NC Travel Guide

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The Miracle on the Hudson Plane is On Its Way to a Permanent Home

June 6, 2011 at 8:34 AM | by | Comments (0)

Flight 1549—aka The Miracle on the Hudson—is now on its way to a more permanent home in Charlotte, but getting there is proving to be quite a challenge. That’s because this time it’s taking the highway, and there are definitely a few bridges and byways not designed with an Airbus A320 in mind.

Like all good road trips along the East Coast, those involved with moving the plane decided to get a head start over the weekend and changed the original departure date of today up to Saturday. It’s unfortunately not just a straight shot down I-95, as the trailer that’s carrying the plane—it was custom designed for its unique load—is trying to navigate smaller streets and tight turns.

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Visiting North Carolina Filming Locations for 'The Hunger Games' Movie

June 3, 2011 at 1:55 PM | by | Comments (0)

Fans of the dystopian book series The Hunger Games are anxiously waiting the first movie based on the novels, due to hit theaters next year. So much so, that some are choosing not to wait at all and are instead traveling to North Carolina, where the movie currently is being filmed, for a sneak peek.

The film, which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson, began filming last week in Henry River Mill Village, an abandoned ghost town just outside of Hildebran, NC. The deserted town drew curious visitors long before it was featured in the movie, but now locals are expecting a steady stream of tourists checking out the site that was turned into Mellark's Bakery, a well known location in the books.

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RDU's Terminal 1 is Up Next for an Airport Renovation

May 4, 2011 at 12:06 PM | by | Comments (0)

There’s been so many airport renovations and remodels around the country that we kind of forget what was going on at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. They finished off the second part of their brand new Terminal 2 earlier this year, but now they’re focusing their attention across the street to the dated—and one we find smelly—Terminal 1.

Airport officials are thinking that it will cost around $60 million to add all the niceties and upgrades to Terminal 1. Sure that sounds pretty expensive, but compared to the near $600 million they spent on the new Terminal 2—it’s just peanuts. Some of the features to get a facelift include the ticketing counters, security lines and baggage area. There will be glass elevators, a place to grab a coffee or snack before security, and plenty of translucent building materials to allow for some natural light. Architecture firm Pearce, Brinkley, Cease and Lee are still working on all the details, but the bulldozers are expected to roll through beginning this spring.

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What's the Deal with Airport Bathroom Attendants?

Where: Charlotte-Douglas International Airport [map], Charlotte, NC, United States
April 11, 2011 at 4:44 PM | by | Comments (2)

Airport washroom attendants. Yes, they do exist. Don't be frightened when you enter the bathroom at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, because there will be an airport employee there to greet you, guide you to an available stall, and even pump the hand towel machine for you. It's weird and potentially off-putting and no other US airport seems to have this, so what's the deal with them?

The issue of the CLT bathroom attendants is pretty common; even skateboarder Tony Hawk has tweeted about them, and it wasn't until a friend ran into them during a US Airways layover this weekend that we realized how unsettling the unexpected interaction can be. Heck—the best restaurants and five-star hotels with happening lobby scenes don't even use attendants any more. So why this airport?

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Raleigh-Durham's Terminal 2 Is Open Just in Time for the NHL All-Star Game

January 26, 2011 at 1:21 PM | by | Comments (0)

A few years ago, we got to take a sneak peek inside Raleigh-Durham International Airport’s brand new terminal, and since then we’ve been in and out of it several times and have always been pleased. However, we’ve been eager to see what was behind the construction wall, as the second half of the terminal has been under construction for quite some time. Well, over the weekend things finally opened up to traffic—and just in time too—as hockey’s best players and fans are headed to the North Carolina’s Triangle for this year’s NHL All-Star Game.

This time we’re not on hand to check things out for ourselves, but we’re expecting a mirror image of the first half of the renovated Terminal 2—which is a good thing. High, soaring ceilings allow for plenty of waiting space for Continental and US Airways passengers as they will no longer be stuck in the outdated—and kind of smelly—Terminal 1. All in all, the new place cost around $600 million to build, so it’s only natural to expect the best of the best.

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Sully Sullenberger's 'Miracle on the Hudson' Plane to Finally Rest In Peace?

January 4, 2011 at 10:41 AM | by | Comments (0)

Believe it or not, January 15th marks the two-year anniversary since US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger successfully water-landed his Airbus A320 on New York's Hudson River after a bird strike took down both of the plane's engines. All 155 crew and passengers onboard survived and thus Flight 1549 became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson." Sully retired almost a year ago, but the battered fuselage hasn't yet reached such a peaceful conclusion; it's been up for auction (mainly for parts) since last January, and it may finally have found a buyer.

