Stay North Carolina Rentals, Vacation Rentals in North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States. North Carolina comprises 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, biotechnology, and finance sectors. North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern United States. The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.

The Culture of North Carolina is a subculture in the United States. As a coastal state, North Carolina culture has been greatly influenced by the southeastern United States and early settlers from England. Food: A nationally-famous cuisine from North Carolina is pork barbecue. In Eastern North Carolina pork barbecue uses a vinegar-based sauce and the "whole hog" is cooked, thus using both white and dark meat. The "capital" of eastern Carolina barbecue is usually considered to be the town of Wilson, near Raleigh. Western North Carolina pork barbecue uses ketchup and vinegar based sauce and only the pork shoulder (dark meat) is used. The "capital" of western Carolina barbecue is usually considered to be the Piedmont Triad town of Lexington, home of the Lexington Barbecue Festival which brings in over 100,000 visitors each October. Education: The University of North Carolina system encompasses 16 public universities including North Carolina State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, Western Carolina University, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State University. Along with its public universities, North Carolina has 58 public community colleges in its community college system. There are also a number of private colleges, for example Duke University in Durham and Wake Forest University in Winston Salem.

North Carolina has a humid, subtropical climate. Winters are short and mild, while summers are usually very sultry; spring and fall are distinct and refreshing periods of transition. In most of North Carolina, temperatures rarely go above 38°C or fall below –12°C, but differences in altitude and proximity to the ocean create significant local variations. Average January temperatures range from 21°C to 9°C, with an average daily maximum January temperature of 11°C and minimum of –2°C. Average July temperatures range from 20°C to 27°C, with an average daily high of 31°C and a low of 19°C. The coldest temperature ever recorded in North Carolina was –37°C, registered on 21 January 1985 on Mount Mitchell; the hottest, 43°C, occurred on 21 August 1983 at Fayetteville.

Charlotte: Charlotte is one of the fastest growing cities in the USA. The banking industry has brought many people to the area and it has grown tremendously in the past few years.

Raleigh: Raleigh is the capital city of North Carolina. It is the southern tip of the "Triangle" city region that includes Durham and Chapel Hill.

Asheville: Asheville is a beautiful city situated in western North Carolina among the Blue Ridge Mountains. Because of its mountain location, it typically has mild winters and cooler summers.

Wilmington: Also known as the port city, Wilmington lies in the Southeast corner of North Carolina between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean.

Fayetteville: Fayetteville N.C. is one of the most diverse cities in the United States. Fayetteville N.C. has many awards to its credit and activities for citizens.

Winston-Salem: Winston-Salem, locally nicknamed Twin City, is in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Similar to the triangle area of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill.

Chapel Hill: Chapel Hill is a town in North Carolina, where its name named for the Church of England New Hope Chapel, which once stood atop the hill’s crossroads.

Maggie Valley: Maggie Valley is a small tourist town in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, between Asheville, NC and Gatlinburg, TN.

Nags Head: Nags Head is part of North Carolina's Outer Banks. It's located along the east coast of the state.

Kitty Hawk: Kitty Hawk is part of North Carolina's Outer Banks. It's located along the east coast of the state. It's where the Wright Brothers went to test their airplanes.

Carolina Beach: Carolina Beach might be the hippest town in North Carolina, a small community along the ocean just south of Wilmington.

Southport: Southport is a small town along coastal North Carolina near the South Carolina border. Sitting at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.

Shell-shaped Gas Station Winston-Salem, North Carolina: A bright yellow seashell once serviced North Carolina's gas guzzlers.

World's Largest Chest of Drawers High Point, North Carolina: This furniture capital landmark isn't actually the largest bureau in town....

World's Largest Ten Commandments Murphy, North Carolina: 00 feet wide, built by the Church of God of Prophecy at Fields of the Wood in 1945.

Belhaven Memorial Museum Belhaven, North Carolina: Filled with junk, freaks in jars, and fleas in formal dress.

Marvin Johnson's Gourd Museum Angier, North Carolina: The late Marvin Johnson hoists one of his favorite gourds; a portrait of himself feeding his pet alligator a hot dog.

A transportation system in North Carolina consists of air, water, road, rail, and public transportation. The history of North Carolina's growth and prosperity has been inextricably linked to the history of transportation in the state, especially the history of highway development. North Carolina has the largest state-maintained highway system in the nation. To provide and maintain this system, North Carolina relies strictly on user-related sources of funds, such as motor fuel taxes and state license and registration fees.

North Carolina has 76 publicly owned and 225 privately owned airports. Fifteen airports have regularly scheduled airline service; four are international. There are more than 6,000 private aircraft based in the state, flown by more than 15,000 certified pilots. More than 36 million passengers fly to and from North Carolina each year, and more than 650 million pounds of air freight originate annually in the state. There are three major airline hubs in North Carolina. North Carolina has larger airports at Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Kinston, Raleigh/Durham, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem.

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway follows sounds, rivers, and canals down the entire length of eastern North Carolina. The North Carolina ferry system, the 2nd-largest in the nation, transports more than 23 million passengers and 820,000 vehicles each year. Twenty-four ferry vessels move passengers and vehicles between the state's coastal communities. Seventeen of the vessels feature the colors and seals of North Carolina's public and private colleges and universities to promote the ferry system. There are major ports at Morehead City and Wilmington. Morehead City handled 4.4 million tons of cargo in 2000; Wilmington, 6.7 million tons.