hit the
road
Venture outside Chapel Hill for a day (or two!), and explore all that North Carolina has to offer By B ro o ke S p ac h
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C RYSTAL COAST
lso known as the Southern Outer The Cape Lookout National Seashore has ideal conditions Banks, this 85-mile stretch of beaches for viewing the Milky Way with the naked eye. comprises 11 coastal communities, In Atlantic Beach, visit the restored Civil War and World War II including Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Emerald Isle fort at Fort Macon State Park before checking out the nearly centuryand Cape Lookout. Although you may have just stored away your swimsuits, there is plenty to do at North Carolina’s beaches in the late old boardwalk, which will receive a $2 million upgrade over the coming months. summer and early fall. The Crystal Coast offers many festivals this time of year: the The Cape Lookout National Seashore is one of the last natural Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament (Sept. 17), Beaufort Pirate Invasion barrier island systems in the world, and in 2021, was certified as an (Sept. 23-25), the Emerald Isle Beach Music Festival (Sept. 24) and International Dark Sky Park. Experience the night sky like never more. Seafood lovers should definitely plan their trip for Sept. 30-Oct. before on the Island Express Ferry Starlight Cruise on Aug. 27. The 2 in order to attend the 36th annual North Carolina Seafood Festival ferry also offers daytime boat rides past or to Shackleford Banks, on the Morehead City waterfront. where you might be able to spot wild horses roaming the island.
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J O H N STO N CO U N TY
The Tobacco Farm Life Museum includes the original Iredell Brown Homestead featuring a tobacco barn, smokehouse, a one-room schoolhouse and more.
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September/October 2022
ust south of Raleigh is Johnston County, or “JoCo,” an ideal daytrip destination for North Carolina history lovers. Bentonville is rich with Civil War history; visit Bentonville Battlefield, the state’s largest, during a walking or driving tour. Another stop on the tour is Cole Plantation, a site where music legends such as the late Thelonious Monk and Nat King Cole traced their heritage to enslaved family members. Step back in time to learn about the state’s agricultural history at the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly. History comes alive on Saturdays at the museum, as experts are on hand to provide more insight about the lives of North Carolina tobacco farmers. Be sure to also stop by the Ava Gardner Museum in downtown Smithfield in honor of the movie star who was born and raised just a few miles away. The recently completed Ava Gardner Mural and Rose Garden on the side of the museum includes yellow rose bushes – Ava’s favorite flower – installed by Durham’s own Witherspoon Rose Culture. And if you happen to be in town Oct. 7-9, don’t miss the celebration of her 100th birthday at the Ava Gardner Festival. For