Category: Tourism

For the week of Nov. 12 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, check out the offerings with Brunk Auctions in “Collecting Carolina.” Explore a bygone era at “The Tsar’s Cabinet” exhibit at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Discover the treasures at Spoon River Artsworks & Market in Belhaven. Enjoy music at White Horse Black Mountain in Black Mountain. And tempt your taste buds at Buku Restaurant in Raleigh. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is …

For far too long, Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, seemed like a barren desert for craft beer, a mirage compared to the oasis two hours south in Asheville. Earlier this year, the area’s image slowly began to change. The first craft brewery in Boone opened in February, another began pouring next door in Blowing Rock earlier this month and soon a third will start in nearby Banner Elk. Three more breweries are located a short drive down backcountry …

RALEIGH, N.C. (November 8, 2013) — One good cold snap and North Carolina winter sports resorts will open their slopes, rinks and tube runs to visitors eager for the season’s first bracing run. With upgraded snowmaking and slope-grooming equipment, they’re ready for four months of action on the highest ski peak east of the Rockies, the gentlest of beginner slopes and everything in between. Opening day typically falls a week or so before Thanksgiving. By the time Santa makes his …

A common complaint from wintertime Blue Ridge Parkway visitors is seeing a “Parkway closed for winter weather” gate, when the skies are sunny and the air is warm. They can’t see the snow and ice a few miles down the road. A newly launched Blue Ridge Parkway weather site will help visitors understand the fickle nature of parkway weather, said Carolyn Ward, with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the fundraising nonprofit for the parkway. The foundation, along with the parkway, …

For the week of Nov. 7 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, tempt your taste buds at Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh. Stroll through the N.C. Veterans Park, the first state park dedicated to military veterans, in Fayetteville. Take in an event at The Liberty in Elkin. Be amazed at the talent featured in “Igneous Expressions,” a glass art exhibition at the David McCune International Art Gallery, part of the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts at Methodist University, in …

RALEIGH, N.C. (October 30. 2013) — Lively cities and charming towns across North Carolina weave magic through the holiday season. Below are some of our favorites from the mountains to the coast. ASHEVILLE Itinerary toppers: From America’s fanciest holiday home to the season’s best comedy on wheels, Asheville invites travelers to celebrate any way they like. Christmas at Biltmore adds 56 ornamented trees to the décor inside America’s largest house with nearly 60 more on the vast estate. On the …

The Division has published its 2012 Annual Report as required by statute. The report notes that North Carolina’s tourism industry outpaced the national growth rate and achieved record performance in 2012, with visitor spending increasing in each of the state’s 100 counties and resulting in an all-time high $19.4 billion in direct spending. Spending by travelers directly supported 193,610 jobs with a payroll of $4.39 billion and generated $1.549 billion in state and local tax revenues for reinvestment in communities …

The U.S. House passed a bill Monday to recognize Wilmington as the first American World War II City, which puts the measure on track to be considered by the U.S. Senate. The House vote marks the end of a two-year effort to secure legislative approval for the World War II honor. Proclaiming Wilmington as an American World War II City was the brainchild of Wilbur Jones, a Wilmington native and military historian. In a city that draws outsiders, college students …

For the week of Oct. 31 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, ­­enjoy the food and the music jam at the Cook Shack in Union Grove. Take in the great outdoors at Carolina Beach State Park in Carolina Beach. Visit bygone eras at Bennett Classics Antique Auto in Forest City. Be amazed at the artistry at Tattoo Archive in Winston-Salem. And tempt your taste buds at the Mecca Restaurant in Raleigh. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend …

US Airways is adding nonstop seasonal service to Charlotte Douglas International Airport from four European cities. The company will fly to CLT from Barcelona, Spain, Brussels, Belgium, Lisbon, Portugal, and Manchester, England, starting in the spring. US Airways currently flies to those airports from its Philadelphia hub. The Charlotte routes will supplement that service, US Airways said. The flights to Charlotte from Barcelona, Lisbon and Manchester will begin May 22; the Brussels flight will launch June 5. The Barcelona flight …

North Carolina lodging properties continue to perform well through the third quarter of 2013, with year-to-date room demand and room revenues at record highs. Year-to-date demand (number of room nights sold) through September was 23.6 million, up more than 14 percent from 2000 (see graph). Room revenues are up 3.8 percent from the same time period last year, and up more than 12 percent from 2011. Regionally, the Western Region continues to lead the state in revenue growth with a …

Sally Eason, the second generation of her family to own Sunburst Trout Farm in Canton, is hoping to someday teach the world to think outside of the field when it comes to sustainable farming. By the end of this year, Sunburst will open a second 12,000-square-foot facility in Waynesville Industrial Park. Sunburst intends to use the space for advancement in fish-processing technology and as a center for agritourism and aquaculture education. But it will be as far away from pumpkin …

While some recent research points to more disposable income for American households, high unemployment rates and the 16-day government shutdown negate the positive research, according to the latest U.S. Travel Outlook. While there is good news in terms of growth in household wealth (+1.8 percent in Q2 over Q1), low interest rates and lower gas prices, the shutdown is estimated to have taken approximately $3.1 billion out of the gross domestic product, according to HIS Global. In addition, non-government business …

For the week of Oct. 24 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, celebrate the mighty pecan during the N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival in Whiteville. Compare experiences at 100+ Years of Progress Train & Tractor Show in Carthage. Relax with a visit to Westglow Resort and Spa in Blowing Rock. Find just the right furnishings at the Hickory Furniture Mart in Hickory. And the “House Special” samples the fare at Jerry’s Food, Wine & Spirits in Wilmington. (Please note: listings are subject …

Money magazine revealed this week its 2014 list of “America’s Best Places to Retire” on CBS This Morning – and Raleigh is on the list. Donna Rosato, the magazine’s senior editor, said Raleigh has long been a very popular destination for retirees. “There’s been a 97 percent increase in the population of people 55-64,” she said. “Mild weather, four seasons, and an interesting phenomenon – many people in the Northeast move to Florida, and then they move to do a …

RALEIGH, N.C. (October 17, 2013) — Fall foliage seekers and fishermen can once again access all of North Carolina’s federal sites including Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cape Hatteras National Seashore plus many other sites across the state.  “Fall is a fantastic time to visit North Carolina,” said Wit Tuttell, Director of Marketing for the NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. “The fall foliage in the mountains is really popping and the fishing action is heating up on the coast. …

For the week of Oct. 17 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, rev your engines at “Porsche by Design,” a new exhibit at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh. Enjoy a tour of historic Tarboro. Celebrate the season with the Hill Ridge Farms Fall Harvest and Pumpkin Festival in Youngsville. Test yourself with the chills and thrills at the Original Hollywood Horror Show in Snow Camp. And experience Indian culture at the Diwali Festival in Cary. (Please note: listings are …

A $110 million project to build a new casino in Cherokee County is officially underway. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Harrah’s Casino was held Tuesday (yesterday) at the future site of the facility just outside of Murphy. The casino will be owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and will be managed by Caesars Entertainment Corporation; the two already work together with Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee. The Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel will …

Gov. Pat McCrory has teamed with Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to reopen the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which has been closed due to the partial federal shutdown. North Carolina will spend $75,000 and the state of Tennessee and two counties will allocate $305,000 to reopen the national park for five days — through this Sunday — during the peak fall tourism season. Gov. McCrory is also exploring options to open other national parks in North Carolina. “This is about …