State City Guides Archives - Chi-Co2N Mastorical https://www.maconnchistorical.org/category/state-city-guides/ North Carolina Travel Blog Fri, 21 Jul 2023 06:20:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://www.maconnchistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cropped-road-trip-4399206_640-32x32.png State City Guides Archives - Chi-Co2N Mastorical https://www.maconnchistorical.org/category/state-city-guides/ 32 32 North Carolina – Tour Of The Capital And Surrounding Areas https://www.maconnchistorical.org/north-carolina-tour-of-the-capital-and-surrounding-areas/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 06:20:23 +0000 https://www.maconnchistorical.org/?p=127 North Carolina is a state in the southern region of the United States and is located on the country’s east coast. It is not aRead more

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North Carolina is a state in the southern region of the United States and is located on the country’s east coast. It is not a predominantly tourist state, but it is a great place to get in touch with nature. With its mountainous regions and forests, it attracts adventure seekers.

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We must also mention its capital – Raleigh – where you can find good cultural tours. Its coastline offers both beautiful landscapes and a bit of history to discover.

Our trip to North Carolina was a bit long. We stayed there for about 35 days, but it was not exclusively for tourism. We went to participate in a training that would extend for all weeks, and we only had the weekends to enjoy the region.

All in all, it was a very interesting trip and we were able to visit several other places, including the surroundings.

We stayed in Raleigh – its Capital – and were able to explore some things at night there.

You may ask yourself: “But if it’s not such a tourist destination, why would I go there?”. There are several reasons to go to North Carolina. Let’s think for example, that you might be crossing the American East Coast by car. Yes, some people do this, and here’s a hint, it’s one of the most interesting coastal crossings you can imagine. With fantastic views and beautiful landscapes.

North Carolina is a coastal state, so this crossing will probably pass through there. And this state’s coastline has many interesting things to see and enjoy, with tourist spots and beautiful landscapes.

if you go further into the state and away from the coast, you’ll find some excellent national parks with mountains and regions for mountain tourism. Some of them offer more exciting tours, with climbing and river descents. Others offer tours for those who really want to relax in contact with nature. Want an example? Try Asheville, a mountain destination with great scenery and lots of activity. It’s in the “centre” of North Carolina.

Raleigh

Starting with the capital, Raleigh is a really interesting place. Despite its few tourist attractions, it stands out for its gastronomy and its diversity of bars and restaurants. However, what attracts in Raleigh is the diversity of places focused on the culture and history of the United States and also of North Carolina.

It is there, for example, that the North Carolina Museum of History is located, which tells the history of the state, how it was formed, what was its importance during the Civil War on the Confederate side and how it became one of the largest tobacco producing states in the United States. Check out our post about the museum at North Carolina Museum of History.

However, the museum that draws the most attention and is a must-see is the Museum of Natural Sciences. Fully interactive and with one of the most interesting shows focused on technology, exploration and development, it is a tour for the whole day. We went through the museum and told you everything in detail in the post-Museum of Natural Sciences in North Carolina.

Also, for beer lovers, we have the Raleigh Beer Garden. They have the largest number of draft beer in a restaurant worldwide. In other words, it’s beer that never ends and there, ready to be drunk very cold. Don’t think it’s just hype. They entered the Guinness Book for that reason. Good restaurants and a good cultural circuit are not lacking either.

Although not very touristy, parties in Downtown Raleigh are common throughout the weekend, so you’ll have plenty to do if you spend your Saturday and Sunday nights there.

See all the tips and many other attractions in Raleigh in the post we made: Raleigh – Exploring the Capital of North Carolina.

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Charlotte

With weekends to spare, we had time to visit other cities and not be restricted to the capital. We drove to Charlotte, the most populous city in North Carolina. It is just over 170 miles from the capital and we reached it with approximately 2h30min.

If you are in Raleigh, it is a great option to do a round trip to Charlotte as we did. If you can spend a weekend there, it is the best option, as the city has a lot to explore. But in one day it is possible to do a lot too.

What initially took us to Charlotte was the NASCAR Hall of Fame. NASCAR’s headquarters is there and it is also where we find the museum of this category of car racing much appreciated in the United States.
This is a tour that will take you good hours of your day. It is very interactive and has many activities on site. Arrive close to the time the museum is opening and you can enjoy a lot and still leave early for other attractions. Curious about the place? See our full post about it at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

If you follow the tip of arriving early, you can still explore the city a bit and get to know other places, as we did by going to the Charlotte Hornets stadium and passing a bit through the city centre.

In addition, we went to see the Aviation Museum, which is located at Charlotte International Airport. The full report on the museum is in the following post: Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte.

