For travelers that love lighthouses, the coastline of North Carolina is a lighthouse junkies dream destination. Six lighthouses are still operational on the NC coast: Currituck, Bodie Island, Ocracoke, Cape Lookout, Oak Island, and the most famous of all, Cape Hatteras.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse sits along the Outer Banks, which is a group of islands that separate the Atlantic Ocean from inlet sounds. The inlet currents made it an excellent “highway” for early maritime sailors. But because the warm Gulf Stream collides with the colder Labrador Current, weather was unpredictable, causing so many shipwrecks that the area became known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.”

In 1797, Congress authorized the building of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The original tower was built of dark sandstone and retained its natural color. The original light consisted of 18 lamps; with 14-inch (360 mm) reflectors, and was 112 feet (34 m) above sea level. In clear weather, the light shone for 18 miles.

But mariners complained the light too week. So new lanterns were installed with a visibility of 20 miles. However, during the Civil War, the lanterns were destroyed.

After the war, in 1868, Congress appropriated money to build and new lighthouse and within two years, its construction was completed. The new lighthouse cost $167,000 to build and is the tallest brick beacon in the world, standing at 195.5 feet tall.

But since 1870, there has been gradual erosion of the shoreline upon which the lighthouse sits. Although not a popular decision, between 1999 and 2000, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved further up the shoreline some 2,870 feet.

The lighthouse is open for climbing April 18 through Columbus Day, October 13.
The Visitor’s Center and grounds stay open year-round.

Climbing fees are:

$7.00 Adults
$3.50 Children under 12 (must be at least 42″ tall); seniors 62 and older; disabled
$3.50 with a National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Senior or Access Pass.

So if you plan on taking a trip to or even by the Outer Banks, consider a stop off at the most famous International symbol of the North Carolina Coast, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse near the Village of Buxton on Hatteras Island.

Don’t forget, you can only get there by Ferry, so visit Ferry Division of North Carolina Dept of Transportation for departure times and fees.

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For those who don’t know it, Mayberry, from the popular 50’s T.V. series, Mayberry and then in the 60’s, Mayberry R.F.D., really does exist. That’s right, it’s a real place.

Only now, maybe its not how we knew it growing up. The show was more the memories of their native son, Andy Griffith. He grew up there (which explains the accent when he did “Matlock “)

Remember all the references to “going up to Raleigh” and or heading over to Mount Pilot? Well, Raleigh was really Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina and Mount Pilot was really Pilot Mountain (the names were changed to protect the innocent.) And, if you remember, there were references to Mount Airy in the show. Only Mayberry, is in fact, Mount Airy.

That’s right, the real Mayberry is a town in North Carolina named, Mount Airy. When I lived in North Carolina for 10 years, it was common to see front license plates with the outline of North Carolina showing a big red star where Mount Airy is located.

So for us baby boomers who grew up with the show, consider taking a trip to Mount Airy when passing through the great state of North Carolina.

Each year, the town holds a “Mayberry Days Festival.” The next one is scheduled for Sept 25-28, 2008.

Special guests and original cast members scheduled to attend this year include:

The truth is, no matter what you’re into, Mount Airy has become a lovely off the beaten town place to visit. Located in Surry County, visitors can travel the Blue Ridge Parkway, hike Pilot Mountain, or canoe on the Yadkin River.

If you’re a bluegrass lover you can take in a jam session or live radio show every Saturday morning in Downtown Mount Airy.

If you’re tastes run a bit more sophisticated, visitors can taste fine wines and tour the grounds of Old North State Winery located on Main Street in Mount Airy. In fact, Mount Airy is also located in the Yadkin Valley Wine Region home to over 24 Wineries.

No matter what your accommodation style, Mount Airy has you covered. They have several hotels, motels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and cabins to fit your needs.

So if you desire a mix of “the old and the new” Mount Airy, NC is a wonderful travel destination. Not only will you be traveling back in time to one of your childhood memories, but its an “off the beaten path” destination where you, your spouse and your family can make precious memories of your own.

For more information on the specifics of Mayberry Days, visit www.mayberrydays.org

If this or any other place is on your summer getaway wish-list, stay tuned to this site, as in the next few days, we will be bringing awesome deals to help you save money on your next vacation no matter where you plan to travel.

Maybe you’re traveling to Charlotte for one of the many conventions the Queen City plays hostess to every year and you’re missing your hometown hockey team. Well have no fear travelers, Charlotte has you covered by way of the Charlotte Checkers.

