North Carolina Travel Guide

North Carolina is a state in the United States of America. North Carolina is the 11th most populous state, according to the 2000 Census, with a resident population of 8,046,579. The population grew by 21.4% from the 1990 total of 6,628,637. According to Census records, only 8 other states grew faster during the last decade.

North Carolina consists of 48,843 square miles of land and 3,826 square miles of inland water. The total area of 52,669 square miles ranks North Carolina twenty-ninth in area among the states. The Old North State lies on the Eastern Seaboard with half of the population of the United States living within a 500-mile radius of the state. The state's temperate climate has four distinct seasons and is highly acclaimed for its year-round living comforts. Rainfall is adequate and dispersed over the entire year.

North Carolina has the Outer Banks, a chain of islands, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and everything in between. "From Murphy to Manteo" we say.

Together with South Carolina it forms Carolina, sometimes called The Carolinas.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Regions

Geographic

* Mountains: The western region of the state, the main cities include Asheville and Boone
* Foothills: The area between the mountains and piedmont, main city is Hickory.
* Piedmont: The central, flat area of the state. This is where most of the population is, including the Piedmont Triad (aka "the Triad") of Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point; the Research Triangle (aka "the Triangle") of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill; as well as Charlotte, the largest city in the state.
* Sandhills: This is the area just west of the coastal plain, and east of the piedmont, unlike the other areas it does not cover the state north to south. The cities in this area are Fayetteville (North Carolina) and Rockingham. This area is very sandy (hence the name) and hot.
* Coastal Plain: The coastal region, home to Wilmington, Kitty Hawk and the Crystal Coast. This area as well houses military installations such as Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro and Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville.
* Outer Banks: An area exclusive to North Carolina, the Outer Banks are steep in history and beauty.

Special Designations

* Research Triangle -- a region of cities and universities known for scientific research

Counties

* New Hanover County -- home of historic Wilmington & the Cape Fear Coast.
* Watauga County -- Includes the university town of Boone and scenic Blowing Rock.
* Orange County -- home of Chapel Hill.
* Chatham County -- Immediately of Chapel Hill.
* Wake County -- home to Raleigh, the state capitol, and several major state institutions.
* Durham County -- home of Durham and Duke University.
* Currituck County -- the northeast coast of the state, close to Virginia and a summer destination for many tourists.
* Mecklenberg County -- Home of the state's largest city, Charlotte, and its surrounding suburbs.
* Cherokee County -- the western edge of the state, bordering Tennessee.
* Swain County -- home of the Cherokee and a large casino.
* Buncombe County -- where Asheville is located.
* Haywood County -- a mountainous area, home to Waynesville, Linville Gorge.
* Macon County -- home of Highlands, an old resort town in the mountains.
* Jackson County -- also contains a few tourist resorts, a lake and the like, but still one of the poorest counties in the state.
* Onslow County -- it has an island with a beach, in the Outer Banks.
* Wilkes County -- Annual Americana Music Festival.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Cities

