Three weeks vacation in NC, any suggestions?

TMS

Member
Oct 12, 1999
67
0
0
I will be in North Carolina for three weeks in September for a holiday.
Since I'm coming from Finland, I really don't know any "tourist attractions" in NC.
Feel free to suggest any.

The plans include a short trip to Vegas, should be nice :). And maybe a trip to DC.

The base for operations will be Saluda (some of my relatives live there, very small place
in the mountains) and if the resorts/events are close to it, that would be nice.

Also suggestions for places in Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina are welcome.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,268
126
I have traveled little through NC, but I have been on sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Highly recommended. Also look for barbeque places. I doubt you have the like where you are. Again highly recommended.
 

TMS

Member
Oct 12, 1999
67
0
0
I Think that i have visited the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1986, I was only 12 at the time though.
It's less than 1 hour away from Saluda, maybe we will go there this time too.
There is only one BBQ place in Saluda, been there once (also in 1986, don't know is its still there :))

My aunts husband has the BBQ think down to an art :). He seems to take it very seriously, maybe
it's the style there. We mostly just grill some sausages (good ones, not like crap you have in US).

 

CanOWorms

Lifer
Jul 3, 2001
12,404
2
0
I think they have skiing in NC in Boone. Went there in January. They're pretty small though, so don't expect anything great.
 

CayJon

Senior member
Jan 11, 2000
313
0
0
Well, if you will be in/near the mountains, not too far is Asheville. Visit the Biltmore estate.
 

BDawg

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
11,631
2
0
Hmm...

The Blue Ridge Parkway is beautiful to drive down or hike through.

The Outer Banks are a pretty cool place to visit as is the Joyce Kilmer Forest.

In terms of tourist attractions, there's Bitlmore House in Asheville, Tryon Palace in New Bern, Cape Hattaras on the Outer Banks, Old Salem (17th century town) in Winston-Salem, and the Wright Brothers site at Kill Devil's Hill.

PM me if you need anything more specific. Oh yeah and Lexington (south of Greensboro) is one of the world's BBQ capitals.
 

athithi

Golden Member
Mar 5, 2002
1,717
0
0
There's nothing to see in NC....nothing. But that's the reason some people like this place, I guess :) The Outer Banks and the mountains are the only two places to see, really....that is, if you've never seen a mountain full of trees or the world's narrowest beaches
rolleye.gif
Biltmore Estate is just a big house with a lot of old furniture and utensils - quite pathetic. You'll really need to get out of here and go north to Willamsburg, DC, Baltimore, Atlantic City, NYC or go south to Atlanta, Tampa, Miami. Poor choice for vacation unless you like camping and hiking through woods. Oh wait, there's an IMAX theater in Raleigh ;)
 

burnedout

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,249
2
0
Cherokee NC: Cherokee Indian Reservation. I went to a biker meet there once.

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN - Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

Harrogate TN and Middlesboro KY - Cumberland Gap National Park. The park spans three states (KY, VA, TN). Some old civil war artifacts are in the area. They completed a tunnel through the mountain from TN to KY a few years ago.

Museum of Science and Energy in the Oak Ridge Corridor near Knoxville, TN.

Chattanooga, TN - Rock City, hang gliding, white water rafting.

Basically, the entire area is gorgeous. Mountains, streams, rivers, nature, wildlife, easy living. I'm moving back there in a couple of years.
 

TMS

Member
Oct 12, 1999
67
0
0
Originally posted by: athithi
There's nothing to see in NC....nothing. But that's the reason some people like this place, I guess :) The Outer Banks and the mountains are the only two places to see, really....that is, if you've never seen a mountain full of trees or the world's narrowest beaches
rolleye.gif
Biltmore Estate is just a big house with a lot of old furniture and utensils - quite pathetic. You'll really need to get out of here and go north to Willamsburg, DC, Baltimore, Atlantic City, NYC or go south to Atlanta, Tampa, Miami. Poor choice for vacation unless you like camping and hiking through woods. Oh wait, there's an IMAX theater in Raleigh ;)

Nothing beats living free at the relatives ;)
Thats the reason why we are going there. Everytime I have been there, we have traveled to some other place
(once to Texas, once to Cancun and once to Florida). This time my relatives are most likely working the time
we are there, so we have to stay there.
 

