visit north carolina
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Visit North Carolina's Coast, Rolling Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains. Easy, affordable three day tours from Washington DC, Raleigh/Durham NC and Charlotte NC.TRANSCRIPT
NORTH CAROLINA CULTURAL TOURISM
A focus on Cultural & Eco Tourism• Civil War Trails• 27 Historic Sites• Celebration of Craft• Recreation and Nature• Cultural & Scenic Trails on the Web
– Blue Ridge Mountains & Music– African American Heritage– Cherokee Heritage– DiscoverCraftNC– Literary Trail– HomegrownHandmade.com
N.C. Travel Stats
• $16 billion industry
• 44 million visitors
• Ranked 6th overall
• 10th in Cultural & Heritage Travel
• Up to 40% of all N.C. travel is cultural/heritage
Popular Cultural & Nature Activities1. Visiting a historic site (31%)2. Visiting a museum (24%)3. Visiting an art gallery (15%)4. Going to the theater (14%)5. Hiking, Rafting, Scenic Drives
North Carolina’s Three Distinctive Regions
North Carolina Mountains
The Appalachian mountain chain running through the western part of the state and the Great Smoky Mountains in the southwestern are one of the country's top natural destinations.
Visitors can enjoy 250 miles of the world- famous Blue Ridge Parkway winding through North Carolina's mountains.
Blue Ridge Mountains and Smoky Mountains
Mountain Scenic Drives
Hiking & Canopy Tours
Water Adventures
Asheville
Biltmore Historic Home & Gardens
Thomas Wolfe Historic House
Home of Zebulon Vance North Carolina’s Civil War governor
Writer Thomas Wolfe Boyhood Home
Museums
Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum
Pack Place Education, Arts and Science MuseumHomespun Museum
Mountains “Must See, Must Do”
• Wild Water Adventures
• Zipline Canopy Tours
• Cycling in the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Mountain Scenic Drives
• Great Smoky Mountain Railroad
• Biltmore House and Village, Ashville
• Ashville Historic Trolley Tours
• NC Homespun Museum
• Collburn Earth Science Museum
• Pack Place Education, Arts and Science Museum
• Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum
Asheville, NC TourMay-June 2011*
2 Nights – 3 Days
Day 1:• Enjoy free time and lunch on own today in Downtown Asheville.• Narrated trolley tour covering Asheville’s major sights • Enjoy dinner this evening at the Moose Café in Asheville. Day 2:• Great Smokey Mountain Railroad Tour• Museum of the Cherokee Indian• Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual Day 3: • Visit the Biltmore Estate and Biltmore Winery. • Visit River Bend Farm where you’ll be transported back in time to see what life was like on the
estate in the 1890’s.
North Carolina’s Tours The Mountains of Western North Carolina
The lush mountains of southwestern North Carolina await you on this mountain itinerary. Visit beautiful Lake Lure and see the majestic Hickory Nut Gorge from the heights of Chimney Rock,
Learn about the fascinating history of an ancient culture in Cherokee. Travel to Asheville and Dillsboro and visit the historic Biltmore House and garden and shop for traditional crafts inspired by the mountains.
North Carolina’s Tours The Mountains of Western North Carolina
Explore Western North Carolina “Go Blue
Ridge 3-Night Package” 3 night Outdoor
Package offered by 1847 Blake House Inn
Bed & Breakfast. March - December.
Price: Starts at $525 - $550 plus tax.
• Biltmore Estate OR Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
• Gray Line Trolley Tours of Asheville
• Chimney Rock Park
• Lake Lure Tours
• Grandfather Mountain
• Tweetsie Railroad
• Emerald Village
• Wildwater Rafting
• Smith-McDowell House Museum
• Colburn Earth Science Center
North Carolina’s Tours The Mountains of Western North Carolina
Asheville Golf PackagesLush green fairways, crisp mountain air, rolling terrain and beautiful mountain landscapesare just a few of the reason to treat yourself to some of the best golf in the country. We have put together three of our favorite courses to offer this golfing package. Included are:
• 2 rounds at Grove Park Inn’s stunning course in the heart of Asheville • 2 rounds at Reems Creek, known for having the look and feel of a Scottish Highlands course • 2 rounds on the beautiful Black Mountain Golf course with its challenging par six 17 th hole
All cart fees included.
North Carolina’s Three Distinctive RegionsThe Piedmont
The Piedmont is an area of gently rolling foothills in the center of the State. The region boasts of one of the most dynamic economies in the United States. Itis home to the state's largest cities, biggest financial institutions, renownedresearch universities, abundant historic sites, top golf courses and the Yadkin Valley Vineyards, the first Viticulture region in the United States.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Morehead PlanetariumChapel Hill
Duke Chapel, Duke UniversityDurham
The PIEDMONT CHARLOTTE RALEIGH DURHAM
CHAPEL HILL
FIREBIRD SCULPTURE, BECHLTER MUSEUM CHARLOTTE
NASCAR RACES CHARLOTTE
NASCAR MUSEUM
NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART RALEIGH
MARBLES KIDS MUSEUM RALEIGH
PINEHURST GOLFCOURSE
YADKIN VALLEY VINEYARDS
• Catch a thrill at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte
• Nascar - Satisfy your need for speed, Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Nascar Museum, Charlotte
• Discovery Place for Kids, Charlotte
• Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Charlotte
• .
