spray-painted opossums, a wooden opossum sculpture dangling upside-down and fresh sandwiches. 11005 Old Highway 64, Brasstown. 828-837-3797, www.clayscorner.com.
\nMcFarlan Bakery, Hendersonville
\nMany of the cookies, pies, breads and cakes are made with recipes that date to the bakery’s earliest days, in the 1930s. McFarlan’s has no tables, so if you see people walking around town with white bakery boxes, you know that’s precious cargo they’re carrying. 309 N. Main St., Hendersonville. 828-693-4256, mcfarlanbakery.com.
\nMountain Deli, Hendersonville
\nThis downtown diner serves the flavors of a traditional Jewish deli, fitting since Jews were among the early arrivals in town around the turn of 20th century. There is hot-carved roast beef on Tuesdays and Fridays, roast turkey breast on Mondays and Thursdays and smoked ham on Saturdays and Wednesdays. 343 N. Main St., Hendersonville. 828-693-0093, mtndeli.com.
\nPostero, Hendersonville
\nHendersonville homeboy Jason Reasoner is executive chef of this restaurant that offers “new American cuisine” in a -circa-1922 bank building on Main Street. Menu items may range from chicken and waffles to shrimp and grits. 401 N. Main St., Hendersonville. 828-595-9676, postero-hvl.com.
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