North Carolina
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About North Carolina
North Carolina is a southern state in the United States that consist mostly of flat coastal plains; the gently rolling foothills in the Piedmont region and the Appalachian Mountains in the west make up the rest of the state. The coastal plain islands known as the "Outer Banks" encompass the Albemarle Sound in the north and Pamlico Sound in the south with 200 km of unspoiled coastline. The Piedmont region is the most populated region of North Carolina. The Black Mountains are the highest mountains sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains in the state with the 2,037 m Mount Mitchell as the highest point. The state has some 200 waterfalls and 1,500 lakes, giving plenty of opportunity for great outdoor activities.
Good to know
- Capital: Raleigh
- Climate: Warmed by the Gulf stream, the Atlantic coastline has a mild climate
- Timezone: UTC -5
- No. of inhabitants: 8,541,221 (2004)
- Travel alert: EnjoyYourWorld strongly advises you to take necessary precautions for a safe travel. For more info please follow this link
Highlights
- A must see, are the Great Smoky Mountains with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, with the American Black Bear as the most famous resident. Be prepared for quickly changing weather conditions!
- Visit the Shenandoah National Park with breath taking views on the Blue Ridge range
- See the Whitewater Falls in Transylvania County-the highest waterfall at the East Coast
- See the New River-the oldest river in North America and second oldest in the world
- Visit Bath, the oldest town in the state incorporated in 1705
- If you are in the neighbourhood don’t forget to pay a visit to Cape Lookout National Seashores and the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States
- The Wright Brothers National Memorial with the museum, reconstructed camp buildings and first flight trail area
- Try to see New Bern, the city founded by Swiss immigrants. A good start for a visit to the Croatan National Forest, the most northern habitat for alligators
Getting Around
- If you are in a hurry take the Interstate Highways: I26, I40, I74, I77, I85, I95, I240, I277, I440, I485 and the I540
- If not try some of the North Carolina scenic byways
- The Blue Ridge National Parkway-taking you along the crests of the scenic Southern Appalachians. It is 750 km long and if you take the whole trip the byway will take you from Shenandoah National Park in northern Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in southern North Carolina. The journey will offer you a glimps of Native American culture, such as Cherokee in North Carolina and the Oconaluftee Indian Village
- Cherohala Skyway-takes you to the cultural heritage and historic sites of the Cherokee tribe and early settlers in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The skyway offers you hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails through beautiful places as the Nantahala National Forest or the Cherokee National Forest, sometimes called the "Land of the Waterfalls". Try to visit the Bald River Falls or take a take a boat ride on one of America's largest underground lakes, the Lost Sea.
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