Transportation from Airport to Rock Hill, SC

Other than renting a car, what is the best option for transportation from Charlotte Douglass Airport to ROCK HILL South Carolina?

Is there any type of flat fee shuttle? or is Taxi the only other way?

thanks

Transportation from Airport to Rock Hill, SC

If there is a shuttle I%26#39;ve never seen it or heard about it. I would think if there is one, it would not be cheaper than just renting a car. Taxi would be frightfully expensive! Car rental is probably the only way. Best wishes.

Transportation from Airport to Rock Hill, SC

Cabs are going to cost and arm and a leg, they really gouge at the airport. You could try and call someone in the yellow pages under Transportation to see how much they charge. I know my estimate was about $60-80 from South Charlotte to the Airport, would think it would be similar if not higher to Rock Hill. Rentals will run from $30-50 a day, is going to be a cheaper route.

Super Shuttle- we need you!

Things to do in Duck

We have 3 children under 10 and are thinking about a condo rental in Duck this summer. Since we are not going w/any other families, what types of activities/Big grocery stores/movies/family-friendly restaurants, etc are available not only for food, but in case the weather is less than desirable during our stay. Would anyone recommend any other area over Duck like Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills for families? Would appreciate any feedback before we make a decision. Thanks!

Things to do in Duck

We have been vacationing in Duck for 20 yrs and love it! Have been to a few other areas in the outer banks and my family always goes back to Duck. Duck has a lot more communities and housing developments, which may be good for kids to ride bikes. There are lots of shops and restaurants in Duck (very family friendly). You can always do day trips to Corolla (very neat lighthouses and wild horses) and to Nags Head (where there are movie theaters and mini-golf)and outlets..not a bad drive, only about 20 minutes. The only Grocery store chains you will find in the OBX is Food Lion, with a Walmart as you enter into the area. The only thing about Duck is that the traffic can be heavy during the peak times...look at a detailed map though; you can usually come up with some shortcuts :) Enjoy!

Things to do in Duck

You can take a trip to Manteo (about 20-30 min. away) to see the NC Aquarium, which is small but very nice. The kids will like it. Kitty Hawk has the Wright Brothers museum, Kill Devil Hills has Jockey%26#39;s Ridge which is a giant sand dune you can climb. There is a bowling alley and movie theater in the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills area.

As far as chain grocery stores there is a Harris Teeter I want to say in the Kill Devil Hills area, and Foodlions scattered all about.

I consider all towns in OBX to be great areas for the entire family, just depends on what you are looking for. Duck is a little more quaint/quiet, whereas Kill Devil Hills/Nags Head is a lot busier, and has more variety on things to do. Such as mini golf, go karts, the movie theater, etc. It all depends on what you are looking for.

I would leave more time for driving in the summer than posted above. From Duck to the aquarium, I would leave a good 45 minutes, and it could easily be an hour drive if there is traffic. The Wright Bros memorial in Kill Devil Hills is nice, and it%26#39;s a good walk up to monument with beautiful ocean and sound views. Jockeys Ridge in Nags Head is also a fun walk, and if you feel adventurous, you can learn to hang glide there! Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head will offer lots of restaurants, shopping, the larger movie theater, go carts, golf, and bowling. For grocery stores, Food Lions are located in Southern Shores, Corolla, KDH, and Nags Head. There is also a Harris Teeter in Corolla and one in KDH. If you have bad weather, one great place to go is at milepost 6 in KDH called Front Porch Cafe. The cafe part in the front is a nice coffee shop with some specialty drinks for the kids. Also located there, and part of the coffee shop, is Glazin%26#39; Gonuts where you paint your own pottery, and The Garden of beadin%26#39; where you can make your own jewelery. It%26#39;s a great place for kids as there is a really wide variety of things to paint, and a wide selection of beads, too. It%26#39;s also nice beacuse the cafe part gives adults a place to get a good cup of coffee, and relax a little. If you go there towards the end of your vacation, they will mail the pottery to you after is has been fired, if needed.

For places to eat, Duck will offer just about everything, but fast food...Red Sky and Coastal Provisions have good sandwiches, and there are lots of places around the Scarborough fare shopping area for a quick bite like pizza, etc. Try Duck Donuts one morning, but be careful, you%26#39;ll be hooked! They make their donuts fresh, and they%26#39;re still warm when you get the box.....very dangerous, but ohhhh so worth it!!

I think you will like the Duck area. It%26#39;s really pretty, and less crowded than the KDH and Nags Head areas.

best mexican food?

I live in wrightsville beach and love mexican food.. the best i have found in the area is el zarape%26#39;s at carolina beach.. any suggestions for great mexican in wilmington?? thank you in advance for your suggestions.

best mexican food?

I%26#39;m a fan of el Chile Verde. The decor is nothing to write home about, but they are yummy. They also have a buffet for lunch if you like that sort of thing. They are located in the Monkey Junction area:

5552 Carolina Beach Rd

Wilmington, NC 28412

910-452-3854

best mexican food?

thanks for the info, have never heard of the place.. I look forward to trying it out..

Tower 7 and K-38 are really good Tex mex. Tower 7 is on Wrightsville. I like El Cerro Grande on College in the same shopping center as Lowe%26#39;s foods.

I%26#39;ll 2nd K-38 and Tower 7. I%26#39;d eat there before I went to any of the ';traditional'; mexican food places.

guys trip labor day weekend

We%26#39;ve got a group of 8 guys (all in our 30s) that take a guys trip every Labor Day weekend. This year we were thinking of heading to Wrightsville Beach, NC. We%26#39;d like to stay in a beach house and just chill on the beach during the day (sipping beers along the way of course) and then head out at night and have some places to go that are laid back, but also not too dead. In other words, not dance places, just places where we can kick back and have a few drinks while people watching and maybe meeting some women along the way. Is Wrightsville Beach the place for us? If not, any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help!

guys trip labor day weekend

Wrightsville Beach would be a good pick. A few good bars on/near Wrightsville but also a cab ride takes you downtown. Downtown full of bars. I strongly suggest a cab ride if you%26#39;ve been drinking. Traffic stops going on/coming off the island are notorious.

Near Wrightsville, I would suggest The Dirty Martini and Fibber McGee%26#39;s. Dirty Martini popular with young professionals. Fibber%26#39;s is similiar crowd but more of a sports bar. Sunday afternoon, check out the bar at Dockside Restaurant. It will be packed with people if the weather is nice. It%26#39;s right on the water, lots of locals, and you can watch the boats go by. Personally, I like the bars at Bluewater restaurant. Nice atmosphere plus good food.

If you golf, there are many options in the area. For beach house listings, try a search using this link http://www.bryantre.com/book/query.html or this one www.intracoastalrentals.com/book/query.html.

Good luck and have fun!

What part of town to Stay in and Where?

We are taking a girls trip in April, leaving husband and kids at home. Yeah! We love to shop and eat! I understand that Asheville has lots of shops and artsy stuff. Would you recommend staying in Downtown, is there enough to do, is it an easy walking town? Would love to hear any recommendations? Thanks

What part of town to Stay in and Where?

If you want to shop, stay downtown. We like the Renaissance. It%26#39;s within walking distance to everything. You will LOVE Tops shoes: a 3-story shoe store covering half a city block! :P

www.topsforshoes.com

What part of town to Stay in and Where?

I would 2nd the recommendation for staying at the Renaissance. Higher end would be the Haywood Park Hotel. Downtown is easy walking but we do have several uphills. check out mountainxpress.com for entertainment calendar and chowhound.com for restaurant recommendations.

Spa treatments at Sensibilities....wine tastings....great chocolate at Chocolate Fetish or the Chocolate Lounge...

There are a several downtown hotels, but in Asheville we love to support our small local business people. Try the Princess Anne instead of the Renaissance which is quite high end. The PA is a historic building and you%26#39;ll love it. Many women like the B%26amp;Bs in the Montford area which is also close to downtown. There are a lot of them to pick from. Thankfully, there are not any big stores or chains in downtown Asheville. Instead you will find small boutiques and one of kind of places. Lexington Avenues has several blocks of cool stores. As for lunch, save your appetite for Salsas which is just off Pack Square. And for dinner you and the girls may like Bouchon, a French restaurant. You can walk all over downtown it%26#39;s quite small and very safe.

Thanks for all the tips. We have booked a couple of rooms at a B %26amp; B called Abbington Green in the Monfort area. It looks nice and has some good reviews. Not sure how far it is from downtown. Does anyone know if you can walk to town from there?

None of us has been to the Grove Park Inn, is it worth going for dinner, or would just a cocktail be the enough. I see they have a piano bar...any comments about that, we don%26#39;t want a pick up type place but somewhere that would be fun in the evening.

Suggestions welcome..Thanks

Yes, technically can walk from Montford to downtown. It is about a mile. You will walk down Montford Avenue and pass some interesting older homes and near downtown cross a highway bridge. That said, I recommend you save your feet for the more interesting stuff downtown. There are very reasonably priced parking garages downtown where you can leave your car. Don%26#39;t park on the street unless you have a lot of quarters and are willing to feed the meter often. They do give parking tickets--even on the weekends. The B%26amp;B looks nice from the outside; I have not been in that one. These Asheville places are high caliber; they need your repeat bookings and work hard to make the guests happy.