* Asheville - Scenic mountain city, known for its cultural establishments and liberal culture.
* Asheboro - A small town, mostly known as the home of the NC state zoo.
* Atlantic Beach - Situated on the Bogue Banks, Atlantic Beach is within reach of a wealth of activities. From the clean sandy beach, golfing and world-class fishing to the maritime history, museums, shopping, nightlife and famous fresh seafood, the Crystal Coast offers fun and recreation for every member of the family.
* Boone - A relatively small town, home of Appalachian State University.
* Cary - a sprawling Raleigh suburb lacking a large downtown, but one of the state's largest cities.
* Chapel Hill - home of the Tar Heels
* Charlotte - North Carolina's largest city, known for banking and professional sports.
* Durham - Famous for Duke University and tobacco connections.
* Emerald Isle - the western-most thirteen miles of the Bogue Banks, barrier island of the Southern Outer Banks
* Fuquay-Varina - Great place to live, work, play, and shop!
* Goldsboro - Home of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
* Greensboro - One of the largest cities in the state; located near the northern center. Not many attractions, but a major population center.
* Hatteras - Whether you are lured by the world class fishing or the east coast's best beaches, Hatteras Island has plenty to offer. Opportunities for beachcombing, swimming, kiteboarding, sailboarding, and boating exist around nearly every corner!
* Hendersonville - Blue Ridge Mountains country and the home of poet Carl Sandburg.
* Hickory - Small city known for furniture and fiber-optic cable.
* High Point - "Furniture Capital of the World"
* Holden Beach - Recognized by National Geographic Traveler Magazine, Holden Beach was named one of the 38 Best American Beaches and rated 9th out of all United States beaches, in the Family Beach Category. Come vacation at Holden Beach and discover for yourself why we're one of the very best beaches in America. Holden Beach is 35 miles south of Wilmington, NC and 40 miles north of Myrtle Beach, SC.
* Kitty Hawk - made famous by the Wright Brothers
* Manteo - the easternmost town of significance
* Murphy - the westernmost town of significance
* Oak Island - Cross over the bridge from Southport, North Carolina to an island that echoes southern traditions. People are friendly and accommodating, the beaches uncrowded and clean, and the homes comfortable and affordable. Oak Island is picturesque year-round.
* Ocean Isle - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina is a quiet, unspoiled beach known to thousands of family vacationers. Ocean Isle Beach is an island approximately seven miles long located in Southern North Carolina. It's a family oriented, kick back and relax beach with very little commercial activity. There are twelve golf courses and numerous restaurants within 10 miles.
* Ocracoke - Small colonial-era town in the Outer Banks
* Raleigh - North Carolina's capital city, the location of many of the state's cultural institutions, and the second-largest population base.
* Sunset Beach - Sunset Beach is a small barrier island located at the southeast corner of North Carolina. To reach the island you pass from the mainland over one of the last pontoon swing bridges operating in our state. Sunset Beach is truly a quiet family beach, with virtually all of the development on the island comprised of family cottages. It boasts one of the widest and cleanest beach strands on the East Coast.
* Union Grove -- home of the Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival
* Wilkesboro -- home of Merlefest
* Wilmington - Colonial Port City, previous home of Michael Jordan and current home of EUE Screen Gem studios
* Winston-Salem - Mid-sized city, home of a famous Moravian settlement.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Other Destinations

The beautiful mountain town of Banner Elk townofbannerelk.org or head to the beach at Nags Head nags-head.com

* Appalachian National Scenic Trail
* Blue Ridge Parkway
* Cape Hatteras National Seashore
* Cape Lookout National Seashore
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park
* The Outer Banks

North Carolina Travel Guide - When to Visit

Year-round.

Summers can be warm, especially during July and August, but in general the climate of North Carolina is mild compared to its neighbors in the southeast. For example, the average July high in Charlotte, and most central NC cities, is 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C). In the mountains of Asheville, the average July high is only 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29°C), and highs below 90 degrees Fahrenheit are also found on the coast. For travelers coming from warmer climates, summers in North Carolina are quite nice, especially in the mountains.

During the summer, high humidity combined with summer temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit may be hazardous for senior citizens and those of ill health. Between the months of June and August, heat advisories are not uncommon. The good news about the heat is the air and ocean water temperatures, particularly for the Southeast NC beaches, remain comfortable for swimming and beach-going well into September, if not October.

In general, for travelers coming from cooler climates, the heat and humidity of southern summers can be a shock, making spring and fall much more attractive. During the Fall season, the Blue Ridge Mountains are a popular destination due to the beauty of the foliage. It should be noted that construction on Highway 321 may involve delays. Please check your local traffic reports.

In the winter, the mountains of northwestern North Carolina offer skiing and other winter sports.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Understand

North Carolina is a very old and traditional state. According to some, North Carolina can claim to be the first state. In 1775, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed, even though North Carolina wasn't the first to ratify the Constitution.

Travelers familiar with the American South will find that North Carolina is typical of the area in terms of culture. To some degree, it is a "transition state" between the Deep South and the Mid-Atlantic area. As a result, it has a moderate mixture of cultural influences; this effect is heightened by a very high rate of immigration from northern states and from Latin America.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Talk

Standard English is the major language, and spoken in all of the large cities. The local dialect in the Western regions can seem impenetrable, but not impossible. Spanish is a popular second language used by a sizable minority population in some areas.