AU Tiger

Diamond Member
Dec 26, 1999
4,280
0
76
Asheville - Biltmore Estate

Blue Ridge Parkway - Nice views, hiking trails, Lynville Falls

Blowing Rock - Nice town, but the Blowing Rock is a tourist trap. Its overrated, don't waste your time.

Chimney Rock - Good hike, or take the elevator if you are lazy. Where parts of the movie Last of the Mohicans was filmed.

Cherokee Indian Reservation - Casino

Charlotte - Carolina Panther games. Should be able to walk up day of game and get tickets for cost or less. If the race at Lowes Motor Speedway is during your stay you may want to check it out.

There are 100s of waterfalls in the NC mountains, and I believe some places may offer a map of how to find the good ones.

White water rafting is decent in North Carolina mountains. Probably not that good with the low water levels.

Pigeon Forge, TN - Redneck paradise. Outlet malls as far as the eye can see. Dollywood (yee-haw).

There are some good places in Virginia as well.
 

MaxDepth

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2001
8,757
43
91
I know where Saluda is...

Charlotte, NC is a great town. The night life has really improved and there are many very nice places to eat (more specific with what you want out of the cuisine will narrow down the choices).

You are not that far from Knoxville, Tennessee. Have you ever been to an American football (your football = our soccer) game? University of Tennessee will have one of the best places to see talented football players and very large crowds. There is a professional football team in Charlotte, but it will be close to see who has more fans, the Panthers or Duke University (which is to say not many at all).

Brevard used to have a film festival in September but I don't see a google listing.

Driving to Atlanta, GA will take you about 4 hours. Driving to the coast of NC will take about the same amount of time. Hotel accomodations close to or on the beach are good in Wilmington, NC; good campgrounds are around a place called Salter Path, NC.

Any flights to Vegas (or anywhere else), you should arrange from Douglas Intl in Charlotte, NC (airport code: CLT).

Washington, DC is a good tourist visit, but you may want to stay in Williamsburg, Virginia and drive to DC for a day. Williamsburg has the reconstruction of colonial period life and there is the Anheiser-Busch theme amusement park, Busch Gardens nearby.

Although it is not as hot as August, it still will be quite warm and muggy. Especially for someone coming from Finland.

Enjoy your stay and tell us about.
 

Codewiz

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2002
5,758
0
76
Since you will be in Saluda then definately check out Lake Summit. It will be like 5 miles from you. It is a smaller lake that is awesome for swimming and such.


As others have stated you will be near Hendersonville and Asheville. You will not really be close to Charlotte. Well you aren't far but the drive would take a while.

If you want to go to the beach then definately check out the Outer Banks.

 

TMS

Member
Oct 12, 1999
67
0
0
Originally posted by: MaxDepth
I know where Saluda is...

You are not that far from Knoxville, Tennessee. Have you ever been to an American football (your football = our soccer) game? University of Tennessee will have one of the best places to see talented football players and very large crowds. There is a professional football team in Charlotte, but it will be close to see who has more fans, the Panthers or Duke University (which is to say not many at all).

Although it is not as hot as August, it still will be quite warm and muggy. Especially for someone coming from Finland.

Enjoy your stay and tell us about.


To my suprise, there is also Saluda in SC too :), I bet it's bigger though, since it can be found on maps :)

A football game might be nice, never been to an American style football game.
I think the weather will be warm enough...
Here the temperatures have been quite high (for Finland), about 25C for a while.
 

bigben

Senior member
Jan 8, 2000
655
0
0
Don't forget the triangle! come on over and check out our big nut at the capital

Also, you MUST get a krispy kreme doughnut at one of the oldest krispy kremes in the world in Raleigh.

There is also Duke University, with the gardens and chapel. And Magnolia Grilleis in Durham as well. It is the third best restaraunt in America according to some survey somewhere.


 

Codewiz

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2002
5,758
0
76
Originally posted by: TMS
Originally posted by: MaxDepth
I know where Saluda is...

