From BBQ to Sweet Tea: Ten Things I Love About North Carolina

From BBQ to Sweet Tea

Ten Things I Love About North Carolina

I’ll never forget the feeling of crossing over the North Carolina state line on I-77 South when moving here from Northeast Ohio back in November of 2013. It was a completely different feeling crossing over that state line, knowing that this would be our new home, rather than just a vacation destination for a week. I was so excited to be moving to The Old North State and being able to experience all that North Carolina has to offer and everything that makes North Carolina unique. From the food to the geography to the weather, there is a reason that North Carolina has been on many top ten lists for states to live. The following are my top ten favorite things I love most about North Carolina.

1. Agriculture

Agriculture is one of the top industries in North Carolina, which is nearly a $100 billion industry. Top commodities include tobacco, sweet potatoes, poultry, eggs, pork, trout, cotton, soybeans, and peanuts. There are many other commodities included in North Carolina’s agriculture, including Christmas Trees, craft beer and wine, and seafood, to name a few. In fact, the Christmas Tree for the White House came from the mountains of Western North Carolina in 2018. The annual North Carolina State Fair held at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh every October and the Got to Be NC Festival, also held at the NC State Fairgrounds every May, celebrate North Carolina’s agricultural industry.

2. BBQ

My absolutely most favorite meal is BBQ, which is one of the most popular meals served in North Carolina. There are two main types of BBQ served here, Eastern and Western. Eastern BBQ is a vinegar based sauce while Western BBQ is a tomato based sauce. My preference is the sweet taste of Western style BBQ. I love a heaping pile of pulled pork, smothered with sweet tomato based BBQ sauce, along with a side of baked beans, coleslaw, hushpuppies, and a glass of sweet tea. For me, it is heaven on a plate!

BBQ plate from Millstone 4-H Camp’s Pickin’ in the Pines BBQ and bluegrass amp fundraiser in October

3. Cheerwine

One of the things I was most excited about when relocating to North Carolina was being able to enjoy the sweet taste of diet Cheerwine anytime I wanted. Cheerwine, founded in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1917, is a cherry flavored soft drink that has a one of a kind taste. I have fond memories of having Cheerwine when visiting my Aunt in Hillsborough for New Year’s before moving here. Since moving here, I enjoy diet Cheerwine regularly.

4. Geography

North Carolina’s distinct diverse geography offers a plethora of places to explore, from the mountains in the West, to the coastal plains in the East, to the Piedmont of the North Central, to the Sandhills of the South Central. Living in the Raleigh area near the center of the state, it’s only about a 3-hour drive to the mountains and a 2-hour drive to the coast, which makes for ideal weekend family getaways. We can leave home on Friday afternoons and be at the beach in time for dinner, wake up to the sunrise on the beach on Saturday, and enjoy a full day playing in the sand. We stay through lunch on Sunday, then are back home mid afternoon in time to unpack and relax. This is one of the draws of living in the central part of the state.

Mountain view off of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Marion, NC

5. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Founded in Winston-Salem in 1937, Krispy Kreme doughnuts are a staple here in North Carolina. The original glazed donut rings are absolutely delicious, especially when they are fresh and warm out of the oven. You can find Krispy Kreme doughnuts at just about any gas station across North Carolina. A one-of-a-kind event featuring Krispy Kreme doughnuts is the annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, hosted the first Saturday in February at NC State University campus in Raleigh. The challenge, which began as a dare between some NC State students, includes a 2.5 mile run starting from the Bell Tower on NC State University campus to the Krispy Kreme store on Peace Street in downtown Raleigh, eating a dozen glazed doughnuts, then running the 2.5 miles back to the Bell Tower, all in under one hour. The event has raised over $1.8 million for UNC Children’s Hospital. I completed the Krispy Kreme Challenge in 2019, finishing in just under 50 minutes. However, I had to force myself to throw up afterwards and my jaw hurt for days from eating a dozen doughnuts in under ten minutes at the midpoint of the race.

6. Longleaf Pine Trees

The popular song, Wagon Wheel, begins: “Heading down south to the land of the pines.” North Carolina is known for both its Longleaf pine and Loblolly pine trees. The sandy soil found in much of the state allows the tall pine trees to thrive here. There is nothing like getting out of a vehicle on a hot, humid summer day and getting hit with the scent of pine trees. Pinehurst Resort, founded in 1895 and located in the Sandhills region in the South Central part of the state, was established as a retreat where the scent of pine was believed to have health and relaxation benefits for vacationers.

