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3 weeks ago | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Rebecca Woltz |Tamiya Anderson |Lynn Wells
SPONSORED BY Just a three-hour drive from Charlotte, downtown Charleston is a destination for history buffs and anyone with a camera. Picturesque sites abound, from the pastel-colored houses along Rainbow Row to the iconic church steeples that earned Charleston the nickname “Holy City.” The buildings that house museums, shops, and restaurants, as well as the streets that connect them, are steeped in a history that spans centuries.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Kristin Davis |Lynn Wells |Hannah Lee Leidy
SPONSORED BY Past and present mingled in Jennifer Smetana’s thoughts when her niece asked, “When is the Christmas Show gonna be back? I want to see Santa!” As the Southern Christmas Show’s manager, Smetana plays a role in all stages of the annual market, from the extravagant entrance display to more than 400 vendors spread throughout Charlotte’s Park Expo and Convention Center.
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Oct 25, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Kristin Davis |Hannah Lee Leidy
SPONSORED BY More than a decade ago, Jerry Brown found himself in the musty basement of the Ashe County Memorial Hospital, which had been abandoned since the 1990s. There on the floor, caked with dust, Brown found what he was looking for: an authentic, copper pot-style moonshine still.
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Sep 4, 2024 | 
cals.ncsu.edu | Lara Ivanitch
By Lara IvanitchDoctoral student Benjamin Rajo’s first trip to NC State University four years ago was fraught with uncertainty. In a race to leave Honduras before category 4 hurricane Eta hit, he and his wife, Carolina, traveled to Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport, passing streets flooded by rain from the storm’s outer edges. Inside the terminal, lines of travelers waited, unsure if they would fly that day. Once in the air, the turbulence was terrifying.
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Aug 5, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Melissa Reardon |Jimmy Tomlin |Brad Campbell
SPONSORED BY Lifting one front leg and holding it in place while raising the opposite back leg, C’sar nimbly glides into balancing table pose — well, as nimbly as you would expect a 12,000-pound elephant to glide. Keepers use a target pole to show him where to lift his feet and motivate him with snacks of carrots and sweet potatoes between yoga poses.
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May 20, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Kim Grizzard |Molly Harrison |Jimmy Tomlin
SPONSORED BY Before one young guest at The Swamp Park climbs the steep stairs leading to a tree-top platform, park manager George Howard asks if she’s ever done anything like ziplining before. She replies “kind of,” and explains, “I’ve done it virtually.” Howard shakes his head in disbelief.
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Apr 25, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |T. Edward Nickens |Lynn Wells |Wiley Cash
Just west of Charlotte, Gaston County has the unmistakable charm of a region with roots in the textile industry. Cut from similar fabric, each of the county’s towns remains distinct and unique. Gastonia is filled with historic sites transformed into new and vibrant spaces, like the 1927 movie theater-turned-steakhouse and the 1922 high school that now houses upscale apartments.
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Mar 21, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Andrea Weigl |Katie King |Katie Kane
Each Lake Norman town sings with a unique identity and personality. In Cornelius, the town’s three waterfront parks, marinas, and boat rental companies make it Lake Norman’s unofficial hub for getting out on the water. Davidson’s charm lives in its nostalgic Main Street where historic buildings house locally owned shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques.
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Mar 20, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Eric Ginsburg |Mark Kemp |Katie Schanze
SPONSORED BY As Mayor Teresa Batts approaches the top of Surf City Bridge on foot, a strip of deep blue ocean appears beyond the family-owned restaurants, shops, and beach homes before her. Only 75 years ago, Surf City became an incorporated town. Batts, a third-generation local, has witnessed the town’s transformation from a small fishing village into today’s bustling vacation destination during her lifetime.
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Feb 20, 2024 | 
ourstate.com | Lara Ivanitch |Robin Sutton Anders |Robert Lopez |Katie Schanze
When Pinehurst comes to mind, so does golf. Since its beginning, the charming village and the beloved game have been intertwined. With nearly 40 exceptional golf courses in its radius — and as host of the U.S. Open for the fourth time this year — Pinehurst has earned its spot among the game’s top destinations. But before golf, this swath of Sandhills was the remains of a pine forest, clear-cut for turpentine.
