With so many exceptional aspects to North Carolina, its residents thrive among the numerous choices for fun, including fishing, swimming, hiking, dining, sports, and cultural activities, bringing visitors to The Tar Heel State in droves. From the magical coast to the majestic mountains there are a lot of reasons to be proud, but a few stand out more than others. Here are some of the hills every North Carolinian is willing to die on.
- The Most Breathtaking Mountains
James St. John, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons From the great Smokies to the Blue Ridge Mountains, this rugged state offers gorgeous waterfalls, hiking trails, and overlooks along its winding Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail. With more than 3,398 named mountains in North Carolina, 40 reach 6,000 feet high, giving bragging rights as the best mountains anywhere. Overlook Drive, State Rd 1258, Maggie Valley, NC 28751, USA
- The Flakiest Biscuits
The Southerly/Facebook From rich creamy butter to a crispy piece of chicken, North Carolina has the best flaky biscuits, even when slathered with just plain cheese. The Southerly Biscuit & Pie, 1206 N Lake Park Blvd unit d, Carolina Beach, NC 28428, USA
- The Sweetest Tea
ROMANZ TEA/Facebook While sweet tea is available almost everywhere in North Carolina, one of the best places offering the liquid delight ROMANZ TEA is The Sweet Tea Cafe, where you’ll find the artisan craft micro-brewed specialty made with love and sunshine with a cult following. THE SWEET TEA CAFE, 4826 Mt Moriah Rd, Durham, NC 27707, USA
- The Best Sea Shelling and Fossil Hunting
Visit Kure Beach, NC The 300 miles of barrier-island beaches make up the coasts, here, offering plenty of opportunities to find the very best sea shells and shark’s teeth, dance on the piers, or fish in the gorgeous ocean or many of the lakes and waterways in North Carolina. Kure Beach Pier, 100 Atlantic Ave, Kure Beach, NC 28449, USA
- The Most Exciting NASCAR Races
Charlotte Motor Speedway/Facebook For more than 50 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only place in the world to enjoy a race, visit race shops and learn about the interesting history at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Pkwy S, Concord, NC 28027, USA
- The Best Homegrown Tomatoes with Duke’s Mayo
Duke’s Mayonnaise/Facebook This smooth, tangy flavor, rich in egg yolks is best slathered on homegrown, garden tomatoes. And if you must carry it around, slapping it all between your favorite slices of white bread will do, but they are best served cold and alone. Or try a famous BLT with an egg at the iconic Merritt’s. Merritt’s Chapel, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
- The Greatest Musicians
North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame/Facebook Performers busking on street corners, at summer music festivals, or those on stage in fancy music halls give North Carolina its unique, cultural flavor. North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame, 600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
- The Best Barbecue
The Original Carolina Barbecue of Garner, Inc./Facebook This state boasts the best barbecue served in different varieties, with Lexington, Eastern, and pork ribs coming in the top three. And despite arguments over the best barbecue cooking methods, sauces, and cuts, most North Carolinians will never pass up this moist, flaky goodness any which way. The Original Carolina Barbecue of Garner, Inc., 733 US-70 W, Garner, NC 27529, USA
- The Effervescent Cheerwine
Cheerwine/Facebook In 1917, this bubbly, wild-cherry flavored, red soft drink was invented in Salisbury, North Carolina, and it has been a hit ever since. Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Co, 1413 Jake Alexander Blvd S, Salisbury, NC 28146, USA
- The Best Teams
Carolina Hurricanes/Facebook Whether it’s the professional Carolina Hurricanes, or the college rivals, such as the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels, the contests here have been known to stir up a few arguments, even at church. PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- The Most Amazing Peanut
Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts Out of 13 states, North Carolina is the fifth-largest peanut-producing state, specializing in the Virginia market type, which for more than 50 years, folks have enjoyed from Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts. You’ll also find cashews, almonds, chocolate, and other treats in this local, family-owned business. Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts, 200 Halifax St, Enfield, NC 27823, USA
Did one of these hills to die on ring true to you? Have we left any out? If you have something to add, please share it in the comments below. Here are a few more hills that every North Carolinian is willing to die on.
James St. John, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
From the great Smokies to the Blue Ridge Mountains, this rugged state offers gorgeous waterfalls, hiking trails, and overlooks along its winding Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail. With more than 3,398 named mountains in North Carolina, 40 reach 6,000 feet high, giving bragging rights as the best mountains anywhere.
Overlook Drive, State Rd 1258, Maggie Valley, NC 28751, USA
The Southerly/Facebook
From rich creamy butter to a crispy piece of chicken, North Carolina has the best flaky biscuits, even when slathered with just plain cheese.
The Southerly Biscuit & Pie, 1206 N Lake Park Blvd unit d, Carolina Beach, NC 28428, USA
ROMANZ TEA/Facebook
While sweet tea is available almost everywhere in North Carolina, one of the best places offering the liquid delight ROMANZ TEA is The Sweet Tea Cafe, where you’ll find the artisan craft micro-brewed specialty made with love and sunshine with a cult following.
THE SWEET TEA CAFE, 4826 Mt Moriah Rd, Durham, NC 27707, USA
Visit Kure Beach, NC
The 300 miles of barrier-island beaches make up the coasts, here, offering plenty of opportunities to find the very best sea shells and shark’s teeth, dance on the piers, or fish in the gorgeous ocean or many of the lakes and waterways in North Carolina.
Kure Beach Pier, 100 Atlantic Ave, Kure Beach, NC 28449, USA
Charlotte Motor Speedway/Facebook
For more than 50 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only place in the world to enjoy a race, visit race shops and learn about the interesting history at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Pkwy S, Concord, NC 28027, USA
Duke’s Mayonnaise/Facebook
This smooth, tangy flavor, rich in egg yolks is best slathered on homegrown, garden tomatoes. And if you must carry it around, slapping it all between your favorite slices of white bread will do, but they are best served cold and alone. Or try a famous BLT with an egg at the iconic Merritt’s.
Merritt’s Chapel, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame/Facebook
Performers busking on street corners, at summer music festivals, or those on stage in fancy music halls give North Carolina its unique, cultural flavor.
North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame, 600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
The Original Carolina Barbecue of Garner, Inc./Facebook
This state boasts the best barbecue served in different varieties, with Lexington, Eastern, and pork ribs coming in the top three. And despite arguments over the best barbecue cooking methods, sauces, and cuts, most North Carolinians will never pass up this moist, flaky goodness any which way.
The Original Carolina Barbecue of Garner, Inc., 733 US-70 W, Garner, NC 27529, USA
Cheerwine/Facebook
In 1917, this bubbly, wild-cherry flavored, red soft drink was invented in Salisbury, North Carolina, and it has been a hit ever since.
Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Co, 1413 Jake Alexander Blvd S, Salisbury, NC 28146, USA
Carolina Hurricanes/Facebook
Whether it’s the professional Carolina Hurricanes, or the college rivals, such as the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels, the contests here have been known to stir up a few arguments, even at church.
PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts
Out of 13 states, North Carolina is the fifth-largest peanut-producing state, specializing in the Virginia market type, which for more than 50 years, folks have enjoyed from Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts. You’ll also find cashews, almonds, chocolate, and other treats in this local, family-owned business.
Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts, 200 Halifax St, Enfield, NC 27823, USA
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