North Carolina
North Carolinians enjoy a quality of life that would be hard to match
in any area across the nation. The state
enjoys the variety of four seasons and,
thanks to the mild climate, it’s easy to
take advantage of all this state has to
offer throughout the year. The average
winter temperature is about 42 degrees
and in summer it’s 77 degrees. North
Carolina has about 210 days of sunshine
each year.
Nicknamed the Tar Heel State, North
Carolina is 560 miles long, making it the
longest state east of the Mississippi. The
state is made up of three distinct geographic areas.
The Appalachian mountain chain
runs through the western part of the
state, where visitors will find the world
famous Blue Ridge Parkway and Mount
Mitchell, the highest peak in the state and
also the tallest mountain in the eastern
United States.
The Piedmont region lies in the central
part of the state. The Piedmont is home
to the state’s largest cities and several ma-
jor universities. Tobacco farms, shopping
centers, golf courses, historical sites and
textile and furniture factories make up the
Piedmont.
Sun and fun lure folks to the North
Carolina coast. Breathtaking beaches,
barrier islands, giant sand dunes and vast
wetlands stretch across the eastern part
of the state. The coastline is full of history
dating back to the 16th century when in-
habitants of the first English settlement
vanished mysteriously, setting off cen-
turies of debate over what happened to
“The Lost Colony.”
The state earned the moniker “First
in Flight” when the Wright Brothers lift-
ed off for a 12-second flight from Kitty
Hawk in the Outer Banks back in 1903.
Throughout the state you can enjoy cul-
ture and arts, food and wine, golf and
outdoor activities and events and festi-
vals all year long.
left: © istockphoto.com/ Werksmedia; right: © istockphoto.com/cynthia lindo W
