North Carolina

Pros: Beautiful house and grounds
Cons: Crowds during the holidays

When I lived in Virginia, I planned to visit the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina, but scheduling the trip never worked out. A recent Christmas visit with friends who live only an hour away from the estate presented a chance to redeem...

Pros: You can rent a "home" for the same price as a bland motel room.
Cons: You'll need to plan on a week. Some are 5 and some 7 days.

If you really want to experience North Carolina and have a vacation that doesn’t feel like you need another week just to rest up from the down time, then forget the motels and the fast paced see-it-all game plan. After all, the idea is to get...

Pros: Beautiful scenery; good road over mountain; good anytime of year
Cons: Traffic & congestion; no gas or food available on Newfound Gap Road

This is Part 2 of a review of Newfound Gap Road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Part 1 dealt with the Gap Road from Sugarlands Visitor Center just outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, up until Newfound Gap itself. Part 2 will review the...

Pros: The museum is free and provides a stunning history lesson.
Cons: Nary a one. This is a must see if you're in the area

One need not be a soldier to find value and the stirrings of nationalism upon entering an Army post. Indeed, one need not even be a United States citizen to marvel at the heroism and bravery of troops who fought fascism and oppressive regimes throughout...

Pros: Close to the ferry- North Carolina itself is gorgeous.
Cons: Be very careful where you stay!

This is my submission to the Worst Hotel Write Off. You’ll notice that I don’t name the actual motel, and the fact of the matter is that I have blocked it from my memory. I tried to do some research and find out the name of the hotel, but...

Pros: Unbeleivable Scenery, Self-Guided Hiking Trails
Cons: Not thoroughly accessible for those who can not climb many steps

Always having a love for beautiful waterfalls and mountains this past weekend was a real pleasure for me.

My husband and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary this past Monday and to celebrate we left the Friday before for the...

Pros: So quaint
Cons: Not a lot to do to fill up a week!

My family and I have just returned from a trip to Franklin, North Carolina where we enjoyed our Thanksgiving holiday. We rented a nice cabin tucked on the side of a mountain right beside a creek complete with little waterfalls! The town where we stayed...

Pros: Everything was a new adventure
Cons: We only found one restaurant we really liked

Review Topic:  Practical Information

My daughter and I had driven to the Outer Banks in North Carolina - Part 1. I am picking up as we left the ferry at Ocracoke Island. Ocracoke is where the infamous Edward Teach (Blackbeard)...

Pros: Lots of scenic attractions
Cons: None

I have lived in North Carolina all of my life (26 years) and have loved every bit of it. There are plenty of sites to see ranging from the outer banks to the mountains. The good thing about North Carolina is that you can vacation a lot of places within...

Pros: Beautiful Beaches, no crowds, relaxing
Cons: If you like to always be on the go, there isn't much to do here

I haven't been to Bald Head Island in many years and I only visited there once, but the way it was then is something that really stuck out in my mind. I can't imagine a more peaceful place on Earth.

Bald Head Island is a little vacation...

Pros: relaxed atmosphere, history everywhere, freshest seafood
Cons: leaving, transportation is by ferry or by flight

The barrier islands of North Carolina offer modern tourists an opportunity to see America just as Sir Walter Raleigh did when he sailed from England late in the 16th century. Ocracoke Island, a 16-mile long part of the Outer Banks is comprised primarily...

Pros: Beautiful scenery, wonderful people, lots of history
Cons: Book motel/hotel rooms early as this place gets packed

Sometimes you just get this idea that you want to "get away from it all"- the everyday existence, the daily slog, dull routine. Maybe life is usually pretty good, but you still experience that urge to do something different just once in a while.
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Pros: unique Southern heritage
Cons: health hazard

North Carolina is a state known for a variety of reasons. Sports fans know us as the center of the college basketball universe (with apologies to Indiana and Kentucky). Vacationers and retirees know North Carolina as a travel destination, primarily along...

Pros: Beautiful empty beaches, quaint villages, incredible sunsets!
Cons: Expensive; two bridges on and off the islands - traffic can be bad at times.

If you are looking for a unique and beautiful vacation with your family that takes you back to a different, slower lifestyle, then try the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We (my husband, myself, and another family) have been traveling to the Outer Banks...

Pros: Lovely river setting and delightful people at a reasonable price....can you relax?
Cons: In the middle of nowhere. And most of us have to come home sometime.

NEED A PLACE TO CHILL OUT FOR A FEW DAYS? Last July my family spent a few relaxing days at NOC about 90 minutes southwest of Asheville in Western NC. Take I-40 West from Asheville to Hwy 74; NOC is about 13 miles west of Bryson City and can be found at ...