Where To Go For A Day At The Beach In North Carolina

One of the best things about North Carolina is its world-class beaches. Some of the best in the world lie along our Atlantic shores, and a number of them are just a short drive away.

Load up the car with your beach chairs and Boogie Boards on Friday night, get up early on Saturday, and you'll have your toes in the sand by 10:00 am. Enjoy a full day at the beach and be home by dinner.

Here are three beaches that are a two-hour drive or less from the Triangle area:

Relax On Topsail Island

The first thing you need to know is "Topsail" is pronounced "Tops'l." That's about the only thing that's particular about this laid-back area. Located just north of Wilmington, Topsail Island is an easy drive down I-40.

Once you're there, you'll find…

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Best Ice Cream Shops In The Triangle

The Triangle offers some of the best ice cream shops in North Carolina, and anyone willing to take a little drive can enjoy a cool treat.

It may seem surprising to visitors, but the Triangle takes its ice cream very seriously, and there are some off-the-beaten path ice cream shops that are sure to delight the most discerning palates.

Here are four places that are definitely worth a visit:

Sunni Sky's, Angier

Straight south of Raleigh, just outside of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it  Angier, is Sunni Sky's, a premier destination for the ice cream enthusiast. The fact that it stands by itself along Highway 55,  practically in the middle of nowhere, only adds to the allure.

Once inside visitors will find more than 100 flavors to choose  from,…

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The 3 Best Beer Festivals in the Triangle, NC

The Triangle boasts a wide range of breweries and craft beer styles, and beer enthusiasts can sample many of them at the area's three best beer festivals.

A couple weeks ago, local beer blogger Kyle Rubeling offered some of the can't-miss breweries in the Triangle. But if you want to try them all at once (and you have a designated driver), a beer festival is the way to do it.

Here are the Triangle's three beer festivals, when and where they are, and what you can expect to see (and taste) at each.

World Beer Festival - Raleigh and Durham

This is actually two beer festivals, as the the World Beer Fest takes place in the spring in Raleigh and in the fall in Durham. Both festivals are a favorite among casual beer drinkers and beer enthusiasts…

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Four Can’t-Miss Breweries in the Triangle

The Triangle is a beer-lover’s paradise. With dozens of breweries in the area, and new ones popping up all the time, the area is experiencing a craft-beer renaissance. But what are the can’t-miss breweries in the Triangle?

We asked Kyle Rubeling, an area beer enthusiast who blogs about North Carolina brews, to tell us the four breweries visitors and residents alike should be sure to visit. Here are his recommendations:

Fullsteam in Durham

Visitors to Durham will want to pay a visit to Fullsteam. The brewery’s mission is to put some South in your mouth, creating beer that “celebrates the culinary and agricultural heritage of the South.”

To do this, they buy ingredients from southern farmers when possible. The result is beers like their…

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6 Must-Try Restaurants In The Triangle Area

When you are looking for a great place to eat in the Triangle, it may be difficult to decide where to go to first. For an area its size, the Triangle boasts a great variety of fine dining establishments, and the number is growing due to the many foodies in the area. Southern Living magazine has even called Durham the "South’s Tastiest Town".

Here are some restaurants you want to be sure to try:

The Fearrington House Restaurant

This restaurant should not be overlooked for its fine food and luxurious style. It is located south of Chapel Hill in the The Fearrington House Inn hotel, and is the only 5-star Green Certified restaurant in the U.S. It is also heralded as one of the top 100 restaurants in the country. They grow their own food on the…

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Experience Cary & Raleigh's Fun Arts & Culture Venues

Raleigh and Cary both embrace the arts, playing host to numerous events including festivals and performing arts shows that take place each year.  

In fact, in Raleigh alone as much as 150 million dollars a year is generated from cultural events and festivals that are hosted in the city. Whether you’re interested in a family outing or finding a hot spot to hang out with your group friends, there is something for everyone.

The Ten Year Arts Plan in Raleigh

The Ten Year “Creative Life" Arts Plan is a master plan that was developed to strengthen the presence of culture and arts in Raleigh. This plan is largely shaped by the community to provide citizens an opportunity to experiment and create. The Creative Life Arts Plan was formulated to meet…

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The 3 Best Pumpkin Patches In The Triangle Area

Pumpkin carving is one of the most cherished Halloween traditions, but going out to the farm, picking the perfect pumpkins, and sharing in some good old family fun is how great family memories are truly created. Lucky for residents of the Triangle, there are a number of family-owned farms in the area that offer plenty of wholesome fun and fantastic pumpkins too!

Here’s your guide to some spooktacular family fun this Fall in the Triangle.

McKee’s Cedar Creek Farm in Rougemont

Located about 25 minutes north of Durham, McKee’s Cedar Creek Farm has been a Triangle family favorite for generations. Every Fall, the farm creates a unique pattern in their 12-acre corn maze to challenge and impress their visitors. For little adventurers, they also…

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Retiring in The Triangle: Spending Your Golden Years In Durham, Cary, & Chapel Hill

When you think of places to retire, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, also known as the The Research Triangle, might not come to mind first, but more and more seniors are calling it home.

One of the first concerns seniors have when choosing a place to retire is access to healthcare, and the “Triangle” has some of the best in the country. The University of North Carolina and Duke University both offer nationally renowned facilities, including programs for the aging. Find out more about medical facilities in the Triangle area.

While healthcare is important, the Triangle offers amenities and attractions that contribute to a high quality of life. Whether it’s food, culture, or outdoor living, the Triangle has something for everyone.

Food

While…

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7 Best Barbecue Stops In Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh

Barbecue in the Triangle: There’s nothing better!

Just saying 'barbecue' in this part of the country will get your mouth watering. If you love barbecue, there are so many incredible places preparing it that it's easy to think you've died and gone to hog heaven.

The first choice you need to make is the kind of barbecue you want. You see, in North Carolina, there are two types of barbecue that compete for your love and attention: eastern style and western (also called Lexington or Piedmont style).

Chapel Hill is the dividing line between the two styles of barbecue in the Triangle area. East of Chapel Hill you will find Eastern-style barbecue. Western style barbecue is found west of Chapel Hill. Both styles are known for great, slow-cooked…

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Triangle Area Food Trucks - Everything A Foodie Could Want, On Wheels!

If you've been living in a cave for the last 30 years, the phrase “food truck” might conjure up images of a sandwich truck at a construction site or a truck serving greasy fast food on a college campus. Once called roach coaches, food trucks have grown up. Today's food truck are nothing like their ancestors.

There are about 150 food trucks in the Triangle area, offering a huge variety of foods. Most trucks specialize in certain foods just like restaurants do. What do the food trucks offer? Several types of BBQ, hot dogs, hamburgers, gourmet grilled cheese, cheesesteaks, gourmet sliders, deli meats, pizza, Maine lobster, tacos, sandwiches, dumplings, meatballs, and more. There are also trucks specializing in sweets such as cupcakes and cookies,…

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