According to Gothamist, this piece of aviation history could end up in a place where all are welcome to come and see it:

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Plane-Spotting from a Rocking Chair at CLT

May 18, 2010 at 1:15 PM | by | Comments (4)

On a recent layover at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, we noticed these cute rocking chairs just outside the E gates. Even better, several of the chairs were located near outlets meaning you could charge your phone, observe the tarmac scene and rock yourself. And if you want to use your laptop, CLT has free WiFi! Pretty cool!

Another interesting service we noticed at CLT was that they have bathroom attendants in the bathrooms. Yes, just like the ones you see in NYC restaurants and fancy nightclubs. We liked this service because the bathrooms were nearly pristine and very orderly. But the pressure to tip--a plastic jar with the word "HAVE A NICE DAY" on them--was uncomfortable. Eeee.

Related Stories:
· Plane Spotting coverage [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi coverage [Jaunted]
· CLT Airport [Official Site]

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Some Lucky North Carolina Vacationers Will Get to Sleep With the Obamas This Weekend

April 22, 2010 at 9:10 AM | by | Comment (1)

Update: @AshevilleTravel informs us in the comments that they hear Obama is making this romantic getaway for just himself and Michelle. Awww.

"Staycations" are officially so over; forget that the word ever existed, because spring is in the air and cabin fever is running high. Like many Americans who spent the winter working overtime, President Barack Obama is making plans for a quick getaway to reconnect with his family. They'll be packing up for a long weekend—this weekend—among the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina.

It won't be his first visit to the town however, as Obama was last here in late 2008 and business kept him away from the golf courses and nature he openly admired. And that's where you'll find him now: on the golf course and possibly even chowing down on ribs at 12 Bones Smokehouse, where he dined last time.

Stay with the Prez, after the jump

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Where to Celebrate Duke's Big NCAA Basketball Victory

April 6, 2010 at 10:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

In case you missed it last night—we watched despite our bracket being busted in the first round—Duke ended the hopes and dreams of Butler in the Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship. We kind of thought the Blue Devils would steamroll the Bulldogs without a problem, but it was a very exciting game. Even more exciting than the game are the celebrations planned for this afternoon, so if you want to celebrate with your Dukies here’s where to do it.

It’s a little too late to party it up with the students, as Duke University slammed the gates shut on many entrances last night before the game even began. After the final buzzer sounded, students—probably fueled by several adult beverages—hit campus to light bonfires supplemented with several of the school’s benches. Nothing says celebration like burning down your school.

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North Carolina: Home of the Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum

Where: 40 W. Jordan St. [map], Brevard, NC, United States, 28712
December 17, 2009 at 11:29 AM | by | Comments (0)

Tons of places have Christmas tree displays, but there's only one dedicated to the fake aluminum substitutes, the Aluminum Tree & Aesthetically Challenged Seasonal Ornament Museum and Research Center, or ATOM.

As evidenced from the museum's cheeky name, this isn't some highbrow collection. The roving retro museum puts shining holiday gaudiness on display in North Carolina's Transylvania Heritage Museum. These fir alternatives have aluminum trunks and foil needles and many use an electric rotating color wheel that projects colored light up through the tree from the floor.

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North Carolina's Ready To Go Hog Wild For Its Barbecue Festival

October 16, 2009 at 2:23 PM | by | Comments (0)

There’s loads of food festivals dedicated to different kinds of snacks, fried things, and other goodies. However, the key to finding a good festival is to seek out the festival that best represents a famous foodstuff. That’s where Lexington, North Carolina comes in with its annual Barbeque Festival. No clever name here, it just is what it is, and it celebrates one thing—delicious smoked pork.

Annual festivities have been running for over a quarter century, and every year the town’s population swells as over 100,000 visitors hit the town to check out the latest and the greatest related to all things barbeque. The town is famous for their vinegar-based sauce; so don’t come here looking for some super-sweet ribs or brisket. They might have some other cuts of meat for out of towners, but it’s primarily going to be pork shoulder that you’ll be enjoying. Just make sure you save room for some of the area's unique coleslaw. It’s like regular slaw except you replace the mayonnaise dressing with one based on the almighty power of ketchup—don’t knock it until you try it.

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Silversun Pickups at the Brand New Fillmore Charlotte

Where: 820 Hamilton St. [map], Charlotte, NC, United States, 28202
October 12, 2009 at 12:25 PM | by | Comments (0)

When you think of the Fillmore the first thing that pops into your head is sparkling chandeliers, thick ruby curtains, a wooden dance floor and legendary shows. The legendary auditorium on Fillmore and Geary hosted *everyone* in the sixites, and when it was reopened in the eighties it didn't skip a beat. We have been lucky enough to see plenty of shows at the SF Fillmore, thus when we heard Charlotte was opening a new Fillmore in June of 2009 we were anxious to check it out.

Charlotte is a millennial city in every way and in the midst of a ten year boom, so it makes perfect sense that the Fillmore brand chose the Queen City as a key spot for Fillmore brand expansion.

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