It’s a little known fact that Charlotte is considered the birthplace of hockey in the south. They are the ECHL’s affiliate for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League and the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League.

They took a seventeen year hiatus, but over their history have been to the ECHL Playoffs nine times and won the Championship in 1996.

Their games were once held in the old Cricket Arena, but with the building of the Charlotte Bobcats new arena smack-dab in beautiful Uptown Charlotte, the Checkers moved their home ice. The new facility is clean and big, with images of Charlotte and the North Carolina area incorporated throughout.

There is no better way to while away an evening than by watching the Checkers play. And the arena offers the usual concessionary fare such as hotdogs, popcorn, sodas and beer. If you’re a smoker (or even if you’re not) you can step outside on one of the lovely terraces overlooking the cityscape in between periods.

The fans are enthusiastic and friendly, and let’s not forget about the cheerleaders. Most of all, its one of the most affordable sporting events to watch in the Queen City. Regular seats start at $12 to “at the glass baby!” seats going for $25.

To order tickets, or for more information, call 704-342-4-ICE or email tickets@gocheckers.com.

With spring turning to summer, it’s time for some R&R. Most North Carolinians head either to Myrtle Beach, S.C., over to Wilmington, or up to Cape Hatteras. But for those in search of quiet stretches of sandy shores, without noisy college students or strip clubs, the southern beaches of North Carolina are peaceful, beautiful, and still under-developed.

Southeast of Wilmington, just past Cape Fear are Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville Beaches. With quaint Oceanside inns, vacation homes and several long piers perfect for fishing, these beaches offer a less-traveled escape. Even in the midst of summer, they are rarely overcrowded.

For a nice place to stay, try The Savannah Inn at Carolina Beach. This little Oceanside inn offers several different room types, depending on your needs. Some of their rooms even have kitchenettes. And you can’t beat their plantation style porch complete with rocking chairs. It’s the perfect spot to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic and the early morning shrimp boats (complete with dancing dolphins.)

Down the road are the Fort Fisher Battlefield and Museum and the newly built North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. There are also several charter fishing companies in the area.

In the summer, there are weekly fireworks. Wilmington is close by for those who like a little more culture such as art galleries and shopping or visit The Battleship North Carolina.

So if you’re looking for a quiet beach vacation without the high costs, the noisy crowds or cluttered, over-developed shorelines, consider the southern beaches of Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville in North Carolina. They’re some of the best kept secret destinations in the state.

Just outside of Charlotte, in the tiny suburb town of Huntersville is the Latta Plantation and Nature Preserve. It’s an oasis from city life.

Purchased in 1799, the original 100 acres was owned by Scotsman James Latta. He kept adding to his cotton plantation until at its peak he had 700 acres and 30 slaves.

On the Preserve are the restored Federal style home, outdoor kitchen house and additional plans are being made to include a replica slave quarters. Throughout the year, Latta Plantation features many educational programs for groups and schools, including Revolutionary and Civil War reenactments, life on the farm demonstrations, a primitive skills workshop, and an African American Experience Exhibit.

For those who prefer to get back to nature, the Nature Preserve offers 16 miles of horseback riding and hiking trails, as well as fishing on Mountain Island Lake (rods can be rented at the Nature Center, and free pocket sized trail maps are also available.) Additionally, Latta Plantation Nature Preserve preserves habitat for 97 species of birds, 17 species of mammals, 14 species of reptiles, and 9 species of amphibians, such as Bald Eagle, Wild Turkey, red fox, gray fox, mink, and red-spotted newt.

They also have a variety of flora including Schweinitz’s sunflower, Michaux’s sumac, Georgia’s aster, and the largest population of puttyroot orchid in Mecklenburg County. You can even munch a berry or two while hiking the trails.

Another wonderful attraction on the property is the Carolina Raptor Center. For $5 visitors can tour the outside aviaries and see a wide variety of owls, hawks and eagles. On the weekends the center gives live raptor presentations and allows visitors to chat with their Wild Wing Educators.

For a little piece of nature outside the big city limits, Latta Plantation and Nature Preserve, along with its Carolina Raptor Center offer many “back to nature” experiences.

Tucked away on the reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina is Harrah’s Casino. Amid breath taking views, all throughout the year people flock to enjoy good food and gambling.