Also in Western North Carolina, the Cherokee language is spoken by 15,000 to 20,000 people.

In the City of Charlotte you will also find a wide amount of languages spoken due to the city's high immigrant population.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Getting There

North Carolina borders Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. Any of the surrounding states by road.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport; hub for commercial, cargo, corporate, private, military and trucking operations; on the web at charlotteairport.com. Piedmont Triad International Airport; hub for commercial, cargo, corporate, private, military and trucking operations, on the web at flyfrompti.com

Wilmington International Airport (ILM) is located in southeastern / coastal North Carolina and handles both domestic and international flights. On the web at flyilm.com

By boat on the Outer Banks/Coast.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Getting Around

Compared to other American states, North Carolina has decent roads. Larger cities such as Charlotte and Raleigh tend to have lower-quality roads due to heavy traffic; still, they are tolerably well-kept. Some mountain areas still have unpaved roads, and some of the Outer Banks are inaccessible by automobile.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Things To See

* The Biltmore Estate; biltmore.com - George Vanderbilt's 250-room Biltmore House, extensive gardens, and winery located in Asheville.

* Andy Griffith; visitmayberry.com - Located in Mt.Airy - entertainment, lodging, dining, shopping, and more in the town that inspired Andy Griffith's Mayberry in the classic television series.

* The Lost Colony; thelostcolony.org - A 400 year-old mystery haunts Roanoke Island on North Carolina's Outer Banks. There, in 1587, about 120 men, women and children established the first English colony in the New World -- then vanished without a trace, leaving historians and archaeologists with one of America's most perplexing mysteries.

* The Blue Ridge Parkway; blueridgeparkway.org - 2005 marks the 70th anniversary of this beautiful 469 mile route.

* Charlotte: Charlotte is home to several sports teams, and historic sites. Charlotte is a good base for the Carolina traveler as it is in the heart of the Carolinas; 2 main interstates (I-77 and I-85) run though Charlotte.

Charlotte is the center of the state's 1st metro area, Metrolina (together with Gastonia, Concord, Monroe, and Rock Hill, SC).

Charlotte is a very green city (in terms of grass and trees), it claims to be America's greenest city, and it may very well be.

* Asheville and the NC Appalachian Mountains: The most picturesque area of the state, Asheville is the main city in this area of the state, a nice little city. Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the range, is also located in the extreme west of the state.

In this area you will also find several water ways, and forests. Great for cooling off during the long, hot North Carolina summers.

* The Triangle: The capital region and 2nd metro area, home to Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

* Wilmington: Wilmington is North Carolina's main coastal city, a great destination for the beach lover.

* North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher: The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher and the adjacent Fort Fisher museum and recreation area is located 20 minutes south of Wilmington in Kure Beach.

* Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point: This is the 3rd metro area in North Carolina (known as the triad).

North Carolina Travel Guide - Things To Do

The Appalachian Mountains provide extensive trails for hiking and many places allow for overnight camping. Also, The Grandfather Mountain provides a fantastic view and is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountain range; grandfather.com

Feel free to also visit Harrah's Cherokee Casino located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation. harrahs.com

North Carolina Travel Guide - Eat

Down home Southern cooking style. North Carolina prides itself on its vast farming community, which produces a plethora of fresh produce and livestock. As the slogan says, "Goodness grows in North Carolina "

Hog farms are North Carolina's number-one commodity and as such, the pig plays an important role in state cuisine. As in the rest of the South, pork meat (particularly ham, bacon, smoked ham hocks and salt pork) and pork fat (fatback and lard) are highly popular flavoring ingredients. Perhaps unsurprisingly, no part of the pig is wasted. Livermush, a delicacy that includes pig liver, parts of the head, and cornmeal is a favorite delicacy. The town of Shelby, NC has an annual festival celebrating the tradition of livermush and barbecue. A great local delicacy — albeit one that most people won't touch, if they weren't raised eating it — is chitterlings (most often abbreviated to chitlings or chitlins), aka pig intestines, which are thoroughly cleaned, boiled and fried. Small local companies like Neese's manufacture souse (also called headcheese), liver pudding, pickled pigs' feet and C-loaf (made from chitterlings). For the less adventurous, North Carolina offers plenty of mainstream ways to enjoy the humble pig:

* The pig pickin' is a longstanding North Carolina tradition, usually to be found at large gatherings like a church supper or family reunion. An entire pig is split and slow-roasted all day over the fire, then pulled apart and served to the hungry crowd along with a wide variety of accompanying side dishes and desserts.