You are not that far from Knoxville, Tennessee. Have you ever been to an American football (your football = our soccer) game? University of Tennessee will have one of the best places to see talented football players and very large crowds. There is a professional football team in Charlotte, but it will be close to see who has more fans, the Panthers or Duke University (which is to say not many at all).

Although it is not as hot as August, it still will be quite warm and muggy. Especially for someone coming from Finland.

Enjoy your stay and tell us about.


To my suprise, there is also Saluda in SC too :), I bet it's bigger though, since it can be found on maps :)

A football game might be nice, never been to an American style football game.
I think the weather will be warm enough...
Here the temperatures have been quite high (for Finland), about 25C for a while.

You could go see the Carolina Panthers play some football in Charlotte. I only wish the panthers were a better team :)

 

TMS

Member
Oct 12, 1999
67
0
0
Off to home now. Thanks for all the replies :)
Keep them coming, I'll read them when I come back to work tomorrow.
 

stower

Junior Member
Nov 15, 1999
10
0
0
of course there is VisitNC


Rafting

For rafting i can personally recommend the Nolichucky, good rapids, gorgeous scenery

several groups run it but Cherokee Adventures is probably the most commercial and will cause you the least hassle. It is a natural river so be sure to ask about the water level or you'll spend more time stuck on rocks than going down the river

if you want truly dangerous whitewater, try the Gaulley. It is the premier whitewater east of the Mississippi.

if you can stay till the first weekend of october you might want to try Russel Fork, another very dangerous river

Since i really don't know anything about rafting, it would be better to ask the good people in rec.boats.paddle


amusement parks

There is Carowinds in Charlotte although i prefer Kings Dominion in Virginia simply because of the rides. Volcano and Flight of Fear use linear induction motors to start you out with a bang. Very cool. Hypersonic XLC also looks interesting but i've never had a chance to ride it. Depending on when you go, expect 15-45 minutes waits per ride.

I've also heard good things about Busch Gardens but haven't ever been there

This site has a fairly complete list of amusement parks around the country


Sports

as mentioned above don't miss out on a college football game. It's hard to beat UT. If you can finagle tickets, the Sept 21 game vs Florida should be a doozy

while it doesn't quite have UT's tradition, NCState has a pretty good football atmosphere

to get tickets, it might help to ask around on some of the forums here and here

and though I am loathe to mention it, the USC Gamecocks also know how to put on a football show.

as always, half the fun is tailgating, so be sure you show up plenty early

Of course there is also the Carolina Hurricanes, this year's Eastern Conference Champions. However since you're from Finland, travelling to the US to see a hockey game might seem odd . . .

If you really want to make a day of it, on Sept 28 the Hurricanes and NC State both have home games. As the stadiums are right next to each other, you could easily see both without moving your car (I don't think they will schedule them at the same time)


Hiking

Grandfather Mountain has activities for the whole family (mile-high swinging bridge, mini-zoo, cave, wide-variety of hiking trails from easy to perilous)

easy 'hike': Linville Falls has spectacular falls but paths consist of 15 foot wide level gravel paths, hardly roughing it

moderate: Wilson Creek has some nice trails and waterfalls with absolutely no one on them (hiked all day without seeing a soul)

very difficult: Linville Gorge is poorly marked and has treacherous terrain. Although listed as overnight, some trails can be done in a day (but start early)

again, i don't really know anything about this, so better to check with people who do


Coast
Myrtle Beach is famous and hugely commercialized. On the other hand there is always something to do.

The Outer Banks also have good beaches but are basically deserted (well sorta). They are also home to Kill Devil Hill (location of first flight), Cape Hateras Lighthouse (tallest lighthouse in country, recently moved to a safer location), and Ocracoke. Be sure to take the ferry.

