<p>Does anyone have any tips for fun things for parents to do within a couple of hours of Duke? As long as we are coming 3000 miles this August to get our new freshman settled we may as well take a few days to see the area, go to a beach, etc. - anything fun to take our minds off the sadness of our son leaving. Thanks.</p>
<p>Go to Wrightsville Beach - that’s what my family did, and they had so much fun that they wanted to make an annual trip out of it. I, unfortunately, have yet to go to this fabulous place they speak of. Another piece of advice - avoid Myrtle.</p>
<p>Thanks! We’re going to try it - just booked our airfare.</p>
<p>Myrtle is fun in a trashy and touristy kind of way. For actual beaches, the middle-southern Outer Banks are the best. For a mix of the two (which is probably what most people want), most places in between are nice.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in history, Old Salem in Winston-Salem is worth a visit. The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is also a great place to visit (largest walk-through zoo in the US).</p>
<p>Asheville, NC has a lot of magic about it…lots of artists, potters and wealthy retirees with mountain home views. Many Floridians own homes in the towns south of Asheville. The Pisgah Forest has a plethora of summer camps of every kind for youth or various churches but is a mecca for vacation homes in Brevard, Saluda and Hendersonville. The Biltmore is worth a tour. I live in Virginia but prefer the Pisgah Forest mountains for hiking and camping and driving. If you have ever seen the film Last of the Mohicans…it was not filmed in NY state mountains…it was filmed in the Pisgah Forest area which is quite obvious to the eye of anyone who has ever spent time there. The real Cold Mountain is nearby.<br>
Virginians prefer Topsail, Holden, Ocean Isle and Oak for family house rentals on the shore. Wilmington is very inviting for dinners out and has an active film and TV industry. Some families prefer the Nags Head and Duck beaches which have bigger dunes and more surf and are closer to the Wright Brothers places. It is possible to rent a house for better rates in the fall.</p>
<p>My parents like to explore NC (and even SC and GA) after they drop me off or come to visit. They love Asheville and went somewhere nice in the Outerbanks recently, apparently (I can get exact information). I’ve been to Wrightsville and it’s apparently becoming a hot spot, though I wasn’t thrilled by it… for a longer trip, my parents like to go down to Charleston, SC.</p>
<p>If you haven’t seen it already and are in the vicinity, visit the Biltmore in Asheville. It is really impressive and beautiful. Western NC is particularly beautiful country. Have fun.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I think I am more excited about coming to North Carolina than my son is!</p>
<p>It’s all about deciding if you want to hit the beach or the mountains 
I’m a “sitting at the ocean” kind of person as opposed to a “getting in the ocean” kind, and I love the outer banks (which is around 4 / 4.5 hours away) and Wilmington (which is about 2 hours away). Late August is <em>just</em> starting to come out of season, so depending on the various rental companies you might be able to get a great deal. I can send along info on a company I book with if you are interested - my family and I head out to Nags Head for Spring Break every year.</p>
<p>If you go down to the Wilmington area, theres a ton of cute beaches nearby you can visit. Wilmington in itself is such a cute town, and you can find a ton of stuff within an hour (ie Myrtle, North Myrtle which will obviously give you more mainstream commercial stuff, as well as places like Wrightsville, Ocean Isle, Bald Head, etc etc). If you’re looking for a nice place to stay, i’d definitely suggest Wilmington.</p>