Hiking and Camping: The Appalachian Mountains in the western part of the state provide extensive trails for hiking and many places allow for overnight camping. Go see Grandfather Mountain (http://www.grandfather.com/), a popular tourist spot with a fantastic view, or climb Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.
College Sports and College Towns Four top universities Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Wake Forest are located in the Piedmont. These schools have a tradition of college basketball excellence, and many North Carolinians are very devoted to following the sport. This statewide passion has helped make the Duke-North Carolina rivalry the most famous in college basketball. Carolina, NC State and Duke all have historic basketball arenas: Carmichael Auditorium North Carolina and Reynolds Coliseum NC State both host women's basketball games and other athletic events, but North Carolina men's basketball is played at the Dean E. Smith Center and NC State men's basketball is played at the RBC Center. Both Duke's men's and women's teams play at Cameron Indoor Stadium, named by Sports Illustrated 7 June 1999 as one of the top sporting venues in the world. Wake Forest plays at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem. While North Carolinians love the drama of the NCAA Tournament, they are also devoted to the annual Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament held in early March. The Tournament does not affect businesses and schools in the way that it once did many North Carolinians have fond memories of long work "breaks" and lunches or games being shown in classrooms, but do not expect much serious work to get done in a typical North Carolina office or school on ACC Friday! Attending the ACC Tournament when it is held in either Charlotte or especially Greensboro will allow you to experience a North Carolina institution.
For those who are not interested in basketball or are unable to travel to North Carolina during basketball season the four universities offer art museums, library exhibits, lectures from leading intellectuals, arts/culture events and attractions ranging from the Morehead Planetarium to the Duke Gardens. Chapel Hill, the home of the University of North Carolina, is also notable for its downtown district especially Franklin Street and its music scene. Cat's Cradle in next-door Carrboro regularly hosts major "indie" acts such as Super Furry Animals, Neko Case, and Wolf Parade as well as local and regional acts.
Professional Sports: North Carolina has a number of successful professional teams. In Charlotte, the National Football League's Carolina Panthers (http://www.panthers.com/) play at Bank of America stadium from August through December though, as with most NFL teams, single tickets may be hard to come by and should be purchased well in advance of game day. Also in Charlotte, the Charlotte Bobcats (http://www.nba.com/bobcats/) represent the National Basketball Association NBA. In Raleigh, the 2005-2006 Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes (http://hurricanes.nhl.com/) tear up the ice as one of the few National Hockey League NHL teams in the South. Finally, for baseball action, check out the incredibly popular Durham Bulls (http://www.dbulls.com/), a minor league baseball team made famous by Kevin Costner's 1988 film, "Bull Durham."
Gambling: Feel free to also visit Harrah's Cherokee Casino (http://www.harrahs.com/) located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
Adventure: North Carolina has a lot to offer for those seeking adventure. Visitors can enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking on one of North Carolina's many rivers that offer category 1 easy through category 5 difficult rapids. In the mountains, visitors can find many guided adventures including rock climbing and mountain bike tours. On the coast, visitors can enjoy parasailing, jet ski rentals and deep-sea fishing tours. There are also a number of outdoor zipline courses including one of the "Countries 10 Greatest Ziplines" (http://www.zipquest.com) as voted by USA todayand a NASCAR Driving Experience (http://www.nascarracingex...) for those looking for a fast-paced adventure.
