Hit the
Road
Venture outside Durham for a day (or two!), and explore all that North Carolina has to offer
PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT ALAMANCE
BY B RO O KE S PAC H
CRYSTAL COAST
Enjoy seasonal farm-to-table ingredients at Michelle’s Kitchen in Burlington, North Carolina.
Y
ALAMANCE COUNTY
ou don’t have to travel far to explore new areas on a perfect fall day. Just a few miles down N.C. 54 is Alamance County, home to Burlington, Elon, Graham, Saxapahaw, Mebane and the Haw River. Start your day with a cool morning hike on a section of the Haw River Trail, then grab lunch in Saxapahaw at The Eddy Pub or the Saxapahaw General Store. Take your food to go for a picnic at Cedarock Park and Historical Farm, and feed the horses and goats along a guided or independent tour of the grounds. Make a reservation in advance to view the farm on horseback. Cedarock also hosts the Alcovets Balloon Festival on Sept. 9-11. The textile industry put Alamance County on the map in the early 1900s. Learn more about its impact on the area and see the first commercially produced colored fabric in the South, Alamance Plaid, at the Textile Heritage Museum in Burlington, also home to the state’s first co-op brewery, Burlington Beer Works. Mebane’s Iron Gate Vineyards & Winery, the first female-owned winery in the state, is another good spot for historic beverage fun. Browse the shops downtown before rounding out your day with dinner from 2 Twelve Seasonal Kitchen + Bar or Bright Penny Brewing. 26
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lso known as the Southern Outer Banks, this 85-mile stretch of beaches comprises 11 coastal communities, including Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Emerald Isle and Cape Lookout. Although you may have just stored away your swimsuits, there is plenty to do at North Carolina’s beaches in the late summer and early fall. The Cape Lookout National Seashore is one of the last natural barrier island systems in the world, and in 2021, was certified as an International Dark Sky Park. Experience the night sky like never before on the Island Express Ferry Starlight Cruise on Aug. 27. The ferry also offers daytime boat rides past or to Shackleford Banks, where you might be able to spot wild horses roaming the island. In Atlantic Beach, visit the restored Civil War and World War II fort at Fort Macon State Park before checking out the nearly century-old boardwalk, which will receive a $2 million upgrade over the coming months. The Crystal Coast offers many festivals this time of year: the Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament (Sept. 17), Beaufort Pirate Invasion (Sept. 23-25), the Emerald Isle Beach Music Festival (Sept. 24) and more. Seafood lovers should definitely plan their trip for Sept. 30-Oct. 2 in order to attend the 36th annual North Carolina Seafood Festival on the Morehead City waterfront. The Cape Lookout National Seashore has ideal conditions for viewing the Milky Way with the naked eye. PHOTO BY ALEX GU, COURTESY OF CRYSTAL COAST STARGAZERS