Module sponsored by North Carolina Bed and Breakfasts and Inns

Charm offensive

Guests are welcomed like long-lost family as they experience the true southern charms of North Carolina.

The North Carolina people pride themselves on their traditions of good manners, charm and hospitality. They make time for others and do whatever they can to charm and entertain all visitors to the state.

Whether you’re checking into a hotel, dining in a restaurant or asking for directions, you will be offered assistance, treated courteously and helped wherever possible.

So all you need to do is take it easy, have another cup of sweet iced tea, lean back gently in a rocking chair on a perfect veranda and enjoy the view.

Charming Architecture

You will find the antebellum houses scattered in every corner of the state like perfect and pristine dollhouses, their curves and white verandas perfect for those lazy days.

Antebellum refers to elegant plantation homes which were built in the 30 years or so prior to the Civil War. The houses are more a timeless piece of history than they are a distinct style. Most antebellum homes are in the Greek and Classical Revival and or the Federal style, with grand and symmetrical architecture. The house at Orton Plantation (left) is a fine example.

The houses generally have central entrances at the front and rear, and are ornamented with balconies, columns and pillars.

Mesmerising Music

If you’re looking for something a bit upbeat then Bluegrass is sure get your feet tapping. After a couple of glasses of moonshine you might even feel the urge to roll up your sleeves and join in.

The oldest music style in North Carolina, Bluegrass can be experienced at the annual Memorial Day Weekend Bluegrass Music Festival. The 4-day festival takes place deep in the mountains in Snow Camp. It offers free camping and is usually held on the last weekend in May.

The less energetic might find that Shag music, which developed in the 1960s, is their ‘thang’. Not as scary as it sounds, it has a calmer tempo with a slower, shuffling beat and a hint of Southern soul and jazz.

Shag nights take place in restaurants and bars across the state, especially those in coastal areas. It’s just like ‘Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay’…

Fast Tracks and Fast Cars

Another true North Carolina passion is fast cars. In fact, North Carolina is the home to the legendary racing style known as NASCAR.

NASCAR races involve up to 30 high performance cars which hurtle around the oval track creating a colourful, noisy and thrilling spectacle for an enormous and excited crowd.

If you’d rather take part than spectate, enlist the help of a professional driver and you too can cruise in style! Courses at Lowes Motor Speedway include a three-lap track ride, during which you will experience the sheer exhilaration and the ultimate challenge of racing in the safe hands of an instructor, for $90 (approximately £56).

Places To Visit and Discover

The Mountains

The tradition and history of Bluegrass still lie deep in the mountain area of North Carolina, where the music originated in the mid-1930s.

At that time it seemed that practically everyone was playing string music, and most bands in western North Carolina seemed to be sibling double-acts. These men established a strong tradition of instrumental virtuosity mixed with close-harmony singing.

The banjo actually changed to adapt to local conditions. Mountain craftsmen built smaller and softer-sounding banjos using groundhog hide for the “head” or “skin” of the instrument.

Where better to experience this traditional music than in the mountains. Bluegrass at its best!

Charlotte

Home to NASCAR, the Charlotte area is where all the major activities and races are held throughout the year.

William France discovered NASCAR at the end of the World War II. As soldiers returned to the USA, requests for new cars began to flood in. The industry had been producing weaponry for 5 years and now applied their designs to the new cars.

The result was the arrival on the market of fast, powerful and robust cars, which were an instant hit with the young people of the time. Organised races were soon being arranged, and a trend began to form.

The first totally stock event was held in Charlotte in June of 1949, with 33 drivers competing in nearly every type of American-made car.

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Module sponsored by North Carolina Bed & Breakfasts and Inns

For the most authentic bed and breakfast accommodation in North Carolina.
For further information visit www.ncbbi.org

All images are courtesy of North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. Bill Russ, Photographer