7. NC State University Wolfpack

The University of North Carolina (UNC) system includes seventeen institutions across the state. However, in my opinion no one takes more pride in their university than the North Carolina State University Wolfpack. NC State is one of two land-grant universities in the state and the largest university by enrollment. Our family joined the Wolfpack when relocating here by default, as I work full-time for the university. We love being a part of the Wolfpack, having attended numerous football, basketball, and baseball games over the years. Held on the third Saturday in August each year, Packapalooza, one of the largest street festivals in Raleigh, celebrates the relationship between the university and the Raleigh community. There is so much pride in NC State that New Belgium Brewing Company partnered with NC State and launched Old Tuffy lager in 2019, which helps support scholarships and student success at the university. Go Pack!

Enjoying my first can of Old Tuffy lager on my 40th birthday

8. Small Country Towns

While there are small country towns across the country, there is something special about the small country towns here in North Carolina. Throughout my travels across the state, I have enjoyed taking the road less traveled through some of the most rural parts of the state. I prefer backroads and state routes over the Interstate. Although it typically takes longer to get somewhere, I enjoy the scenic beauty of the small country towns. Many of these towns were once thriving from the mills, textiles, and tobacco, but have changed over time with a shift in the state’s economy and industry. It is a great feeling when enjoying a meal in a small country town where everyone knows everyone else. The locals are so friendly, kind, and welcoming, which you don’t see a lot of elsewhere today.

Downtown Clayton, NC during the Downtown Clayton Trick or Treat on Halloween, 2019

9. Sweet Tea

My other favorite beverage in addition to diet Cheerwine is sweet tea. Nothing goes better with a plate of BBQ or sitting on a front porch on a hot summer day sipping on a cold glass of sweet tea. While sweet tea is served at just about every restaurant across the state, some of my favorite places to get sweet tea are Bojangles and Smithfield’s Chicken N’ Bar-B-Q. However, I also enjoy making it and always had sweet tea in our refrigerator our first few years of living here. To make our sweet tea, I would simply fill a two quart jar with hot tap water from the sink, while stirring in two cups of sugar (yes, I know that’s a lot!), and adding 4-5 Lipton’s tea bags and then let it sit in the fridge for 12 hours. It’s a delicious recipe!

Photo by Markus Spiske temporausch.com on Pexels.com

10. Weather

One of the things we enjoy most about North Carolina is the weather. Coming from Northeast Ohio, where it is gloomy and gray throughout much of the year, seeing Carolina blue skies and sunshine here on most days makes us happy! In addition to the abundant sunshine, the warm climate makes it comfortable to be outside 9 months out of the year. There’s nothing quite like being able to wear a fleece jacket on a 50 degree day in the middle of winter. The summers can be brutal, with temperatures in the mid to upper 90’s and high humidity. However, the mild winters and warm falls and springs make up for the hot summers. As people say here, “if you don’t like the weather, just wait a day or two.”

Conclusion

Whether you live in North Carolina, visit here for vacation, or have stumbled across this blog post, these are just a few of the things I love best about North Carolina. My family and I have enjoyed living here over the past six plus years and are now happy to call North Carolina home.

Pilot Mountain State Park

A prominent landmark of North Carolina

Facts & Figures

Address: 1792 Pilot Knob Park Rd., Pinnacle, NC 27043

County: Surry and Yadkin

Size: 3,872 acres

Hours: Open daily from 7:00am to 6:00pm

Phone: (336) 325-2355

Website: https://www.ncparks.gov/pilot-mountain-state-park/home

Management: North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Parks & Recreation

Activities/Amenities:

Camping
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Paddling
Picnic Shelters/Tables
Rock Climbing/Rappelling
Sightseeing

Photos

Top Rope Rock Climbing by permit at Pilot Mountain State Park

Overview

Pilot Mountain has been a prominent landmark of North Carolina, with the summit rising more than 2,000 feet. Its rock outcroppings that appear as a “dome” rising out of the mountains create a unique feature that can be seen from miles away. Pilot Mountain State Park offers an array of activities, including camping, hiking, padding, rock climbing, and sightseeing. With a park access switchback road that makes its way to the summit, it provides a spectacular experience for all abilities and ages. Whether you’re stopping briefly for the scenic overlook, spending a few hours hiking loop trails around the top, or camping out for the weekend, Pilot Mountain State Park will not disappoint.