* Barbecue tends to stir up strong emotions anywhere there's a prized local variation, and North Carolina is no different. Here the main split is between the east and the west. Western NC barbecue (or Lexington Style) favors only the pork shoulders, and the sauce (or dip) is vinegar- and tomato-based. Eastern NC barbecue roasts the entire pig, and uses a sauce made primarily from vinegar and hot red pepper. In North Carolina, the pork meat is pulled, or shredded (by hand or with forks) in the eastern part of the state, and chopped in the western part. Barbecue can be served all by itself on a plate (but usually with a generous serving of hushpuppies), but more commonly is piled atop a hamburger bun along with chopped coleslaw and eaten as a sandwich. A point about the slaw; in the eastern part of the state, the slaw is the familiar shredded cabbage and mayonnaise mixture you can buy in any grocery store, but the furter west of Triangle you get, the more likely you are to be served slaw of a different nature, BBQ slaw. BBQ slaw is made from the same, albeit more finely shredded, cabbage; but instead of mayonnaise and other spices, the same vinegar and tomato mixture (minus the hot sauce) that is used on the pork is added, along with sugar to give it a slightly sweet taste.

* Country ham is thinly-sliced and heavily salted. It's usually pan-fried and eaten on a biscuit as a kind of breakfast sandwich. The drippings are mixed with black coffee to create red-eye gravy, which is served over the country ham or the other breakfast foods.

Chicken is also a highly popular food; while it may not be as ubiquitous as pork, it's much beloved. Fried chicken is commonly served as part of a traditional Sunday dinner (although a roast ham is an equally popular alternative). There's also the classic comfort-food of chicken and dumplings, and roast chicken is often served at a pig pickin' for those rare few who choose not to gorge on pork.

Thanks in large part to the African influences on the entire South, traditional Southern meals — particularly barbecues and buffets — are incomplete without a spread of vegetable side dishes, usually slow-cooked or deep-fried. These include greens (collard, turnip, mustard or kale, slow-cooked in a large pot with ham, and sometimes served with cider vinegar; the leftover liquid, or pot liquor, makes a side dish in itself), cabbage (boiled, or fried in bacon grease), green beans (slow-cooked with ham), okra (most often sliced thickly, dipped in cornmeal batter and deep-fried), tomatoes (sliced fresh if ripe, or deep-fried in cornmeal if green), potatoes (boiled if new, or made into potato salad with mayonnaise and seasonings), field peas (boiled with ham) and black-eyed peas (simmered with salt pork and hot pepper). Sweet potatoes are also a major North Carolina crop; although they don't figure hugely into local cuisine, you'll find them baked, served in casseroles, occasionally raw on salads, or as a delectable pumpkin-like pie filling.

One of the most prominent vegetables in North Carolina cuisine, and Southern cuisine in general, is corn. Aside from boiled or grilled corn-on-the-cob, cornmeal is frequently used to make local favorites:

* Grits is made of coarsely-ground corn kernels. It's almost invariably boiled slowly like porridge, and served with salt, black pepper and butter as part of a Southern breakfast. Some people like to make cheese grits by mixing in Cheddar cheese, and in the coastal region, cheese grits are often garnished with fresh shrimp.

* Cornbread is a crumbly bread made of stone-ground cornmeal and buttermilk, baked in a cast-iron skillet. It's usually eaten hot with butter, or crumbled into something soupy, like more buttermilk, pot liquor from cooked greens, or pinto beans.

* Hush puppies are deep-fried cornmeal dumplings, either round or elongated, sometimes flavored with chopped onion and served alongside barbecue or fried seafood. Restaurants usually serve them with butter, as if you need to make them any oilier. They can be quite addictive, as well as heavy, so don't overdo it! Legend has it that they were named when a cook tossed some to a barking dog who was begging for food.

Also in the bread category are biscuits, which are round leavened breads usually made from buttermilk, and are often used as the litmus test for any good Southern cook. They're usually split down the middle and spread with butter and possibly some kind of jam, or used for making breakfast sandwiches.

