We followed the Blue Ridge Parkway down through North Carolina, from Cumberland Knob just below the Virginia state line all the way to Cherokee, compiling our favorite vistas along the way.
PHOTO ESSAY
Collecting Carolina: A Photo Essay
From UNC Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library — housing what’s believed to be the largest library collection in the country devoted to a single state — to personal troves of duck decoys, pottery pieces, trains, tractors, and more: Meet the passionate collectors who curate the past and present, the serious and curious, the tangible items that tell the story of life in North Carolina.
Peanuts! Get Your Peanuts!
Boiled, brittled, or bagged at the ballpark, there’s a peanut for practically every time and place. We’re proud that so many of them come from eastern North Carolina — ranked fifth in the nation for peanut production — where a whole lot of legumes find purchase in our sandy soil.
Enchantment Under the Stars: A Photo Essay
Star light, star bright — won’t you join us for a show tonight? The cicadas are singing, and the air smells like campfire smoke, or drive-in popcorn, or a saltwater breeze. From the mountains to the coast, nighttime in North Carolina is a work of art.
Design in the Dunes: A Photo Essay
Not your average beach house: From the clean lines of a flat-top cottage in Southern Shores to the extravagant opulence of an Art Nouveau icon in Corolla, landmark architecture defines our coastal villages — and chapters of our history.
A Bird’s-Eye View of North Carolina: A Photo Essay
From wading shorebirds to mountain-dwelling warblers, our avian neighbors have a lot to teach us about the places we call home. A naturalist’s list of 16 must-see birds tells the story of our state in feathers and flight paths.
Easter in North Carolina
When the sun rises on Easter morning, its warming rays make their way across our landscape — from the sandy shores to the tallest peaks — flooding our homes and hearts with hope and light.
The Mighty Roanoke River: A Photo Essay
The Roanoke begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and travels more than 400 miles before emptying into Albemarle Sound, linking countless lives along the way. Follow along as a native son traces the river’s path through northeastern North Carolina, sharing stories of the Roanoke he knows and loves.
In Praise of the Tar Heel State: A Photo Essay
Here’s to the talented North Carolinians whose fancy footwork propels them to great heights, nimble speeds, and feats of creativity.