Come See What’s New in North Carolina For Winter 2008 and Beyond

RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 15, 2008) From America’s Best Beach to luxury hotels and classic barbecue, North Carolina is making news in 2008. For the whole story, go to VisitNC.com or call 1-800-VISIT NC.

Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center, (near Asheville)
This 12,800-square-foot, $9.8 million facility houses exhibits that highlight the natural and cultural diversity, economic traditions and recreational opportunities found along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The center, built to the latest energy-saving standards, also has a 70-seat auditorium with a high-definition film and classroom space for groups. A grand opening is planned for spring 2008. The new “Go Blue Ridge Card” multi-attraction pass includes one-price admission to more than 20 popular attractions. The card can be purchased online or at the Asheville Visitor Center. The Federal Highway Administration named the Blue Ridge Parkway an All-American Road. The roadway was recognized for its scenic, historic, recreational and other intrinsic qualities that make it “one of a kind.” www.goblueridgecard.com or 828-271-4779; www.nps.gov/blri

Dr. Beach Names Ocracoke America’s Best Beach
Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on Ocracoke Island was named #1 in Dr. Beach’s America’s Best Beaches list 2007, the first time a beach outside of Hawaii or Florida reached the top. Ocracoke Island, embraced by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, is known for clean water, golden sand and unspoiled beauty. At 16 miles long and a half-mile wide, it is a sun-swept wilderness, once a haunt of Blackbeard the pirate and the place where he met his demise. Nestled against the Graveyard of the Atlantic, Ocracoke is 26 miles from the mainland and accessible only by water and air. It features a pristine beach and a historic village – and no chain hotels or restaurants. International beach expert Stephen Leatherman, Dr. Beach, made the #1 designation. He judges more than 650 beaches throughout the nation each year on a list of 50 criteria. 305-348-8364; www.drbeach.org 

Ski NC: There’s something for everyone at North Carolina’s ski resorts and they’ve added more this year. Sugar Mountain added a 10,000 sq. ft. outdoor ice skating rink that is open day and night. Appalachian offers Fresh Fridays, where the Terrain Park crew sets up an entirely new feature for skiers and snowboarders. Hawsknest features a new training area and a conveyor sidewalk that safely and efficiently takes skiers and snowboarders to the slopes. Cataloochee made significant improvements to its snowmaking capabilities to extend the season. North Carolina’s ski season typically runs from Thanksgiving to mid-March. 828-898-4521; www.goskinc.com

World’s Largest Bodyflight Center Opens in NC, Raeford
Paraclete XP opened January 11, 2008, in Raeford, NC  (1 ½  hours south of Raleigh), featuring the innovative sport of bodyflight. Paraclete’s wind tunnel enables guests to fly in a controlled manner in the safety of a wall-to-wall air flow chamber. No experience is necessary and the sport is open to people of all ages and experience levels. The facility also hosts groups and birthday parties. Paraclete is one of the biggest vertical wind tunnels on the planet. The tunnel boasts a 16.5 foot circular chamber and it is completely climate controlled. Paraclete has high-definition video in the chamber that is stored on hard drives linked to the debrief rooms throughout the facility which makes debriefing flight sessions quick and effective. 910-495-3334; www.paracletexp.com 

Greensboro Celebrates 200, Greensboro
The city of Greensboro is celebrating 200 years of history, culture, education, art, industry and progress in 2008. The series of special events will run from March 25 through May 17. These dates coincide with the sale of the land on which Greensborough was founded and the date the sale was officially recorded. Events will include a heritage festival, parade of decades and World of Tomorrow technology expo. 800-344-2282; www.visitgreensboronc.com

Emissaries Return to Cherokee
After a five-month run at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Emissaries of Peace: The 1762 Cherokee and British Delegations returns to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian reopening Jan. 3, 2008. The exhibit chronicles the 1762 trip of Cherokee leaders to London to meet King George III. At the time, the Cherokees held the balance of power in the southeastern colonies, and the British were courting them as allies against the French. The exhibit explores Cherokee and British perspectives of one another’s cultures; the role of the Cherokee in colonial life; and changes in Cherokee culture due to interaction with Europeans. Artifacts in the exhibit include peace pipes, weapons, uniforms, jewelry, documents and artwork. The exhibit also features videos, interactive displays and dioramas. 828-497-3481; www.cherokeemuseum.org

