<p>So TheMom’s extended family is having an family reunion on the Outer Banks this summer. We’ll be driving down from D.C. and North Carolina is one of those states that I’ve never been to before. (Been through Tennessee lots of times and to Virginia a few times.)</p>
<p>Now, I assume that at the border you have to pass through a checkpoint where each vehicle is issued at least one carton of cigarettes.</p>
<p>Anything else I should know?</p>
<p>If you’re caught speeding on the highway, you get thrown in jail. At least that’s what I hear. Speed limit is 70, but 80 is the cut-off for reckless driving. </p>
<p>Don’t worry about sporting any liberal paraphernalia. No one knows what it means. </p>
<p>Enjoy the signs for “South of the Border.” Always a treat as you drive down I-95. </p>
<p>Have time to ruckus with your favourite law student?</p>
<p>sweet tea</p>
<p>eastern vs. western bbq</p>
<p>you’ll love it here!!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about sporting any liberal paraphernalia. No one knows what it means.”</p>
<p>Then you’ve never HEARD of Asheville, Aries! Lost in a Sixties time-warp, that little city is–and with a huge arts community–and a substantial gay community. Its tendrils are spread all through the hills around here, too.</p>
<p>ctymomteacher, I was just about to post about Asheville! The new national tour of the musical RENT will be performing in Asheville tonight, so yes, that attests to the city’s arts community. We’ve been to Asheville many times, always plan on it as our stopover when travelling south, and love it there.</p>
<p>The traffic on the interstates is intense! Lots and lots of big trucks, can be exhausting driving.</p>
<p>yes, I agree with cangel. That is a harrowing drive on that interstate. it is a straight shot, but so many trucks. it’s frazzling. I found north carolina to be beautiful, but yes, my son went to school there for a year and said absolutely everybody smokes, and he hates smoking. I think it’s a nice state though, albiet the few places I visited.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>NC barbecue is God’s gift to tastebuds. Don’t talk loudly about how it’s not “real” barbecue. And get the slaw on top. The only appropriate debate is east vs. west. East rules, by the way! Particularly if you’re at the Outer Banks.</p></li>
<li><p>While the South of the Border signs are amusing, don’t stop in Dillon. For one thing, it will mean you missed the exit to the Outer Banks about 2 hours ago. For another, if you stop to look around you <em>will</em> get a South of the Border bumper sticker attached to your vehicle, rental or not. </p></li>
<li><p>The town at the northern end of the OB, Corolla, is not pronounced like the car. People will laugh at you. </p></li>
<li><p>If you are neutral when it comes to ACC basketball, stay neutral. Feign ignorance. Do anything to avoid getting drawn into what looks like a “friendly” conversation about Duke-UNC between sane-looking natives. It won’t stay friendly for long, and they won’t stay sane for long. </p></li>
<li><p>Get up early enough to be on the beach at dawn, at least a couple of times. </p></li>
<li><p>Take the intro to hang gliding lesson at Kitty Hawk. It’s not often you get a chance to be in the air at the same place that Orville and Wilbur were.</p></li>
</ol>
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<p>Them’s fightin’ words! Thin vinegary stuff.</p>
<p>Wilmington used to be a lovely historic town - is it still worth a visit, or too far?
