The following first appeared as part of Live & Play, a special section in the June issue of Military Officer magazine. The magazine is available to all MOAA Premium and Life members. Learn more and access the digital edition here; learn more about joining MOAA here.)
By Don Vaughan
Visitors to North Carolina will be thrilled by its historic attractions, sports, and activities, including:
- Alamance Civil War Battleground, Bentonville Civil War Battlefield, Fort Fisher, CSS Neuse, and the battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55).
- Biltmore, the world’s largest house, located in Asheville; it’s open for public tours.
- College sports, which are practically a religion. The biggest historic interschool rivalries include Duke/University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) (basketball) and North Carolina State University/UNC (football).
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- Professional sports. These include the Charlotte Hornets (basketball), Carolina Panthers (football), and Carolina Hurricanes (hockey). In addition, the state is home to several minor league baseball teams, including the famous Durham Bulls.
- Skiing and snowboarding at western North Carolina’s six popular ski resorts.
- Charlotte’s NASCAR Hall of Fame for auto racing enthusiasts.
- Excellent places to dine. Raleigh, the state capital, has become a destination for foodies, with several top chef-owned restaurants.
Live & Play State Listing
- Live and Play: Alabama
- Live and Play: Arizona
- Live and Play: Arkansas
- Live and Play: California
- Live and Play: Florida
- Live and Play: Georgia
- Live and Play: Maryland
- Live and Play: Nevada
- Live and Play: North Carolina
- Live and Play: Oregon
- Live and Play: Pennsylvania
- Live and Play: South Carolina
- Live and Play: Texas
- Live and Play: Utah
- Live and Play: Virginia
- Live and Play: Washington