NORTH CAROLINA TRAVEL GUIDE
Why would an Australian family settle in North Carolina and love it?
From the stunning and serene Carolina coast to the lush mountains and vibrant, hipster cities, there is so much to love about this state.
We're excited to be your North Carolina travel guides and share with you the magic of this region that captured our spirits and soul.
We live in Raleigh and also share a lot about the city on our new site,, This is Raleigh. Click to learn more cool things to do in Raleigh
Be sure to check all of our USA travel tips, as we’ve been exploring the country in-depth for the past year on short breaks, getaways, road trips, and a year long RV trip of the American West.
I recall seeing a photo of this place (Lake Lure) on your Instagram – it looks heavenly. And so quintessentially American, right?? I’m adding this to my list of places to visit while we live in the U.S.
Rebecca
NC COASTAL HIGHLIGHTS
We love the beauty and serenity of the NC coast. We have only just begun to explore it.
Wrightsville Beach is our favorite beach community in the USA. It is some kind of special. And the Outer Banks is a treasured wilderness area for locals and visitors alike.
16 of the Most Fun Things to Do in Outer Banks, North Carolina (don’t miss #12)
After experiencing many of the fun things to do in Outer Banks and its natural beauty, we can report that this destination is just heaven. […]
Podcast: Wrightsville Brings out Aussie Lingo and Nostalgia
We had a lot of fun recording this podcast episode and sharing why we resonate so strongly with the beach community vibe of Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina.
2 Day Itinerary: Things to Do in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Looking for things to do in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina? Look no further. We enjoyed a lovely three-night stay in March, and below we share […]
Why You Should Visit Wrightsville Beach, one of the Best Beach Towns in North Carolina (and our fave!)
Thinking about where to travel next? Or a beach vacation anytime of the year and looking for the best beach towns in North Carolina? Below […]
Beaufort, NC – Pirate town and Place of many Treasures
“Did you hear they’ve finally got the name right, Hal? Callin’ it by it proper name now ‘Bow-fort’ instead of ‘Bew-fort’ like they do down […]
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS HIGHLIGHTS
A mountain getaway is easy in North Carolina with the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s also home to my favorite lake in the US, Lake Lure.
Top Places To Go in the North Carolina Mountains (Western NC)
Now that we live permanently in Raleigh which is a great base to explore the Tar Heel state, we’re excited to start taking road trips […]
Climb 499 Steps To The Top of Chimney Rock, NC for Incredible Views!
Chimney Rock State Park is one of the most popular parks to visit in Western North Carolina. And climbing the 499 steps to the top […]
Slip Into Serenity With These 8 Things To Do In Lake Lure, NC
Discover the best Things to do in Chimney Rock And Lake Lure NC for serenity and fun. Lake Lure near Asheville North Carolina is one of my favorite places in the US.
Asheville NC: Rock climbing, breweries and stunning waterfalls
Finally, after months of planning and talking, we’re on the road with Goldie (our Forest River travel trailer) and the Beast (our Ford F250). I […]
Welcome to the Largest Home in America: Biltmore Estate, North Carolina
Tips for visiting the Biltmore Estate & Gardens: Biltmore House tours, Antler Village and winery places to stay in Biltmore Estate Asheville North Carolina
I Carried a Watermelon at the Dirty Dancing Festival, Lake Lure – it’s been 30 years!!
Are you a Dirty Dancing fan? Want to carry a watermelon? You can do that and more at the Dirty Dancing festival in Lake Lure, North Carolina. What a fun event!
Cades Cove bike ride, Great Smoky Mountains National Park – we saw bears!
We saw bears. Lots of them on our Cades Cove bike ride in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I thought that when, or if, […]
THE TRIANGLE HIGHLIGHTS
Looking for cool experiences in the Triangle? that is Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill!
Here are a few ideas:
25 Favorite Things to Do in Raleigh, NC (Our Locals Guide)
Okay, so this post has been a long time coming – like 14 years coming! Not sure why it’s taken us awhile to write a […]
YTP EP05: Our 12 Month American Road Trip And Why We Returned To Raleigh
We get a green card, return to Raleigh and continue to travel as a family taking shorter road trips and vacations and our extended 12 month RV road trip across America.
Life after full time travel – the ups and downs of settling into Raleigh, North Carolina
Any change of direction brings a period of adjustment. That change comes holding hands with chaos as you tackle a list of endless tasks and […]
Why we returned to Raleigh + What’s next?