Our Experience

Although we had driven by Pilot Mountain for years on our way from Northeast Ohio to North Carolina and back for vacations at the beach and to visit family for New Year’s, we didn’t find out that Pilot Mountain was a State Park and that you could drive a vehicle to the summit until the fall of 2010. During a trip in October on our way down to Charlotte to watch the Bank of America 500 NASCAR race, we decided to make a brief stop at Pilot Mountain State Park and drove up to the summit, and boy was it a treat!

The view from the overlook is absolutely spectacular. You can see for miles! In addition to the overlook, a variety of hiking trails of varying difficulty levels are scattered throughout the park, providing miles of trails for hikers. A family campground is also available for those who want to camp out for the weekend. For the most adventurous, rock climbing and rappelling are available by permit through the State Park. For those wanting to try rock climbing at Pilot Mountain, check with your local REI store for scheduled trips.

Since our first trip to the summit of Pilot Mountain, I have made a handful of trips over the past six years since living here in North Carolina. I have had the opportunity to top rope rock climb and hike the loop trails around the top of the mountain. Pilot Mountain State Park remains one of my favorite destinations here in North Carolina.

North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Nags Head, and other areas along/around NC-12

Facts & Figures

County: Dare

Areas: Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Nags Head, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island

Attractions:

Photos

Overview

North Carolina’s Outer Banks (OBX) are barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, separating the mainland from the Atlantic Ocean. They are a popular tourist and travel destination offering a wide variety of attractions, including an aquarium, beaches, state parks, national wildlife refuges, and more. Roanoke Island, known for “The Lost Colony,” was the site of England’s first settlement in the New World, an expedition by Sir Walter Raleigh. The area is also known for pirate history, including the famous “Blackbeard.”

Our Experience

Our family has enjoyed visiting the Outer Banks since my wife and I were engaged in 2005. We would make the 11+ hour drive from Northeast Ohio to Avon on Hatteras Island for a weeklong beach vacation for several summers before eventually relocating to North Carolina in 2013. We would usually rent a beach house in Avon through VRBO. Summer is the peak beach season for tourists and vacationers, so it is typically crowded from May through August. Hurricane season from late summer through October tends not to be as crowded.

Most people wouldn’t think about visiting the Outer Banks in the middle of winter, but three years ago our family took an impromptu trip to the Outer Banks in conjunction with a business trip for me, which ended up being a fun and memorable weekend for our family without the crowds. I had a Saturday work commitment, so we drove the 4-hour trip from Raleigh to Manteo on Thursday afternoon, arriving in time for dinner. We rented a 2-bedroom condo in Manteo which overlooked an inlet with boat docks.

On Friday morning, we explored the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, one of four aquariums owned and operated by the state of North Carolina. We saw sharks, sea turtles, and even a live underwater show with some scuba divers.

From there, we headed to the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the spot of the first sustained flight. This provided fun and education as our oldest two children ran the field where the first flight took place. Several stone markers highlight where each of the Wright Brothers’ flights landed. There are also several bronze statues of the plane and Wright Brothers’ team who were a part of the historic flight.

After that, we made the quick drive to Jockey’s Ridge State Park, which includes the tallest sand dunes in the Eastern United States. We hiked up the dunes for a spectacular view of the island down below. During the summer months, Jockey’s Ridge is known for hand gliding. On our hike during the last week in January, we were some the few people hiking the dunes.

North Carolina High Country

Blowing Rock, Boone, Linville, and other areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Facts & Figures

Counties: Allegheny, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey

Cities: Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock, Boone, Burnsville, Jefferson, Linville, Sparta, Spruce Pine, Sugar Mountain, West Jefferson, Wilkesboro

Attractions:

Photos

Overview

North Carolina’s scenic High Country encompasses some of the highest elevations in the state and includes areas like Blowing Rock, Boone, Linville, and others. There are many attractions in High Country including The Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain, and Linville Falls, to name a few. This area offers spectacular hiking and sightseeing. With many tourist attractions, there is enough to see and do to spend an extended weekend or an entire week.

Our Experience

Our first family trip to the mountains after moving to North Carolina was during the fall of our first year here. We rented a log home in Seven Devils, just outside of Boone. Our trip was in November, so the temperatures were relatively cold, with morning temperatures in the 30’s. During that trip, we hiked Linville Falls on our first day, parking and leaving from the Visitor’s Center operated by the National Park Service. We hiked the Erwins View Trail, which offers a few different views of the tiered waterfalls. After that, we made our way to Blowing Rock and explored the downtown. We then traveled to Boone and walked around downtown, stopping for dinner at Mellow Mushroom Pizza. During our second day, we made a trip to Mast General Store for some candy and souvenirs, then relaxed and enjoyed the scenery at the log home we were staying in.