North Carolina Barbecue Trail   
This year the North Carolina Barbeque Society presents the “Barbecue Trail” that hits 25 hot spots across the “Cradle of ’Cue.” These historic Barbecue Pits must have operated continuously for fifteen or more years, make their own sauce and have earned the high esteem of barbeque aficionados. From Greenville in the east to Murphy near the Tennessee border, these restaurants offer distinctive cooking styles that have made North Carolina the “Barbecue Capital of the World.” 336-765-NCBS (6227); www.ncbbqsociety.com

ArtDuckO, Raleigh
For centuries ducks have provided a traditional food source and livelihood for North Carolinians. On March 1, the N.C. Museum of History opens a 5,000-square-foot exhibit presenting a multifaceted look at these feathered friends. ArtDuckO: Waterfowl Culture in North Carolina showcases vintage decoys, Audubon prints, artifacts and images that tell how ducks and other waterfowl have affected North Carolina’s history and culture. Visitors explore the state’s coastal life through environmental settings and audio and video components. All ages will enjoy searching for “quack facts,” handling decoys, and checking out the virtual shooting gallery. The exhibit runs through Aug. 24. 919-807-7900; www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

Lighthouse Opens to Visitors, Oak Island
 Starting this summer the Oak Island Lighthouse will begin allowing visitors to explore the second level of the tower. The Lighthouse will be open without appointment on Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. May 28 through September 3. Visitors to the second level of the lighthouse must be 7 years of age or older and all climbers must wear closed toe rubber sole shoes. Tours to the observation balcony at the top of the lighthouse must be arranged two weeks prior. Climbers to the top must be 10 years or older and five feet tall. The Lighthouse does not have a spiral staircase, it has ships ladders with a total of 131 steps to the lantern gallery level. 910-457-6964; www.oakislandlighthouse.org

Sylvan Heights, Scotland Neck
Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center, a breeding center with the world’s largest collection of waterfowl including many rare and endangered species, opens a new flamingo exhibit in early 2008. The exhibit features Chilean and Lesser flamingoes that were hand-raised by Sylvan Heights Curator Brad Hazelton. Located in northeastern North Carolina, the center provides conservation-oriented programs and avian exhibits showcasing more than 170 species of birds including animals from Australia, Africa, Eurasia, North and South America. 252-826-3186; www.sylvan-heights.org

Billy Graham Library, Charlotte
Trace back to the humble beginnings of a native-North Carolinian evangelist who has spoken to 210 million people in 185 countries. This innovative and interactive facility opened in June 2007 chronicling the life, ministry and message of Billy Graham with exhibits, multimedia displays and films. This family-friendly 40,000 square-foot complex includes the original Graham family homestead, a resource center and an on-site restaurant with “country kitchen” menu. Free to visitors, the complex anticipates hosting 200,000 visitors a year. 704-401-2432; www.billygraham.org/BGLibrary_Index.asp

Animal News at North Carolina Zoos
The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is in the midst of an $8.5 million expansion of its elephant and rhinoceros facilities called the Watani Grasslands Reserve. The project was developed in support of a nationwide effort by zoos to improve the captive care and breeding of both species. Grand opening is scheduled for April 2008. The N.C. Zoo is the nation’s largest walk-through natural-habitat zoo. 800-488-0444; www.nczoo.org
Greensboro’s Natural Science Center opened a new Animal Discovery Zoological Park in April 2007. The 500 acre, $12 million addition immerses visitors in a world of up-close creature encounters, featuring tigers, gibbons, wallabies, coatimundis, meerkats, howler monkeys and others. Themed on the ‘Science of Survival,’ Animal Discovery focuses on the unique and fascinating adaptations of diverse species. 336-288-3769; www.natsci.org

Conservancy to Create Barrier Island Study Center
The Bald Head Island Conservancy, an independent non-profit organizatio
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