What’s New in 2009
From outdoor recreation and unique lodging to arts and culture and fine dining, the charming small towns and vibrant urban locations of North Carolina offer something for everyone.NASCAR Hall of Fame "On Track" for 2010 Grand Opening in Charlotte
The NASCAR Hall of Fame opens May 11, 2010, inviting visitors to celebrate the NASCAR icons that have left an indelible imprint on the sport. Packed with more than $30 million worth of the most advanced displays ever created to engage visitors, the museum features more than 1,000 artifacts, a 270-seat theater and interactive exhibits including racing simulators and pit crew experiences.
Canopy Tour Zip Line Opens in Nantahala Gorge
The first Canopy Tour in the North Carolina Smokies is now open at
Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours. This three-hour glide and slide
experience simulates flying and is fueled by gravity and a gradual
elevation change. More than just a zip line ride, Nantahala Gorge
Canopy Tours takes you through multiple ecosystems; over hemlocks, and
into hardwood treetops. The route takes you above the forest floor
which is blanketed with mountain laurel, dogwood, fern, rhododendron,
flame azalea, wild magnolia, and many other native plants. Your Canopy
Ranger will also share the natural and cultural history of the gorge as
you travel from section to section. Participants will also use three
Sky Bridges and five transfer bridges to get to the 11 zip line
sections that zigzag from the slope sides, trees, and elevated
platforms.
www.nantahalagorgecanopytours.com; 828-488-0252
North Carolina Birding Trail Continues Statewide Expansion
The
final stretch of the North Carolina Birding Trail that spans from the
coast to the mountains opened in May 2009. The trail was
initiated in 2003 to provide a scenic avenue for bird watching. North
Carolina has 460 of the 900 to 1,000 species of birds found across the
country and 93 species of special concern, making the trail the perfect
place to view rare and endangered birds.
www.ncbirdingtrail.org; 919-604-5183
Charlotte Opens First LEED-Built Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte at Bank of America Center, scheduled to open in October 2009 in the heart of dynamic Uptown, will be the first LEED-built hotel for The Ritz-Carlton and for the city of Charlotte. The contemporary 147-room hotel is set in a sleek 18-story building designed to attain LEED Gold environmental certification from the Green Building Council, which certifies new buildings based on sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design. Guest rooms at The Ritz-Carlton begin at 506 square feet and offer uniquely upgraded air quality, thanks to a state-of-the-art air transfer system that efficiently circulates large amounts of outside air into rooms and suites. Further energizing its green commitment, the hotel will utilize a sophisticated Natura Water Purification System, diverting 73,000 plastic bottles from landfills, saving more than 104 barrels of oil, eliminating nearly 49 tons of CO2 emissions and saving almost 605,000,000 BTUs of electricity each year.
www.ritzcarlton.com; 704-547-2244
Asheville Gets Bohemian With New Boutique Hotel
The Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville opened in April 2009 positioning
guests just steps away from the gates of The Biltmore Estate. Old world
charm provides a unique atmosphere for the Tudor-inspired boutique
hotel where guests have a contemporary Kessler Collection hotel
experience. Despite its rustic ambiance, the hotel features modern
luxuries, 104 well-appointed guest rooms and suites with a Poseidon Spa
and more than 5,700 square feet of event space.
www.bohemianhotelasheville.com; 828-505-2949
Calling All Foodies: News From North Carolina
Here’s the latest on a few of the state’s most acclaimed and interesting restaurants and wineries
- For the traditional palette, Black Water Grille, located in historic downtown Lumberton offers steaks, seafood, ribs, pastas and lowcountry cuisine. Housed in a century-old mule stable with exposed brick walls, timber beams and 20-foot ceilings, Black Water Grille exemplifies “down east” style. The restaurant earned the N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council’s 2008 North Carolina Beef Backer Award for Independent Restaurants. www.blackwatergrille.com; 910-738-5566
Another great (and socially responsible) North Carolina dining spot is The Second Fret, an independent coffee shop in historic downtown Statesville.