Because of its large coastal area, seafood is also a popular item on North Carolina menus: fresh fish, shrimp, scallops, clams, oysters and crabs can be found across the state, particularly in the eastern half. Preparation tends to be simple rather than elaborate, emphasizing the fresh taste of the ingredients. Calabash-style seafood is popular throughout the state; this is dipped in evaporated milk, then a dry breading mixture, and deep-fried. There's also catfish, found in rivers throughout the state, usually served dredged in cornmeal and deep-fried.

Around the Winston-Salem area, there's a large Moravian settlement which specializes in local delicacies that aren't found elsewhere in the state. Moravian sugar cookies are paper-thin and extremely labor-intensive to make (recipes can be found online, for those of curious natures and muscular arms), and available in a wide variety of flavors including ginger, spice, lemon, Key lime, butterscotch, chocolate and black walnut, as well as regular sugar. Moravian sugar cake is a leavened cake topped with melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Lovefeast buns are tasty potato rolls flavored with mace and citrus peel, a favorite during the holiday season.

A snack which may have originated in North Carolina, and is certainly popular throughout the state, is cheese straws, crispy baked strips of extruded dough flavored with copious amounts of Cheddar cheese and hot sauce.

Popular throughout the South is pimiento cheese (often spelled "pimento") — at its simplest, a spreadable mixture of grated sharp cheddar cheese, pimiento strips and mayonnaise. It's usually made into sandwiches, often toasted so that it melts, and topped with lettuce and tomato; but you may also find it as a spread for crackers or celery sticks. It can be found in tubs at the grocery store or in convenience-store sandwiches, but the flavor tends to pale in comparison to homemade.

If you happen to be in the Raleigh area, Goodberry's Creamery is a small local chain serving excellent frozen custard. It's made with fresh ingredients — including heavy cream and eggs — and served as soon as it comes out of the churning machine. It's hard to pass up the exquisite vanilla, but they have other great flavors as well. Be sure to get a sample, and use the small sample spoon to savor your custard longer.

Perhaps North Carolina's most celebrated food is the addictive yeast-raised Krispy Kreme doughnut, a tradition in Winston-Salem since 1937. These light, fluffy, heavenly-tasting fried confections are now available all over the US and internationally; connoisseurs claim that they're the best doughnuts on the planet. If you're lucky enough to visit a town that has a Krispy Kreme store, you can stop by when the red light is on to watch the fresh, hot doughnuts go through the glazing machine, and buy one or a whole dozen of them before the glaze has even fully set. It's a treat not to be missed, if you're in the state.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Drink

North Carolina is famous for its fine wines. One particular specialty of the state is wine made from Scuppernong grapes, a fragrant variety of Muscadine, which gives it a remarkable flavor.

Not a wine, but named as if it were (owing to its burgundy color), is local cherry-flavored soft drink Cheerwine. It's been a North Carolina favorite since 1917, originating in the town of Salisbury. Until recently, it was difficult to find outside of the area, but its popularity has caught on and it's beginning to expand throughout the US.

And, of course, there's always the ubiquitous Southern sweet iced tea. As in practically all of the South, sweet tea is the beverage of choice for a lot of people; the stronger and sweeter, the better. "Iced" is always assumed (ask for "hot tea" if you want it steaming) and "sweet" is the default, although people still tend to specify "sweet tea" when ordering. Most places do offer "unsweet" tea, but remember to ask for it if you want it.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Respect

Due in large part to the rural nature of North Carolina, residents have come to expect the 'Hick' label and are either A) accepting and indulge traditional Southern behavior or B) are grossly offended. People in North Carolina are not 'Hicks' even if the state has many rural areas.

The Southern drawl in language is generally charming to most outsiders. In most cases, mutual respect is expected and southern hospitality is a staple of the area. Keep in mind that the North Carolina variety of English is different that the common 'Hick' variety, though.