Now, the Grove Park...I have eaten in almost all their several restaurants. In fact, had brunch in the ';famous'; Blue Ridge Room on Sunday. The hotel is something you may want to see, if you are interested in Arts and Crafts architecture and a beautiful view of the mts., but if you are looking for good food you will be much happier at one of the many independent restaurants in town. If you tell me what kind of food you like, I can give my suggestions. Some people like to restaurent hop: go to one place for a drink, another for an appetizer, another for entree, and someplace wonderful like Old Europe for dessert.

For shopping: definitely visit the Grove Arcade which is a beautiful historic building. For artwork (a lot very affordable) go to Woolworth Walk, too.

I have not gone to the piano bar at the GPI, but a friend went and was disappointed. You may want to take a guided walking tour of downtown called the Urban Trail. The leaders are excellent.

Yes, definitely have a drink on the deck (at sunset) at the GPI. That is an experience...

chap balm

What's going on week of April 7?

I%26#39;m planning to come to Greensboro with my son for a couple days the week of April 7th to look at some schools in the area. I%26#39;m finding many hotels are booked for that time. Is there something big going

on in the area that week that I should be aware of?

Thanks

What's going on week of April 7?

Yes. The High Point Furniture Market is April 7-13.

Beacon Motor Lodge vs. Surfside Hotel

My family is visiting late June. Our visit will be about 5 days. I%26#39;m looking at these 2 places. Anyone have experience with either place? Is one better than the other? My family includes myself, hubby and son who will be 17 months old at the time.Thanks for your help!

Beacon Motor Lodge vs. Surfside Hotel

Surfside Hotel is the only place I stay when in Nags Head, great location most rooms face the water, I have always been happy there, Plenty of places to eat close by, Can%26#39;t help you with the other but I%26#39;m sure you will like Surfside .

Beacon Motor Lodge vs. Surfside Hotel

Thanks fish! I appreciate your feedback!It is so helpful to hear from someone who has stayed there.

Surfside is a bit more expensive; that%26#39;s why I%26#39;m interested in hearing what others have to say about the Beacon.

Need help finding a beach rental... But.....

I can%26#39;t remember the name!!! Or, for that matter, which beach it was on.....

It had ';Raven'; in the name, and had something to do with a current or former member of the Baltimore Ravens. I want to say it was on either, OIB, EIB, or Topsail....or relatively close...

I%26#39;ve googled until I can%26#39;t google anymore, but I can%26#39;t seem to find it again. One day and didn%26#39;t bookmark it, but it looked perfect for our group!!

Anyone have any ideas? I%26#39;d like to thank you for your help in advnace. PLEASE!!!

Need help finding a beach rental... But.....

Well there%26#39;s a place called Raven%26#39;s Nest in Ocean Isle.

Maybe someone would recognize the area if you pointed out what it was that made the house perfect. A golf course? A beach or harbor or near something.

Need help finding a beach rental... But.....

The house is called Raven%26#39;s Nest and can be rented through Treasure Realty on Topsail Island in North Carolina.

treasurerealty.com/rentals/rentalindex.htm

Hope that helps!

Tootsie,

That%26#39;s the place!! Not how I found it in the first place, so I%26#39;m pretty sure I never would have found it again.

Thank you so much!!

Driving Through - Anything worth seeing in NC??

Hi, we plan to drive through NC on the way to Florida and as Aussies we don%26#39;t really know much about NC or SC so wondering if there is anything that we absolutely have to see? We have kids 10 and 7 so any advice would be great? Or should we just drive through and stop in Georgia??

Anything at all that stands out, whether it%26#39;s nature, historical? Something that we would regret not seeing.

Driving Through - Anything worth seeing in NC??

LOL nice. No, nothing worth seeing. Actually you may want to drive around NC, and not even cross the borders. :P

Driving Through - Anything worth seeing in NC??

I would skip driving to Florida and spend my vacation in North and South Carolina.

I am really sorry, wasn%26#39;t meant as an insult in any way. I just meant that in Australia we don%26#39;t hear much regarding these states and I wanted to know what locals would recommend. Really wasn%26#39;t meant to insult anyone at all.

The reason we are driving from NY is to see as much of the USA as possible without spending all the time at airports. I see how the wording might have come acroos as being rude. Once again I appologize to all of NC and anyone that has taken offence.

I have looked on the internet but sometimes it is hard to decide on what stands out in each state. Places like Georgia and FLorida get much more publicity.

If you will post your route, we%26#39;ll be happy to let you know of any worthwhile stops. Best wishes.

FYI: Also - just to let you know...Myrtle Beach, SC is the #2 tourist destination in all of the USA ( Orlando is first). Additionally, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park ( and Blue Ridge Parkway) in western NC is the top most visited National Park in the country.

Wow, there is a lot to see. I%26#39;d recommend the Great Smokey Mountains. After visiting Gatlinburg,drive through the park to Cherokee, NC. If you have time, take a trip on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad, then head to the Biltmore. Also, visit Charleston, SC. What a fun trip that would be! Welcome to the USA and enjoy our beautiful world!

Depends a lot on your route and time of year of your travels. North Carolina - A drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, wine country in the Yadkin Valley, North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro). South Carolina - Grand Strande (Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle, Garden City/Surfside), Charleston, Beaufort.

www.visitnc.com

When my son got stationed at Ft Bragg in NC, I found this website very helpful.

Hint if they take out my link just google nc tourism.

Enjoy your visit to the beautiful USA! Hopefully I%26#39;ll get to Australia.

If you%26#39;re traveling down I-95 you should, at the very least, stop for some Eastern NC barbecue.

The Sanderling Resort

Want to come to Nags Head in May for 2 nights.

I have been there before, years ago and stayed at a friends house.

I usually stay at Marriott%26#39;s, so I was wondering about the Sanderling Resort.

Can anyone help with my decision.???

Thanks.

The Sanderling Resort

It%26#39;s rather pricey and not very close to Nags Head But have heard it is a very nice place.

The Sanderling Resort

Do you know anything about the new Hilton?

That is probably where we will stay and can we ride our bicycles around that area too?

What to do in Raleigh?

We are going to be in Raleigh for a weekend coming up soon. Most of the morning on Saturday I%26#39;ll be taking a certification exam, but we are looking for ';must do%26#39;s'; for the rest of the day/evening. Any restaurant recs? We are staying in the Cameron Park area on saturday evening.

Thanks!

What to do in Raleigh?

Well, there%26#39;s the typical things that people come to the Capital City to do. See the State Capital, Governor%26#39;s Mansion, etc. Maybe visit the state museums of Art, Science or History. Or see a movie at the downtown IMAX. Perhaps a show/concert at Memorial Auditorium. Maybe go dancing at a nightclub or see some live jazz at a bar downtown. Sounds like you%26#39;ll be very very close to all of that.

Downtownraleigh.org and downtownraleigh.com will be good sites to find info on those.

Some good restaurants in that area: Bistro 607, Irregardless Cafe, The Globe, Frazier%26#39;s, Porter%26#39;s, Riviera, The Pit, Humble Pie, Sushi Blues, Zely %26amp; Ritz, 18 Seaboard, J Betski%26#39;s, Duck %26amp; Dumpling, Cafe Luna, Tony%26#39;s Italian Cafe, Yancey%26#39;s, 42nd Street Oyster Bar. And many more.

chap balm

airfare & car rental

Whats the closest airport to the Outer Banks on a flight from Pittsburgh? Any recommendations for best fares and rental rates?? Thanks in advance...........dan

airfare %26amp; car rental

Check Raleigh and Norfolk for the flights. I always do Expedia.com and then go to the airline sites after seeing the schedules. Best wishes.

airfare %26amp; car rental

Thanks for your help; it%26#39;s appreciated............

vacation rentals

Hi -- We are a family of two adults and two children looking to vacation during the summer. Looking for a week long rental with a mountain view with hot tub. Our kids are 10 and 6. My son and husband are also interested in white water rafting. Any advise would help. Thank you! Also any help on activities.

Looking in areas close to Boone, Black mountain and Blowing rocks.

Need help with where to stay for college visits

My husband, I and 2 kids (ages 15 %26amp; 11) will be flying into Raleigh/Durham visiting colleges from Wednesday, 2/20 to Saturday, 2/23. We plan to visit

Elon University, U of N.C. Chapel Hill and Duke. Do you think that it would make sense to use one hotel as a home base, or should we change hotels according to which school we are visiting? So far I%26#39;ve checked the Hampton/Burlington at $ 145.00 per night which might work for us as a central location. I could really use some recommendations as we are not familiar with the area at all! Thanks!

Need help with where to stay for college visits

From the farthest east (dook) to farthest west (Elon), there is only about a 30 mile and 30-40 minute driving distance. As a result, I believe you should just pick one hotel for your entire trip.

I would recommend you stay either in Durham or Chapel Hill rather than Burlington as you%26#39;ll have many more options. Have you looked at the Courtyard by Marriott in Chapel Hill or the Hampton Inn at I-40/Hwy 54 on the Durham/Chapel Hill border? Either of those hotels is only 5 minutes from UNC, 10-15 minutes from dook, and 30 to 40 minutes from Elon.

Need help with where to stay for college visits

That rate is excessively high! You can beat that. I always enjoy the Sheraton in Chapel Hill. Great hotel and very convenient.Best wishes.

Yeah, staying in the Chapel Hill/Durham area would be the wiser course...not too far from RDU airport, but not even an hour from Elon either.

US 15/501 corridor on the CH/Dur border area has several, which gives you good access to I-40 too.

And, as a plus, for evenings....dining, etc...you%26#39;ll find MUCH better options in Durham %26amp; Chapel Hill than you will in the Burlington/Elon area.

