A list of North Carolina's places to see
My column today:
Smithsonian magazine's current edition features "28 places to see before you die."
With only one to my credit so far -- the Serengeti -- there's no way I'll visit all of the world's greatest attractions. But it inspired me to create a more attainable list: places North Carolinians should see within their home state. The selections include natural wonders and sites of historic and cultural significance. Here goes:
* Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This natural treasure offers miles of beautiful, unspoiled beaches along the Outer Banks. Ocracoke Island is a favorite destination.
* Mount Mitchell State Park. The peak rises to 6,684 feet above sea level, highest in the Eastern United States.
* Grandfather Mountain. This private park combines scenic grandeur with easy access to a nature center and other attractions, including the famous mile-high swinging bridge.
* Chimney Rock State Park. The unique formation provides a spectacular view of lovely Lake Lure.
* Wright Brothers National Memorial. North Carolina earned "First in Flight" status at Kitty Hawk in 1903.
* Blue Ridge Parkway. This is simply the best drive in North Carolina.
* Old Salem. The historic Moravian community is alive and well.
* Tryon Palace. North Carolina's colonial capitol, located in New Bern, it once entertained George Washington.
* The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The nation's first state university remains one of its best and most attractive.
* Duke Chapel. An awe-inspiring neo-Gothic cathedral on the Duke campus.
* Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University. College basketball is huge in North Carolina, and the Cameron Crazy environment turns it on full force.
* Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. Where the tide turned against the British in 1781.
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The nation's most visited national park.
* The High Point Market. The world's leading furniture event turns High Point into an international city twice a year.
* The North Carolina State Capitol. Completed in 1840, the stately structure still holds the governor's offices.
* The Biltmore House. The majestic Asheville estate built by the Vanderbilt family ranks among the finest mansions in the world.
* Lexington barbecue. The state's favorite food tastes best in Davidson County.
* Cherokee. Don't miss the museum, restored village and "Unto These Hills." The casino is optional.
* Lowe's Motor Speedway. North Carolinians love racin', and this is where it happens.
* The North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove. The heart of the art in Randolph County.
* The North Carolina Zoo. An exceptional zoo, one of the first to display animals in spacious natural-looking exhibits.
* Pisgah National Forest. Try Sliding Rock on a hot day.
* The State Fair. The 10-day show each October draws more than 800,000 people.
* USS Battleship North Carolina Memorial. Tied up in Wilmington, she's one impressive boat.
* Calabash. The waterfront town that's synonymous with seafood.
* N.C. Museum of Art. Works by Raphael, Rubens, Monet and many other masters are housed here.
* N.C. Museum of History. All you need to know about our state.
* Pinehurst No. 2. For golfers, it doesn't get better than this famous 101-year-old Donald Ross course.
* Uptown Charlotte. Bright lights, night life, culture, sports and light rail add up to a vibrant big-city scene.
* Nantahala River. Tops for white-water rafting.
* Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. For old-fashioned highland excursions.
* Hart Square. This private collection of restored and furnished 1840s-era log buildings in Catawba County opens to the public only on the fourth Saturday of October.
Those are my picks, and I'll confess I still haven't seen them all. What else have I missed?
Contact Doug Clark at dgclark@news-record.com or 373-7039.
Comments (15)
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I have made all of them except that furniture market and some of the museums. The best one is Unto These Hills. I see this every season. The train ride is next. These are great places to take grandchildren.
Posted on January 2, 2008 7:41 AM
I am missing the pottery center in Seagrove and Hart Square. It has been years since I have seen many of the others, however, and this is definitely inspiration to get back.
On a basketball-related note, I would add Reynolds Coliseum -- at least Reynolds Coliseum in its "prime" -- to that list. No way to totally recapture that experience now, though the State men still play there once a season (I think) and the women still play there. It's worth a trip if you've never been. Lots of history there.
Posted on January 2, 2008 8:56 AM
Steve, you've done well if you've hit all but two.
