North Carolina is one of those states that has the best of both worlds: we've got beaches on one side and mountains on the other.
As I've talked about before, part of my childhood was spent either at or within 30-45 minute drives of the NC coast, where Wrightsville Beach was sort of our preferred beach since it was never as crowded as some of the others. Even after we moved to Charlotte in my early teenage years, we would still make periodic trips to the beach. Though I've not visited every iconic spot on our coastline, my coastal travels have taken me as far north as Duck, NC (about a six hour drive from here), and as far south as the Oak Island/Southport area (a roughly three and a half to four hour drive).
Outside of a family trip when I was a baby to the NC mountains that I don't remember, it wasn't until the early 2000s that I had my first real experiences in western North Carolina (a two-hour drive from Charlotte, depending on which part you visit).
READ MORE (VIP): Southport, Sweet Southport
Prior to that, I was staunchly in the "beach" camp in terms of my favorite of the two. The soothing sight and sounds of the waves, the soft feel of the ocean breezes on my skin and the sand between my toes, and the fresh smell of the ocean air were the bee's knees as far as I was concerned. It didn't hurt, of course, that I'd made a lot of good memories there over the years with family, friends, and the locals.
But then mountain trips became sort of a thing to the point I became torn between the two, and for similar reasons. The sight of the majestic mountains and the various wildlife, the feel of the cool mountain winds first thing in the morning, the smell of the pine trees, and the taste of the mountain apples and other fruits - honestly, it was like a little slice of heaven on earth.
And who could forget the fall leaves? Get there at the right time of the season, and their beauty will leave you speechless.
Fall starts this Sunday! Who else is ready for Fall Foliage to peak? Doesn't get much better than the Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina mountains!
— NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) September 18, 2024
Photo Credit: @AshevillePictu1 pic.twitter.com/cp7fJW4R0x
It's not uncommon to have conversations around here that center around talking about which one is your favorite - the beach or the mountains? Further, what if you could only choose just one of them?
For me, it's a tough choice, because there are a LOT of good things about both. But if I absolutely had to choose between the two, it'd have to be the beach - partly for sentimental reasons that started when I was a young girl and partly because it just doesn't get any better for me than the sunshine, the saltwater, fishing (or conversating) on the pier, and a comfortable lounge chair on the strand with your suntan oil nearby (or a rocker on the porch). And the horses, although I haven't yet visited the legendary Corolla, NC, just yet.
You can still find Corolla Wild Horses roaming the Outer Banks. These majestic creatures are descendants of the official state horse of NC, the Colonial Spanish Mustang. Remember: it is illegal to intentionally come within 50 feet of the horses. #WildHorseWednesday pic.twitter.com/nIxgeH3Amq
— NC DNCR (@ncculture) August 9, 2023
So, which do y'all prefer - and which one would you choose if you could only pick one? Lemme know your thoughts in the comments.
