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Home » Destinations » USA » North Carolina

Best Day Trips from Raleigh, NC

January 8, 2023 by Karen Dawkins 1 Comment

It’s great to live in Raleigh, North Carolina! In the heart of the state, a weekend getaway to the North Carolina Mountains or the beach is a no-brainer. And there are always fun things to do in Raleigh this weekend — and all week long for that matter. And, the Raleigh, NC food scene is […]

Filed Under: North Carolina Tagged With: day trips in nc, north carolina, raleigh, things to do in nc

New traditions: Holiday lights in Raleigh, NC

December 11, 2020 by Karen Dawkins 6 Comments

While 2020 has not shaped up to be a great one for traveling, it’s given us a chance to discover the fun and excitement of local travel. Maybe the Christkindl Markets in Germany are out of reach this year, but there’s great joy to discover closer to home. Here in the Triangle — an area […]

Filed Under: Kid Fun, North Carolina, Uncategorized

Historic North Carolina attractions: Carvers Creek State Park

July 31, 2020 by Karen Dawkins 3 Comments

Carvers Creek State Park

When I travel, I love visiting historic destinations. I also love hiking and outdoor activities. When history and outdoor destinations come together, it’s pretty much perfect! That’s where one of the newest North Carolina attractions, Carvers Creek State Park, comes in. Carvers Creek State Park is just outside of Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, North Carolina. […]

Filed Under: North Carolina

Visiting Carowinds? Everything you need to know!

July 10, 2019 by Karen Dawkins 2 Comments

Updated June, 2022 People who live in North and South Carolina know that Carowinds is an awesome theme park! It’s got loads of coasters, Planet Snoopy for the kids, and even Carolina Harbor — an amazing waterpark — included with the price of admission. Special thanks to Carowinds for providing free tickets for this review […]

Filed Under: North Carolina, Other Theme Parks, South Carolina, Theme Parks and Zoos

Complete Outer Banks Vacation Planner: Sun, sand, and sea (and more to explore!)

March 5, 2019 by Karen Dawkins 3 Comments

Sun, sand and sea at the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a popular vacation destination for families who want to enjoy sun, sand and sea. A successful vacation takes just a bit planning, though. This guide walks you through everything you need to plan a wonderful Outer Banks vacation. We’ll cover: Outer Banks accommodations, OBX attractions in each region […]

Filed Under: Adventure, Beaches, History, Kid Fun, North Carolina, Travel guides

Take the scenic route • 13 reasons why traveling HWY 301 is better than I-95

December 14, 2018 by Karen Dawkins 7 Comments

HWY 301 is a great alternate route to I-95 in North Carolina, here's why

If you’ve ever traveled I-95 through North Carolina, you’ve experienced the traffic jams as you pass mile after tedious mile of loblolly pines and highway construction barrels. You’ve seen the  New Jersey snowbirds travel south in winter. And you’ve followed the Floridian headed north for summer. There has got to be a better way, right?  […]

Filed Under: North Carolina, Roadtrips

High flying fun on the Xtreme Park ropes course

September 22, 2018 by Karen Dawkins 1 Comment

Every time I try a new high ropes adventure course, I learn something new about myself. That’s certainly the case with the ropes course at Xtreme Park Adventures, an adventure park near Durham, North Carolina. >> Check out Tree Runner Adventure Park in nearby Raleigh Xtreme Park Adventures has been around for several years, expanding […]

Filed Under: Adventure, Interests, North Carolina

NCMA: Family friendly museum and art park

December 10, 2017 by Karen Dawkins Leave a Comment

I woke up last Thursday and checked the weather (I’m a weather bug wannabe). The forecast said sunny and 70 — not too shabby for the last day of November! With an amazing day on tap, I decided to visit the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA). The North Carolina Museum of Art has a […]

Filed Under: Arts/Culture, North Carolina, Uncategorized

Celebrating Culture: NC’s Chinese Lantern Festival

November 29, 2017 by Karen Dawkins 27 Comments

Our daughter is Chinese by birth. Until recently she has not wanted to explore the heritage of her homeland. While we incorporate some Chinese culture into our lives, we never pushed her to go further than she wants. This year, she has been asking more about China and Chinese culture. When I was provided the […]

Filed Under: Arts/Culture, Kid Fun, North Carolina

21 reasons kids love Durham (and parents do, too)

June 24, 2017 by Karen Dawkins 1 Comment

When we moved to North Carolina back in 2001, we never went to Durham. In part, it seemed far away (about an hour). Also, living so close to the beach (compared to when we lived in Ohio), the novelty of that took years to wear off. When I homeschooled, we finally ventured into Durham to visit […]

Filed Under: Destinations, Interests, Kid Fun, North Carolina, USA

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Meet Karen Dawkins

An avid traveler, I enjoy discovering new places: history, culture, and adventure. I love it all! Well, not bugs. I don’t like bugs very much, so I probably won’t visit a bug museum.

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