Category: Tourism

AAA is projecting that 34.1 million Americans will travel during this Labor Day weekend, the most since the midst of the recession. The number of Americans using the holiday for a getaway at least 50 miles from home represents a 4.2 percent increase over the 32.7 million who traveled during the Labor Day weekend in 2012. And it’s the highest number of travelers since 2009, when 31.3 million Americans took a holiday break in the midst of the economic downturn. …

FLETCHER – Purchasing your tickets in advance is the best way to save on admission and ride tickets to the 2013 N.C. Mountain State Fair. But even if you wait until the gates open Friday, Sept. 6, there are still plenty of ways to save through special promotions and discount days. The popular Friday Night Frenzy is back for another year, offering fairgoers admission and unlimited rides for $20 on Friday nights. The promotion is available Sept. 6 and 13 …

For the week of Aug. 22 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, enjoy a profile of Dunn. Fly through the air via the Kersey Valley Zipline in Archdale. Step back in time at Dellinger Grist Mill near Bakersville. Tempt your taste buds with a Winston-Salem Food Tour. And celebrate Fiesta del Pueblo in Raleigh. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by the N.C. Division of Tourism. In addition, UNC-TV has made recent editions of North …

For the week of Aug. 15 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, enjoy part 1 of the “Collecting Carolina” series featuring MESDA. Explore Castle McCullough in Jamestown. Hit the seas via the Schooner Jeanie B in Washington. And the “House Special” samples the fare at The Ruddy Duck Tavern in Morehead City. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by the N.C. Division of Tourism. In addition, UNC-TV has made recent editions of North Carolina Weekend …

FLETCHER — The N.C. Mountain State Fair will feature more than 50 local and regional performers during its run Sept. 6-15 at the WNC Agricultural Center. “We want to highlight the variety of local talent found right here in North Carolina,” said fair manager Matt Buchanan. “From bluegrass and country to rock and funk, there’s something for everyone, and it’s all included with your admission ticket.” Concerts will take place on the Bojangles Music Stage outside the Davis Event Center. …

RALEIGH, N.C. – Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced today that all of the state’s 100 counties saw increases in visitor spending in 2012. Data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development showed that three counties (Mecklenburg, Wake and Guilford) had more than $1 billion in visitor spending in 2012 while Dare, Buncombe, Forsyth and Durham all had more than half a billion in spending. Domestic visitors to …

The unveiling ceremony for the N.C. Civil War Trails marker featuring the Confederate Military Hospital No.2 in Wilson was held July 23. Wilson is one of the newest towns to participate in the N.C. Civil War Trails program. The program – now in five states (N.C., Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) – has more than 1,000 Civil War markers installed, along with brochures of each state that highlight major campaigns, skirmishes and stories. N.C. is one of 30 states …

A new report on the flow of tourism dollars in and out of seven Outer Banks communities is beefing up previous estimates of one island’s financial ranking in the state’s roster of tourism heavyweights. The Hatteras Island Economic Impact assessment, funded by the Outer Banks VB, is a detailed exploration of how, and how much, the island communities of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village contribute to Dare County and the state of North Carolina. “Our goal …

For the week of Aug. 8 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, stroll through the Wilkes Art Galleryin North Wilkesboro. Take in a performance of “Unto These Hills” in Cherokee. Step back in time at the Swannanoa Valley Museum in Black Mountain. Lift a glass at the Grove Winery & Vineyards in Gibsonville. And enjoy a tour of Farmville. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by the N.C. Division of Tourism. In addition, UNC-TV has …

FLETCHER — The playful bark of sea lions and thunderous smack of human pile drivers will be joining the familiar sounds of the midway and livestock arenas at the 2013 N.C. Mountain State Fair. The 20th annual fair runs Sept. 6-15 at the WNC Agricultural Center. Sea Lion Splash, an interactive and educational water show, will offer visitors a chance to view sea lions up close as they balance balls, shoot hoops, dance and perform handstands. The show features rescued …

Today, North Carolina’s Welcome Centers mark 45 years of service, both to the state’s thousands of small tourism-related businesses and to millions of visitors each year. On Aug. 1, 1968, the I-85 North Welcome Center in Warren County opened, followed on Aug. 30 by the I-95 North Welcome Center in Northampton County. At the time, Gov. Dan Moore said the opening of these two Welcome Centers “is one of the most progressive steps taken by this administration to encourage and …

The birth of two baby boy gorillas in August of 2012 at the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro marked an historic event. To celebrate, a digital magazine for the iPad has been created that features the zoo’s very special troop of Western Lowland gorillas. The interactive digital magazine (also called an app) highlights the gorilla troop and is available as a free download on the App Store website here. “Not only will this application promote the zoo’s extraordinary Western lowland gorilla …

Overnight Canadian visitor volume hit record levels in 2012, topping the previous high from 2008, according to recent data received by the Division. More than 454,000 overnight Canadian visitors traveled in the state in 2012, up 5 percent from 2011, spending more than $134 million. Nearly half of all Canadian overnight visitors hail from Ontario, while more than 36 percent visit from Quebec. More than 70 percent of trips were reported to be vacation related visits and 16 percent to …

For the week of Aug. 1 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, step back in time at Thompson’s Store in Saluda. Enjoy the fresh outdoors at Leatherwood Mountains in Ferguson. Find something unique at the Wild Food + Herb Market in Carrboro. Get back to nature at Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro. And the “House Special” samples the fare at The Friendly Market in Morehead City. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by the …

Before the Lost Colony at Roanoke Island, before the Jamestown settlement in Virginia, there was Fort San Juan in the North Carolina foothills. Archaeologists studying a ceremonial mound from a Native American town called Joara last month discovered the first inland fort built by Europeans in the New World, near present-day Morganton. For nearly three decades, researchers worked at what’s known as the Berry archaeological site, certain it could reveal clues about the presence of one of six Spanish forts …

For the week of July 28 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, be fascinated at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. Lose yourself in history during a performance of From This Day Forward in Valdese. Relax at the Hot Springs Spa & Resort in Hot Springs. Get your toes a-tappin’ at Preddyfest Bluegrass Festival in Franklinton. And check out the scene at Rioja Wine Bar in Greensboro. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten …

Delta Air Lines is starting new service to Raleigh-Durham International Airport from Salt Lake City, effective Dec. 22. This marks the return of service between RDU and Utah’s capital; Delta previously offered the service from 2005-2009. The daily flight will be non-stop. In addition, Delta Air will also launch four daily non-stop flights to RDU from Philadelphia beginning Sept. 3.

The Division of Tourism recently completed the 2012 analysis of international visitation to the state. The analysis concludes that in 2012, more than 669,000 international visitors spent time in North Carolina spending more than $314 million. These estimates do not include Canadian visitation. The top countries of origin for N.C. were the U.K. (87,203) and Germany (73,847), followed by China (33,310), Mexico (32,151), Japan (29,902) and India (29,599). These top countries accounted for more than 40 percent of the international …

In its Travel section last week, USA Today featured the Blue Ridge Parkway via a “Technicolored trip through Appalachia.” Winding 469 miles across North Carolina and Virginia over the highest peaks east of the Rockies, the Blue Ridge Parkway is among the USA’s most famous roads. Side trips are a favorite of many of the parkway’s 15 million visitors a year. They pump about $300 million annually into the mountain towns along the parkway, according to the National Park Service. …