Outdoor NC Initiative Aims to Inspire Travelers to Enjoy and Sustain

With travelers craving open space as never before, Visit North Carolina and the N.C. Outdoor Recreation Industry Office have joined with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics on a campaign to inspire outdoor experiences and manage natural assets for future generations. With Outdoor NC, North Carolina becomes the first coastal state to partner with Leave No Trace, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the outdoors and inspiring people to use it responsibility. As travelers seek the relative safety of fresh-air spaces to escape confinements imposed by COVID-19, the partnership will focus on ways to welcome travelers and engage them in protecting the natural places they crave. The effort launches at Outdoor NC with the seven Leave No Trace pillars to be followed by a buildout offering more details on how to explore nature responsibly and sample itineraries highlighting less-frequented destinations and experiences at off-peak times.

High Hampton Resort to Reopen as Elevated Experience

High Hampton, a mountain retreat well-loved by generations, turns the welcome lights back on in April after a consummate renovation by the team behind Blackberry Farm with guidance from the N.C. Historical Preservation Office. The revitalization includes the 18-room inn and its restaurants, 40 cottage rooms and three separate cottages plus a redesign of the 18-hole golf course by Tom Fazio with new club amenities. Located at 3,600 feet on the edge of Nantahala National Forest, the 1,400-acre resort retains its hallmark rustic character with modern accents in the mix. Guests can access more than 15 miles of hiking trails; a pool and hot tub overlooking Hampton Lake, a 35-acre spring-fed lake with beach; and a kids camp with supervised activities and programs. High Hampton had been owned by the McKee family for 95 years until 2017, when Daniel Communities and Arlington Family Offices acquired the property and brought in team from Blackberry Farm/Blackberry Mountain. highhampton.com

(More LODGING NEWS below) 

USGA to Establish 'Golf House Pinehurst,' Adds U.S. Open Dates

A new equipment-testing facility, innovation hub, museum and visitors center will become part of the landscape at the U.S. Golf Association's "Golf House Pinehurst." In announcing the plans and a 2023 target completion date, the USGA added U.S. Open dates for the famed No. 2 course at Pinehurst Resort. Recognized as legendary architect Donald Ross' masterpiece, the No. 2 course adds 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047 to its U.S. Open card and becomes the USGA's first U.S. Open anchor site. As previously announced, the 2024 U.S. Open will mark the fourth time the tournament has been played on No. 2. The plans are part of the USGA's strategy to expand its impact and extend its mission to champion and advance the game. 

N.C. Civil Rights Trail to Map Journey Toward Equality

From Nina Simone and Julius Chambers to Ella Baker and the Greensboro Four, North Carolina voices have swelled in the national struggle for equality. With the launch of the N.C. Civil Rights Trail in 2021, the epic journey will be preserved and amplified from places where leaders and followers lived, learned and took a stand for social justice. Working with communities across the state, the N.C. African American Heritage Commission will designate up to 50 sites where trail markers will be placed by January 2023. An interactive web portal will highlight these places and others to guide people to history and experiences from the past. The state's trail follows the 2018 rollout of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail by Travel South USA, a tourism marketing organization with 15 member states. The national trail includes five North Carolina sites, including the F.W. Woolworth's building in Greensboro, where four N.C. A&T University freshmen powered up the sit-in movement, and Estey Hall on the Shaw University campus in Raleigh, where alumna Ella Baker started the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. 

Restored 'Green Book'-Era Property Will Soon Book Overnight Guests

Jackie Robinson slept here. So did James Baldwin, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Ike and Tina Turner, and other African American travelers who needed a place to stay in the Jim Crow South. The Magnolia House, whose listing in "The Negro Motorist Green Book" was starred as a recommended Greensboro site, faded after the motel closed in the 1970s. But steady progress on restoring the 1914 structure has been made since Sam Pass bought it in 1996 and created the Magnolia House Foundation. From hosting weddings and other private events, use of the Magnolia House has grown to include Sunday jazz brunches, concerts, and a museum highlighting the history of the property and the families who have owned it. Later this year, guests will again be able to book the five rooms where celebrities once spent the nighe. www.thehistoricmagnoliahouse.com

Oyster Trail Connects Coastal Cuisine, Heritage

Oyster farmers, restaurants. markets and educators invite travelers to indulge and learn along the N.C. Oyster Trail, which highlights an industry whose colorful history includes a war against out-of-state poachers. Stops extend from the Outer Banks to Bald Head Island with oyster farm tours, exhibits, excursions and dining with inland markets and restaurants sharing the delicacy with their customers. The Outer Banks Seafood Festival and other events will also elevate oysters at their 2021 celebrations. The Oyster Trail is administered by the N.C. Coastal Federation and N.C. Sea Grant in partnership with the N.C. Shellfish Growers Association.

UTV Rentals Add Adventure Plus Easy Access to Seashore History

Travelers to the Cape Lookout National Seashore have a new option for experiencing barrier island nature and history with 4WD Kubota UTV rentals from Island Express Ferry Service, the National Park Service-authorized service to the seashore's most popular areas. Beginning in March, the UTVs can be rented from the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area and driven to the point for fishing and shelling or to the Cape Lookout Village Historic Site, where a former life-saving station, an old Coast Guard station and the remains of a World War II Army defense complex share 810 acres with former fishing cottages and vacation homes. Island Express offers tours and ferries from Beaufort and Harkers Island with landings in the lighthouse area and Shackleford Banks, famous for its herd of wild Colonial Spanish mustangs.

