North Carolina possesses an astonishingly rich array of natural wonders. Building on this abundance, April C. Smith passionately seeks to open the world of nature to everyone. Her popular science guidebook features thirty sites across North Carolina that are perfect for exploration and hands-on learning about the Earth and the environment. A stellar group of naturalists and educators narrate each adventure, explaining key scientific concepts by showing you exactly where and how to look. This guidebook is for anyone—teens, kids, families, hikers, teachers, students, and tourists alike—who loves to be outside while learning. * All you need to plan trips and discover new attractions * Organized by the state's Mountain, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain regions * The 30 adventures spotlight wonderful places to hike, fascinating geological formations to find, animals and plants to observe, and hands-on learning activities * Explains clearly the scientific processes that made North Carolina the state it is today * Richly illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and maps; includes an indispensable science glossary

North Carolina Adventure Weekends makes it easy for campers, hikers, cyclists, paddlers, and climbers to plan weekend after weekend of memorable outdoor trips. It’s written for both novice and experienced adventurers who enjoy―or aspire to enjoy―a variety of outdoor pursuits but don’t have time to spend hours researching the best destinations or can’t get away for a long trip. Most outdoors enthusiasts enjoy a variety of activities, and this is the ideal resource for hikers who love to climb, paddlers who also pedal, and everyone who wants to get the most adventure out of a weekend. It’s also ideal for couples, families, or groups who love sharing a weekend getaway but want to do different things. Many guidebooks focus on one specific activity, such as hiking, paddling, or camping, and North Carolina Adventure Weekends eliminates the need for weekend warriors to spend hours thumbing through multiple guidebooks and websites, trying to find the best options for their multisport weekend trips. Furthermore, regional guidebooks might offer suggestions on different outdoor activities but not pinpoint the best options for adventurers who only have a weekend to explore. With North Carolina Adventure Weekends, readers have numerous action-packed weekend itineraries at their fingertips. They’ll know not only where to stay to be closest to the action, but also which adventures―hike routes, bike rides, paddle trips, climbing areas, etc.―are weekend-worthy. Each chapter highlights a focused geographic area and includes detailed directions, so readers can spend more time playing and less time driving from place to place. Adventurers will also learn where to stock up on supplies, what to do on a rainy day, and where to go to rehash the weekend’s adventures over an epic-worthy meal and a beer.

Readers discover firsthand what it's like to drive a race car at 165 miles per hour, raft down a whitewater river, or balloon over the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina. Features activities for all energy and adventure levels.

North Carolina is a traveler’s dream, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks’ historic lighthouses, wild horses, and charming fishing villages; from battlegrounds of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to the “heart of motorsports”; from rolling wine country and golf courses to stately plantations and rustic settlements. Whether you travel North Carolina for its historic treasures or natural beauty, this handy guide will help you find the Old North State’s most spectacular sites and secret treasures. The book charts weekend adventures and day trips along back roads and scenic routes, into the state’s many mist-shrouded mountains--the Black, the Blue Ridge, and the Great Smokies--and down to its ever-changing shores. Sumptuously illustrated, with maps and all manner of interesting detail, Backroads of North Carolina is a page-by-page pleasure, as well as a passport to the more off-beat delights of the Tar Heel State.

Travel North Carolina with this bucket list in your hand. Created by North Carolina travel bloggers, NC Tripping, this book highlights the most unique things to do throughout the Tar Heel State. From historical landmarks to nature beauties, North Carolina is a destination worthy of wanderlust.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is an 1,175-mile destination trail that crosses North Carolina from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. It traverses 37 counties, 7 national parks and forests, and nearly a dozen state parks and historic sites. This is the first-ever guide to day hikes along the crown jewel of North Carolina foot trails. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or new to the outdoors, this official guide from Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is your go-to companion for exploring all the trail has to offer, showcasing everything from scenic mountain vistas to surprising escapes in the state's Piedmont region and the wonders of coastal plain pocosins. Features include - 40 hikes carefully chosen to appeal to hikers of all experience levels - Helpful hike finder feature to identify the perfect hikes for birding, waterfalls, history, universal accessibility, and more - Turn-by-turn guidance and key points of interest for each hike - Full-color maps and photographs - Helpful information about the trail's history and ongoing development

This beautiful hardback takes the reader on 75 of the most amazing adventures on the planet. From the ultimate challenge of climbing Mount Everest to less strenuous but equally inspiring experiences like kayaking with orcas in Canada and cycling Vietnam's backroads, this is the definitive companion to the world's most spectacular adventures. With stunning photographs, sumptuous descriptions and practical information, this inspirational coffee table book will delight armchair explorers and bone fide adventurers alike. 'While it is lovely to linger over the stunning photos, there is a lot more to this sumptuously designed title - a follow-up to Great Journeys - than meets the eye? This is a perfect gift for the traveller in your life who might be tempted to ride the Tour de France's high passes or paraglide from Mont Blanc's pearly summit.' Sydney Morning Herald 'Whether you're active or just love reading about action, there's something here for everyone.' Australian Associated Press 'If you liked Lonely Planet's Great Journeys, you'll love the next in the series - Great Adventures? Even if you're not planning a trip it's great for armchair travelling.' The Times About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves in. TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

From the Great Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Piedmont and the Outer Banks, this thoroughly updated and revised guide features more than 200 hiking trails in all regions of the state.

KIDS LOVE NORTH CAROLINA lists and reviews hundreds of kid-tested attractions throughout the state. Besides all of the details (where, when), the book is best known for it's easy-to-read reviews of what is most engaging about each site or festival. Written by parents who vacation for a living, the book offers ideas for inexpensive day trips or mini-vacations.

On January 1 of 2016, Stefanie Payne, a creative professional working at NASA Headquarters, and Jonathan Irish, a photographer with National Geographic, left their lives in Washington, D.C. and hit the open road on an expedition to explore and document all 59 of America's national parks during the centennial celebration of the U.S. National Park Service - 59 parks in 52 weeks - the Greatest American Road Trip. Captured in more than 300,000 digital photographs, written stories, and videos shared by the national and international media, their project resulted in an incredible view of America's National Park System seen in its 100th year. 'A Year in the National Parks, The Greatest American Road Trip' is a gorgeous visual journey through our cherished public lands, detailing a rich tapestry of what makes each park special, as seen along an epic journey to visit them all within one special celebratory year.