Wilmington has the battleship USS North Carolina and Fort Fisher

If you're more adventurous, the Outer Banks are the Graveyard of the Atlantic and there are several charter companies that run expeditions out to dive the wrecks. If you can, i would recommend getting a copy of the book 'Shipwrecks: Diving the Graveyard of the Atlantic' by Roderick M. Farb (ISBN 0-89732-034-4). Also check here and here


Food and Lodging

for lodging in different areas, why not try a bed and breakfast?

nothing compares to woofing down a dozen fresh hot Krispy Kreme donuts

another must visit is Bojangles. It is the epitome of southern fast food with the best sweet tea and fries anywhere. (Make sure you get the seasoning on the fries. At the store near me they have a metal canister where you pick up your order with the fry seasoning in it. Don't miss it)

Cracker Barrel almost fits the definition of tourist trap, but everyone should eat there at least once just to say they've been


Other Attractions

Linville Caverns is pretty and reasonable sized

Mammoth Cave is the largest cave system in world

Even though it is best seen at Christmas, you should still visit Biltmore Estate

Discovery Place is a cool museum in Charlotte

you may be interested in the NC Zoo. Everything from elephants to polar bears. Plan on LOTS of walking as it's pretty good sized.

In Raleigh the Museum of History and Museum of Art are very good.


Misc

other activities to look into: caving and climbing

tourist traps to avoid: Blowing Rock, Mystery Hill, any gemstone 'mining' thing

some general info links here, here, here


looking at the map, it seems you will have easier access to Atlanta than to many parts of NC, so definitely visit. The Coke factory, Underground Atlanta, some great museums, Six Flags and well Atlanta :)

ALWAYS bring sunblock (especially on rafting trips). The sun can be absolutely brutal even in September. One bad burn can ruin the rest of your trip so don't risk it.

 

MaxDepth

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2001
8,757
43
91
stower:
Have you ever thought about working in the tourism industry? I think your post has more information than all southeastern states' tourism websites combined.
:D

TMS: temperature-wise, it usually runs 25-30 Celsius during the day and around 18 at night.
use this to see what Saluda weather is like now.

PS - there is a Saluda, Virginia as well.
 

TMS

Member
Oct 12, 1999
67
0
0
Wow, thanks stower (and all the others).
Your list is quite comprehensive, it must have taken some time to make.
I agree with MaxDepth, if you aren't working in tourism/travel industry, maybe you should try :)

I'm sure that, we will have very good time in the US.

 

BDawg

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
11,631
2
0
Originally posted by: bigben
Don't forget the triangle! come on over and check out our big nut at the capital

Also, you MUST get a krispy kreme doughnut at one of the oldest krispy kremes in the world in Raleigh.

There is also Duke University, with the gardens and chapel. And Magnolia Grilleis in Durham as well. It is the third best restaraunt in America according to some survey somewhere.

Why get one in Raleigh when he could have one from the original KK, across the street from the corporate HQ in Winston-Salem? :)

Speaking of resturants, the Angus Barn in Raleigh is highly regarded as one of the most customer service oriented resturants in the world...and their steak isn't bad either. :)
 

stower

Junior Member
Nov 15, 1999
10
0
0
Originally posted by: TMS
Your list is quite comprehensive

actually not really. I know very little of the area out toward charlotte and eastern TN, so don't ignore the advice of other people

for instance the AMSE at Oakridge is supposed to be simply amazing

i forgot to mention about music and concerts, but then I'm not too familiar with what would be around your area.

Here is one thing for Charlotte, one thing for Raleigh and another for Charlotte. I'm sure there are many more in the area and down towards Atlanta, but i'll let you search for them :)

Further south there is good whitewater on on the Chatooga (this is where they filmed the movie Deliverance)

if you want others opinions on some of the parks, check Epinions

And how could i forget the best one of all! When you go to Vegas, plan to spend a day at Front Sight for their FREE one day submachine gun course. Includes gun, ammo and food.

 

TeflonMan1

Member
Apr 5, 2001
122
0
0
I just got back from 2 weeks visisting family in Boone. Its a real nice little town and the weather is a nice change from home (central Texas).

I would go up to Virginia for a few days and maybe go to Lexington or Charlettesville. Lexington had 3 different colleges and is a pretty little town. Theres a ton of stuff to do in Virgina and its only a few hours away. I just went to see Monticello and it was pretty awesome.