By
Molly McArdle
From the peaks of the Blue
Ridge Mountains to the dunes of the Outer Banks, North Carolina offers
visitors the best of both worlds, (with lots of vinegary barbecue in
between). These eight can't-miss towns, regions, and attractions are
some of the highlights of the Tar Heel State.
[post_ads_2]Outer Banks
Two hundred miles of barrier
islands stretch from Corolla in the north to Portsmouth Island in the
south, an idyllic and seemingly endless string of beach.
Asheville
Tucked away in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, Asheville’s nationally recognized food, beverage, and music
scenes are made all the better for their bucolic setting. The quirky town (population: 88,000) also sustains a number of bookstores and artists' studios.
Durham
Home of the Durham Bulls (and Bull Durham), this tobacco town
grew big on cigarettes. Duke University has been here since 1892 (it
was renamed in 1924 after a tobacco millionaire), and it’s now one
corner of the Research Triangle. Visitors should reserve a room at the
21c Museum Hotel and save plenty of room for dinner at M Sushi or
Nanasteak.
[post_ads_2]Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway, at 469
miles, is America’s longest linear park (a category the High Line also
belongs to). The mountaintop road connects Great Smoky Mountains
National Park to the south and Shenandoah National Park to the north.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
With more than 11.3 million
visitors in 2016, it’s the United States’ most visited national park.
Encompassing the ridgelines of both the Great Smoky Mountains as well as
a section of the Blue Ridge, it is also split by the border between
Tennessee and North Carolina. Plan your trip between late May and early
June to see thousands of fireflies descend on the park.
Wilmington
Just above Cape Fear, the
river-bound town of Wilmington provides easy access to North Carolina’s
southern-most barrier island beaches.
[post_ads_2]Carrboro
Chapel Hill’s funkier younger
sibling was the first place in North Carolina to elect an openly gay
mayor in 1995, and it also helped to pioneer the locavore movement: its
famous Carrboro Farmers Market, founded in 1977, requires that
everything sold there be produced within a 50-mile radius.
Mount Mitchell
North America’s highest mountain
east of the Mississippi, Mount Mitchell’s 6,684-foot-peak makes it the
tallest of the Appalachian Mountains. Hike or drive to the top (an
access road conveniently connects to the Blue Ridge Parkway) for
spectacular views of the surrounding region.
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