In addition to serving fresh food, this hot spot offers Bird Friendly
coffee - grown in conditions that protect migratory birds. In addition
to helping protect birds through patronage of The Second Fret, guests
can shake their own tail feathers with live entertainment featured
every Friday and Saturday night. www.thesecondfret.com; 704-878-9889- For a bit of the French countryside in North Carolina, visit La Farm Bakery in Cary, which introduced a new café in February 2009. The European-style café offers patrons handcrafted artisanal breads, pastries, tartines (morning sandwiches), soups, salads, cheese and pizzas in a setting featuring a communal farmhouse table for 10 as well as café-style seating both indoors and out. La Farm Bakery has earned accolades from national media Food & Wine, Country Home and O Magazine. www.lafarmbakery.com; 919-657-0657
Taste Carolina Offers Gourmet Food Tours
Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours takes participants behind-the-scenes while introducing them to the food community's best - from legendary restaurants, farms, farmers markets, bakeries and specialty stores, to the chefs, artisans and farmers themselves. The tours focus on locally-owned restaurants serving innovative food and using local ingredients. Tour guides give a historical, architectural and culinary account of the area with an emphasis on its food history and renaissance. Tours including talking with chefs and sampling their amazing food. Taste Carolina offers regularly scheduled three-hour walking tours of Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh and custom tours throughout North Carolina.
www.tastecarolina.net; 919-237-2254
N.C. Aquariums Plan Construction Of Educational Ocean Fishing Piers
Beginning in 2010 and extending through 2012, the North Carolina Aquariums plan to build and operate three storm-resistant ocean fishing piers - one near each of the state’s aquariums - Fort Fisher, Pine Knoll Shores and Roanoke Island. The proposed piers will extend 1,000 feet into the Atlantic. The design will employ green building principles and stormwater treatment methods. Among the many programs planned will be fishing conservation workshops, beach walks, sleepovers, science camps, school programs, kayak excursions and surfing classes.
www.ncaquariums.org; 800-832-3474
Charlotte's Wells Fargo Cultural Campus Continues to Rise Skyward
Through collaboration between the Charlotte business and cultural arts communities, the Queen City is adding another landmark to its ever-expanding skyline. Wells Fargo Cultural Campus will feature a variety of museums and performance space in Uptown. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, an $18 million, 35,000-square-foot museum featuring modern art is planned to open in January 2010. www.bechtler.org. The development also includes the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts & Culture that will include approximately 50,000 square feet with galleries, classrooms and a gift shop. www.aacc-charlotte.org; 704-374-1565. If all goes according to plan, the Mint Museum of Art’s new Center City building will be complete and open in early 2010. www.mintmuseums.org; 704-337-2000
New Bern Celebrates 300 in 2010
New Bern, one of North Carolina's oldest towns and the state's first capitol, celebrates its 300th anniversary with a year-long celebration in 2010. New Bern was North Carolina's capitol under Royal Governor William Tryon and was also home to the first printing press; first book and newspaper published in North Carolina; first state public school; and the home and birthplace of Pepsi-Cola. A taste of life in colonial America is ever present at Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens, or on a walking or trolley tour of the city's architectural beauty around its historic district. There are more than 150 historic landmarks to explore, many dating back to the 18th century.
www.newbern300.com; 252-635-1710
Interested? Find out more:
Visit NC
Come see the State of North Carolina's official tourism web site! With listings of upcoming events and fascinating stories of our people and places, you'll find everything you need to begin planning your NC experience.
North Carolina Golf
Whether you're trying your hand at the professional courses of Pinehurst, teeing off against the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains, or rolling a putt along a seaside green, NC is a golfer's paradise.
North Carolina Film
From The Last Of The Mohicans to Leatherheads to Dawson's Creek, come see why NC is the perfect backdrop for many of your favorite TV and movie productions.
