I enjoy a good road trip. And, while I’m conflicted about the recent decline in gas prices, $1.70/gallon gasoline certainly makes exploring your backyard a little easier. Over the past six months, my first as a resident in the great state of North Carolina, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many charming locations throughout the state.
Asheville
Just having returned from a 2-day trip to Asheville I can confidently say that this is one of the coolest towns I’ve ever been to. It has an amazing arts district supported by a huge amount of local talent, a buzzing local music scene, and a wide choice of bars, restaurants, and cool shops. It also has the Biltmore estate, the largest home in the US with 250 rooms, and the best green grocery store that I’ve ever been to. It’s a little bit of a drive from Chapel Hill, but well worth it.
Mt. Rogers
There are tons of great backpacking destinations in NC. The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area is actually just across the border into Virginia but is a very manageable drive from Chapel Hill. I did a two-day backpacking trip back in September and thoroughly enjoyed it. The scenery was amazing, the trails were well-marked and interesting, and there were plenty of locations to pitch a tent. Amusingly, there are wild ponies that roam around the entire park.
Winston-Salem
I stopped here for several hours on my way back from Mt. Rogers and wish that I had had more time to explore. I wandered around historic Old Salem, learned about the history of the area, and and some delightful baked goods made in a traditional 1800′s bakery.
Oak Island
Oak Island is a gorgeous beach town about as far south in NC as you can get. Go here to enjoy the surf and the sun, but don’t expect nightlife or shopping. My weekend at Oak Island was honestly one of the best beach vacations I’ve taken because of the combination of remoteness and beauty. There are some excellent restaurants in the downtown area. This link has some pictures of my Oak Island and Mt. Rogers trips.
Hillsborough
Hillsborough is just a short drive North from Chapel Hill. It’s a very small town with one main strip, and the shops are very cute and the residents exude southern friendliness. The Blue Bayou Club often has live music and is a really good time.
I knew when I decided to come to Kenan-Flagler that I’d enjoy the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. I didn’t realize how much the rest of the state had to offer. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to say the least.
- Tristan
5 Comments
1/11/2009
I visited Asheville this fall with a few of my girlfriends, and we loved it! It’s a perfect weekend getaway location, and I would include it on a list of trips during your time at Kenan-Flagler.
Asheville is extremely charming. The town truly revolves around enjoyment of the simple, yet gourmet and enjoyable, aspects of life — local produce restaurants, specialty dessert boutiques, coffee shops filled with groups of friends, and gorgeous nature trails and scenery. Don’t miss out on Asheville!
1/11/2009
First on my list of places to check out is the Outer Banks – the Crown Jewel of East Coast surfing.
http://www.surfline.com/travel/index.cfm?id=2150
1/11/2009
A couple of places that I like include:
Mount Airy: http://www.mountairy.org/
Beautiful old time town (similar to Hillsborough but bigger main street area) in the valley of some of the biggest Shenandoah mountains in NC. Great views, good food, and they have a Andy Griffith show re-enactment there every year. I’ve only driven through the downtown but have heard great things and it’s worth the trip for the wonderful views.
Wrightsville Beach: http://www.visitwrightsville.com/
Not the most beautiful beaches in NC, but only 2 hours 15 minutes door to door from Carrboro/Chapel Hill. You can’t beat that.
1/11/2009
My wife and I like to take our dog and a picnic to the Eno River State Park in Durham/Hillsborough. Great swimming and hiking only 20 minutes from Chapel Hill.
1/12/2009
If you like camping, Hanging Rock State park is a fun place to go. (My husband and I got engaged there!) It has campsites, but they are not too crowded. There are also a lot of good hiking trails with amazing views. http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/main.php I think it is about an hour and 15 minutes or so from Chapel Hill.
Another of my favorite day trips is Seagrove. Seagrove is a small town with over 100 independent potters. http://www.visitrandolphcounty.com/links.php?id=23 It is also about an hour or so away. It is fun to go and see all of the pottery. I always head over there when I need to buy gifts!