Ok, I%26#39;ll definately look at the areas. Any suggestions on what to do when we are not visiting colleges?

Well, there%26#39;s a nice Planetarium adjacent to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. Both UNC and Duke have nice botanical gardens too. (Duke%26#39;s especially is interesting cuz it has an Oriental garden area.) For other outdoor activities, Eno River State Park is very pleasant, too.

And Durham has a real nice Life %26amp; Science Museum that%26#39;s real popular among families...they even have live animals like foxes and such.

Both UNC and Duke have nice ';College streets'; with cafes, shops, etc that make for a nice stroll....good for people-watching and taking in the local flavor. UNC%26#39;s is Franklin Street, and Duke%26#39;s is Ninth Street.

Thanks RaleighRob! Franklin and Ninth Streets sound like something we%26#39;d really like. Let%26#39;s hope for good weather. I%26#39;m thinking that February in NC is got to be better than what we have up here in Philly this time of year.

Do you have any recommendations for restaurants? Casual is best. And any other tips would be great. This whole college visit thing is new to us. We are basically winging it so far.

And one more thing, our 11 yr. old son is a UNC and Duke nut. (yes, he likes both equally!) I guess the best places to pick up sweatshirts/hats/etc. is on the campuses, yes?

How can your 11-yr old like Carolina AND dook? Kids!

In Chapel Hill, I%26#39;d recommend walking up and down Franklin Street (which is sadly not as good as it used to be), going to the Carolina Basketball Museum (located in a building next door to the Dean Smith Center), POSSIBLY seeing a show at the planetarium (unfortunately, the planetarium is outdated and in need of major remodeling), walking along the campus, the Hanes Art Center, and the NC Arboretum. For souveniers, you should check out the UNC Student Stores on the campus or Carolina Pride, Johnny T-Shirt, and Chapel Hill Sportswear on Franklin Street.

For casual meals, I%26#39;d recommend Breadman%26#39;s or Elmo%26#39;s for breakfast all day or square meals; Pepper%26#39;s, Brixx, or Italian Pizzeria III for pizza; and Sutton%26#39;s Drug Store for burgers (and to look at all the photos inside this authentic lunch counter), and Carrburrito%26#39;s for Mexican.

In Durham, I%26#39;d recommend the Museum of Life and Science and Nasher Art Museum.

lol! I know, what does a kid from Philadelphia know about NC basketball. You gotta love him. We just have to make sure he wears the right sweatshirt on the right campus :) Oh, and by the way, much to our chagrin, he is also a huge Panthers fan!

Anyway, thanks everybody for the suggestions. I am going to make my airline/hotel reservations today. If I think of anything else, I%26#39;ll let you know.

M.

Please share your hotel review (Chapel Hill recommendations activites %26amp; food) upon your return. We have SW flights from PHL booked Mar 16 to tour UNC with my daughter who is accepted for class of 2008. No hotel selected as yet. Thank you %26amp; have a good trip!

Healer3,

Congratulations to your daughter! It looks as if we will be staying one night in Chapel Hill and one night in Burlington. I was able to get the Burlington Hampton Inn @ $120 per night and a Chapel Hill Hampton @ $90. Not horrible pricing. When you do start planning, make sure to say that you are visiting UNC to get a lower visitors%26#39; rate. Also, as a side note, Elon University has a special deal with Thrifty Car Rental. Just get the code from the Elon website under the ';visitors'; tab. We saved a bunch of money this way.

I will let you know how we make out. If for some reason I forget, just email me.

Maria

Relocating to Raleigh

Young, professional 30ish couple..relocating to Raleigh, NC..no kids...3 dogs...want to be close to ';happenings'; and would love the ability to walk to many places...

Don%26#39;t care if the house is new/old, etc...care more about the culture and the neighborhood...

Any and all suggestions of places to consider in Raleigh or surrounding areas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your ideas...

Relocating to Raleigh

You might check out the area around Cameron Village. CV has shops %26amp; restaurants and is a nice area. (Think parks and tree-lined streets, nice places to walk with the dogs.) It%26#39;s also close to Glenwood South, which is where a lot of the nightlife in downtown Raleigh is located.

Relocating to Raleigh

i hired a consultant/historian to take my husband and i around the area. we learned more in about raleigh in 6/7 hours than most people do in their lives! lol! if you want his name %26amp; number i will share, just let me know.

Revitalization project currently underway downtown is yielding many professionals to relocate down there. Pricey townhomes but as area is rebuilt, will offer many restaurants, theater, cultural activities.

If you prefer suburbs, North Raleigh is going to be your best investment. Wealthiest economic area of the county. Your price range is really going to dictate the area that you will be able to move to. I was born and raised here and can answer any of your questions and send you to the right areas...and keep you away from the bad ones.

Dave - 919.632.1760

Hi Dave, We will be visiting the Ralrigh area next week and would love to know the ares to look at as well as the areas to avoid for possible relocation.

Thanks,

Mike

Not knowing your price range, I would tell you to look at the following areas ranked in order:

1)North Raleigh (Wakefield Plantation,Falls River, Bedford)

2)Wake Forest

3)Cary

If you get here and need help, feel free to call me 919.632.1760

Good luck!

We checked out Bedford and love it. Checking out Wakefield Plantation and Amberly in a couple weeks. (relocating from Philly, young professionals, late 20%26#39;s)

What is your price range?

Boylan Heights is an excellent older neighborhood with lots of young and artsy folks. It is near downtown Raleigh and NC State University. Glenwood South is the happening nightlife area and there are lots of condos nearby as well as some cool neighborhoods on Glenwood Avenue near Peace Street. Mordecai and Oakwood are other older neighborhoods near downtown Raleigh.

Almost all of the ideas in the previous replies are not close to ';happenings'; but are rather suburbias.

Moving from NY...I have been told Garner is an up and coming area. Is this true or just a realtor trying to sell me an area?

Garner is an ';up and coming area'; but it is still considered more rural and lower income than other parts of the Triangle.

Thank you for your post. The realtor has mentioned that, but states Cary is becoming over priced, due to it being established. She ahs stated that Garner is the next Cary.

My main concern is schools and commute (assuming I will be in the RTP area). Although I am going to leave my NY hustle abd bustle attitude in NY, my family would still enjoy shops, spas, golfing, and museums. If you had to rank it..Apex, Cary, Garner, Holly Springs, enter your preference - how would you place them in order?

Again...thank you so much for your help.

harrahs during the week

We went to harrahs for sunday to weds. and things were pretty quiet. We played on the blackjack tables and won which is not usual for the tables. We had a really good time this trip. Everything was free and we even won money.

harrahs during the week

I prefer to go during the week also. Weekends are terribly crowded. We only live an hour away so its much easier for us to go for an evening.

harrahs during the week

How do you think it is mid-Friday? My friend and I will be heading over for a visit mid-day on a Friday in mid-march. Would either of you suggest anything to do other than just Harrahs? Or any restaurant in particular @ Harrah%26#39;s if we wanted to eat there?

I think that it will be very busy on a friday night.A good resturant to eat at at harrahs is the selu resturnat they have a good menu and the food is priced good. you might want to go to the indian meuseum in cherokee. it was very interesting

Thanks Okittygirl! I think we will probably arrive just after lunchtime on Friday, maybe have a late lunch at Harrah%26#39;s and then take your advice and visit the museum. Thanks again for the advice! We%26#39;ll try that restaurant as well!

BabyStace, It is interesting just to walk through the village. If you are in the area for a day or two the drive from Cherokee to Gatlingburg over the parkway is beautiful.

Selu Garden is not bad. The steak house in Harrahs is pretty good also. You may like the buffet on Friday nights-steak and seafood.

It is usually very busy on Fridays, especially as the day gets later. Friday nights can be a madhouse.

Enjoy your trip and rub a shamrock for me.

Kathy

Where to stay at Holden Beach?

I am planning to go on a little get-a-way in February. I would like to be able to go to Holden Beach. However, I know that the places rent at a week or so at a time. Does anyone know a place that rents daily? I am only able to stay for 4 nights.

Where to stay at Holden Beach?

i am sure that during the off season the island will be mostly empty and some will cut you a deal for less than a weeks stay. my advice would be to contract hobbs realty there or check out their web page. i love the beach in the winter time too!

Where to stay at Holden Beach?

there is a compant called Allen Holden Vacations that will work with you

chap balm

Battleship North Carolina???

We will be in the Wilmington area in the middle of June, my 14 year old son is dying to tour this ship (he is a huge WWII history buff), but I was wondering how hot and crowded it be in June? Any suggestions on what day or what time of day to go to avoid the largest crowds? Thanks.

Battleship North Carolina???

My sons enjoyed touring the battleship. It is very informative and supposedly haunted. It does get quite warm so go early in the day. It can get quite crowded on the weekends but not so much during the week.

Battleship North Carolina???

I agree, it was just steaming when you went down to the compartments under the ship. I thought some older folks were going to have a heart attack.

We went on a Wednesday before noon, July 3rd, not too bad of a crowd first thing in the AM. Your son will enjoy the displays in the museum there.

Watch out for the alligators in the water-we saw 2!

Thanks for the info, I%26#39;ll be sure to go during the week, and get there no later than 9:00am.

Also make sure to wear sneakers or sensible shoes. This was a working battleship and you don%26#39;t want to try to navigate it wearing flip-flops.

Hot and steamy! I have fond memories of feeding popcorn to the gators below the ship. Enjoy.

.. and if you are going to be in the area near dark, bring bug spray.