Harrah’s has just completed their own hotel, so visitors can walk between their rooms, the restaurants and the casino without using precious gasoline. Not your Las Vegas type casino, Harrah’s utilizes the newest in video gambling.

If you’d like a more peaceful place to rest your head at night, the area is home to a variety of bed and breakfast inns. Most are housed in Victorian homes in nearby Waynesville and Bryson City. They offer a wide range of amenities including in-suite Jacuzzis, private entrances and lovely gardens.

The little town of Cherokee is small and quaint. Spend the afternoon browsing the gift shops that range from typical tourist wares, such as shot glasses and magnets, to quality leather goods, such as jackets and moccasins. Many of the Native American souvenirs aren’t made on the reservation, but it’s easy to find authentic Native American art, music and wind chimes.

However, it should be cautioned that winters in the mountains last longer, so don’t be surprised to awaken and find fresh snowfall as late as early April. Also keep in mind that late Sept. to early Nov. is peak season for the changing autumn leaves, and these calendar times book far in advance.

Every year in May, between the All Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR and Food Lion throw one of the best street parties in heart of Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. If you’re a NASCAR fan, and you’ve never visited this event, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s a must-see for motor sports enthusiasts.

Underneath the skyscrapers of Wacovia and the Bank of America buildings, the city barricades seven to eight blocks in the heart of Uptown. Food vendors of every kind, beer vendors and NASCAR sponsors line both sides of Tryon Street.

There are games like the Pit Crew Challenge as well as race car simulators. Perched on each end of the street and with one smack dab in the middle they erect huge stages that not only play host to driver appearances, but all types of music.

Whatever your taste, be it classic rock, new rock, country or even rap, the steady stream of musical acts seems endless. Past performers have been Diamond Rio, Sara Evens, Styx, Staind, Better Than Ezra, Loverboy, just to name a few.

For three days (and nights), Thursday through Saturday, there are non-stop music, appearances and food. Each year the event gets bigger and bigger with more and more attendees. They’ve started placing stages up to six blocks away from Tryon and Trade Streets. And it doesn’t hurt that the racing sponsors give away free stuff. Who can argue with free goodies?

Food Lion’s Speed Street is one of the best outdoor festivals you’ll ever attend. Even if you’re not a NASCAR fan, good food, good beer and great music make for an enjoyable evening underneath skyscrapers and stars in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.

Over the last ten years, NASCAR has been the fastest growing sport. With such handsome and charismatic newcomers as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnheart, Jr, Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya, it’s no wonder that the sport has seen a surge in female fans (and IQ’s.)

Charlotte, North Carolina is NASCAR country, having not only the governing body headquartered there, but many of the driver shops as well. Each year the Lowe’s Motor Speedway hosts three races and the city of Charlotte throws a three day NASCAR related festival underneath the skyscrapers in Uptown Charlotte.

Here are some insider tips for attending a NASCAR race:

Accommodations

For lodging, you’ll want to book at least a year in advance. Hotels and motels fill up fast as the races approach. By booking in advance, you won’t save on rates (as they price gouge and aren’t ashamed to do it) but you will be assured of finding the most strategically placed lodgings.

Find a room on the Northside of town, preferably in the University Area. This area is approximately 10 miles from the track. Because nearly 200,000 fans flood in the city, especially for the week-apart spring races, it will still take you at least an hour and a half, at minimum, to get to the track.

The Suburban Lodge Extended Stay just off West W.T. Harris Boulevard is reasonable and in a nice location (Northlake Mall is down the road.) Do not go any further south than the I-77 cut-off on North Tryon Street, as you’re beginning to enter dicey neighborhoods.

Stay away from the rooms on I-85 and Sugar Creek Road. While there are plentiful and cheap places to stay, it’s for a reason. This is a bad area of town. Sunset Road is also not the best part of town to stay in either, but it’s better than Sugar Creek.

Some nearby areas to search for rooms are Huntersville (the Red Roof Inn is a nice place,) Concord (the track is really in Concord, NC so rooms there are more pricey) Cornelius (by Lake Norman, this area is where many of the drivers live, and offers a variety of restaurants, some on the lake. Also, Joe Gibbs Racing is located there) or Kannapolis and Mooresville (DEI is located between these two towns.)