Wilmington

We mentioned at the beginning of this post about the coastal region of North Carolina. And a visit to it could not be missing, of course. Many of the itineraries that pass through the American east coast have a mandatory stop in North Carolina because of one of the region’s most famous sights: the famous Bodie Island Lighthouse in Nags Head.

But besides the famous lighthouse in Nags Heads, the North Carolina coast offers several nice surprises in small coastal towns. One of them is Wilmington.

It’s a small harbour town, built around the Cape Fear River, where its inhabitants live in villas. It has all the makings of a very quiet place, and it really is. But don’t be fooled, the city is very well organised, sits on the banks of the river and has a promenade with restaurants, snack bars and many ice cream parlours, in a very interesting shopping centre.

But the best is yet to come. The USS North Carolina is anchored in this quiet town. A warship that participated in many battles (including in World War II) and today has become a museum ship. A fantastic visit with a bit of history and a lot of cool things to see.

If you want to know everything we found in Wilmington on another day trip from Raleigh, you can follow the post Wilmington on the North Carolina Coast.

Conclusion

With a few days available in North Carolina, we were able to do many interesting things. If you have a longer period there, you can do some longer trips and visit other cities, just like we did in Charlotte and Wilmington. They are two places very close to the capital and in a few hours by road you can reach your destination.

If you’re traveling across North Carolina, stop by Asheville. It’s a mountain town with many state parks, lots of nature and mountains with beautiful landscapes.

North Carolina is one of those states that surprise us and has a lot of interesting things to offer, and although it is not a tourist trip, it is worth it for the beauty, activities and interesting tours you find there.

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Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina https://www.maconnchistorical.org/charlotte-the-largest-city-in-north-carolina/ Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:32:17 +0000 https://www.maconnchistorical.org/?p=120 There is a city in the United States that combines urban and modern landscapes with the beauty of nature and many sports interacting with nature,Read more

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There is a city in the United States that combines urban and modern landscapes with the beauty of nature and many sports interacting with nature, skyscrapers with mountains and many attractions. It is Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina.

The city lives up to its slogan, “Charlotte Has Plenty,” thanks partly to its combination of urban amenities and its emphasis on weaving lots of outdoor beauty between its skyscrapers. With distinctive and diverse neighbourhoods, great shopping and award-winning food and beer, Charlotte can satisfy various leisure goals. In today’s column, I’ll list a few reasons why you should visit Charlotte.

Urban forestry

Charlotte is a leader in urban forestry goals, with the city on track to increase its tree canopy by 50% by 2050. This commitment to the environment extends to the city’s green space initiatives, several of which make for a fun bike ride or walk between breweries and bars.

NASCAR

Even people who have never seen a NASCAR race can appreciate the category’s roots and see how deeply connected they are to Charlotte. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is simply a must-see and so is the historic Charlotte Motor Speedway. Most NASCAR racing teams have also made the city their home, especially around Lake Norman, so the sport’s impact has seeped into the community in many ways.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame showcases the top and most honoured cars from each era of the category. It’s a trip back in time to the good old days in the American heartland, where NASCAR races were the most important event of the year in these parts. Today’s machines and a real race pit are also there to test your skills in changing tyres and fueling the race cars. There is also a large shop selling NASCAR merchandise and a themed café.

NoDa art scene

North Davidson, or NoDa, is the more artistic section of the city, so take time to wander among the galleries, boutiques and performance venues to see the colourful side of the city. It’s worth a stop at Amelie’s French Bakery to sample some of the treats that made it into the Hunger Games franchise, which filmed scenes in and around Charlotte.

Brewery districts

Also, when exploring NoDa, you’ll find several craft breweries, as the neighbourhood has the second highest concentration of breweries in the city. The other is South End, a part that invites you to stroll around on a pleasant walk, both are considered the two coolest neighbourhoods in the city.

Specialised museums

The choice of niche museums in Charlotte includes, in addition to the NASCAR Hall of Fame we’ve already talked about, the Carolina Aviation Museum, which celebrates North Carolina’s point of pride as the site of the first American flight. Kids will love Discovery Place, a collection of three museums in one (Science, Nature and Kids), but adults won’t want to miss the Science on the Rocks attractions.

Distinctive neighbourhoods

As the 16th largest city in the US, nearly one million people call Charlotte home. Despite being the largest city in North Carolina, Charlotte is not the state capital. And though it spans more than 300 square miles, Charlotte’s distinct neighbourhoods grew up around the city centre, first as tram districts that evolved into walkable hubs with thriving independent businesses.