';.. and if you are going to be in the area near dark, bring bug spray.';

Why are the mosquitoes bad???

Yes, esp around water.

The mosquito is the NC state bird, lol.

1st two weeks of May?

Okay, so what is going on then? My poor parents had to book five consecutive days in order to get a room at the Residence Inn off Stonecrest as they are coming to visit us here in Charlotte. I%26#39;m guessing either Nascar or Wachovia, really hoping for Wachovia as I don%26#39;t think my parents will gel with the Nascar fans as they might be more on the rowdy side (I know, very stereotypical of me but my parents are older and quiet).

Thanks much!

1st two weeks of May?

Here%26#39;s the list of events the first two weeks in May from Charlotte CVB ( Yes, the Wachovia is part of that):

Concealed Carry Course - Starks Training Institute 05/03/2008

Latin Kings of Comedy 05/03/2008

Bowfire 05/07/2008

The Art of Craft: 1830, Pottery %26amp; Craft Sale 05/10/2008

Concealed Carry Course - Starks Training Institute 05/12/2008

NoDa Gallery Crawls 01/01/2005 - 12/31/2009

The 1st Friday of every month

Historic South End First Friday Gallery Crawl 04/01/2005 - 12/31/2009

The 1st Friday of every month

Liberty or Death Exhibit: Rebels and Loyalists in the Southern Piedmont 07/01/2006 - 01/01/2010

Third Thursdays: Live Jazz! 01/01/2007 - 12/31/2008

The 3rd Thursday of every month

White Light: Glass Compositions by Daniel Clayman 12/15/2007 - 05/25/2008

Living History Saturdays at Historic Brattonsville 01/05/2008 - 12/27/2008

Weekly on Saturday

Carolina Wine Tours 01/20/2008 - 12/29/2008

Weekly on Saturday, Sunday

TUSK! Ice Age Mammoths %26amp; Mastodons 01/26/2008 - 05/04/2008

Vantage Point VII: Jiha Moon 02/02/2008 - 07/06/2008

Carowinds Theme %26amp; Water Park Season Open 03/21/2008 - 09/14/2008

Masters of Disguise 03/22/2008 - 07/20/2008

The Brilliant Period of American Cut Glass 03/22/2008 - 07/20/2008

2008 Spring Fling 04/09/2008 - 05/11/2008

PGA Wachovia Championship 2008 04/28/2008 - 05/04/2008

Charlotte Antique %26amp; Collectible Show 05/01/2008 - 05/04/2008

Opera Carolina: Die Fledermaus 05/01/2008 - 05/04/2008

Thursday Night Concert Series @ Whitewater Center 05/01/2008 - 10/30/2008

Weekly on Thursday

Not Just Another Love Story - Dinner Theatre 05/02/2008 - 05/03/2008

I Am My Own Wife 05/06/2008 - 05/18/2008

Charlotte Symphony: Carmina burana 05/09/2008 - 05/10/2008

Charlotte Fine Art Show 05/10/2008 - 05/11/2008

Women%26#39;s Weekend @ Whitewater Center 05/10/2008 -

1st two weeks of May?

LMS has races starting 5/17 through 5/25. Hotels would probably start filling up around 5/12.

Wachovia runs from 4/28 to 5/4.

Guess they picked the wrong time! I was a bit surprised about the Residence Inn stating they are only taking reservations of 5+ days, only heard of such things at the beach, but if there is media/event goers in town, those nicer extended stays probably make a killing.

Thanks much for that list, might give my parents something to do to fill in the time. My dad appears to be over excited about the James K. Polk site, we drove by there, just didn%26#39;t seem to be much. My dad is Mr. History, so if you have any recommendations for good places for them to go within 2 hours, let me know. Already told him about Brattonsville. They are going to go to Ashville for a day also and we are all heading to Charleston for the weekend.

Let me know if you have any other historic recommendations. Thanks much!

Sounds like he may enjoy Latta Plantation in Huntersville/Charlotte and the Grist Mill and Reed%26#39;s Gold Mine in Concord (rt. 200 off of 601).

He%26#39;s claustophobic so the Mills are definitely out. They both can%26#39;t do too much walking or any type of hiking or anything. I%26#39;ll look around on-line. Will be sending them to Daniel Stowe, Brattonsville, Ashville and downtown. Thanks much about Latta.

Brattonsville is more walking than Latta Plantation. Or, at least as much.

First week of March is the CIAA tournament, 2nd week is the ACC tournament, so expect downtown to be packed.

Oops, sorry, I thought it said March, not May.

Blue Ridge Parkway questions

I%26#39;m in the land of confusion -- help!

I see that the BRP is over 400 miles long. We are planning on driving the entire parkway from north to south and getting off near Ashville to visit The Biltmore Estate. After the Biltmore, we are planning on with the parkway and heading to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

My main questions of help are:

1.) If we started driving in the morning, how far could we get in one day and what are some ';must do'; things to do in that one day?

2.) Are there any places to stay towards the end of one day of driving? Could we make it all the way to Ashville and still get in some ';must sees';?

The Blue Ridge Parkway is just a portion of our trip. We want to enjoy it, but we can%26#39;t spend days and days here, even though it looks like there is soooo much to do!!

Any type of travels suggestions would be VERY helpful.....

I%26#39;m having a hard time figuring out how long this drive should take, including doing some sight-seeing on the way down.

I will also post this in the VA forum. I%26#39;ll take any help that I can get! Thanks!! ;-)

Blue Ridge Parkway questions

There are too many must sees to post! Get a Parkway Guide and see what interests you. It will take you several days to drive it if you stop and look at even just a few sights. The BRP has a good website with all the info you need. If I started typing about places I%26#39;ve seen and done, it would be thousands of words!LOL.

There are several lodgin options along the Parkway - cabins, motels, camping, resorts, etc...Read the guide and if you have specific questions about a place in particular, post again.

I%26#39;ll give you one place as a sample - Galax, VA - good lodging at ';A Place By the Parkway'; ( check their website). That%26#39;s also near Mt. Airy, NC ( the real Mayberry). And in Galax they have free Bluegrass music at the Rex Theater on Friday nights. I could write hundreds of paragraphs like this! LOL

Best wishes.

P.S. If you%26#39;ll fine tune what you are looking for that might help- what kinds of sights do you like? What type of lodging, how long do you have for the trip...etc.......

Blue Ridge Parkway questions

When are you driving?

This is not clear, are you trying to drive from mile 0 to Asheville, visit the Biltmore and continue south? All in one day? Or do you want to drive from mile 0 to Asheville, visit the Biltmore and stay overnight in Asheville? The speed limit on the parkway is 45 and many section has lower than 45 but there are some stretches where you cannot drive that fast especially if you get behind a slow car and there is no way to pass for miles. However, there is no commercial traffic on the parkway.

You need most of the day for a visit the Biltmore.

A number of posters here are knowledgeable when it comes to the parkway but it is hard to recommend any sightseeing unless you are going to tell when you are driving

I would say three days to drive the parkway would be really nice. Are you interested in taking some hikes, visiting local restaurants, side trips or do you only want to stop at many overlooks? So when are you traveling? Are you driving a car, motorcycle or RV?

We%26#39;ll be driving a car mid April. We are driving north to south starting in western NY, first doing The Skyline Drive and seeing some sights in the Charlottesville area. Then heading on the BRP. ';Several days'; to drive the BRP?? Oh boy, I didn%26#39;t think it would take days. I thought maybe one. I thought it would be nice to take this scenic drive instead of driving the Interstates, etc. We would love to find time to visit Grandfather Mountain and walk over the swinging bridge, etc. We do like to hike, but don%26#39;t like to see cheesy tourist trap sites. ;-)

This is our tentative itinerary that I posted on the VA forum. I%26#39;m guessing I%26#39;m planning too much to do on the way down. Tell me what you think!

Day 1). Leave Western NY at 5:00 pm and drive to Bedford, PA for a few winks.

Day 2). Drive to Front Royal and begin the drive. Stop at the visitor center and talk with the ranger to see what he suggests for a hike. Visit many overlooks. End that day in Staunton, VA. Visit Frontier Culture Museum (or do this the next day). If we are not worn out, we%26#39;ll take in a show at Blackfriars Playhouse.

Day 3). Head to Charlottesville to see the Monticello and UVA campus. Would love to see James Madison%26#39;s Montpelier, but I don%26#39;t think we have time!! Start our drive on the BRP. Would we make it to Peaks of Otter Lodge by the end of this day? Could we make it further?? I%26#39;m so confused as to how long the driving takes as the speed limit is low and I know we%26#39;ll want to get out and look once in awhile, etc.

Day 4). Continue on drive. We%26#39;re very interested in Grandfather Mountain and the swinging bridge, etc. Would love to have time to go there. End day in Ashville??? Will we make it in one day??

Day 5). Biltmore Estate in the morning and then do the GSNMP the rest of the day. End drive in Murfreesboro, TN

Day 6 %26amp; 7). Visit relatives

Day 8). Drive to Memphis (one day of activities there). Stay overnight.

Day 9). Drive to Mammoth Cave (one day of activities there). Stay overnight.

Day 10). Drive home.

My dilemma is that we were taking this trip to visit relatives and now we have only two days to visit, because there%26#39;s too many great places to visit on the way there! I%26#39;m trying to make the beginning of the trip shorter, but I don%26#39;t know how! Is it possible to do what looks like a four-day trip in three? I%26#39;m respectively asking, is it possible to drive the BRP in one day? I think I already know the answer......

