Beaches and Mountains

In this exclusively online edition of the “Talk to Us” series, International House Program Coordinator, Cloe Liparini provides us with some excerpts of a Travels with Charlie done NC-style from intrepid traveler, Laura Drey. So sit back and enjoy the ride!

Here is a list of my favorite places to visit. What follows includes taking scenic drives, doing outdoor recreation, and enjoying crafts in North Carolina and nearby Virginia.

The following are undeveloped beaches in North Carolina and southern Virginia.

Hammocks Beach State Park

To get to Hammocks Beach (also known as Bear Island) one needs to go by ferry (no cars) or use a rented or personal boat from Swansboro. You take a trail down to a beach that has a changing building and primitive camping. Swansboro has places to stay, restaurants, and stores. (Be aware that you can hear boming in Swansboro from Camp Lejeune in Jacksonvill, NC.)

Fort Macon State Park

Around Beaufort is Fort Macon State park (with and undeveloped beach and lots of parking), and Cape Lookout. I hired a boat in Beaufort to take me to a nearby island for shelling. There is another island with wild ponies nearby that one can get to by boat. (Mount Rogers/Grayson Highlands in Virginia’s mountains also has wild ponies.)

False Cape State Park

This park outside of Virginia Beach, has an ocean shoreline and a bay. There are wild boars and poisonous snakes (Yes, I saw one.) Virginia Beach has a park with raised walkways that goes through a swamp. Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum explores Virginia’s marine environment and man’s interaction with it through hands-on and live exhibits. The museum comprises two buildings linked by a wooded trail. There is a marsh, an aviary and the museum houses an aquarium. The museum leads whale and dolphin watches in season (check with the museum). If one takes the highway, it is about four hours to Virginia Beach. Nearby, in Chesapeake, is the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Mountain Getaways: Around Asheville and west)

South Mountains State Park

I discovered South Mountains State Park, the largest state park in North Carolina. Among the parks many trails is a three-mile circuit trail that follows a rocky river and waterfall. The trail goes straight up and then straight down. On the side by the waterfall there are many steps to climb! (I recommend staying next to the river so that you travel the same way both coming and going. It is the more scenic side. This trail leads from the visitor center. The road is well marked to the park and is 30 miles south of Morganton.)

Highway 9

Highway 9 to Bat Cave is a pretty, winding, two-lane road that heads south off of Highway 40 in Black Mountain. Around Chimney Rock it becomes quite touristy.

Highway 276

If you choose to take the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Asheville, the drive passes through many tunnesl. Off the Parkway is 276, a scenic two-lane road that leads to the Cradle of Forestry and a number of waterfalls. Cradle of Forestry Museum is worth a stop if you are interested in forestry. 276 follows a mountain stream through Pisgah National Forest until Brevard. Among the waterfalls and cascades along 276 are Sliding Rock and Looking Glass Falls. The region has over 250 waterfalls!

Graveyard Falls

Continuing on the Parkway, beyond 276, is Graveyard Falls. The falls are worth a short hike to see. Close to the falls is a restaurant located directly on the parkway that has an enormous picture window overlooking the mountains.

Cherokee

The southernmost part of the Parkway is Cherokee. Cherokee has a museum ofn the Cherokee Indians and across from this museum is a craft museum that sells traditional crafts.

Mountain Getaways: Northwestern North Carolina and nearby Virginia

Boone and the Surrounding Area
A reasonable restaurant in Boone is Angelica’s. Angelica’s has incredible smoothies and vegetarian food. There is also a house along the parkway that sells crafts. While in the area, you may want to pick up a map that local stores sell, which lists scenic drives of Ashe county (the northwestern-most county in North Carolina).

There is a town outside of Boone called Todd. To get to Todd one drives along a scenic road for about half an hour. Todd has a store called something like “Appalachian Adventure” that rents bikes, inner tubes, and kayaks. The store will shuttle people to a river that is flat with gentle rapids. It flows by tremendous rock formations. The river is beautiful and there is little development along it. The Todd General Store is cute. This store makes sandwiches and sells all sorts of sauces, throws, pillows, and unusual things. Outside the general store are occasional music performances.

The New River is better known than the river that flows through Todd, but it has more development along it. Zaloos is a canoe rental place on the New between Glendale Springs and West Jefferson.

Valle Crusis is another cute small town close to Boone. The town has the original Mast General Store.

Glendale Springs has an Episcopal church with frescoes. The Greenhouse store has unusual things. The Trading Store sells crafts. A Parkway entrance is located in Glendale. (Glendale Springs is about three hours from Durham and one hour from Grayson Highland/Mount Rogers and Independence.)

Grayson Highlands State Park

Grayson Highlands State Park/Mount Rogers is located in Mouth-of-Wilson Virginia. The park is at an elevation of 6,000 feet. It has the longest, steepest terrain close by. It is a beautiful park with wild ponies. The Appalachian Trail runs through it. My favorite trails follow cascades. I think one is called Log Cabin Trail. There are two festivals there: The Wayne Henderson Festival (with bluegrass music) in June and a wild pony sale (with music and crafts) in September. The park is about four hours from Durham.

Abindgon

Abindgon, Virginia (about five hours from Durham) has the Barter Theater, which has a professional company. Abindgon has a number of craft stores and some very good restaurants. In August there is a craft fair that lasts for three weekends and the two weeks between. At the same time, there is an antique fair. During this time there is a balloon launch on one day and the theater does different shows every day.

Independence

Independence, Virginia (about three-and-a-half hours from Durham) has two galleries. One is called The Peartree and the other is in the old courthouse.

Mountain Getaways: Hanging Rock area

Looking for a day or overnight trip? I recommend the Hanging Rock area.

One can float on the Dan River close by. The Dan River Company rents canoes, tubes, and kayaks.

Hanging Rock State Park has lots of trails and a wonderful view at the end of the Hanging Rock Trail number one. Additional trails lead to waterfalls and cascades. There is one easy, wide trail to a waterfall that is about one mile each way. It is worth taking and is located at the opposite end of the parking lot from the Visitor’s Center. There are also campgrounds. The campsites are clean and not so close together that you feel squeezed in or so far apart that you feel out there by yourself. There s a great mountain lake with a sandy swimming area. There are rowboat and canoe rentals. The park has picnic shelters. Hanging Rock is in Danbury, North Carolina. For information, call 919-593-8480.

I discovered a popular home-cooking restaurant nearby called Mickey’s Country Kitchen. Mickey’s is located at 2991 Old Hollow Road in Walkertown. The restaurant is immediately past the turnoff at Highway 311.