By Mona Harte
North Carolina is a state with something for everyone. From the ocean shores to the high mountains, there is plenty of history, music and food for all.
Unusual Places to Visit
Board a WWII battleship, the USS North Carolina, in Wilmington or hunt up a missing piece of china at Replacements Ltd. in Greensboro. Walk the same paths as the Lost Colony at Manteo's Elizabethan Gardens.
Coastal
Coastal North Carolina is a playground for many tourists. The Outer Banks provide windswept sand dunes and the romance of lighthouses from Corolla to Ocracoke. Further down, the Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches offer the best in surfing and fishing. Wilmington is a haven of great art and music.
Piedmont
Raleigh, the capitol city, has often been referred to as the "Smithsonian of the South" due to its number of high-quality museums open free to the public. Other delights include the thriving community of Old Salem in Winston Salem and the first-rate restaurants and jazz of Charlotte.
Mountains
The Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains beckon from the hills and dales of cities like Asheville and small towns like Cherokee, Hickory and Boone. Year-round activities include hiking, skiing and horse riding.
Barbeque
In North Carolina, barbecue called "eastern" or "western" style and the meat is always pork. East of the mountains a vinegar based sauce is #1, while a tomato sauce reigns supreme in the west. No matter where you eat it, the flavor is unforgettable.
Great Places to Stay
Chapel Hill's Carolina Inn offers the graciousness of 20th-century hospitality while the spa at Cary's Umstead Inn sooths with the latest treatments. Winston Salem's Brookstown Inn heralds its industrial past.
About the Author:
Since 1993 Mona Harte's work has appeared in various publications, including "NYTimes Regional Newspaper Group," the "Calgary Sun," the "Great Falls Tribune" and the "Tahoe Daily Dispatch," as well as international magazines "Atlantica," "Portfolio," and "Open Skies." She holds an Associate of Arts in layout/design from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