• Explore a major Civil War battleground at Bentonville
• North Carolina Museum of Art, Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh City Museum
• See the stars at the Morehead Planetarium, Chapel Hill
• Marvel at the Duke University Chapel, Durham
• Explore the Carolina Museum of Life and Science, Durham
The Piedmont "Must-See, Must Do"
Piedmont ToursRace Cars, Rafts, and Roller Coasters: The
Charlotte Thrill Seeker’s Tour
From white knuckles to whitewater,
this four-day tour is sure to get your
adrenaline pumping! Take your own
Turn behind the wheel of a real
NASCAR race car, rafting,
kayaking and hiking/biking trails at
The National Whitewater Center,
Scale the cliffs at Crowders Mountain
State Park, or simply hike to the top
of Kings Pinnacle for a view of the
Charlotte city skyline to the East and
the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west.
Piedmont Tours City of Culture: Museums, Music, and More in
Charlotte
Come spend three days in the Queen City and discover a great sampling of museums, music, famous people, and flowering plants!
Day 1Discover what life was life in 18th Century Charlotte, then spend an evening in the city’s funky NoDa arts and entertainment district.Day 2Explore a series of fascinating museums in the Uptown area and enjoy endless nightlife opportunities in the big city’s center.Day 3Find out how a president and a preacher both trace their beginnings to Charlotte, then explore botanical wonders in Belmont.
Piedmont Tours Wine Weekend Getaway:
Two Days In The Yadkin Valley
On this flavor-filled jaunt, you’ll sample some of North Carolina’s Diverse and unique wines and meet some of the people behind them. For thisweekend, we jag off of I-77 from the Virginia border south, and thendown east towards (but not to) Winston-Salem.
Along the way, explore the town of Mount Airy, the “real” Mayberry, and get a bird’s eye view of North Carolina’s wine country from a hot air balloon in Boonville, about 25 miles west of Winston-Salem.
Piedmont ToursPinehurst Golf & Art Vacation, Aberdeen
This area of rolling sandhills is covered with classic golf courses, sogolfers of all skill levels will enjoy the magnificent links the area has tooffer. You will also enjoy the many historic sites in this section of the south central Piedmont. Either way, this 3-day itinerary will teach you much about your game and the region’s fascinating history.
North Carolina’s Three Distinctive Regions NORTH CAROLINA COAST
Warmed by the Gulf Stream, the North Carolina Coast is a sunny place filled with pristine beaches, giant sand dunes and wetlands filled with wildlife and a variety of plants.
The defining characteristic of the area is the Outer Banks, a chain of fragile barrier islands – 130 miles of unspoiled coastline surrounded by 900 square miles of water.
The area is also full of history, dating back to the 16th century and from pre-Revolutionary Days through the Civil War.
Wilmington
Battleship North Carolina Wilmington
Cape Fear
WRIGHT BROTHER’S MEMORIAL, KILL DEVIL HILL
JOCKEY’S RIDGE, NAGS HEAD
CAPE HATTERAS LIGHTHOUSE
• Stand on the deck of the USS NORTH CAROLINA, Wilmington
• Climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton
• Dance to beach music on Carolina Beach
• Drive the length of NC Highway 12, Outer Banks
• Marvel at the sight of wild horses, Outer Banks
.
• Let your spirit soar at the Wright Brothers Memorial, Kill Devil Hills
• Slide down Jockey’s Ridge, Nags Head
• Drink a Pepsi where it all began, New Bern
• Explore Bald Head Island by bicycle
Coastal "Must-see, Must Do"
Coastal ToursOuter Banks Lights and Flights, Cape Hatteras
Spend a day learning about flight, from the past to the present, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Climb to the top of the only lighthouse in North Carolina still housed in its original structure.
Visit a handsome hunt club that recently underwent a $5 million restoration, enjoy Some of the best seafood around and learn the history of the early colonists and seamen in this beautiful yet rugged area.
Coastal Tours Enjoy Historic Wilmington and the Cape Fear
Day 1: Battleship North Carolina, Burgwin Wright House and Gardens, Wilmington Adventure Walking Tour, Cape Fear Museum
Day 2: Carriage and Horse Drawn Trolley Tours.cruise aboard the Henrietta III Riverboat, visit the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum, the Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington
Day 3: North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Fort Fisher State Historic Site and Civil War Museum, Carolina Beach State Park
Day 4: Orton Plantation and Gardens, Greenfield Park & Gardens Scenic Drive
Day 5: Cape Fear Serpentarium, a thrill for snake haters and snake lovers alike, Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park, Tote-Em-Zoo: Over 100 varieties of animals live here, including Siberian tigers, camels, monkeys and more
GETTING THERE AND AROUND
International Airports: Raleigh/Durham, Greensboro, Charlotte, Wilmington
Regional Airports: Ashville Regional Airport
Amtrak TrainsCarolinian with service from Boston to Charlotte stopping at all major cities on the Eastern Seaboard including Richmond, Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Greensboro, Charlotte.
Rental Car: Enterprise, Avis, Budget
Tour Buses: from Washington DC, Richmond, Raleigh/Durham, Greensboro, Charlotte, Wilmington
HISTORIC INNS & BED & BREAKFASTSAsheville Area: Brookstone Lodge, Fryemont Inn, Princess Anne Hotel
Chapel Hill: Carolina Inn, Franklin Hotel, Fearrington Inn
Charlotte: Charlotte Marriott South Park
Pinehurst: Pinehurst Resort
Raleigh: Fuquay Mineral Spring Inn and Garden
Hatteras Island: Hatteras RealtyBeach cottage vacation rentals
Wilmington: Graystone Inn, The Verandas
.
CONTACTDeepa Sanyal
Sustainable Development319 Baneberry Close
Mail: 319 Fearrington PostPittsboro, NC 27312
Phone: 919-533-6166. [email protected]
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