Day 3 is too much. You%26#39;ll also want to have lunch at Michie Tavern in C%26#39;Ville - or at least visit it when you go to Monticello . I%26#39;d forget the Parkway from C%26#39;Ville. Hit I-81 and go down to Wytheville and spend the night. Then go south a little ways and pick up the Parkway at Fancy Gap, VA. You will never be able to do the Parkway in the time limit you have given yourself. You are planning too much!

You are going to see neat places of which you are not aware and you are going to want to stop! Don%26#39;t cram every minute! You can always come back!

I%26#39;ve been going to the Parkway for 50 years and never seen everything there is to see - you are trying to do in a few days what people take weeks to do!

P.S. The Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton is great!

Best wishes.

Thanks for your honest opinion. I *knew* I was planning too much, but it%26#39;s tough to omit, you know? ;-)

I%26#39;ll take your advice and hit the I-81 and we%26#39;ll plan on coming back some day. ;-)

Thanks for your travel experience expertise!

Hey- try to catch a dinner and show at Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theater in Wytheville, VA - it%26#39;s great. Check out their website.

LOL. I just saw your post from a few years back in the Wytheville forum and found their website -- that place looks great! The kids will love it! Beauty and the Beast will be playing when we are there. I hope we can fit it in. Thanks again for all your help!!

We%26#39;ve been going for years - you won%26#39;t be disappointed.

carolina road trip in March

My husband and I are in our late 20s. We%26#39;d like to take a road trip from western TN to NC. I love Asheville and Brevard (and would like to see the Biltmore, Grove Park Inn, etc.), but I%26#39;d love any suggestions for other days. I%26#39;m not very familiar with the area...any suggestions for hiking/romantic destinations would be great! I%26#39;ve heard the Greenville, SC area is also beautiful. Any suggestions for an itinerary or ';must see list'; would be great! We have an entire week to travel! Yippee! Thank you!

carolina road trip in March

Transylvania County ( Brevard area) has excellent hiking and beautiful waterfalls. In Greenville - be sure to see the world-class art gallery at Bob Jones University! It%26#39;s a hidden treasure and houses a collection to rival any in Europe. Best wishes.

carolina road trip in March

I%26#39;d hit the Blue Ridge Parkway, and head north to Blowing Rock. Lots to see along the way - see map link below.

There are good hiking spots at (heading North) Mt Mitchell, Linville, Grandfather Mtn, and Blowing Rock.

There are two great parks/museums at Grandfather and Blowing Rock (Moses Cone Manor).

You can camp, canoe (rentals), hike, and picnic at Julian Price Park %26amp; Campground.

But IMO, there are few things more special than driving across the Linn Cove Viaduct with the windows down.

And end your evening in the picturesque town of Blowing Rock for with a cone of icecream and a romantic dinner. Enjoy.

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/map5.htm

Wow! Thank you for your specific comments. I will write all these things down and start planning!

I would allow 1 day to travel to western NC and 1 day to travel home. I would rent a cabin in Maggie Valley NC. It is centrally located for all the activities. I would pass on Greenville SC. Area north of there is nice. I will have an itenery when I have more time. I would suggest whitewater rafting and a few days in the Smokies.

I%26#39;m only familiar with Tennessee and the Smokies area, but here%26#39;s a rough itinerary (I%26#39;m just guessing the right amount of time for western NC). Where in west Tennessee are you? I%26#39;m assuming that Chattanooga interests you.

Day 1: Get up early and drive to Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness; hike all day and drive to Chattanooga in the late evening.

Day 2: Chattanooga sightseeing. Recommended ideas: Tennessee Aquarium, riverfront (North Shore, Bluff View Arts District, Walnut Street Bridge), Lookout Mountain (Point Park, Rock City, Sunset Rock, Chattanooga Nature Center, Reflection Riding), zoo. Hiking: Cloudland Canyon on Lookout Mountain, to Edwards Point from Signal Mountain in the Tennessee River Gorge, to Skyuka Spring from Reflection Riding. Btw, everything I listed could fill up several days; only three or so could actually fit in one day after you%26#39;re tired from hiking at Virgin Falls). Post a thread in the Chattanooga forum for more info.

Day 3: Maybe something from the above in the morning before setting out for the Smokies. Drive to Maggie Valley by way of Cherohala Skyway.

Days 4, 5, and 6: Do sightseeing around Asheville, Brevard, Cherokee and in the Smokies. Probably one full day for Biltmore. Sample idea for day in Smokies (only do one of two hikes listed):

Drive up to Newfound Gap; hike to Jumpoff (four miles round-trip) or even all the way to Charlie%26#39;s Bunion (nine miles total). Continue on to Clingman%26#39;s Dome. After checking out the panoramic views, hike to Andrew%26#39;s Bald (four miles) or to Forney Creek Cascade as well (seven miles).

Day 7: Drive home.

That%26#39;ll fit in a lot of hiking in the coolest places in Tennessee. Virgin Falls is between Nashville and Chattanooga and is one of the most incredible places I%26#39;ve ever been (and I%26#39;ve been to many). Google it to read more about Virgin Falls, Big Laurel Falls, and Martha%26#39;s Pretty Point (you could also go to Sheep Cave and Caney Fork river, but that%26#39;s pushing it for a day hike). You%26#39;ll be doing ten miles of hiking on a pretty rough trail, but it%26#39;s worth every step.

Just some ideas. I don%26#39;t know if you want to go to Chatt at all, but I%26#39;d recommend that you do. In any case, you%26#39;ve got an awesome week ahead of you!

Hope this helps,

Kristian

Forgot the map! Here%26#39;s a Google map for the route I suggested: http://tinyurl.com/2wb338

Moutain View Motel and Blue Ridge Motel

Very nice, clean and remodeled rooms. Friendly staff. Pets allowed. Close to attractions. Very reasonably priced.

Moutain View Motel and Blue Ridge Motel

We ate at the Mountain View Restaraunt there. The view was SPECTACULAR and the food was good too. We sat out on the deck in the fall...:-)

Relocating to Charlotte

We are considering moving to Charlotte and we don%26#39;t know much about the city. I would move from Orange County, California so any thoughts on ';culture shock'; would be appreciated. Also, we would like to purchase a house in a nice area...married %26amp; no kids. Additionally, what do Charlotteans do for fun? Thanks!!!

chap balm

Surf & Sound Scam--option for revenge

Perhaps not revenge so to speak, BUT I think ALL of you should contact the Better Businesses Bureau (www.bbb.org). Their main office is: 4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800 Arlington, VA 22203-1838 (703)276-0100

Or the Hampton Roads office which seems to handle the outer banks: BBB of Greater Hampton Roads (www.norfolk.bbb.org) 586 Virginian Drive Norfolk, VA 23505 (757)531-1300.

From this link: data.hamptonroads.bbb.org/commonreport.html…

I found that in the past 36 months they have had 7 complaints against them. I think AlbayDave, travellenfool, tlchippy and obxmess should make that 11 complaints if you haven%26#39;t already!!

I think it is horrible that anyone should have to go through what you are going through with that company! And contacting the BBB might just be a way of getting them reprimanded for their treatment of their customers.

Good luck all!

Surf %26amp; Sound Scam--option for revenge

you could also try the NC real estate commission - www.ncrec.state.nc.us/contact-us/contact.html - Complaint investigations and audits

Surf %26amp; Sound Scam--option for revenge

thanks for the advice...we%26#39;ll avoid them like the plague.

Ches,

I appreciate the advice and have begun the complaint process through the Norfolk VA office. Too bad there isn%26#39;t a outer banks specific BBB, but this will be useful.

Have a killer weekend :)

AlbDave

Ches,

I appreciate the advice and have begun the complaint process through the Norfolk VA office. Too bad there isn%26#39;t a outer banks specific BBB, but this will be useful.

Have a killer weekend :)

AlbDave

I was going to go to the BBB if we didn%26#39;t get our money back. I looked into it but the site suggested trying to work it out with the company first.

I did make a report to the BBB. It%26#39;s kind of hard for them to do anything because they are not a member.

Boardwalk makeover

It appears the entire CB community is getting behind this effort. If anyone is inclined to help:

http://www.boardwalkmakeover.org/

Boardwalk makeover

Carolina Beach Makes Over its Boardwalk

WILMINGTON, NC (2008-02-19) Volunteers rolled up their sleeves and picked up paintbrushes this past weekend for the first in a series of workdays aimed at beautifying Carolina Beach%26#39;s boardwalk...

publicbroadcasting.net/whqr/news.newsmain…

Pleasure Island links and information

I recently started this blog to help keep visitors up to date re various island happenings. It may be of use to anyone planning a visit to Pleasure Island(Kure Beach, Carolina Beach , Fort Fisher) as it contains links to activities and articles of interest.

http://pleasureislandeden.blogspot.com/

Pleasure Island links and information

Thanks!!

We hope to go back to Kure this summer.

Pleasure Island links and information

Great to hear beachlady, there are a lot of exciting things happening here which should make for an even better vacation for you and your family.

Offseason long weekend/pet friendly

My wife and I are looking for a good area in the Outer Banks to go to for a quiet offseason (March) long weekend getaway. (It needs to be pet friendly too.) Obviously there are two few of us to rent a giant beach house and we need somewhere that can rent by the day, not week, at least during that time of year. Anyone have any suggestions that meet these practical needs, plus one that%26#39;s a good romantic getaway? Either suggestions of specific places to stay or areas (Duck, etc.) would be really helpful--thanks!

