Tag: North Carolina Travel

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Five Weird County Fair Foods to Try This Summer

June 27, 2011 at 11:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

It's that time of the year, county and state fair season. While some go to see the has-been musical acts or to get their thrills on creaky old rides, the reason most people go is to gorge on fried fair food. We rounded up some of the weirdest fare that you will only find at a fair this year.

· Deep-Fried Kool-Aid Balls
The San Diego County Fair debuted these treats this year and they are selling like hotcakes. The balls of batter are made of flour, water and the fruity drink powder. A friend who tried them told us, "I could kind of taste the grittiness, which was not so appealing. If you like strawberry-flavored doughnut holes then I'd say it's worth the $6. Fried pickles were way better though." Get them through July 4.

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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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Three Warm Weather Beer Festivals To Warm You Up

February 25, 2011 at 9:51 AM | by | Comments (0)

Need an adult beverage to warm you during the last few weeks of winter? If you’ve already tried to drink yourself warm and you still need a little assistance, we recommend heading south—or really far west. Here’s three beer festivals in the weeks ahead where you might even be able to snag a sip or two outside:

· Charlotte Craft Beer Week 2011:
The Queen City—Charlotte, not Cincinnati—started up their official love for beer last year, and apparently it was successful as they’re back for year number two. Things kick off on March 11 and run through March 20. There’s plenty of beverages to taste and try, as organizers are bringing plenty of craft beers, tasty food, and a little bit of entertainment to the city.

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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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Get Your Final Dose of Holiday Cheer at Three Museum Christmas Tree Exhibits

December 23, 2010 at 10:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

Aside from good will toward people and all of that stuff, the most beautiful part of the holiday is a good Christmas tree. Whether you have a sad Charlie Brown tree at home or want to see some top-notch tannenbaums before the holiday season ends, several museums have tree displays that will leave you green with envy.

Check out three museums full of Christmas trees after the jump.

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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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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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Labor Day Is The Apple Of North Carolina's Eye

August 18, 2009 at 2:09 PM | by | Comments (0)

Of course we’re sad that summer is winding down right before our eyes, but Labor Day is usually a good send off into the crisp days of the fall. That’s why we’ve picked the North Carolina Apple Festival as a cool way to ease us into an autumnal attitude. After all, a few apples in the system will probably help counteract all the overindulgences we’ve experienced this summer.

Set in the western part of the state, among the mountains, is Hendersonville, and their main street area is going to be buzzing with the sights of Red Delicious, Galas, and Rome Beauties. The state is in the top ten of apple production in the country, and they certainly want you to know it. Music, arts and crafts, and of course food will all ring in the harvest season. Make it a priority to get an applejack; it’s pretty much an apple fritter, but with a better name and a better taste.

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Cool Off In North Carolina With Nature's Own Water Slide

Where: Pisgah National Forest [map], Brevard, NC, United States
July 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM | by | Comments (0)

We’ve been tempting you this month with some of our picks for the best tubing spots around the country. However, we understand that tubing might not be everyone’s idea of a great summer afternoon, and that’s why we've tracked down some more ways too cool off. This next one happens to be a little more natural and a little less commercial.

Located within the Pisgah National Forest, about an hour outside Asheville, North Carolina, sits nature’s own water slide. Sliding Rock is a huge, smooth-faced rock that constantly has cool water running down its surface thanks to a mountain spring. The rock is about 60 feet tall and gladly deposits visitors into chilly water at its base all summer long. We’d recommend wearing something a little sturdier than a bikini for your trip. It is a rock after all, so pack your favorite pair of cut-off jean shorts—you’ll fit right in; it’s the South.

The rock slide is open daily throughout the summer, and usually wraps its season up around Labor Day. Parking is only $3 and you’ll have access to the slide all day long. Just remember to bring your own picnic with you as there’s nothing for sale, not even overpriced candy and souvenirs.

Related Stories:
·Sliding Rock - A Natural Water Slide [ExploreAsheville]
·Celebrate Beautiful Living at Bele Chere [Jaunted]
·North Carolina Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: LouisL]

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The NYT Eats Tongue Tacos In North Carolina's Triangle

June 15, 2009 at 10:08 AM | by | Comments (0)

One of the New York Times’ best travel features is their 36 Hours series. For those with no attention span, like us, it’s a short and sweet way to get a taste of a location in only 1,500 words. This week’s article featured a jaunt to the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

Having called this area home for the last couple of years, we were pleasantly surprised to see a feature focused on the area in and around Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

The NYT recommends it, but we always get sidetracked before making it to the North Carolina Museum of Art. Maybe now that the museum got a big shout-out, we’ll finally get to see some American favorites like Winslow Homer and Georgia O’Keeffe. Their permanent collections are free to visit, so we just have to stop making excuses and finally get a little culture.

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Jon and Kate Plus Separate Weekend Getaways

June 2, 2009 at 12:32 PM | by | Comment (1)

Jon and Kate Gosselin seem to be handling the stress of a crumbling marriage and 8 kids in very different ways. Over the weekend, Jon was spotted partaking in some retail therapy at the Riverside Square Mall in Hackensack, New Jersey. He reportedly spent more than $2,000 at the Barneys CO-OP while one of the women he was with ("family friends," he said) dropped $595 at Tumi on a bag. Jon definitely wasn't bargain shopping since he also checked out the mall's Louis Vuitton, Cole Haan and Godiva stores.

Meanwhile, Kate and the plus 8 had some fun in the sun on Bald Head Island, North Carolina. Kate showed off her famous post-babies tummy tuck in a bright orange bikini. Her bodyguard and rumored paramour, Steve Neild, was also on hand to spend some quality time with the family.

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Outer Banks 101: Your Own Nights In Rodanthe

May 19, 2009 at 10:36 AM | by | Comment (1)

If past summer vacations stuck behind SUVs on I-95 had you wondering what the heck that "OBX" sticker referred to, then we've got you covered. Keep reading to see what North Carolina's famous shoreline has to offer.

· Where Is It?: The Outer Banks of North Carolina are located on the northeastern shore of the state. Although barrier islands buffer the entire coast of the state, the area specifically known as the OBX runs about 150 miles along NC Highway 12 from Corolla, near state's border with Virginia, to where it ends just after Ocracoke Island.
Basically, it's more than just a town or two, it's a whole coastal section.

· Who Goes There?: The OBX is a big draw for families on the eastern seaboard. Most visitors come from Virginia and the Carolinas, but you’ll see plenty of license plates from New York, New Jersey, and even the Midwest. The area is very family friendly, with the exception of the occasional college kids, but the attention-seeking crowd is usually nowhere to be found.

Jon, Kate, and all those kids were here a couple summers ago, and we're pretty sure they stayed in this place. Of course, Richard Gere loves him some Rodanthe; oh wait, that was just a movie.

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