A second on the dawn beach walks.</p>
<p>god-awful ketchupy stuff :)</p>
<p>I agree with cangel about bbq. Besides, Lexington has the best Carolina barbecue. :)</p>
<p>I love the Outer Banks, although we don’t get out there often. The sun can be fierce even in winter, so if you don’t wear sunblock, you WILL get burned (this is from someone who came back with 2nd degree burns :(). </p>
<p>If you get down to Manteo, you absolutely MUST see the Lost Colony (the play), and the remains of Fort Raleigh are also fairly interesting. The Elizabethan Gardens are beautiful in summer. The Roanoke aquarium is also worth a visit. </p>
<p>Ocrakoke is very scenic and a pleasant little island. If you get down to Wilmington, Southport is a lovely historic town, and the Fort Fisher aquarium is superb. Tryon Palace in New Bern is interesting if you like historical sites.</p>
<p>My Middle Atlantic years are back in the mid-eighties, and my memory is going. In Va we got great crabcakes, even though most people associate that with Maryland - don’t they have good crabcakes on the Outer Bank, too? What is the signature seafood dish? Good Brunswick stew? We don’t get Brunswick stew with our bbq here, we are far enough west that it is baked beans instead - although the oldtimers like me do want slaw on the bbq. Slaw on hotdogs, too, but that’s another thread :).</p>
<p>mmmm, I’d forgotten about crabcakes. The Outer Banks has delicious ones, and you can see the fishermen checking the traps if you get up early enough. The shrimp dishes are also tasty. 
Oh, and don’t freak out if you see dolphin on the menu (like I did). It’s dolphin fish, a rather popular item along the NC coast.</p>
<p>Had brunswick stew last night for dinner and yes it was a side. Had it with carolina bbq, slaw and hush puppies!! And a big glass of sweet tea!!!</p>
<p>I could have opted for the greens or fried okra but stuck with the brunswick stew.</p>
<p>My son has a shirt from a great seafood place on the OBX, Dirty Dicks. I can’t even repeat what is on the shirt just that it entails crabs and the establishments name. They have great crab cakes and crab!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Where in the Outer Banks? Will you be up by Nag’s Head/Duck or down by Hatteras? We had week-long vacations during three different summers in Avon, which is near the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Great location because they have a supermarket there. </p>
<p>South of the Border is in SC, you wouldn’t be near there. In any case it’s not very nice. You’ll be off the interstate and driving through small towns for part of the trip.</p>
<p>If you’ll be in the southern part of the Outer Banks, and want some barbecue, look for Bubba’s 1 or Bubba’s 2. Bring it home. You don’t want to eat there.</p>
<p>
Not to say stuff like THIS?? </p>
<p>We made a trip to NC when we moved our son to Duke. OMG, it is a lovely state–tremendous natural beauty, wonderful colleges, and astounding hospitality–we simply could NOT have been treated with more respect and kindness. </p>
<p>My advice…embrace the differences and always show due respect.</p>
<p>~berurah</p>
<p>
kat~</p>
<p>Sounds like exactly where we ate in Durham on night…was this place in Durham??? ~b.</p>
<p>Berurah-</p>
<p>Now you know why I moved my 5 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats and 1 bunny rabbit over 3000 miles to get here!! Looked like something from the “Grapes of Wrath”!!!</p>
<p>Know if I could just get some more of my wandering, traveling children to attend school in-state I would be so much happier.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>What I described is pretty standard for most of carolina, except vinegar vs. tomato bbq. We are located about 20 miles due east of Durham. Maybe you ate at Smithfields?</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>North Carolina born and raised here! You’ll love the state. I adore this state from the beautiful Smoky Mountains right on to the beautiful ocean. Some very comical views of NC I’m reading here, and many are true for sure. 
Though the once tobacco capital of the USA, now that it’s almost outlawed, it’s not so much anymore. However, if you drive on down to southeastern NC in the summer, you will still see many fields of green tobacco growing in the fields. But alas, when I was growing up, the green leaf was in almost every field along with hundreds of tobacco barns that lie crumbling today. (if I sound pro tobacco, I’m not really…just love to remember my youth on the farm). Anyway, not so many smoke as was once the case, so maybe you won’t get that carton of cigs. (but Duke did come from tobacco money)</p>
<p>It’s true what they say about BBQ and sweet tea too.</p>
<p>Have a nice time in NC. But like anywhere else, the degree of “southernness” really depends on what part of the state you visit. Visit Raleigh, and you’ll barely be able to hear a southern accent. Visit some of the small towns and you’ll think you’re in Mayberry!</p>