America 250 Commemorations Zoom in on Journeys to Independence
North Carolina, the first colony to officially sanction independence, invites travelers to explore places with resonant history and personal stories along the path to freedom. From re-enactments and historic site tours to performances and outdoor recreation, America 250 activities connect seekers with more than facts and figures. A handful of highlights: Prelude to Revolution — Halifax Resolves Days (April 10-12) in Halifax commemorates the adoption of NC's call for independence. Tryon Palace in New Bern showcases the past with a robust calendar of tours, exhibits and presentations. NC Trail Days (June 4-6 in Elkin) includes hiking on the Overmountain National Historic Trail and other treks that speak to natural and human history. Outdoor dramas — "The Lost Colony" (June 4-Aug. 22 in in Manteo), "Horn in the West" (June 26-Aug. 8 in Boone) and "Unto These Hills" (May 30-Aug. 22 in Cherokee) — bring history to life under the stars. For more possibilities, try a filtered search of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resource's comprehensive calendar.
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.
NC's Soccer Star Rises with FIFA World Cup, All-Star Game
Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Greensboro are poised to draw the interest of international soccer fans this summer as the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds. The Charlotte Football Club's Atrium Health Performance Park will serve as the training site for the Scotland national team with lodging at the Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark. Bank of America Stadium, the club's home field, will host the May 31 Allstate Continental Clásico, a pre-Cup exhibition match between the US Men's National Team and the powerhouse Senegal National Team. And on July 29, the stadium will host national Men's Soccer League All-Star Game. In 2025, the stadium was the site for four FIFA Club World Cup matches. In Winston-Salem, Germany's national team will set up at Wake Forest University with training at W. Dennie Spry Soccer Stadium and lodging at Graylyn Estate. Norway's national team will be based in Greensboro with training at UNC-Greensboro's soccer-only facility and lodging at the Grandover Resort & Spa. The 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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.
New Gateway to Enhance the Duke Gardens Experience
Sarah P. Duke Gardens, one of the nation’s premier public gardens, will enrich the experience with its new Garden Gateway. Scheduled for completion in April, the project will feature a new welcome center with a café, lobby, gallery space, outdoor plaza and upgraded restroom amenities. The project also includes enhanced learning and event facilities, a more accessible entrance and expanded green spaces for events. The 55-acre site on Duke University’s West Campus is celebrated for its original Terraces, the H.L. Bloomquist Garden of Native Plants, the W.L. Culberson Asiatic Arboretum with its iconic red bridge, and the Doris Duke Center Gardens.
Carolina Museum of the Marine Sets June 8 Opening
Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville will welcome a new signature attraction with the June 8 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.
'Luminere' Enhances the Biltmore Experience With Light, Sound, Stories
Biltmore adds an extra glow with “Luminere,” a light, imagery and sound experience that unfolds as day turns to dusk on the Asheville estate. Made in collaboration with the experiential design studio Klip Collective, “Luminere” reimagines the façade of the 250-room Biltmore House and the estate’s renowned gardens as a dreamscape of color, motion, sound and storytelling. On select evenings, guests embark on a self-guided journey through outdoor settings. With a series of projections on the front of George W. Vanderbilt’s mansion, milestones in the 8,000-acre estate’s history come to life. Scenes inspired by Biltmore’s architecture, landscapes and legacy are set to an original score by Julian Grefe. Artisan picnics on the grounds, craft beverages served in the garden and curated menus in estate restaurants enhance the experience. “Luminere” runs March 26-Oct. 18.
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. 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.
Kids Clubhouse to Open at Grandfather Mountain
Children visiting Grandfather Mountain this spring can add fun and learning at the new Yonni's Clubhouse, which opens in April. Geared to ages 5 to 12, Yonni's will bring the outside in and the inside out with interactive stations on pollinators, climate and weather, ecosystems and other topics. Microscopes, built-in habitats, a crafts area and a mist table will be among the features. Grandfather Mountain, famous for trails, animal habitats and the Mile High Swinging Bridge, is recognized as a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve. Yonni's takes its name from the Junior Naturalist Program's cartoon mascot, a Yonahlossee salamander first collected at Grandfather Mountain in 1917.