Vegetarian options

In a city as large as Charlotte, virtually every type of cuisine can be found, and vegetarian offerings range from authentic Asian dishes to juice powerhouse Clean Juice, which started in Charlotte and has now grown to more than 90 locations.

Lake Norman

Charlotte’s water playground has nearly a dozen pet-friendly marinas and restaurants. Rent boats or jet skis, or cruise along over 80km of surface aboard a stand up paddle board, kayak or canoe.

Talent in the kitchen

The 7th Street Public Market has been called an innovative gastronomic hub, providing a launching pad for companies like It’s Poppin, a gourmet corn company. Plan to spend a few hours browsing, sipping and dining at more than 40 vendors in the heart of Uptown in this café atmosphere that only this corner of Charlotte can offer.

Urban rafting

Besides plenty of green space throughout the city and nearby Lake Norman, Charlotte has several other ways to enjoy nature. For the adventurous, head to the U.S. National Whitewater Centre to experience its Class II, III and IV rapids, or stay on land to take in the views or bike the park’s five-plus acres of trails. You can also see the park from a zip line.

Family fun

Two guaranteed fun and adventure options are just outside the city: Carowinds and Carolina Raptor Centre. Carowinds has 13 roller coasters, several water ride options, and a separate water park, Carolina Harbor. Or head to the Carolina Raptor Center, a non-profit organisation that focuses on rehabilitating injured raptors and conserving other birds of prey, including hawks and owls.

Shopping in abundance

Charlotte has plenty of shopping centres and even a suspended mall connected by a walkway, making it a great year-round shopping destination. Head to the Waxhaw Historic District. Several options ranging from local farmers markets to two upscale shopping centres – Southpark Mall and Ballantyne Village – make this city a shopping paradise for people of all budgets and interests.

Charlotte International Airport is still an important hub in the United States. If you are connecting, be sure to visit the NASCAR shop and try the famous chocolate dipped apple from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

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Wilmington is a port city https://www.maconnchistorical.org/wilmington-is-a-port-city/ Sat, 17 Jul 2021 17:21:00 +0000 https://www.maconnchistorical.org/?p=65 Wilmington is a port city and the administrative center of New Hanover County on the southeast coast of North Carolina, USA.

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Wilmington is a port city and the administrative center of New Hanover County on the southeast coast of North Carolina, USA.

With a population of 115,955 as of the 2020 U.S. Census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the principal city of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan area that includes New Hanover and Pender counties in southeastern North Carolina, with a population of 301,284 as of the 2020 Census. Its historic center has a 1.75-mile (2.82 km) waterfront that was created as a tourist attraction in the late 20th century. In 2014, Wilmington’s waterfront was named “America’s Best Waterfront” by readers of USA Today. The National Trust for Historic Preservation selected Wilmington as one of a dozen outstanding destinations in 2008.

Residents live between the river and the ocean, with four nearby beach communities near Wilmington: Fort Fisher, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach and Coure Beach, all a half-hour drive from downtown Wilmington. The city is home to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), which offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and adult programs, as well as cultural and athletic events open to the community.

By the late 19th century, Wilmington was a thriving city with an ethnically integrated majority black population and the largest city in North Carolina. During the 1898 Wilmington massacre, supporters of white supremacy staged a coup that overthrew the legally elected local government of pro-Fusionists. They drove black and white opposition leaders out of town, destroyed black property and businesses established after the Civil War, including the only black newspaper in town, and killed between 60 and more than 300 people. This coincided with a broader effort to disenfranchise at the state level. While there were 125,000 black voters registered in North Carolina in 1896, by 1902 there were 6,000. By 1910, Charlotte had overtaken Wilmington as North Carolina’s largest city.

In 2003, Congress designated the city as a “Coast Guard City” and until 2020 it was the home port for the USCGC Diligence, a U.S. Coast Guard medium-range cutter. On September 2, 2020, then-President Trump officially declared Wilmington the nation’s first World War II heritage city. The World War II battleship USS North Carolina, now a war memorial, is moored in front of the harbor area downtown and is open for tours. Other attractions include the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science, the Wilmington Children’s Museum, and the Wilmington Hammerheads United Soccer Leagues.

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Charlotte is a city of money and motorsports https://www.maconnchistorical.org/charlotte-is-a-city-of-money-and-motorsports/ Thu, 13 Aug 2020 12:12:00 +0000 https://www.maconnchistorical.org/?p=60 The city of Charlotte is considered the principal city, the state capital. In fact, though, Charlotte is not the capital (Raleigh is), but rather North Carolina's largest city.

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The city of Charlotte is considered the principal city, the state capital. In fact, though, Charlotte is not the capital (Raleigh is), but rather North Carolina’s largest city.