Offseason long weekend/pet friendly

Not sure of your price, but you may want to look into the Island Motel and Guesthouses in Manteo. See if the Wright Getaway Guest Cottage is available, not a motel room. I stayed in the cottage on my wedding night and it was very nice, cozy cottage. It is not on the ocean, but its only a short drive away. Its a small 2 person cottage, with a kitchenett, comfortable bed, big bathroom, flat screen TV, and I think a fireplace. Perfect place for 2 people. Plus I think they allow dogs for a small fee.

For nice places to eat in Manteo try the Waterfront Trellis, or 1587.

Offseason long weekend/pet friendly

If you would like to got further down the island to Avon or Hatteras Village area just call any of the major realty companies. They will be able to do a partial week rental and there are many available small homes wiht only two bedrooms. Midgett REalty does a three night minimum per night pricing.

Several of the rental companies here do long weekend rentals: Sun Realty, Village, and I think Joe Lamb all have 3-4 day options-expecially that time of the year.

One other suggestion is to try VRBO.com. If you have never used the site it stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner, and you can search for the homes by price or by size. I have used the site, and I do like it as you deal directly with the owners when making your plans. This may work well for you as an owner may take 3-4 days rent on a home that they usually rent for a week rather than let it sit empty.

I believe that Wright Property Management (www.wpmobx.com) has daily rentals for their homes in the off season and I know they have pet friendly homes. We rented from them last summer at a very reasonable price and were very pleased with our home choice. They are nice to deal with as well, but I think that most of their homes are in the Kitty Hawk/KDH/Nags Head area if that makes a big difference.

Unique Dining Atmosphere?

I%26#39;m wondering if there are any restaurants with a unique atmosphere? Maybe something that creates an experience? Not picky about the kind of food, or the price (not looking to spend hundreds here, but price isn%26#39;t a huge deal). Any ideas/suggestions?

Unique Dining Atmosphere?

I like Zambra%26#39;s as a neat atmosphere. It is a Tapas restaurant and they have a neat bar area. it is a great place even if you want to stop by and get some drinks.

http://www.zambratapas.com/

Unique Dining Atmosphere?

If you%26#39;re visiting the area, you must make the 25 minute drive to Waynesville, and go to The Old Stone Inn. Stone walls, poplar logs, big stone fireplace and wonderful food. True mountain ambiance. Romantic, delicious. Not for kids, though. Their menu is posted on their website www.oldstoneinn.com.

Thank you so much for these great suggestions! I%26#39;m bookmarking both websites so I can check them out with my travel partner!

chap balm

Quiet Bar with good cocktails?

Can anyone recommend a good cocktail bar in the downtown Charlotte area? I%26#39;ve been to a couple places before, but they are all a little too ';young'; and loud. For example, I really liked RiRa but it got very crowded and noisy. I%26#39;m really looking for a more quiet place where I don%26#39;t have to be surrounded by the 20-30 year old crowd! Any thoughts? Thanks!!

Quiet Bar with good cocktails?

You might want to try Blue:

http://www.bluerestaurantandbar.com/blue.html

Complimentary Valet Parking

Located in the Hearst Tower

Corner of College %26amp; 5th Street

Quiet Bar with good cocktails?

Thanks for the reply - I checked out the website and it looks perfect!

Laurel park Inn, Bike Ralley in the Valley

Does any one know any thing bout this place? We are planning to ride up for the rally, Sept. 14-15. I found Laurel park Inn, it looks pretty cool but I have been fooled bad before on line. Any one have any good suggestions about where to stay? Needs to be level parking, paved, nice clean rooms and reasonably priced. If you have been to this rally in the past, let me hear your thoughts. Where is the rally held, is it close to wheels through time? Thanks.................

Laurel park Inn, Bike Ralley in the Valley

We have been up there many times, we always stay at Jonathon Creek Inn. It%26#39;s the motel across the street from Joeys pancake house. Wheels Through Times is about half a mile from the motel.It is very nice up there,you will love it.

Laurel park Inn, Bike Ralley in the Valley

We go every year for the rally. The events are held at the fair ground on Soco road. Wheels Through Time is also on Soco road, and most of the hotels. We have never stayed at Laurel Park Inn, we usually have a crowd going and stay in a cabin. We have stayed at Smoky Falls Lodge and they have a covered shelter to park your bike under. Make sure you drive the Dragon%26#39;s Tail!!! The riding in Maggie Valley and on the park way are wonderful. Have a safe and fun trip.

Honeymoon Destination and Accomodations? Asheville vs Outer

Banks...

I really don%26#39;t know which would make the best honeymoon. I am also at a loss at where to stay. I do love NC but I%26#39;ve only visited Carolina Beach and the Triangle. Neither of those are honeymoon-y (well Carolina Beach maybe but i got a superbad sunburn there so I don%26#39;t really want to go back).

I want to visit both the Outer Banks AND Asheville, but time does not allow to do both.

So can anyone give recommendations or pros and cons of Asheville vs Outer Banks and then the ideal place to stay at either location? We are thinking 4 nights or so.

THANK YOU in advance!

Honeymoon Destination and Accomodations? Asheville vs Outer

I think the mountains are quite romantic - spent part of our honeymoon there! What%26#39;s your budget? You could do a nice B%26amp;B or stay at the granddaddy - Grove Park Inn ( great spa!) or Inn at Biltmore. Or, you could rent a cabin. You might also consider the Boone/Blowing Rock area - a place such as Chetola Resort. I highly recommend the Bob Timberlake Inn there.

To me, the only lodging option at the beach is ocean front. Not much else is picturesque. but in the mountains, there%26#39;s a view around every corner!There are also great hikes and historical things to see..and shopping and dining.... more variety.

Best wishes.

Honeymoon Destination and Accomodations? Asheville vs Outer

This is such a personal decision it%26#39;s hard to say. The beach, and the mountains each have their own charm, romance, and unique benefits. It%26#39;s the ultimate ';apples and oranges'; question! If it were my choice, I would go to the area that is different from what you usually do. So, if you ski, and go to the mountains every year, I would make my honeymoon a beach trip. For me personally, it would set the trip apart, and really make it special, and different from my usual travel spots.

That being said, for the Outer Banks, I would think that Corolla would be a great spot. It%26#39;s is less crowded, beautiful homes, and some nice shops and restaurants. I would stop at the Harris Teeter store in Corolla for your groceries. Fairly new store, and very nice. There are some very nice places to eat there, too. 4 days will give you time to relax and enjoy Corolla, and also to drive south, and see Hatteras, etc.

As far as the mountains, I am not as familiar with places there, but if you go to VRBO.com, there are some great places to rent. We went to the mountains this October, and stayed in Boone. Rented through Blue Ridge Vacation Cabins. The cabin itself was beautiful, but the rental agency is terrible. So, do not rent from them, but do look at the rentals available. A lot of them have private decks, hot tubs, etc. The area is beautiful, and has a lot to do. Cannot comment on restaurants as we ate dinner in our cabin the 2 nights we were there, and we were camping the rest of the time.

Well, that is just it. I never go anywhere. I lived in IL my entire life and rarely went on vacations. I just moved to Iowa last year and that%26#39;s about as far as I go.

I guess I go to beaches more for vacations when I DO go, but just because I love the sound of the ocean.

I%26#39;ve never been to the mountains and I think that would be different and nice as well.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Another factor to the equation is when will you be taking your honeymoon. I enjoy the mountains tremendously, but if I had to pick to go somewhere it would be the beach 99% of the time. If you are going in the spring or summer, Asheville has a lot to offer. It is a beautiful part of the state and as a previous poster said, the Grove Park Inn is the gold standard for hotels in the area. Their spa is luxurious and they often have decent deals in the offpeak season. They downtown of Asheville has shops and places to hang out and the hiking and scenery is breathtaking.

As for the OBX you have a great deal of variety. My favorite location is Ocracoke island. It is a self maintained village without a hint of city life. They do not have a Mcdonalds or Starbucks, much less any other chain resaurant. It is only reachable by ferry and the locals that call it home year round mostly bike from place to place. Once you get outside of the village there is Highway 12 that runs from one side of the island to the other, the only thing seperatind you from ocean are the dunes. There are quite a few nice B%26amp;Bs that offer all the luxuries you could want and the island resaurants are great. Most of the island does not wake up from winter until mid April so keep that in mind. The rest of the OBXs are usually lively throughout the year and have more of the luxuries that we have grown accustomed to.

Both places are serene and relaxing and could offer you a wonderful honeymoon!

One other note: If you fly into Charlotte it will take 1.5-2 hours to reach Asheville vs anywhere from 4-8 hours to get to the OBX depending on your location.

If you fly into Raleigh, you can reach most locations in the OBX (or beach areas) in 2-4hrs and asheville will take you closer to 5 hrs.

Honeymoon are as unique as the couple. Joe and I have taken sever second honeymoons, and all have been in the mountains of western north carolina. The beauty and serenity it out of this world. And for a really nice trip take one up the blue ridge parkway, and take a picnic lunch, stop take pictures, wade along the edge of the river, sit and talk a little, take a nice blanket for when it warms during the day and set down and enjoy your picnic. One day when we were on the parkway enjoying a beautiful day picnicking and all of the sudden we heard a noise, we set very still and was able to watch and elk move across the field. Things like this you never forget.

EG:

You can not go wrong at either place. The next question you need to ask if you decide on the mountains is what do you want to do?

If you are looking for nightlife, clubs and bars then stick with Asheville. If you want a place with peace and quiet, do some rafting, hiking or sight seeing then check out the Smokies to the southwest or the Blue Ridge to the north.

