Image
Image
America250 Commemorations Zoom in on Firsts, ‘Outlander’ Author
Diana Gabaldon, whose popular “Outlander” novels and Starz series unfold across North Carolina, will join the inaugural NC First in Freedom Festival, a hallmark America250 event that takes place Feb. 21-28 in southeastern NC. The event commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, the first significant Patriot victory with the defeat of Scottish Highlanders in the “Lexington and Concord of the South.” “An Evening With Diana Gabaldon,” complete with conversation and a backstage meet-and-greet, takes place Feb. 27, the eve of the battle re-enactment in Currie. Gabaldon will also join a guided battlefield tour before the re-enactment. In April, Halifax State Historic Site will mark the 250th anniversary of the Halifax Resolves, which made North Carolina the first colony to call for independence. The weekend of April 10-12 will include living history, tours, a military encampment, and small arms and artillery firing. Track more events at America250.nc.gov.
Image
47 NC Restaurants Featured in MICHELIN Guide American South
Charlotte’s Counter- tops the list of NC restaurants recognized in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide American South, which was unveiled Nov. 3. In addition to the star rating for Counter-, Colleen Hughes of Charlotte’s Supperland received a Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award, and Counter- and Asheville’s Luminosa earned Green Stars for their inspiring visions. Luminosa also received a Bib Gourmand designation for good food and good value as did Mala Pata and Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh; Prime Barbecue in Knightdale; Little Chango and Mother in Asheville; and Lang Van in Charlotte. Find an interactive map with all 47 restaurants and descriptions at VisitNC.com. The Guide covers Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Atlanta as well as North Carolina.
Image
Trolls Take Up Residence in NC Cities
Raleigh, High Point and Charlotte have become the forever home of the largest North American collection of Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo’s celebrated troll sculptures with the creation of seven outsize figures. An additional dozen, a collection dubbed “Trolls: A Field Study,” have made their North American debut in Asheville with a residency at the NC Arboretum through Feb. 17. At Raleigh’s Dix Park, the awakening began with five trolls crafted from natural and reclaimed materials that are connected via storyline to one each in High Point and Charlotte, which come with a quest to find The Grandmother Tree. The NC seven join more than 150 other Thomas Dambo sculptures that have transformed public spaces, forests and greenways across five continents and attracted a devoted following that pursues the artist’s global Trollmap.
Image
Trail Town Guide Expands to 23 Destinations
Forests and rivers meet sidewalks and greenways in Visit NC’s Official North Carolina Trail Town Guide, a collection of pathways for adventure-loving travelers and culture seekers exploring the Great Trails State. Created in 2024 through the Outdoor NC initiative, the guide has grown to include Beech Mountain, Hendersonville, Greensboro and other program partners along with such original Trail Towns as Highlands, Southern Pines and Nags Head. While inspiring outdoor lovers on places to hike, bike, paddle and climb, the guide also connects travelers to history and heritage, golf and fly fishing, night skies, public art and traditional crafts. Trip tips from local experts, details about accessibility and reminders about stewardship add more value to the guide. It’s available for download at NCTrailTownGuide.com.
Image
Catawba Nation Casino Resort Rises at Kings Mountain
The first phase of the Catawba Indian Nation’s $1 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino is on track to open in March in Kings Mountain. The initial development will feature more than 1,300 slot machines, 22 table games and sports betting kiosks plus a 40-seat restaurant and bar. When completed in 2027, the 16-acre complex will include more than 2 million square feet with a 24-story, 385-room hotel. In 2021, the tribe opened a temporary casino space. The resort's name pays tribute to 18th-century Catawba Chief King Hagler and the city of Kings Mountain, which is off Interstate 85 west of Charlotte.
Image
Charlotte Takes Lead Role as ‘Top Chef’ Location
Competition heats up in the Queen City with Bravo's production of Season 23 of "Top Chef" centered in “the emerging and diverse culinary hub of Charlotte” with episodes also shot in Greenville, SC. Kristen Kish, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons have tasted and deliberated about who will be crowned when the series airs starting in March. Several NC-based chefs have competed in the series, among them Jamie Lynch (Church & Union and La Belle Helene, Charlotte), Keith Rhodes (Catch, Wilmington), Ashleigh Shanti (Good Hot Fish, Asheville), Savannah Miller (M Tempura, Durham) and Katsuji Tanabe (Flour & Barrel, Raleigh, and the soon-to-open High Horse, Durham). Guest judges have included Raleigh's Ashley Christensen, a James Beard Outstanding Chef (Poole's Diner, Death & Taxes, Beasley's Chicken & Honey).
Image
NC Zoo Adds Asia to Its Continental Lineup of Displays
The North Carolina Zoo, the world's largest natural habitat zoo, adds a third continent to its realm with an 8-acre Asia exhibit, targeted for a summer 2026 opening. Tigers, red pandas, Komodo dragons and Chinese alligators are among the species expected to occupy the space, which will also include a glass-walled restaurant overlooking the tiger habitat and an overhead tiger walk. With 500 developed acres, the Asheboro zoo currently features Africa and North America displays plus desert habitat and an aviary with exotic birds and tropical plants. Visitors can opt to stroll 5 miles of trails through the main property or take a free tram to explore the wonders.
Image
Carolina Museum of the Marine to Rises in Jacksonville
Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville will welcome a new signature attraction in spring 2026 with the opening of the Carolina Museum of the Marine. Paying tribute to North and South Carolina Marines and Sailors, the 25,000-square-foot museum promises to inspire visitors with artifacts, personal stories and immersive Marine history. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was established on May 1, 1941, as an amphibious training facility. Paths through the 5-acre Lejeune Memorial Gardens lead to the Beirut Memorial, the Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Montford Point Marine Memorial and the 9/11 Memorial Beam from the World Trade Center.
Image
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Expected to Reopen by Summer
Climbers can plan on scaling the nation’s tallest traditional lighthouse with the expected completion of a major restoration that began in late 2023. Rising 198.49 feet, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton will boast a newly crafted replica of its original first-order Fresnel lens, repairs to deteriorated masonry, restoration of the lantern and marble flooring, and a fresh paint job. Landscape improvements include improved walkways and interpretative features, including restoration of the stones etched with the names of lighthouse keepers. The date for reopening for the 257-stair climb is TBD.
Image
Tryon Foothills Recognized as NC's 7th Viticultural Area
Wineries and vineyards in a 176-square-mile area of southwestern NC have claimed a new appellation, the state's seventh. Tryon Foothills American Viticultural Area, approved in September by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, encompasses four wineries and five commercial vineyards in a scenic stretch in the Blue Ridge Foothills. The region is distinguished by the thermal belt climatic phenomenon in which warm air lingers on the slopes while cooler air drains to the valleys below to create an unusually stable environment for grape growing. The new AVA joins Yadkin Valley, Swan Creek, Haw River Valley, Upper Hiwassee Highlands, Appalachian High Country and Crest of the Blue Ridge Henderson County on the NC wine landscape.