Destinations

Bald Head Island is a local North Carolina treasure. The relatively remote island is the perfect beach getaway, with plenty to explore. Bald Head Island is accessible by ferry and...

Bear Island, located in Onslow County, can be reached by ferry, kayak, canoe, and at one point-- pirate ship! This park has a story to tell. The best way to...

Bodie Island is commonly known as a place to pass through when visiting the Outer Banks. Whether you're visiting this area from the land or the sea, it has a...

The Broad River Greenway is truly the place for all seasons. It's also proven to be the place for all outdoor enthusiasts with a variety of trails for mountain bikers,...

For experienced paddlers, this is the lighthouse to visit. Besides being the most challenging (due to the open water and distance) it is the most dramatic. From your launch point...

Virginia Beach has a number of Clark Kent-to-Superman access points: drive through a mild-mannered neighborhood, pull to the side of the road and moments later emerge as Kayak Guy! (or...

Carolina beach State Park is filled with every coastal hikers dream-- Water access, flat trails, active wildlife, and more. This park was North Carolina's 14th state park, formerly known as...

This 414-acre park’s got it all: mountain biking, canoe rentals, two 18-hole disc golf courses, fishing, and hiking. Low hills, wetlands, a creek — even a waterfall!

When you do finally reach the 1.7-mile mark and the top of Upper Falls, decking crosses the stream (which is surprisingly small), allowing you to stand on the precipice and...

Currituck is only lighthouse in NC to look this way. Each NC lighthouse has a distinct paint pattern, allowing sailors to know which lighthouse it is, and thus know where...

First Landing is such a gem: with 19 miles of foot-friendly trail and with loops short and long, it’s the ideal escape from the hectic holidays. A good option: the...

With more than 40 miles of trail to chose from along lakes Brandt, Townsend, and Higgins, why this one? It’s flat and very beginner friendly, for one. But mainly, the...

No boat? No problem. For $5 an hour, rent one of the park’s new sit-on-tops that, unlike most sit-on-tops, slices through the water. Explore the 150-acre lake and its coves,...

Lake Norman State Park is located in Iredell County. The lake is the largest man-made lake in the state, and hosts nearly a million visitors a year. This spot is...

On the Catawba River below the Lake Wylie dam, water levels (or “lower,” perhaps, since the river is dam controlled and thus doesn’t get that low) the rocks that dot...

Located at the foot of 5,721-foot Mount Pisgah, this is one of the highest campsites in the state and one that all but assures of a cool night’s sleep. Privacy...

Many an unknowing camper has had his or her weekend plans dashed by arriving at the popular Davidson River Campground a few ridges over only to find out that it’s...

Northwest River Park is a 763-acre park in Chesapeake, VA. From paddling, disc golf, fishing, bird-watching, geocaching, camping, hiking, biking, and even horse-back riding, Northwest River Park has something for...

The park also has six trails and is the western end of the Foothills Trail, a 77-mile trail flirting with the North Carolina/South Carolina border. A great hike is the...

Usually when something is described as a “best kept secret,” red flags pop up. Rocky Bluff, though, is a well-concealed gem, just three miles down NC 209 from Hot Springs....

Shenandoah National Park extends along the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. The Skyline Drive runs its length, and a vast network of trails includes a section...

You like the idea of getting away for a weekend escape, but you just don’t feel good about being completely detached from work. We’re not crazy about this type of...