I live in Sylva, so I am partial to the Smokies region which is Maggie Valley, Sylva, Dillsboro, Franklin, Cherokee and Bryson City. Bryson City is surrounded by Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala National Forest. There is tons of hiking there, white water paddle sports, mountain biking, horse back riding and boating on Lake Fontana. There are lots of great cabins, B%26amp;Bs and more here.

I have been to Boone a few times and it is a wonderful spot as well. I do not know as much about it as the central mountains here.

Congrats on the engagement.

Music Scene in Greensboro

Hello,

I am traveling to Greensboro in a couple of weeks and am interested in checking out the music scene. I know Charlotte has the Creative Loafing that lists all the music venues in the area and their music calendars. Does Greensboro have a similar publication? Something I can check out online??

Thanks!

Music Scene in Greensboro

http://www.gotriadscene.com has music/comedy listings for the Triad area.

getting a room at the hotel

I just call the vip or my host and tell them what days we want to come. Have never had a problem getting a room.

getting a room at the hotel

We always book at least two weeks in advance and have never had a problem. Our rooms are always comped also.

I think folks go to Cherokee and expect to always win. That is not the case in any casino I%26#39;ve ever been in. I think a lot of locals go to Cherokee often and of course they will lose more often.

Cherokee is not Vegas and will never be. My play in Cherokee however gives me 5 comped nights twice a year in Vegas. I don%26#39;t win anymore there than I do in Cherokee. Our biggest casino jackpots have been at Cherokee.

Everyone go and have fun. Don%26#39;t expect to walk out a winner everytime.

getting a room at the hotel

I called a couple of weeks ago for March and was told there are no rooms. We tried other dates and were told there were no rooms. We aren%26#39;t ';players'; so to speak and we have only been a couple of times in the last four years. I wonder if that is why we cannot get a room. okittygirl, can you call your host for me and tell them to give us a room? LOL Just kidding!!!!

We have been going to Cherokee since the day they opened. We have always had this problem. My parents are diamond members and all they have to do make a call and they get anything they want. To solve this problem, we have started staying in Maggie Valley at a much lower rate, and it is only 15 minutes from Harrah%26#39;s. Not near as crowded, and the food is even better. Try this sometime, you will find you like it much better then trying to stay in Cherokee

There are many great places to stay from Maggie, to Dillsboro to Bryson City all within the 20 minute window to the Casino.

We own cabins here and I am not selling you on ours per TA rules, but if you check out VRBO or other cabin sites you may find a great 2 bedroom for about as much you pay for a hotel room, except you have an entire place to yourself, likely a better view, privacy and most do not charge for extra people, so find another couple and split the costs of a cabin.

Have fun in Cherokee....

Bob

I think we are just going to stop in somewhere in Maggie Valley to stay the night.

As for taking another couple, no way! This is our peace and quiet anniversary trip and there is no way, as much as I love my friends, am I going to share this time with anyone else! LOL Thanks for the info, though!!

olay regenerist

Inexpensive but nice hotel near good restaurants & shopping?

Hello,

We will be in Charlotte in March and wanted to know if some one knew of a fairly inexpensive hotel (around$100 per night) that is near or in walking distance to interesting cafe%26#39;s/restaurants and some interesting shopping? Thank you very much!!

Inexpensive but nice hotel near good restaurants %26amp; shopping?

Downtown Charlotte? Not likely. Perhpas just north of Charlotte in Huntersville (Birkdale Village area), may work. Another option is in Concord (Speedway blvd)...Concord Mills area (though I wouldn%26#39;t consider the shopping or restaurants very interesting in that area).

Inexpensive but nice hotel near good restaurants %26amp; shopping?

Doubletree Guest Suites/Southpark is very nice!

Right beside mall, shopping, resturants.

I stayed there three years ago...huge 2 room suite,w/kitchen, $97/night (this was in Jan. though)

I%26#39;m sure rates for March would be good too.

There%26#39;s also a Hampton Inn in the SouthPark area at Phillips Place...and the Hyatt sometimes runs good specials if you are there on the weekend.

If you are interested in staying in the Uptown area, you can bid on Priceline and more than likely get a nice room for under $100 a night. On our last visit to Charlotte in the fall, we ended up getting a room at the Omni for $92.00 (including all taxes). Well worth the money, great location. The other hotels in Uptown you might end up with are the Hilton, Westin or the Marriott. Those are the four star hotels at Priceline.

Be advised that there is little shopping in uptown.

Moving to NC

I have a possible job offer in Hendersonville, I am looking for good schools and a charming town. Does anybody have any locations that they like in western North Carolina?

New to Outer Banks...

We%26#39;re planning on a week in OBX this summer, never been but have vacationed in the South NJ area for almost 10 years and we%26#39;re looking for something different this year :) We (2 couples/3 kids total ages 8-5) have found a great place in S.Nags Head - almost like having two separate spaces - for each family plus a private pool and hot tub :) Anyway, was wondering.. how far from an actual ';town/village'; are we in S. Nags Head... semi-beach front/fronts beach road location) nothing fancy, just maybe a quick morning walk with the kids for coffee/bagels (what can I say, we%26#39;re from NY, bagels are a big part of breakfast! :) )

Thanks!

New to Outer Banks...

Visit the website obxconnection.com and check out their forum. There is a wealth of information on there and you will have a pretty quick response to your questions. We, too, are visiting for the first time this summer and I%26#39;ve had a lot of help from this forum and that forum. Another good one is insiders/com/outerbanks

Good luck and have fun!

New to Outer Banks...

It really depends where the house is exactly. S. Nags Head is roughly 7 miles long and is primarily residential. It goes from MP 16.5 to MP 22. The closer you are to MP16.5 the closer you are to being walking distance to coffee %26amp; bagels.

A lot of people love Sam %26amp; Omies (samandomies.net). I%26#39;m pretty sure that will be the closest establishment to where you are staying (someone please correct me if i%26#39;m wrong).

S. Nags Head is a great area esp. for kids as the streets are less busy than Nags Head and north.

We stayed in that area last year, it was great quiet but not far from every thing else having a SUV will make it better as you can drive on the beach at Origin inlet .

I think there is a NY bagel place just north of Whale bone Junction not far from your rental I’m sure you will be happy there here too is a site for new comers to look at

http://fishoinc.tripod.com/

There are two NY Bagel stores on the OBX. One in Kill Devil Hills (KDH) at MP7 (everything goes by mileposts, it%26#39;s easier than street address) on the Bypass (Rt 158, the main drag as opposed to Rt 12, which is called Beach Road.) The other is in the Outer Banks Mall in Nags Head at MP14, also on the Bypass. The OBX is an island chain made up of nothing but town after town. The is no real division between them, except the signage. You%26#39;ll be close to Nags Head, but I would not recommed walking there from SNH. The speed limit on the Bypass is 50MPH and there are very few areas to cross. Too many drivers are not paying attention to their driving, instead they are looking around at all of the great places they want to visit or see. You can walk along the sidewalks/bikepaths in SNH without any problems. You can also walk to Sam %26amp; Omie%26#39;s(MP16.5) but I wouldn%26#39;t venture much further. Take a look at these two websites: www.SunnyDayGuide.com and VGNet.com, there%26#39;s plenty of info and some great coupons.

CIAA Tournament

I will be in Charlotte for the CIAA Tournament later this month. I was able to get a room at the Double Tree. Is it close to the activities. Do I need to rent a car?

CIAA Tournament

Which Doubletree ?- uptown or near the airport? If you are uptown and not planning to go anywhere but the uptown area, you probably won%26#39;t need a car. If you are at the airport DT, you will need a car.

CIAA Tournament

I will be staying at the Doubletree UpTown.

Labor Day Drive

Hello,

Hubby and I are arriving into Norfolk airport approx. 11:30 pm on that Friday. Already have reservations in Nags Head for Saturday and Sunday night. My question is should we drive directly to Nags Head or stay somewhere like Chesapeake for the night. It%26#39;s been a few years since we%26#39;ve done the drive. We didn%26#39;t think it was that bad (arriving after midnight) but many local people thought we were crazy. We only have the weekend, so we want to spend as much time as possible in the Outer Banks.

Thanks !

Labor Day Drive

Since you only have a short amount of time on the outer banks I would drive that evening. You might not make it to there until 2am or so, but I think that is a lot better than staying in Chesapeake %26amp; driving on Saturday when you might hit lots of traffic. My husband and I usually travel during that week and the traffic isn%26#39;t horrible but it%26#39;s not great either. I would just check to make sure you can check into where ever you are staying that late in the evening one day early. If they are unable to fill your request than perhaps it isn%26#39;t worth it, but I would figure it would be better to just get the drive over with and be able to wake up already one the Outer Banks!

Labor Day Drive

Thanks for the info - checked with our hotel already booked for Sat %26amp; Sun %26amp; just added Friday. Our flight arrives @ 11:30 pm in Norfolk but by the end of August the flight could change again - maybe to an earlier flight.

Will be checking in on this forum once the season hits for all the latest....

Family trip to Carova Beach

Hello,

We, two adults and 2 kids (10 and 8),

are considering renting a house in Carova. We would love to know:

1) How much motor traffic is there on the beach?

2) We have NO experience driving on a beach, and had planned to rent a jeep, but those stories about being stuck as the tide comes in are giving us second thoughts. Really, is it basically okay with a jeep

3) How likely is it that we might see the wild horses?

4) Other wildlife?