Our most recent family trip to the mountains was also in November of this past year. We rented a condo in the gated community of Echota through VRBO, located in Foscoe. Our condo had a view of Grandfather Mountain from the living room and deck, plus the resort had an indoor pool for swimming in the evenings. Our trip was packed with adventures! On our first day, we explored Linville Caverns, which was a huge hit with our children. We then headed over to Linville Falls for hiking and sightseeing, again leaving from the Visitor Center. After a picnic lunch in our minivan, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway to Blowing Rock and visited The Blowing Rock, soaking up the views from the observation areas. After that, we headed back to the condo for some swimming and relaxation. On day two, we explored Mystery Hill, purchasing the full package that included several attractions including gem mining, another hit with our children. After that, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway again to Julian Price Memorial Park, where we hiked a 2-mile loop around the lake. We then stopped at Mast General Store for some candy on our way back to the condo. This trip was my favorite trip of our six years in North Carolina.

Pullen Park

Fun for generations of families in Raleigh, NC

Facts & Figures

Address: 520 Ashe Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606

Size: 66.4 acres

Opened: March 22, 1887

Hours: Attractions open daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm

Phone: (919) 996-6468

Website: https://raleighnc.gov/places/pullen-park

Management: The City of Raleigh, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Resources

Amenities/Attractions:

Aquatic Center
Theater
Carousel
Kiddie Boats
C.P. Huntington Train
Pedal Boats
Lake Howell
Picnic Shelters/Tables
Walking Trails

Photos

Overview

Pullen Park, located just east of North Carolina State University campus and west of downtown Raleigh, is the first public park in North Carolina, the 5th oldest amusement park in the country, and the 16th oldest amusement park in the world. Opening in 1887, it has provided amusement and fun for generations of families from across the Triangle of North Carolina and beyond. It is a popular spot for families and visitors, especially around the holidays. During the month of December, the popular Holiday Express event transforms the park into a Winter Wonderland, with a train ride to view the holiday lights, sled riding down manmade snow chutes, holiday crafts, hot chocolate, and more.

Our Experience

Pullen Park is one of the places that sold me on relocating our family to Raleigh, NC. It was the first park we ever visited and has been our family’s favorite park, visiting it year-round, several times throughout the year. It has become a regular tradition for us to visit on weekends, especially on days with nicer weather. We pack a picnic lunch, load up the car, and try to arrive late morning. Upon arrival to the park, we buy our ride tickets, then start with a train ride and/or kiddie boats, followed by time on the playground. We then make our way over to the Lake Howell area with picnic tables and enjoy our picnic lunch. After that, we ride the carousel, climb trees in the “jungle” behind the carousel, then usually end our visit with a stroll around the lake. Pullen Park has been a favorite destination for us to take family and friends when visiting us from out of town.

My First Blog Post

Start With Why: The “Why” behind Explore NC

“We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success.”
—Henry David Thoreau

A New Year’s Goal

One of my new year’s resolutions this year was a digital detox and to spend less time connected to my iPhone. As a result, I have found myself with much more free time on the evenings and weekends. This has allowed me to pursue other endeavors, hence this blog. At the same time, one of my new year’s goals was to start a blog. As I pondered what my blog would be about, I reflected on my life experiences, passions, and skills.

Since an early age, I have always had a passion for exploring the Great Outdoors. More recently, I have had a passion for writing. Another passion of mine throughout my career has been to share my passion for the outdoors with others. This blog, Explore NC, will allow me to combine all of these passions.

Since relocating to North Carolina over six years ago, my family has been fortunate to have the opportunity to create life-long memories in some of North Carolina’s most spectacular places, both outdoors and indoors. North Carolina’s diverse geography, from the mountains in the west, to the coastal plains in the east, and in between the Piedmont and Sandhills, provides endless opportunities to explore. Some of our most memorable experiences as a family have been in some of these places that we now call home.

My goal for this blog is to share not only our experiences in these places, but more importantly the resources for exploring them. This includes equipment, information, lodging, logistics, travel, and weather.

My plan is to begin with writing about the dozens of places we have explored across North Carolina, including beaches, forests, golf courses, mountains, museums, parks, playgrounds, restaurants, sightseeing, and vacation destinations.

While I am not new to writing, I am brand new to blogging. That being said, I welcome your honest feedback with how I can enhance and improve my blog and my posts.

Thank you for reading! Happy Trails! 🙂