Close to the track is Tom Johnson RV’s. He rents RVs and this may be the most inexpensive way to spend a week at the track. Not only will you be close to the souvenir trailers surrounding the track, but you won’t be fighting traffic to get back to your room, as many campsites are available trackside.

Stay away from the Airport area. The hotels and motels might tell you they are 30 minutes from the track, but on a good traffic day, it will take at least that amount of time. And believe me, race days are not good traffic days.

If you have friends in Charlotte who live in an apartment complex, check with them to see if their community offers “guest accommodations” for out-of-town family and friends. This can save you a bundle as they are usually cheaper than the cheapest hotel/motel room in the city.

Getting Trackside

If in the University Area, for a sneaky, insider’s back way to the track, go North on Mallard Creek Road. The road runs directly to the southern side of the track (turns 1 and 2) or turn left on Odell School Road (toward Concord Airport,) then right onto Speedway Blvd. The traffic will be slow in front of Concord Mills Mall and over I-85 but it’s faster than taking Highway 29 or 49 (and you can cut off to the right on the road before and attempt to jet around the backside of the Mall.)

If you have seats in the Turn 4 section, turn left off of Speedway Blvd. by Johnson’s RVs. Follow the road around as far as you can. You will end up passing under Highway 29 and come up right beside Turn 4 (a NASCAR pit crew neighbor showed us that trick when we always wondered how he beat us home from races.)

Attending a NASCAR race is thrilling and exciting. With some pre-planning and a little inside knowledge, it can also be painless and stress-free.

Charlotte, North Carolina has a wide variety of restaurants. Before moving there several years ago my brother-in-law told me “You’ll like it there. It’s cosmopolitan but with a laid back sophistication.” He was right. Whatever the tastes, Charlotte has plenty of places to fit the bill.

The following list contains some of my favorite eateries within the city. These are mostly lesser-known gems waiting to be discovered. All are family owned and operated and only a sampling of what Charlotte has to offer.

Fiesta Maya: 3503 David Cox Rd # B Charlotte, NC 28269 (704) 509-9402.
Tucked away just off of West WT Harris Blvd, Fiesta Maya offers freshly made Tex-Mex food at reasonable prices. Enjoy complimentary fresh fried tortilla chips and homemade salsa. Nothing on the menu is a disappointment and their margaritas come in a variety of flavors. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.

Grandma’s Country Kitchen: 6615 N Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28213
The family-run restaurant is in an old yellow house. It offers yummy down home cooking, such as meatloaf, mac and cheese, collard greens and baked chicken breast. It’s a good place for those who don’t eat pork as no pork or pork by-products are used in the recipes. Cooked fresh everyday and priced reasonably at about $7.95 (dinner) which includes entrée and two vegetables with complimentary homemade bread and molasses. Be sure to bring cash because they don’t take plastic or checks.

South 21 Jr: 6920 N Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28213
Across the street from Grandma’s Country Kitchen, South 21 Jr. serves up old-fashioned burgers, dogs, and fries. It’s a local favorite. Always busy, be prepared to wait, or try your luck at one of their other locations in town. South 21 Drive-In at 3101 E Independence Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28205, South 21 Family Restaurant at 6116 Brookshire, Charlotte, NC 28216.

Middle Eastern Deli: 4508 E Independence Blvd Charlotte, NC 28205 (704) 536-9847
A great place on the corner of E. Independence Blvd and Sharon Amity Rd. Serving up hummus, tabouli, shwarmas, falafels, and more. Moderately priced. Some kosher items on the menu as well. Friendly owner. Not only can you eat there, but he sells hummus and tabouli by the pint and bigger, fresh pita bread and jars of tahini.

Jerusalem Restaurant: 3145 N Sharon Amity Rd Charlotte, NC 28205(704) 568-1717
Great little out-of-the-way Middle Eastern restaurant. The kitchen is in the front of the restaurant for patrons to see. Offering hummus, kofte, chicken and lamb kebabs just to name a few. Moderately priced and gives diners more bang for the buck with their generous portions. The staff is friendly and attentive.

Almafi’s Pasta ‘n Pizza : 8542 University City Blvd Charlotte, NC (704) 547-8651
Originally located on Prosperity Church Dr, they’ve moved to University City Blvd. Owned and operated by one of Ciro’s sons, Almafi’s is less formal, less expensive and offers the same great pasta dishes as Ciro’s such as pasta alfredo and eggplant parmisean, but they also serve Sicilian style pizza, pizza by the slice, and calzones.