Explore some of the state’s finest cultural superlatives — from founding the nation’s first state-supported symphony to building its first miniature golf course.
mount mitchell
Natural Wonder in North Carolina’s State Parks
From a 6,684-foot peak in the west to a shape-shifting sand dune in the east, our state parks hold the best of what North Carolina has to offer. Together, they tell the story of the place we call home.
A Timeline of North Carolina’s State Parks
Find out how the purchase of a single plot of land on Mount Mitchell in 1915 turned into a thriving state park system that provides North Carolinians with the opportunity to explore the outdoors in all its natural beauty.
Our State Knows Best: Hiking
Find out what three hiking experts have to say about hitting the trail, the gear they’d never leave behind, and North Carolina’s must-do mountain treks with stunning views.
Mileposts & Memories: A Stop-by-Stop Guide to Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway
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.
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.
12 Places to Find Feathered Friends
Across the state, there are plenty of great places to spot birds of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Here are a few of our favorites.
A Guide to Downtown Burnsville
Artists, chefs, and makers find inspiration in the beautiful Black Mountains that surround this charming Yancey County town.
Isolated Together on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
In the third episode of Away Message's fourth season, we meet a couple that's finding out what it's like to be alone in nature without ever being apart from your spouse.