A little history and geography of Charlotte

The city of Charlotte is located in the southeastern United States, almost on the border of North and South Carolina. Funny enough, but its remote, southern suburbs are already in the neighboring state. The settlement arose in the XVIII century, at the crossroads of the historic routes linking the North with the South, and the Center with the Atlantic coast. These trade routes were used by the Indians before the arrival of the European settlers.

The city and its surroundings have a distinctly subtropical climate: mild, but with occasional frosts, winters are mild and summers are hot and rainy. Rainfall is lowest in the first half of spring and fall.

Charlotte was founded primarily by Protestants and has remained so for a long time. Although the denominational makeup of its population is much more mixed, the Protestant, and especially the Baptist, churches have a significant influence here. Suffice it to say, the city is the birthplace of prominent religious figure Billy Graham.

The city borrowed its name from the German princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg. But at the time when her name was given to the new city, Charlotte was already the wife of the English king.

Now the city has about 827 thousand people, and with the suburbs almost twice as many.

As in its youth, Charlotte plays the role of a major transportation hub. It is still at the crossroads of Trade and Tryon streets, where in the old days the trade routes intersected, and the city’s international airport is one of the ten largest American “air gates.

Nevertheless, the foundation of stability and prosperity in Charlotte has not been transportation, but finance. Since the middle of the last century the city became the second financial center of the country after New York. For that, it is sometimes jokingly referred to as the “little apple.

The financial world reminds you of itself at every turn in Charlotte. Next to the aforementioned historic intersection is a huge modern glass building, the tallest in the city (265 meters). It is the headquarters of the Bank of America, the largest bank in the country. The city streets are full of white-collar workers, especially in the business part, the so-called Uptown. Many offices and financial institutions are located here.

Note that the city’s glass-and-metal central sections are separated from the rest of the city by a belt of parks and gardens. Charlotte is a very green and well-kept city, even by American standards. Apparently its Protestant nature, order, and cleanliness is evident in this striving for nature.

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Guide to Raleigh https://www.maconnchistorical.org/guide-to-raleigh/ Sat, 16 May 2020 12:03:00 +0000 https://www.maconnchistorical.org/?p=57 Raleigh is located in North Carolina, in the eastern United States. The city was founded in 1792. It has experienced different times in its history

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Raleigh is located in North Carolina, in the eastern United States. The city was founded in 1792. It has experienced different times in its history, with periods of prosperity and periods of desolation. Raleigh’s economic development, like that of the South, was shattered by the defeat of the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery. This led to the almost complete stagnation of agriculture, causing regular confrontations between whites and African Americans. Today, however, the city is considered one of the most dynamic in the country. Raleigh is buried in verdure, especially famous for its oak groves. There are many architectural sights in the city, you can visit several museums, theaters, watch the NHL team “Carolina Hurricanes” game. Raleigh is home to the North Carolina Capitol, whose building was laid out by the Freemasons back in 1833.

Raleigh’s past is especially evident in the Oakwood Historic District, where you’ll see beautifully restored Victorian-style homes.

Historic Oakwood

Not far from downtown Raleigh, the Oakwood Historic District includes hundreds of 19th-century homes, many fully restored to their former glory. Be sure to pass by Tucker House, an impressive Neoclassical Revival style house. In addition to the architecture, you’ll see the beautiful gardens surrounding many of the houses. A tour guide can be found at the Capitol Area Visitor Center, including a map and information about the homes and history of the neighborhood.

African American Heritage Sites.

Raleigh’s allegorical heritage runs deep, and the city is home to many sites that celebrate both the triumphs and sorrows of this journey. The North Carolina African-American Cultural Center is located in the Witherspoon Student Center and features exhibits by renowned artists who focus on this rich heritage. The Pope Museum, located downtown on South Wilmington Street, is open Saturdays for free, guided tours.

Pullen Park.

First opened in 1887, it was the first public park in North Carolina. The 66-acre park offers much more than the typical city park. Visitors can take rides on the Carnation Denzel Carousel and the C.P. Huntington Miniature Train, Hiking boats can be rented for cruises around Lake Howell, and for younger sailors, a boat ride for kids.

Mordecai Historical Park.

Mordecai Historical Park preserves the birthplace of Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States. Built in 1785, the Mordecai House is the oldest in the city, still standing on its original foundations. Tours take place on the hour and include the estate and gardens, as well as many additional 19th-century buildings, such as St. Mark’s Chapel; Badger Iredell Law Office; and Allen Kitchen, which has been recreated using descriptions left in Ellen Mordechai’s correspondence.

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