North Carolina: Our Home State

I was born and raised in North Carolina. Four out of five of the Clarks were born here. So, naturally this is the first state we are checking off of our list. So let's take a look at North Carolina. What is it known for? What is there to be seen here?

Let's start with possible bucket list checks that can be achieved here.

• Climb to the top of a lighthouse
• North Carolina boasts 300 miles of beautiful sandy beaches. Sporadically situated along the coast, you will find 6 lighthouses. The tallest lighthouse in North Carolina is Cape Hatteras. This one will be added to our bucket list for sure. I have visited the outer banks before but have yet to visit any light houses. Take your bucket list a step further and visit all 6 light houses.
• Visit the largest house in America
• In the mountains of North Carolina, nestled in hills of Asheville, sits the largest house in America. This place is truly spectacular. We have already checked this item off of our bucket list. 
• Visit an underground gold mine
• Reed Gold Mine is the only underground gold mine in the area. It is the site of the first documented gold find. We have yet to check this one off our list.
• Visit a transportation museum
• The North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer is just a short drive from our house. As a child, I remember how excited I was to go there on class field trips. Thomas the Train visits this museum every year in September. 
• Explore former pirate stomping grounds
• Visit historic Bath out on the coast. This town was home to the pirate Black Beard. His sunken ship, Queen Anne's Revenge is still submerged in the ocean near Bath. You can even scuba dive to see the remains of it. This would be a great addition to a bucket list, especially for pirate lovers. Arr!
• Visit Mayberry
• Mount Airy, NC is the site where Andy Griffith was filmed. It is a beautiful town located in the North Carolina Mountains. 
• See where the first flight took place
• Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright made their first successful flight in Kitty Hawk. There is a memorial dedicated to the Wright Brothers here. This one is a must see.


• Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

• You will not be disappointed by the views you will see on the parkway. The drive is especially beautiful in the fall. 


• Stand behind a waterfall
• Transylvania County is known as the land of waterfalls. There are 250 known waterfalls across the county. Visit Dry Falls and follow the trail and it will lead you right behind the falls.
• Ride on a natural rock waterslide
• In the Pisgah National Forest, there is a naturally occurring water slide. How cool is that? It moves fast, so be prepared. A lifeguard is on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

I hope I helped you come up with a few more ideas for your bucket list. This is only a small list of what is available to do in North Carolina. I encourage you to do some research on your own to prepare for a trip here. I would be happy to answer any questions you have or give you some tips on what to do in NC. It truly is a beautiful state, with ocean views and mountain views. There aren't many states that have both!