North Carolina Travel Guide - National Parks

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

* Appalachian National Scenic Trail
* Blue Ridge Parkway
* Cape Hatteras National Seashore
* Cape Lookout National Seashore
* Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site at Flat Rock
* Croatan National Park in Eastern North Carolina
* Fort Raleigh National Historic Site at Manteo
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park
* Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in Greensboro
* Moores Creek National Battlefield near Currie
* Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
* Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
* Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
* Uwharrie National Forest

North Carolina Travel Guide - Transportation

International/Major regional airports

* Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (Charlotte)
* Asheville Regional Airport (Asheville)
* Fayetteville Regional Airport (Fayetteville)
* Piedmont Triad International Airport (Greensboro)
* Pitt-Greenville Airport (Greenville)
* Albert J. Ellis Airport (Jacksonville)
* Moore County Airport (Pinehurst/Southern Pines)
* Raleigh-Durham International Airport (Raleigh/Durham)
* Craven County Regional Airport (New Bern)
* Wilmington International Airport (Wilmington)

Major highways

The North Carolina Highway System is comprised of a vast network of Interstate highways, U.S. routes, and state routes. North Carolina has the second largest state maintained highway network in the United States.

* Interstate 26
* Interstate 40
* Interstate 73
* Interstate 74
* Interstate 77
* Interstate 85
* Interstate 95
* Interstate 240
* Interstate 277
* Interstate 440
* Interstate 485
* Interstate 540
* Interstate 785

* U.S. Route 1
* U.S. Route 13
* U.S. Highway 15
* U.S. Highway 17
* U.S. Highway 19
* U.S. Highway 25
* U.S. Highway 29
* U.S. Highway 52
* U.S. Highway 64
* U.S. Highway 70
* U.S. Highway 74
* U.S. Highway 76
* U.S. Highway 117
* U.S. Highway 158
* U.S. Highway 178
* U.S. Highway 220
* U.S. Highway 221
* U.S. Highway 321
* U.S. Highway 421
* U.S. Highway 501

North Carolina Travel Guide - Important Cities and Towns

* Apex
* Asheboro
* Asheville
* Bath
* Burlington
* Cary
* Chapel Hill
* Charlotte (Largest city)
* Concord
* Durham
* Elizabeth City
* Fayetteville
* Gastonia
* Goldsboro
* Greensboro
* Greenville
* Havelock
* Hickory
* High Point
* Hendersonville
* Huntersville
* Jacksonville
* Kannapolis
* Kinston
* Laurinburg
* Lexington
* Lumberton
* Matthews
* Monroe
* Mount Airy
* New Bern
* Pinehurst
* Raleigh (State capital)
* Reidsville
* Roanoke Rapids
* Rockingham
* Rocky Mount
* Roxboro
* Salisbury
* Sanford
* Shelby
* Southern Pines
* Statesville
* Thomasville
* Wake Forest
* Wilmington
* Wilson
* Winston-Salem

North Carolina Travel Guide - Places Nearby

Bordering North Carolina on the north, Virginia offers many things to see and do. Shenandoah National Park offers great scenery along the top of the Appalachian Mountains. Nearby is Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, our third president.

Tennessee is to the west and shares the Great Smoky Mountains with North Carolina. Shopping and attractions abound in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Chattanooga is the home of Lookout Mountain.

South Carolina, to the south, is a haven for beach lovers. Myrtle Beach has a large number of hotels and restaurants. Charleston is rich in history, with historic homes and Fort Sumter.

Georgia, which borders the southwestern corner of North Carolina, is famous for its peaches; there's also the popular Alpine village of Helen and the historic riverside city of Savannah, with its deep-South ambience. Atlanta, the capitol, has Stone Mountain Park and Georgia Aquarium, the world's largest.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Stay Healthy

Outside of the major metro areas, North Carolina is very rural and undeveloped. You should be aware that this makes for dangerous wildlife and plants. If hiking, avoid straying from the marked trail. There are numerous poisonous animals located in North Carolina. Please use common sense. Also, during the summer months, thunder storms increase and the potential for dangerous lightening should be acknowledged.

Near the ocean, shark attacks have been on the rise in recent times. Always take precautions while enjoying the beautiful Atlantic ocean.

North Carolina Travel Guide - Stay Safe

North Carolina isn't known for its violence. As with any state, it is best to use common sense whenever visiting an unfamiliar place. In most areas, the greatest safety threats are bad drivers on the highway.

Article Source: Wikipedia