In the park at the North Carolina Museum of Art, three hoops — cast in dirt from the very ground on which they stand — tower 18 feet above an open field. The sculpture — titled Gyre, by Triangle-area artist Thomas Sayre — is one of roughly 30 installations at the park, which marks the starting point of the Art to Heart Trail. Leaving the museum, the trail traverses 5.9 urban miles and ends in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Along the way, cyclists and walkers can explore the campuses of Meredith College and North Carolina State University, go for a spin on the 1900 Dentzel carousel at Pullen Park, and take a peek at Red Hat Amphitheater. Afterward, they can warm up downtown with a boozy peppermint latte at Bittersweet, a cocktail and dessert lounge o of Fayetteville Street. From dining to sights to fun activities, the Art to Heart Trail allows people to appreciate what makes our capital city so special. — Rebecca Woltz
North Carolina Museum of Art
2110 Blue Ridge Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
For more information, click here.
Celebrate our NC trails at your local Great Outdoor Provision Company where extraordinary people, outdoor gear and conservation ideas come together. Check out the new Holiday Gift Guide.
Explore our state’s biggest city along the Charlotte Rail Trail. photograph by Jonathan Ardila/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Depending on where you access the Charlotte Rail Trail — which follows along the tracks of the Charlotte Light Rail and winds through the very heart of the Queen City — you might be greeted by a bold, 10-foot-tall exclamation point, whirligigs spinning in the breeze, or a porch with a funky, geometric awning and bright yellow swings. Wherever you land on this 3.5-mile paved trail lined with shops, restaurants, galleries, and apartments, you’re sure to find something a bit quirky. Stop anytime to warm up as you explore shops, sip a craft brew, or grab some tasty fuel. — Laura Ivanitch
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Take a self-guided history tour on the Asheville Urban Trail. photograph by Jeremy Poland/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Take a relaxed walking tour into Asheville’s past on a trail that ambles through downtown in a big loop. This urban trail is made up of 30 sculptural stations, each of which recalls a storied moment or important person in the mountain city’s history — think George Vanderbilt, E.W. Grove, Thomas Wolfe, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, among others. You can jump into the self-guided tour at any stop, but we recommend starting at Pack Place in Asheville’s Pack Square, where the first log courthouse of the city stood in 1893. Plus, be sure to stop along the way to explore shops, restaurants, museums, and more. To aid in your explorations, make use of the printable map and audio tour. — Katie Schanze
Eleven Our State authors share stories about the role light plays in their holiday celebrations.
For more than 50 years, a dazzling chandelier has hung in the dining room of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Only recently has its remarkable backstory been fully illuminated.
At Burge Flower Shop, Randolph County residents find comfort, joy, and inspiration by the bouquet.
A pair of mother-daughter innkeepers inherited a love of hosting from their expansive family. At Christmastime, they welcome guests to their historic lodge in Stanly County.