NC Zoo Stars in Nat Geo WILD Series

The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro finds the spotlight in "Secret of the Zoo: North Carolina," an eight part series airing this fall on the National Geographic Wild channel. Produced by London-based Double Act TV, the hourlong episodes document the work done at the 2,600-acre zoo, which the channel characterizes as a global leader in setting standards “at a time when the traditional concept of a zoo seems out of sync with animal welfare.” The N.C. Zoo, the world's largest natural habitat zoo, is home to more than 1,800 animals living in African and North American habitats, a global desert and a free-flight aviary. An Asia region is in development with a 2023 opening planned. Nat Geo WILD, a mid-tier premium channel, reaches nearly half of all U.S. households with television and is included in the Disney+ streaming service.

Nantahala Outdoor Center Heads Into 50th Season in 2021

In a year that saw the 7 millionth guest escorted on a whitewater rafting trip, Nantahala Outdoor Center is looking ahead to celebrate its 50th season in 2021. The nation's largest outdoor recreation company, NOC offers more than 120 different river- and land-based itineraries at its main location on the Nantahala River in Bryson City and along seven other Southeastern rivers. Special offerings for 2021 will include a women's whitewater kayaking retreat and a "Week of Rivers" in five different national forests as well as wilderness first aid and survival. NOC, whose resort amenities include three restaurants and multi-tiered lodging, has been recognized by The New York Times as the “Nation's Premiere Paddling School,” Outside as “The Best Place to Learn” and National Geographic Adventure as “One of the Best Outfitters on Earth.” 

Asheville Renews, Extends Cultural Experiences

Long-known as an arts colony with connections to the American Craft Revival and mid-20th-century avant-garde movements, Asheville is rebounding from pandemic-induced closings. The Asheville Art Museum, which enjoyed a brief reopening of its expanded before COVID-19 struck, again welcomes visitors to its galleries, new rooftop terrace and café, and other spaces in accordance with state guidelines. The nearby Center for Craft, a leading national organization that uses its galleries to investigate a shifting creative landscape, has also reopened. And in the continued rebirth of the city's historical Black business district (The Block), the LEAF Global Arts Center, has shifted gears to focus on in-person and virtual experiences rooted in music, art and community. The neighboring YMI Cultural Center, one of the nation's oldest Black institutions, is home to the new Noir Collective AVL, a retail space for Black entrepreneurs, artists, makers and social activists.

'Golden Mummies of Egypt' to Go on View in Raleigh

A collection of eight gilded mummies from the Manchester Museum in England go on view Feb. 13 at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh. On display through July 11, the exhibit also includes more than 100 papyri, jewelry, ceramics and other objects that connect the domestic, daily sphere of these Greco-Roman Egyptians to the religious world of the gods. Excavated from Hawara, Egypt, south of modern-day Cairo, the mummies and related objects offer glimpses into where the people lived, what they believed, and their unique blend of cultural traditions from circa 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E.

Lodging News 

New Era of Glory Arrives for 1838 Hillsborough Tavern

Two decades after the last guests were served, the Colonial Inn in Hillsborough's downtown historic district is again welcoming travelers and diners. Originally known as Spencer's Tavern, the landmark enjoyed a long history as an inn and later a popular restaurant that closed in 2001. The two-story structure houses a restaurant, bar, event center and 28 guestrooms. Additional lodging will be available in a new wing with a target competition date is 2022. Hillsborough, once destined to be the state's capital, has been dubbed "America's little literary town" for its concentration of writers. colonialinn-nc.com

Long-awaited Boutique Lodging Booms in Downtown Raleigh

The  arrival of boutique lodging downtown completes the appeal of a capital city known for stellar chefs (including Ashley Christensen, the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef), craft beverage, nightlife, culture and outdoor spaces. The 57-room Longleaf Hotel, a stylishly retrofitted motor lodge, and the 126-room Origin Raleigh have opened in recent months, and early 2020 will see the arrival of the Heights House Hotel (formerly Montford Hall). This restored 1858 Italiante-style mansion becomes a nine-room boutique hotel with indoor and outdoor spaces for private and community events. The hotel will begin booking stays in early January 2021. Also planning a 2021 opening:  a124-room AC Hotel by Marriott as part of The Willard development. 

New Hotels, New Brands Arrive in Charlotte

Even with the slowdown from COVID-19, Charlotte looks to a future with new lodging options in the Center City. JW Marriott Charlotte, the first of Marriott International's luxury flagship hotels in North Carolina, has topped out a 22-story hotel across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center. With 381oversize rooms and suites, the property will feature a Spa by JW, rooftop lounge and pool, meeting space, food and beverage outlets. Part of the Ally Charlotte Center project, the hotel aims for an April 2021 opening. Also in the works: North Carolina's first InterContinental-brand hotel, which will rise atop a 1927 theater that closed four decades ago. The luxury hotel, being developed by Valor Hospitality,  will offer 274 rooms in a 20-story addition to the five-story theater, which will be restored. Spring 2022 is the goal for the opening. In August, the Kessler Collection opened the 254-room Grand Bohemian Charlotte, complete with art gallery, spa and fitness center, and restaurant with rooftop bar and lounge.

Revived Smokies Motel Revels in Vintage Style

The old Rocky Waters Motel in Maggie Valley again welcomes guests, this time as The Route 19 Inn, a 32-room motor lodge with a mid-century vibe. In renovating the 1949 motel, the new owners channel time and place with a 1951 Kaiser, serve homemade ice cream sandwiches by the pool, and depict the curvaceous Tail of the Dragon mountain road in a mural. The inn takes its new name from U.S. 19, a pre-interstate highway that runs from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Erie. www.route19inn.com