Best North Carolina

The Carolina-Duke basketball rivalry represents one of college sports’ most storied and intensely contested matchups. Beginning in 1920 near Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Duke have engaged in a historic series characterized by passionate fan bases and significant impact on the Atlantic...

The Duke versus North Carolina basketball rivalry is one of the most intense and storied in American sports. Rooted in the states’ shared history and geography, particularly the tobacco region, it represents a longstanding competition between two leading universities. The annual games, often featuri...

The Lost Colony of Roanoke was an English settlement founded in present-day North Carolina in 1587 whose inhabitants had vanished by 1590.

The Duke-North Carolina basketball rivalry represents one of college sports’ most storied and intensely competitive matchups. Rooted in North Carolina's tobacco industry, games between these two universities have been a fixture since their first contest in 1920. The rivalry draws passionate fans fro...

The Great Dismal Swamp is a large forested wetland spanning southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, centered on Lake Drummond. George Washington participated in surveying and commercial drainage efforts there during the colonial period. Its difficult terrain also sheltered communities...

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a leading public research institution established in 1789. Located in North Carolina, it’s recognized for its extensive research programs and strong academic reputation within the United States. The university serves students, faculty, and researche...

Rat Saw God is a 2023 studio album by Wednesday, an indie rock band formed in Asheville, North Carolina, and fronted by songwriter Karly Hartzman. Its songs combine dense, distorted guitars associated with shoegaze and noise rock with elements of country and Americana, while Hartzman's lyrics depict...

The Mingus Mill is a historic watermill located within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Constructed in 1886 by millwright Sion Thomas Early, it’s one of the last remaining functional gristmills in North Carolina. Powered originally by the creek's flow and now by a turbine, the mill demonstrates...

The North Carolina Courage is a professional women’s soccer team playing in the National Women’s Soccer League. Based in Cary, North Carolina, the team gained prominence through back-to-back NWSL championships in 2018 and 2019. They are primarily for fans of women's soccer and those interested in fo...

Queen Anne's Revenge was the flagship used by the pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. The vessel had previously served as the French slave ship La Concorde before Blackbeard captured and armed it in 1717. It ran aground near Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, in 1718, and researchers disco...

Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored carbonated soft drink created by L.D. Peeler in Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1917, and remains independently owned, making it one of the oldest continuing soft drink companies in the U.S.

Yates Mill is a historic watermill located in Wake County, North Carolina. Built around 1756, it’s notable as one of the last remaining functional gristmills in the state. The mill uses the power of Swift Creek to grind corn and wheat into flour. It serves as a valuable historical site for those int...

The Bald Head Light stands on a small island off the coast of North Carolina. Constructed in 1817, it is the state’s oldest surviving lighthouse and an important historic landmark. Its prominent location guides mariners through Cape Fear Inlet. The light continues to operate today, serving as a navi...

Nobody Knows You is Steep Canyon Rangers' 2012 Rounder album, the solo release that won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is a federally managed protected area centered on Lake Mattamuskeet in Hyde County, North Carolina. The lake is the state's largest natural lake and is shallow, fresh to mildly brackish, and surrounded by marshes, woods, and agricultural habitat. The refuge is p...

Great Dismal Swamp Marshes are wetlands spanning Virginia and North Carolina, protected by a national wildlife refuge established in 1974.

The Ocracoke Light stands as North Carolina’s oldest continuously operating lighthouse built in 1823. Designed by Noah Porter, it guides mariners through the treacherous waters of Pamlico Sound. Located on the Outer Banks, this historic beacon is vital for navigation and remains a significant landma...

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is an active navigational aid located on Shackleford Banks, North Carolina. Constructed of brick, it’s the tallest lighthouse in the state and features a recognizable diamond-patterned light characteristic. This structure serves mariners navigating the complex shoals of P...

Deep Run Roots is a 2016 cookbook showcasing the culinary heritage of Eastern North Carolina. Chef Vivian Howard’s work focuses on seasonal recipes rooted in regional traditions and utilizing locally sourced ingredients. It provides an authentic exploration of Southern cooking techniques and flavors...

The Red-legged Salamander (Plethodon shermani) is a lungless amphibian belonging to the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Appalachian region, specifically restricted to the Unicoi Mountains along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The species is readily identified by the distinct...

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a protected coastal area established in 1938 on Hatteras Island in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Its ocean beach, dunes, brackish ponds, salt marshes, and tidal waters provide feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds traveling along the Atlantic Flyway....

One Tree Hill is a teen drama series created in 2003 and broadcast by The CW from 2006 to 2012. It centered on two half-brothers navigating high school, basketball, and interpersonal relationships within the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina. The show concluded after six seasons with an ep...

Merchants Millpond State Park is a North Carolina state park centered on a historic millpond in Gates County, near the Virginia border. Its wetland landscape contains bald cypress and tupelo gum trees rising from dark, slow-moving water and supports wildlife associated with the state's coastal plain...

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse, situated on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, stands as the tallest brick lighthouse in the state, guiding mariners along the Atlantic coastline since its completion in 1875.

Johnston County Hams, based in Smithfield, North Carolina, produces dry-cured, smoked country hams using traditional Southern curing methods and markets them as a continuation of a century-old regional craft.

Any Shape You Take is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Indigo De Souza, released in 2021 by Saddle Creek Records. The album combines indie rock with electronic textures, forceful guitar passages, and quieter arrangements while addressing intimacy, change, grief, and emotional de...

Jodie Withers narration of Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautifully rendered and emotionally resonant audiobook. Withers expertly captures the lyrical prose and evocative descriptions of the North Carolina marshlands, bringing Kyas story to life with sensitivity and nuance. Her performa...

Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach is an Atlantic beach on Ocracoke Island in North Carolina's Outer Banks. It lies within Cape Hatteras National Seashore and is managed by the National Park Service, with seasonal lifeguard coverage provided in a designated swimming area. The beach is intended for swimming...

Rapsody is a critically acclaimed American rapper and songwriter known for her intricate lyricism, thoughtful storytelling, and exploration of Black womanhood within the context of hip-hop history and social commentary.