North Carolina Overview
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North Carolina is nicknamed the Tar Heel State.
Learning Through Travel
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North Carolina is a state bracketed by two spectacular natural areas — the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the west and Cape Hatteras National Seashore in the East — with plenty of cultural centers in between.
The state's moderate climate — snow is rare except at higher elevations of the Blue Ridge — makes the state worth visiting year-round.
North Carolina also boasts one of the best collections of nature, science, and technical museums in the Southeast.
Two major museums, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and the N.C. Museum of History are across the street from each other in downtown Raleigh between the historic state Capitol and the modern legislative building. The N.C. Museum of Art with both a world-class collection of its own and frequent major touring exhibits, is on the outskirts of Raleigh.
A smaller art museum, but still worth a look, the Nasher Museum, is located on the campus of Duke University in nearby Durham. Durham also hosts the N.C. Museum of Life and Science, aimed at younger visitors with many interactive exhibits, including one of the largest live butterfly houses in North America.
Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina's flagship campus, also has a substantial art museum, the Ackland, as well as a number of small private galleries in the downtown area..
All of the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill museums are only short detours from I-85 or I-40 for travelers through the state. Be aware, however, that both interstates can be extremely congested in the Raleigh-Durham area at rush hour and that parking can be a problem in downtown Raleigh, particularly when the legislature is in session.
North Carolina's Zoological Park, located near the geographic center of the state adjoining Asheboro, is also a world-class institution, with major exhibits focusing not only on North America but also Africa. Among the more popular exhibits are the polar bears, swimming in a cooled pool that is partly bounded by heavy glass that extends underwater.
Also part of the zoo are modern aquariums located at Pine Knoll Shores, Roanoke Island, and Fort Fisher (near Wilmington). Membership for the state zoo is also honored at the aquariums.
North Carolina's coast is marked by a string of lighthouses, the best-known of which is Cape Hatteras, which was moved inland several years ago to protect it from the encroaching ocean. Other easily accessible towers are located at Currituck, Bodie Island, and Ocracoke.
Ocracoke Island is well worth a visit as it maintains the spirit of a small fishing village and much of the narrow island is undeveloped. A free ferry takes visitors from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island. The island is less crowded in fall, winter, or spring — and still worth a visit at those times, and you will likely not have to wait in line for a ferry.
Another must-see stop on the Outer Banks is the Wright Brothers National Historic Site between Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills, where modern aviation began.
Charlotte, located near North Carolina's border with South Carolina, and the largest city in the Carolinas as well as a major financial center, also has its share of museums and cultural activities. Discovery Place, a children's science museum, also has a popular IMAX theater. The Mint Museum, housed, like the name implies, in a former government mint building, is the largest arts and crafts museum in the area. A little-known gem is the Carolinas Aviation Museum located at the Charlotte airport.
The state's Transportation Museum, Historic Spencer Shops, at Spencer (near Salisbury), between Charlotte and Greensboro and only a short detour off I-85, is heavily dominated by rail exhibits, as it is based at a former major rail yard. In addition to a range of locomotives (many still operable) and historic cars, most stored in a large roundhouse, the museum offers train rides on weekends and during peak summer season. The collection of displays from other modes is growing, including old automobiles.
North Carolina has excellent train service within the state in the so-called Piedmont Crescent, running from Charlotte through Greensboro to Raleigh —.with connections both to the north and south. The train station in Burlington houses as small but excellent museum on the history of the state-owned North Carolina Railroad Co. and railroads in the state in general.
Ernest H. Robl is a North Carolina-based writer and photographer who has covered the state for many years. Visit his extensive Web site at www.robl.w1.com.