First thing I want to say is we are NOT stopping traveling, nor are we stopping this travel blog. So you are perfectly safe to […]
19 Don’t Miss Things When You Visit Johnston County NC
JoCo. You may not have heard of this county, but anyone who has experienced it carves out a soft spot for it in their heart. […]
48 Hour Itinerary – Things to Do in Durham, NC with Kids (or without)
The city of Durham, NC, once a neglected town in the North Carolina Triangle is undergoing a transformation to rival that of Cinderella on the […]
Family Fun Camping at Kerr Lake NC
Kerr Lake NC is the perfect camping getaway especially with kids and with friends. Prepare for some kneeboarding and tubing fun and total relaxation
An Iconic Night at the Durham Bulls Baseball Game, NC
The Durham Bulls are an iconic minor league baseball team. We had a fun night experiencing American culture at the Durham Bulls game in Durham North Carolina. Do you like going to baseball games with your kids?
7 Best Things to do in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
There is a reason why Chapel Hill in North Carolina is consistently rated as one of the best places in America to live, and as […]
ROAD TRIP IDEAS
Here are a couple of road trip ideas that include places in North Carolina.
Places to Visit on a South East Coast Road Trip (North Carolina – Florida)
Are you planning a South East Coast road trip? Let us help you with our top suggestions on places to visit on the East Coast […]
4 Best Places to Visit in Tennessee
Planning a trip to Tennessee? After a month long Tennessee road trip, here are 4 of our favorite places to visit in Tennessee and suggestions on what to see and do in each destination!
WHAT REGION IN NORTH CAROLINA ARE YOU PLANNING TO VISIT?
North Carolina is divided into three main geographical regions: the Mountains, the Coast and the Piedmont (which includes the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill triangle region. Click the image to head straight to our tips and resource guides for the region you are planning to visit.
FEATURED VIDEO: Outer Banks
We love the Outer Banks: Wild, rugged, beautiful with plenty of outdoor adventures and wide open spaces. Check to see the fun we got up to on a short getaway to the OBX.
FOLLOW OUR CURRENT ADVENTURES
Travel has been the focus of our life since 1997 - intentionally.
We don't plan on stopping that. We now have a base in Raleigh, NC - after being granted a Green Card for our extraordinary ability in the art of travel blogging.
We will continue to explore more of the US but also intend on traveling further abroad - Europe, South East Asia and Central and South America.
We can't wait to share more of our favorites as we experience them.
Be sure to join our free VIP email community - form below for loads of free US travel planning resources.
And connect with us on social for live udpates!
OUR FAVORITE SOUTHEAST USA TRANQUIL ESCAPES
Want help planning your Southeast USA travels? We start with sharing our four favorite tranquil escapes. Our free VIP email community also gets access to a range of checklists, tipping guides, and itinerary ideas. All easy to print off and follow PDF formats! Fill in the form to join
ALL NORTH CAROLINA ARTICLES
Browse around to find all our articles on North Carolina!.
25 Favorite Things to Do in Raleigh, NC (Our Locals Guide)
Okay, so this post has been a long time coming – like 14 years coming! Not sure why it’s taken us awhile to write a post on our favorite things to do in Raleigh, NC, […]
16 of the Most Fun Things to Do in Outer Banks, North Carolina (don’t miss #12)
After experiencing many of the fun things to do in Outer Banks and its natural beauty, we can report that this destination is just heaven. There’s over 100-miles of some of the best beaches in […]
Podcast: Wrightsville Brings out Aussie Lingo and Nostalgia
We had a lot of fun recording this podcast episode and sharing why we resonate so strongly with the beach community vibe of Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina.
2 Day Itinerary: Things to Do in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Looking for things to do in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina? Look no further. We enjoyed a lovely three-night stay in March, and below we share our tips on what to do, places to eat and […]
Why You Should Visit Wrightsville Beach, one of the Best Beach Towns in North Carolina (and our fave!)
Thinking about where to travel next? Or a beach vacation anytime of the year and looking for the best beach towns in North Carolina? Below we share why we love Wrightsville Beach, why it’s one […]
Top Places To Go in the North Carolina Mountains (Western NC)
Now that we live permanently in Raleigh which is a great base to explore the Tar Heel state, we’re excited to start taking road trips and visit all the best places in North Carolina mountains. […]
Climb 499 Steps To The Top of Chimney Rock, NC for Incredible Views!
Chimney Rock State Park is one of the most popular parks to visit in Western North Carolina. And climbing the 499 steps to the top of Chimney Rock is one of our top suggestions for […]
Slip Into Serenity With These 8 Things To Do In Lake Lure, NC
Discover the best Things to do in Chimney Rock And Lake Lure NC for serenity and fun. Lake Lure near Asheville North Carolina is one of my favorite places in the US.
Asheville NC: Rock climbing, breweries and stunning waterfalls
Finally, after months of planning and talking, we’re on the road with Goldie (our Forest River travel trailer) and the Beast (our Ford F250). I intend to do a weekly wrap on the blog to […]
19 Don’t Miss Things When You Visit Johnston County NC
JoCo. You may not have heard of this county, but anyone who has experienced it carves out a soft spot for it in their heart. Johnston County, as it’s proper name expands out to, is […]