There’s a hum to Cabarrus County — part horsepower, part heritage. Explore a landscape where racing legends, historic spaces and local flavor all share the same road.

The NC native and artist loves Wilkesboro for its close-knit community and commitment to arts and culture. And through her art she gives a great life lesson: not everything needs to be perfect for it to be beautiful.

As its name implies, North Carolina’s High Country offers plenty of opportunities for some fantastic mountain biking. If you’re looking for adventure, visit Beech Mountain, located just outside Banner Elk; Sugar Mountain, which is about 10 miles south of Beech; or Rocky Knob Park, situated just east of Boone.

This area draws anglers for some of the finest year-round inshore fishing on the East Coast, from Cape Lookout to Emerald Isle.

The North Carolina coastline stretches out into the Atlantic Ocean, making catching the big one in the Gulf Stream closer and easier than ever.

The roads in and through the Great Smoky Mountains feature all the elements that make for a great motorcycle tour: spectacular vistas, uncrowded roads, sweeping curves and an abundance of roadside attractions.

Morrow Mountain State Park in Stanly County is one of the highest points in North Carolina’s Piedmont region. Whether you’re hiking, horseback riding, camping, paddling, fishing, swimming or simply taking in the view, this park offers a rare mix of highland beauty and accessible outdoor experiences, all just an hour from Charlotte.

For a unique, off-the-grid outdoor experience, Roanoke River Platform Camping offers campsites that fully immerse you in the wild beauty of Eastern North Carolina, including some paddle-in-only sites. Along the Lower Roanoke section, you’ll find platforms built above quiet waters and swamplands, ideal for those seeking solitude, wildlife sightings and star-filled skies.

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, situated on the Albemarle Peninsula in Eastern NC, is a haven for wildlife and one of the last strongholds of endangered red wolves. Established in 1984 to preserve rare pocosin wetlands — peat-rich ecosystems with unique, shrubby vegetation — the refuge also boasts swamp forests, marshes and an incredible diversity of wildlife. Black bears, river otters and wintering waterfowl thrive in this 152,000-acre sanctuary.

The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail winds through Western North Carolina, tracing the route of Patriot militia who crossed the rugged Blue Ridge in 1780 on their way to a decisive victory at Kings Mountain. This stretch of trail not only honors the march that changed the course of the Revolutionary War, it invites modern travelers to walk through the same passes, forests and foothills that tested those original Overmountain men.