As for Reynolds, I feel the same about Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, a much better basketball environment than the Dean Dome -- but its capacity was only 8,800 as I recall.
Posted on January 2, 2008 9:00 AM
Doug, you've gone to great lengths to avoid writing your David Wray column but this is getting a little out there.
Granted there is more to life than G-Boro politics. Call us crazy, but when criminals are running amouck in town while police are off starting their own private taxi service for damsels in distress, we find it hard to think about Hart Square or some old timey railroad.
What's next? The top-ten barbecue spots? Wait, you already started that list with Lexington.
You can't keep running forever.
Posted on January 2, 2008 10:47 AM
Those are my picks, and I'll confess I still haven't seen them all. What else have I missed?* Doug
You miss the most view and orderly funded Country and Western operation in North Carolina....The Randy Parton and Jim Black get out of Dodge show. And why did you leave out the most revene producing lottery tourist site in North Carolina where Baptists flock to it in hugh Huckabee numbers...The Indian Casios in the Great Smokies
Posted on January 2, 2008 11:04 AM
Strike the Cherokee site, you had so many that it was like a Republican candiate forum.......
Posted on January 2, 2008 11:08 AM
Thanks, Connie. Might have to hurry to get to the Randy Parton Theater.
Posted on January 2, 2008 11:21 AM
mr. clark,
i know you have the furniture market on the list but it is a private event good luck getting in to see the furniture. You should have had the Biltmore Estate or Tweetsie Railroad on the list to see. Have a Happy New Year
Posted on January 2, 2008 12:07 PM
sorry biltmore is on list but maybe add bald head island to the mix too along with tweetsie and carowinds
Posted on January 2, 2008 12:11 PM
Thanks, Keith.
I haven't been there, but I'm sure Bald Head Island http://www.baldheadisland.com/
would be a worthy addition.
I enjoy going to Tweetsie Railroad, especially with kids. It should be on the list of places to visit.
http://www.tweetsie.com/
I don't know if I would add Carowinds. It doesn't strike me as being very distinctive compared to similar parks in other states.
Good point about the furniture market. You can't get into the showrooms without credentials. But it's probably harder for an average person to get a ticket to a basketball game at Cameron.
At any rate, I think it's worth a visit to High Point during market just to walk around downtown and watch all the people from all over the world. And I think North Carolinians should have a little understanding about the nature and scope of this event.
Posted on January 2, 2008 12:36 PM
Other nominations I'm getting via email and phone calls:
Lake Norman
The N.C. Transportation Museum at Spencer
Tobacco barns
The ACC Tournament
The Lost Colony
Mount Airy and Andy Griffith sites
The race track at North Wilkesboro
Blowing Rock-Tweetsie Railroad
Minor league baseball, the Durham Bulls
The Carl Sandburg home at Flat Rock
The Thomas Wolfe home in Asheville
Posted on January 2, 2008 5:17 PM
Also, Duke Homestead:
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/duke/duke.htm
And here's a link to many of the state's historic sites:
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/sites.htm
Readers are making the point that we have an amazing array of places worth visiting in North Carolina.
Didn't we once have a slogan, Variety Vacationland? Yep:
http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/vacationland/index.html
Posted on January 2, 2008 5:37 PM
Thanks, Connie. Might have to hurry to get to the Randy Parton Theater.* Doug
You really better hurry, before the Bankrupty petition is file! Whatever you do! Do not pay in advance for the show.....
Posted on January 2, 2008 8:54 PM
Adding a few more that have been suggested to me:
Fort Macon State Park
The N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
Beaufort Waterfront
Swansboro
The Ava Gardner Museum in Swansboro
The N.C. Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh
Southport
Edenton
Posted on January 3, 2008 6:02 PM
More additions:
Pilot Mountain
Stone Mountain
Town Creek Indian Mound
Posted on January 4, 2008 8:30 AM