5) What is is like there in bad weather? We are planning to go the third week of June, or so.

Very appreciatively,

Susan and family

Family trip to Carova Beach

People have recently answered many of the question you have. And all on the Carova forum. You can do a word search by typing in that little empty box on the top right of these posts (as opposed to the one in green on the left.)

Type in wild horse; driving on beach; driving on sand. I didn%26#39;t use quotes in checking just now because that leaves rooms for driving UP the beach, driving IN the sand; SAND driving, driving 4X4, etc., all of which and more will come up.

Lots of good info...and very important things to consider, like tire deflating,etc. Several people feel jeeps don%26#39;t have the oomph in the softer sand.

Family trip to Carova Beach

We stayed in Corolla last year at Whalehead beach, just south of Corova. We rented a jeep for a day and drove up to Corova. Driving in the sand takes some getting used to but I had the hang of it after a little while. I think just exercising some common sense can go a long way. Staying in Corolla and visiting Corova is an option to consider too.

One thing we noticed that there was considerable traffic along the beach until you got quite a ways up. We all said the same thing, in that it would be kind of hard to relax on the beach with 4 x 4’s whizzing by all the time. That’s not for me.

However like the previous poster said, try the Corova forum and you’ll find more answers there. By the way, the horses were very easy to find. Once we got into the area where the roam, we found them in minutes.

Thanks for the tip. Noise and traffic would be a big problem for us, since that%26#39;s one reason we go away. We are into low-tech, highly pristene kind of environments and it is sounding as though this might not be the place for us. Just to make sure, is there any chance the place is less impacted by traffic on the beach in June?

Thanks for the help, Susan

Don%26#39;t get me wrong at all. The beaches themselves are quite pristine in most areas. It%26#39;s not like city traffic or anything.

Like I said, we stayed in Corolla and one reason for that is the homes are more spread out and the beaches less congested. The beauty of it there is, that there is no real public day use access to speak of so you just have the people renting. I%26#39;ve been going to Cape Cod for years and Whalehead beach area reminded me of the National Seashore except the water is warm and there are rental houses on the banks. I don%26#39;t like overcrowded boardwalk laden overdeveloped areas and this fit the bill, and that%26#39;s why we%26#39;re going back this summer and likely more after that.

Now if you go way up in Corova it is pretty spread out and more secluded but I would just avoid the first mile or so where the pavement ends.

Don%26#39;t get me wrong at all. The beaches themselves are quite pristine in most areas. It%26#39;s not like city traffic or anything.

Like I said, we stayed in Corolla and one reason for that is the homes are more spread out and the beaches less congested. The beauty of it there is, that there is no real public day use access to speak of so you just have the people renting. I%26#39;ve been going to Cape Cod for years and Whalehead beach area reminded me of the National Seashore except the water is warm and there are rental houses on the banks. I don%26#39;t like overcrowded boardwalk laden overdeveloped areas and this fit the bill, and that%26#39;s why we%26#39;re going back this summer and likely more after that.

Now if you go way up in Corova it is pretty spread out and more secluded but I would just avoid the first mile or so where the pavement ends.

We seem to continue to gravitate toward Corolla for our stays in the OBX. We find it very active in July and August and less so otherwise...even in the areas south of the 4x4 beaches.

Do that same word search on the NC forum for Swan Beach.

You might also research the Nags Head Woods Nature Conservancy. Something like 1400 acres and miles of hiking, pools, definitely pristine. Here is a site that mentions some of the southern OBX beaches. While we haven%26#39;t stayed in the southern end, I understand there are quieter spots there too. There are places to stay that are near the Preserve.

You asked about traffic in June. A few years ago my family rented a house in Corova, in March, and we were amazed at how many people were driving up and down the beach, at all hours of the day/night, during that time of year.

As someone said the further North you go in Corova, the less ';traffic'; you will see. But that also means you will be further away from places to eat and shop.

Thanks. Your response was honest and helpful. Here in NYC we live with traffic and noise every day of our lives, this could be very disappointing for us. We are thinkink about this. Appreciatively, Susan

Avon

Anyone been to Avon or Salvo??? I have never been to the outer banks and am planning a vacation for the summer. We want to rent a beach house - under $1000. I have seen many on-line. Any advice???

Avon

I%26#39;ve stayed a couple times in Rodanthe, which is part of the Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo area. It%26#39;s an isolated area, surrounded by National Park, so there%26#39;s plenty of beach room for you. However, there are also a few restaurants and shops in the area, and a convenience store that is well stocked nearby. Grocery stores are about a 15-20 minute drive away, as are the shops and activities in Nag%26#39;s Head.

It%26#39;s a nice place if you%26#39;re not looking for a lot of restaurants and shops nearby, and enjoy the beach.

Avon

Thank you very much for your information. It seems that Avon is a bit south of Rodanth-Waves-Salvo. We found a very reasonable ocean side house there. I%26#39;m almost positive that we will rent it. If you have any more info to offer - I will gladly take it. I know nothing about the area.

On this forum do a word search for Avon. Type Avon in the little empty box on top of these forums posts...not the one in the green field.

In the summer (and off season also) the drive from Avon to Nags Head will be longer than 15 minutes. It will take about 30 minutes just to get back to the bypass. Just something to keep in mind when planning your days. The Avon area is really nice, and there are good places to eat, etc. there.

Avon is a great place to stay. You will find restaurants there as well as a grocery store. You can travel down to Hatteras for additional shopping/dining and a tour of the Hatteras Lighthouse.

Since you are in the ';southern'; part of the banks, you may want to consider a day trip to Ocracoke. The ferries leave about every 30 minutes for the beautiful 45 minute ride. From there it is a 20 min drive to the village. Check out the Ocracoke forum for more info. It is worth the trip. The heavy ferry traffic days are Wed and Thur in the summer months, so plan accordingly. I think most people are sunburned by that time in their vacation and are looking for non-beach activiities!

Corolla on a budget?? Possible?

Last year we rented a home in Whalehead with other family members...loved it but this year it%26#39;s just the 4 of us (2 adults and 2 teens. Can%26#39;t find anything within our budget because we don%26#39;t need anything large. I tried to find a smaller home and did have some luck but really want the option of having a pool to swim in as sometimes the beach is too hot for me. I don%26#39;t remember and type of lodging such as motel type lodging etc; however I have been hearing about a community (Corolla Light) that has condos? Is it condos, or houses or both? They have a large community pool? Can we find something economical? Do we go through some agency or are there owners that rent their units, etc. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!! Need to get this done now before everything%26#39;s booked~ it%26#39;s my husband%26#39;s 50th birthday, my twins 16th birthday and our 20th anniversary~ I better come up with something quick!!

Corolla on a budget?? Possible?

Corolla Light Resort and Currituck Club have community pools.

You can try VRBO.com or any of the many reputable agencies mentioned on the various obx forums...among them Village Realty, Resort Quest, Twiddy, Brindley, and several others. Their sites have lots of maps, Twiddy does aerial views; descriptions of communities, options to search by size and area; I%26#39;ve seen one with an option to search by price but can%26#39;t remember which one that was.

Corolla Light has condos and a few styles of townhouses as well as the single family.

Currituck Club has some condos, Windswept Ridge, which we were pleasantly surprised has some good views, some of the sound as well as ocean.

Is March a good time?

We are planning to visit the Great smoky mountains during spring break (early March). Is it too cold and how is the road condition? I really don%26#39;t want to drive 7-8 hours to see nothing:( Thanks!

Is March a good time?

There is a forum listed as Great Smoky Mountain TN and several experts %26amp; other knowledgable members will answer all your questions, they helped me and are a wonderful resource, post your question there also. You will likely get good advice here too, no offense to the Carolina forum.

Is March a good time?

March is a wonderful time of the year to visit the region. We start warming up, but we also get most of our snow in March. The leaves on the trees are not out yet and the skies are absent of haze like the summer time. There is a ton of stuff to see and do in March.

The roads in NC and TN are well maintained even when it snows . US 441 is subject to closures as it is today for snow. They have over a foot at Newfound Gap. They do not plow the road to keep it open for traffic. It has been closed maybe 5 times this entire winter.

Visit the GSMNP web site to look at trip planning and if you are staying in NC keep an eye out for the opening of the Blue Ridge Parkway. If it is open it is a great auto trip.

Have a great trip

Bob

Just returned from a hiking trip in the mountains. There are plenty of things to see in the mountains this time of year. It is a great hiking time since most of the trails will be absent of the summertime crowds and also absent from the majority of bugs! If you plan to spend your overnights in Boone or Asheville you will have plenty of options for restaurants and bars. The scenery this time of year is still amazing, you will not see leaves on the hardwoods, but the pines, hemlocks and rhododendrons are all still sporting their leaves. I even saw a few blooms on the rhododendrons when I was there. The Blueridge Parkway is an amazing drive with many turnouts for gazing at the scenery and pictures and even a few trails, the scenery will take your breath away around every bend. Go for it and enjoy, if you like nature you will have a great time!

SRB

Just another thought, in March they open up the rafting companies. If you want to have great time on the rivers, you may catch a warm day and have a great uncrowded trip.

Also, there is plenty of great lodging opportunities (vacation homes to b%26amp;bs to hotels) from Maggie Valley to Dillsboro to Cherokee/Bryson City if you wish to stay close to GSMNP.

Many thanks!

ANYTIME is a good time to visit GSM! I love all the seasons!

Check out the TN threads to! The is a lot of info on the Great smoky mountains there! Have fun!

olay regenerist