Six great North Carolina sights

by Gadling Staff on

North Carolina has long harbored a startling wealth of attractions the “natives” have quietly keep to themselves. But no longer. From the undiscovered locales of Carolina’s magnificent coast to the lesser-known spots further inland, it’s time to share these venues with the rest of the world. Come along as we investigate some of North Carolina’s most picturesque and unique attractions.

The North Carolina Coast
Start on the coast in Wilmington at EUE Screen Gems Studio’s “Hollywood East,” the largest movie studio this side of the Mississippi. Home to more than 350 films, television shows and commercials, tours run on Saturdays and Sundays at noon and at 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Other times of the year, tours run on Saturday only. The one-hour walking tour takes visitors through sets for the series,”One Tree Hill.” It’s like being an insider to the film industry, looking at back lots and stages during an easy walk.

Within a 30 minute drive of the studio is Carolina Beach State Park where carnivorous Venus Flytrap plants live. Ask the ranger for information, as the plants are protected. Native in a 60 to 75 mile radius of Wilmington, the modified leaves of these plants trap insects, then secrete a digestive fluid so they can absorb nutrients from the insect. The park also offers camping, nice walking trails and a small beach suitable for launching kayaks into the Cape Fear River. Fort Fisher and the NC Aquarium are only minutes away.

Continuing up the coast, head to Topsail Island, which is home to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. It’s worth standing in line for a short while to get a close look at turtles cared for in the facility. Most of them have head and carapace fractures due to boat propellers or injuries from being caught in nets. Whatever the ailment, they are treated with medications and lots of love by a cast of volunteers. Jean Beasley, Animal Planet’s 2007 Hero of the Year, started the center in honor of her daughter in 1996. Closed in winter, the center is open June through August from 2 to 4 p.m.; closed Wednesdays and Sundays.

Continuing on the coast to Beaufort, look across at wild horses–looking back at you–from the islands paralleling this historical town. The Rachel Carson Coastal Estuarine Reserve serves as a sanctuary for these ancestors of horses left ashore by crashed boats in centuries gone by. Tame horses can be rented for beach rides in the area and kayak rentals give visitors a superb way to explore the coast. Nearby Cape Lookout, accessible only by water, offers the chance to explore the lighthouse and search for photo-perfect sea shells. You can arrange for a water taxi from Harkers Island.

North Carolina Inland
North Carolina’s hidden sights aren’t just on the coast. There’s plenty to see further inland as well. Head toward Seagrove where many eighth and ninth generation potters continue crafting their work. Visitors make a day of trailing around from one potter’s studio to another, chatting with the artists, finding every texture, style and glaze she could want.

Pack the pottery in the car and finish in the western part of the state at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Cool in summer, but hot with activity on seven different rivers–you can paddle, raft, fish, or ride the rapids. Take it easy with children as young as three or whoop it up on Class IV rapids. The store at NOC stocks all types of outdoor gear, so you can look good even if you stand on the bridge and observe.

No matter what your interest, these North Carolina sights offer something worth discovering – check them out!

Five travel gift ideas for Mother’s Day

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You need options – fast. Mother’s Day is less than month away, and moms want to travel. They want to get out on the road, be treated like royalty and experience all the luxuries for which they don’t have time day to day. With a whole world at your disposal, how do you choose? Well, I poked around and thought you might be interested in the following deals for Mother’s Day. Here are five ideas that will at least get you started.

1. Residence Inn by Marriott
At all 588 hotels, Residence Inn will be dishing out 50 red roses for moms – that’s 29,400 red roses you don’t need to remember to buy! Also, all guests – kids and dads included – will get free hot breakfast every day, free internet access and plenty of space in the guestrooms.

2. La Posada De Santa Fe Resort & Spa
Art, culture, fine dining and pampering are the norm in Santa Fe, and La Posada does it right. With its Mother’s Day Celebration package, good from May 1, 2010 to July 5, 2010, the resort kicks in a $200 spa credit (good at the RockResorts spa), a pair of specialty turquoise margaritas at the Staab Lounge and a bottle of champagne with chocolate-diped strawberries.3. ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa
Is there a stylish mom you need to take care of next month? ONE Bal Harbour has the answer. Ship her off with her friends for a girls-only getaway, where she can truly get away from the demands of motherhood for a little while. The resort’s “Sun, Stay and Shop” package includes two cocktails at the hotel bar, breakfast every day and a VIP shopping experience that’s got a car service, personal consultation and a special discount at Saks Fifth Avenue’s 5th Avenue Club.

4. Concorde Hotels & Resorts
Get mom off to the City of Lights this Mother’s Day for three night at the century- old, landmark Hotel Lutetia. With the “Centennial Offer,” this Parisian hotel includes a double room, buffet breakfast daily and a 100 euro gift voucher (for a celebration dinner, maybe?).

5. Abercrombie & Kent
Okay, this is top of the line. If you’re a fan of our Daily Pampering column, consider this to be up your alley. Check out an A&K “Journeys for Women” trip, which give moms and daughters the chance to bond while experiencing a foreign culture.

Are Disney’s buses dangerous?

by Leigh Caldwell on

Walt Disney World has long touted its comprehensive bus system in a long list of reasons while staying at a Disney resort is a great value. When you stay “on property” at Disney World, you get free transportation to all the Disney resorts, theme parks and other recreation areas.

But three bus crashes in a two-week span, including one that killed a 9-year-old boy, have critics saying a computer system inside Disney’s buses could be too much of a distraction.

The “Magic in Motion” system routes buses in real-time, rather than scheduling all the routes in advance of a shift. The system requires bus drivers to input a 5-digit code into a computer on the bus before they arrive at their destination. It’s a feat Disney says is easily accomplished while waiting at a stoplight or parking gate.

But some Disney bus drivers and a local union leader told the Orlando Sentinel that the system is distracting and requires drivers to take their eyes off the road.

For its part, Disney says it is developing software to further automate the system so that drivers don’t need to enter anything into the on-board computers.

And that’s great. Disney, and any other travel company for that matter, should be continually innovating to improve safety. But for what it’s worth, authorities say that distracted driving did not contribute to any of the three recent Disney bus crashes.

Anytime there is an accident at Walt Disney World, people panic and seem to overlook the fact that tens of thousands of people ride on these buses every day, at a 40-square mile resort dotted with 4- and 6-lane highways. The bus system is as complex as many cities. In fact, its fleet is larger than the city bus systems in Tampa and Orlando.

There are going to be accidents.

Personally, I’m more worried about a scene I see nearly every time I drive on Walt Disney World property: A family driving a rental car 60 miles per hour in unfamiliar territory, while mom takes pictures out the window and dad talks on his cell phone and messes with the GPS.

That’s distracted driving at its best.

3 Earth Day travel discounts

by Amy Chen on

With all the pressure to be green these days, travelers can benefit from Earth Day-themed discounts. Here’s a trio of deals that will help you save a little dough — and perhaps help save the planet as well.

Ride the Rails with Kimpton Hotels
Save 15 percent off the best available rate at more than 30 participating Kimpton properties if you show your Amtrak ticket stub at check-in.
Details: To qualify for the Ride the Rails discount, enter the promo code RAILS when booking. You then must ride Amtrak to your destination and show your ticket as proof that you ditched your car for the trip. Participating hotels are in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Alexandria, Arlington, and Cambridge. Starting prices vary by property.

Car-free discounts in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Save 20 percent off an adult Amtrak ticket to or from Santa Barbara County on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner or San Joaquin trains. With both the beach and a burgeoning wine country nearby, Santa Barbara is often overlooked as a travel destination. For example, the Pacific Surfliner train can take you from Los Angeles (Union Station) to Santa Barbara in about 2.5 hours; a regularly-priced coach ticket starts at $24 each way. And for anyone who has seen the movie Sideways, yes, you can sample all the pinot noir you can handle — you may end up being grateful that you didn’t drive.
Details: After registering at www.santabarbaracarfree.org, you will receive a link to the Amtrak site, where you can then redeem the 20 percent discount. A three-day advance purchase is required; this deal isn’t valid for tickets purchased by phone or at any Amtrak stations. The discount is good for travel to and from the nine participating Amtrak stations in Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara proper, Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang (the charming Danish village), Buellton, Lompoc (not far from wineries on the edge of Santa Ynez Valley), Surf, Guadalupe, and Santa Maria.
Other Perks: If you show your Amtrak ticket stub with the current date stamp, many businesses in Santa Barbara will give you additional discounts. Examples include 20 percent off the regular rates at many hotels and inns, as well as 10 percent off several walking, kayaking, whale-watching, and wine tours. Downtown itself is very walkable, so you won’t need to rent a car.
When: Travel by Dec. 16, 2010. Some blackout dates apply.

D.I.Y. housekeeping in New York City
At the Marmara Manhattan hotel on the Upper East Side, the Green Rate discount knocks $20 off your nightly bill if you request housekeeping every three days instead of every night. A minimum stay of three nights is required to qualify for this discount.
Details: You must book directly through the hotel reservations desk. Studio suites typically start at $169 per night, or $507 for three nights. With the discount, starting rates drop to $149 per night, or a total of $447 for the required three-night stay. Every suite at the Marmara Manhattan hotel comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, which can help you save even more if you prepare simple meals.
When: Valid until the end of the year.
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Free admission to SeaWorld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens for volcanic ash victims

by Scott Carmichael on

Travelers from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Continental Europe who are stranded in the US are eligible for free admission to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Waterpark and Busch Gardens Tampa.

Because of the volcanic ash flight disruptions, thousands of tourists are stuck waiting for their airlines to get permission to fly, and a free day trip to one of these parks could really help take some of the stress (and boredom) out of waiting.

To get your free tickets, you need a return airline ticket valid from April 14 through Wednesday April 21 (or until flights return to normal). One free ticket is issued for each airline ticket presented. The offer is also extended to airline crews. For more information on this very generous promotion, you can call 1-888-800-5447 or visit the SeaWorld parks and entertainment blog.