The June 2023 Issue

While this coastal town sits some 20 miles from the Atlantic, seas of blue sprouting from its soil mark a long history of family farms and fruit-filled summers. The blueberry capital of Pender County finds growth and prosperity in and around its farmland.

A friendly front yard says “welcome home,” but the real dreamscape is out back. A writing shed? A patio? A playground? In the backyard, anything’s possible.

Across its beaches and barrier islands, estuaries and eastern marshes, North Carolina’s Coastal Plain is rich with history and natural diversity. Two biology professors combine decades of research in a guide to our wonderful wetlands.

A family reimagined their nearly 30-year-old landscaping business in Newport as a venue that makes every occasion a party in paradise.

Us? An icon? Well, after 90 years and more than 2,000 issues celebrating North Carolina from mountains to coast, we hope you’ll agree that we’ve earned the title.

Black bears are the embodiment of North Carolina’s adventurous spirit, immense and wild.

For the owner of The Country Biscuit, welcoming diners is the fulfillment of a decades-long dream. And diners’ dreams come true when they try the glazed biscuit doughnut holes.

Whether you’re shagging, sailing, fishing, or simply relaxing in the shade of an umbrella, let our curated Spotify playlist be the soundtrack to your vacation.

This spring, roll out a blanket among the blooms in these beautiful gardens across the state.

To commemorate our 90th anniversary, we’ve compiled a time line that highlights the stories, contributors, and themes that have shaped this magazine — and your view of the Old North State — using nine decades of our own words.

Take a scroll through time — and get a peek at how our design has changed over the last 90 years — as you browse a selection of beautiful covers.

Think you’re a North Carolina trivia master? Test your knowledge with retro games from way back when.

A Nash County couple traveled across North Carolina with Our State in hand. Now, she continues their adventures with his memory in her heart.

The recipe for a picturesque summer afternoon in North Carolina is as follows: Mix clear skies with good company and serve with a basketful of these delicious lunchtime classics.

What’s not to love about living in a historic house once owned by a North Carolina governor? The squirrels and possums and snakes, of course.

In the boggy lowlands of southeastern North Carolina, one of our state’s most famous residents lies in wait. If you cross paths with a Venus flytrap, look, but don’t touch — especially if you’re a bug.

From its northernmost point in Corolla to its southern terminus on Cedar Island, this scenic byway — bound between sound and sea — links the islands and communities of the Outer Banks.

Paddle along the Intracoastal Waterway, traverse across sand dunes, and pass by a World War II artillery bunker while exploring these coastal trails.

Five women from the Triangle area have cast their aspirations eastward, to the Crystal Coast, where they’re changing perceptions of what a competitive fishing team looks like.

One of the last old-school fish houses in Onslow County stands sentry on the White Oak River. Clyde Phillips Seafood Market has served up seafood and stories since 1954 — an icon of the coast, persevering in pink.

Along North Carolina’s ever-changing coast, shrimp trawlers remain a constant — on the ocean, the rivers, the sounds — thanks to resourceful captains who face challenging headwinds with determination. Want to know how they do it? Come aboard.

On the banks of the New River in Sneads Ferry, four generations of the same family have been frying shrimp and baking pies seven days a week since 1946.

After Hurricane Isabel battered Hatteras Village 20 years ago, neighbors wasted no time in banding together to rebuild. Today, an annual festival celebrates the indomitable spirit of those who live and work on the water.

Made with just a few simple, on-hand ingredients, Hatteras clam chowder has sustained generations of islanders. And when it’s time to put a pot on, Pamlico Sound provides.

A seafood processing company — and its modest restaurant nearby — has been a family-owned mainstay in Beaufort County for more than half a century. Folks don’t come here for fancy cocktails or waterfront views — they come for the catch of the day and the friendly small-town feel.

During a day in the marsh with a professional oysterwoman, a Wilmington writer who was born and raised in the Midwest learns to stop worrying and love the briny flavor of fresh, wild oysters.

In southern Brunswick County, a handful of families turned their town into a household name and their restaurants into destinations. They built a legacy on local seafood.

Two decades after it was born in Morehead City, Mariner’s Menu — the ultimate guide to preparing North Carolina seafood — continues to evolve.

When it comes to cooking authentic eastern North Carolina crab stew, a celebrated chef, born and raised in New Bern, looks back to his grandmother’s handwritten recipes.

After nearly a century — or just a couple of years — these seafood restaurants have become coastal icons, the places we know, love, and return to again and again.

Seabird restaurant in downtown Wilmington is a legend in the making, reflecting the beauty of the ocean in the elegant interior design and on the plate.