Category: Tourism

The long wait for new episodes of “Revolution” ends Monday when the series returns to NBC’s prime-time lineup after a four month absence. Fans of the show won’t be only ones glad to have it back. The “Revolution” stars were eager to return to work after a three-week break in the middle of the season. “The city [Wilmington] has been so gracious,” show creator Eric Kripkehe said. “They’ve been open to all the crazy stuff we asked them to do. …

Gov. Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency for N.C. 12 in Dare County that will help the N.C. Dept. of Transportation move ahead with a short-term solution to protect the critical coastal highway from frequent ocean overwash caused by high winds and strong surf. A series of storms, including Hurricane Sandy last fall, resulted in severe beach erosion along N.C. 12 at the S-Curves. NCDOT has already executed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to …

The first full week of May, May 4-May 12 this year, is annually recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984 as cities, states and travel businesses nationwide hold localized events to champion the power of travel. The U.S. Travel Association’s new advocacy and awareness campaign – Travel Effect – is the theme the 2013 celebration. North Carolina’s nine Welcome Centers celebrate National Travel and Tourism week by inviting travel partners to help thank North …

The N.C. Dept. of Transportation has released the first draft of the Walk Bike NC statewide pedestrian and bicycle plan, which will guide future investments to walking and bicycling in North Carolina. The public is invited to review the plan online and submit comments until April 30. The plan was prepared through a unique partnership between NCDOT, the state departments of Natural Resources, Commerce and Health and Human Services, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the Federal Highways …

For the week of March 21 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, take in the Art in Clay exhibit at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Step back in time at the D.E. Turner Hardware store in Mooresville. Whet your appetite at Caprice Bistro in Wilmington. Enjoy the great outdoors at the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge in Wadesboro. And enjoy art in a different light during Art in the Evening at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh. (Please …

The villain from “Sleepy Hollow” will haunt Salisbury and ride through parts of downtown as early as next week when crews descend on the city to film the pilot for 20th Century Fox’s new supernatural thriller. Confirmed filming locations include St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and the Confederate Monument, with several other spots under consideration. Salisbury’s getting another taste of 20th Century Fox’s love affair with North Carolina. The studio’s hit show “Homeland,” filmed in Charlotte, shot several scenes here last …

It’s a wrap for the Triad’s latest starring role. The Ultimate Life finished production Tuesday, with the Manor House bed and breakfast in Tanglewood Park filling in for a 1960s hotel. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in September. Winston-Salem has featured prominently in the production, with filming locations including the Chamber of Commerce, a corporate boardroom in Winston Tower and Brookstown Avenue, which was transformed into a 1960s street scene complete with vintage cars. For The Ultimate …

The Short Game, a documentary filmed in Pinehurst and several other locations around the world, won the Documentary Feature competition during last week’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. The film profiles eight seven-year-olds who aren’t just prodigies; they’re entertaining characters in their own right, some of whom just might wind up on the pro tour in a decade or so. The documentary follows the players as they prepare for the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship, held in Pinehurst in August. …

The Grove Park Inn, the grand dame of mountain hotels in Asheville, is in the midst of a $25 million makeover that aims to turn the clock back on her look. “The new owners are on the right track toward walking that thin, delicate line between historic preservation and providing guests with modern conveniences that all dovetail neatly together,” said Bruce Johnson, director of the annual National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn. “They’re sensitive to the …

Construction begins in July on a $10 million Sea Life aquarium that will open in spring 2014 at Concord Mills in Concord. The aquarium is expected to draw as many as 350,000 additional visitors to the area each year. Concord Mills already reports 17 million to 18 million visits per year. Initial plans call for more than 30 displays of diverse marine life – everything from shrimp and starfish to seahorses, sharks and rays. In keeping with other Sea Life …

For the week of March 14 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, check out an exhibit at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design at N.C. State University in Raleigh. Celebrate the visual, literary and performing arts during the Palustris Festival in Southern Pines. Enjoy a performance at the Willingham Theatre in Yadkinville. Take in the beauty of the Camellia Show in Charlotte. And the “House Special” samples the fare at Sumela Turkish and Mediterranean Restaurant in High Point. (Please note: …

For the week of March 7 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, take in a show by the Durham Savoyards in Durham. Step into the past at the annual Sandhills Antique Farm Show in Lillington. Get your ink on at Tattoo Archive, which promotes the history of tattooing through research and education, in Winston-Salem. Whet your appetite at Battistella’s Classic New Orleans Cuisine in Raleigh. And enjoy an event among the art of LabourLove Gallery in Durham. (Please note: listings are …

To celebrate North Carolina’s craft beer prowess and the destinations where it’s nurtured, breweries, hotels, restaurants and other businesses are combining forces with the North Carolina Brewers Guild and North Carolina Division of Tourism for the inaugural North Carolina Beer Month, April 2013. Throughout April, beer lovers will find special tours, tastings, dinners, classes and other events as well as lodging packages and deals on North Carolina craft beer. Travelers can chart a course from urban pub hubs and beer …

Under the Dome, a novel about a small town suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by a huge transparent dome, is set in Maine, like nearly all of Stephen King’s novels. But filming a television adaptation in King’s home state of Maine was out of the question. Aside from the inhospitable winter season, Maine does not provide the kind of competitive film tax credit that is increasingly vital to producing television dramas – like North Carolina does. …

The total economic impact of motorcoach tour and travel in North Carolina is $3,222,930,700, based on the results of the American Bus Association Foundation’s Motorcoach Group Tourism Economic Impact Study. This number proves the group travel market is a vital part of the overall tourism base in North Carolina.  Annually, the Division attends several group travel trade conventions to promote North Carolina as a destination for all travelers to tour operators. These conventions include ABA (American Bus Association) Marketplace, NTA …

The top talents at the Triple-A level will all convene at Durham Bulls Athletic Park next year as the Durham Bulls will host the 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game. The 27th annual Triple-A All-Star Game will take place on July 16, 2014, pitting the best players in the Pacific Coast League against the talents of the International League. It will be the first time that the Triple-A All-Star game will be played in Durham and will be the headliner during a …

Film crews are gearing up across the state for a number of productions even as the NBC series Revolution resumed filming in Wilmington and surrounding communities. Crews are gearing up for CBS’ Under the Dome, a miniseries based on Stephen King’s best-selling 2009 book that’s expected to begin filming in early March in the Wilmington area. The drama will follow the inhabitants of a small New England town, who wake up one day to find themselves shut off from the …

The U.S. economy expanded just over 2 percent in 2012, after a nearly 2 percent increase in 2011. While the compromise deal over the fiscal cliff reduced risks to the economy, the sequester is scheduled to go into effect on March 1, unless Congress comes to an agreement over the long-term budget, according to the most recent U.S. Travel Outlook. While the specific impacts of the sequester are unknown, the U.S. travel industry is likely to be hit hard, according …

For the week of Feb. 21 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, take in a show by the Festival Stage in Winston-Salem. Enjoy a tour of Havelock. Get your toes a-tappin’ during a live broadcast of WPAQ’s Merry-Go-Round radio show in Mount Airy. Tempt your tastebuds during the Taste of Core Sound in Harkers Island. And try to decide between – or sample both – Catch & Phun Restaurants in Wilmington. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend …