Carolina Vacation Spots

[charlotte49er]

ASHEVILLE, NC:

On last weekend of July, people don’t care - they come for the music, the food, and a three-day celebration of the arts. This year’s Belle Chere festival just wrapped up in Asheville, and this year’s celebration was a knockout. One of the largest free festivals in the southeast, the name "Belle Chere’ comes from the Scottish for "beautiful living." The festival certainly lives up to its name, as it is a wonderful and eclectic mix of merriment. Each year, over 300,000 people descend on this historic city to have fun.

Belle Chere began in 1979 by downtown Asheville merchants who were concerned that the downtown business area was dying. So, they combined their efforts and thought a street festival would be a way to get people downtown and revitalize the area. At that time, the festival only took up three blocks. It has now evolved into basically shutting down "downtown" to have enough space to hold concerts, provide beverages, allow artisans to showcase their works, and feature the food of area restaurants in the hopes that people will come back to visit again long after the end of the festival.

Musicians perform (free) at the festival. One can choose from an array of regional, local, and national music in any genre, from blues to jazz, rock, bluegrass, Americana, and reggae. This year, one of the venues the festival featured was Mac Arnold. At 66 years old, Mac is a blues singer and is the last surviving member of the Muddy Waters Band.

Artisans come from all over the United States to sell their wares in different mediums-metalwork, paintings, ceramics, fabrics, and woodworking to name a few. There are also children’s events held at Asheville’s Civic Center (which is somewhat away from the hubbub of the festival.)

When the festival first began and to this day, the only food featured at the festival is from local establishments and there are not any "chain restaurants" allowed. The list of participating restaurants is long - but the types of food are just as long - from BBQ to international foods festival goers can certainly get their fill of great food.

One of the big draws is the Ultimate Air Dog competition. This event is held in a portable pool set up in the middle of downtown. Local dogs compete in long distance jumping, ultimate vertical jumping, and catching-all done in water. There are division finals to accommodate different sizes types of dogs and "ultimately," there is a winner from each division. The entrance fees for this competition go to charities in Asheville.

Although the festival will be over by the time you’re reading this, go ahead and mark it on your calendar to attend next year! For more information about the festival, you can visit the official festival website at http://www.belecherefestival.com/index.htm.

Besides Belle Chere;

Biltmore House

Biltmore Winnery

Asheville Tourists (Single A Baseball)

Asheville Ghost Trolley

Ghost Hunters if Asheville

Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum.

Great Smokey Mountains RailRoad

Galf, Kayaking, White Water Rafting are all close by.

Great bars in Asheville.

Lots fo great places to eat!

Don't stay in Asheville, expecially during Belle Chere! Book early and stay at the WindDancers Lodging & Llama Treks, Clyde, North Carolina! It's a B & B that is set in the mountians of North Carolina! Sign up for the Llama Trek! Pack your swim suits too!

[charlotte49er]

Or if you want to be more rustic and camp. And if you have Gold Fever like I do, I suggest these places.

North Carolina Gold Prospecting Locations

• Bearfoot Gold Camp - Robbins, NC

  
  

• Cotton Patch Gold Mine - New London, NC

  
  

• Heather Grove Gold & Gem - Marion, NC

  
  

• Thermal City Gold Mine - between Marion and Rutherfordton, NC

  
  

• The Lucky Strike Gold and Gem Mine, Marion,North Carolina

  
  
  

  
  

[lymelizzard]

Or make it a real trip go to Charleston for a night or 2 catch the Fantasy ship go to the Bahamas and then come back to Charleston and drive home.

[Davidson Deac II]

Personally, I don't like the beach all that much (after 10 years in the Navy, the ocean is is boring), but my son does so I go once a year or so. And I do go to Myrtle Beach because there is actually stuff to do besides just be at the Ocean. But we stay at Kingston Plantation, so I don't see any rap music, teenagers, rednecks, hellraisers or anything like that.

My favorite vacation over the last 10 years was a three day trip to Gettysburg Pennsylvania. My second favorite was a cabin in the Mountains in the Nantahala area. Last year, we went to Kure Beach and I was bored to tears after two days, but Fort Fisher and the USS North Carolina were interesting even though I had been to both several times when I was younger.

My wife has talked me into going to the Philippines to meet her family, so that will be the major family trip this year. Its mostly a meet the family thing, but I did talk her into going to Corregidor. I love the history stuff.

Eventually, I want to visit Yellowstone National park. I think that would be a interesting vacation, and maybe not all that expensive.

[SgtJoo]

Ive been to Long Beach every summer for all of my 44 years. Fantastic place to go and get away from your cell phone, the TV, the computer, and its a reasonably short drive to get Britts Donuts.

Ill be there most of the week of the 13th of June again this coming year.

Off topic but: Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you.

Pro avatar is winner.

Nietzsche doesn't afraid of anything.

[Hotsauce]

Charleston

[GritsRgreat]

Personally, I don't like the beach all that much (after 10 years in the Navy, the ocean is is boring), but my son does so I go once a year or so. And I do go to Myrtle Beach because there is actually stuff to do besides just be at the Ocean. But we stay at Kingston Plantation, so I don't see any rap music, teenagers, rednecks, hellraisers or anything like that.

My favorite vacation over the last 10 years was a three day trip to Gettysburg Pennsylvania. My second favorite was a cabin in the Mountains in the Nantahala area. Last year, we went to Kure Beach and I was bored to tears after two days, but Fort Fisher and the USS North Carolina were interesting even though I had been to both several times when I was younger.

My wife has talked me into going to the Philippines to meet her family, so that will be the major family trip this year. Its mostly a meet the family thing, but I did talk her into going to Corregidor. I love the history stuff.

Eventually, I want to visit Yellowstone National park. I think that would be a interesting vacation, and maybe not all that expensive.

Dude i'm right with you about the beach. I spend most of my off time in the Mts myself. Also i love battlefields and historical sites, one of my favs being Gettysburg.

[Kitten Diver]

Or make it a real trip go to Charleston for a night or 2 catch the Fantasy ship go to the Bahamas and then come back to Charleston and drive home.

Did this. Good first cruise especially if you have kids. If you like to sniff your own farts then Carnival is not for you. Smug people still have to go to Florida.

[Jhyler12]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carova_Beach,_North_Carolina

Dang son... I dont have that kind of money!

:puke:

[jim stone]

I am so pissed at the NC general Assembly. They passed a bill that allowed my insurance company to raise my premium 15% to pay for coverage on beach front property. I do not own any beach property. My home is 300 miles inland. I will never again pay rent to vacation on NC beaches.

You can look up candidates and insurance "contributions" here.

http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us/webapps/cf_rpt_search/

[AppStatePanther]

Key West is one of the cooler beaches Ive seen. I liked Cayman Islands and Bahamas too, but man, nothin beats being at NC beaches ur whole life and then driving to Key West for Spring Break and seeing Palm trees growing out of the sand!

The Keys in general are amazing. You can go stay in a rental on any of the upper keys for a quiet, romantic vacation, then drive an hour south on the ONLY road and bar hop on the beach without running into ******.