Hang Gliding Lessons

Dune Hang Gliding lessons are conducted at our training facility in Jockey’s Ridge State Park located at Mile Post 12 in Nags Head, NC. The dunes of Jockey’s Ridge provide the perfect platform for learning to hang glide. They have plenty of height for beginners, and are soft for landing. Through special arrangement with the State Park Service, we are allowed to conduct hang gliding lessons from these dunes. We have been providing lessons at this site for over 25 years.
A typical Beginner Dune Hang Gliding Lesson is three hours long and starts with check-in (1/2 hour prior to class time). Each class has no more than five students per instructor. You then have about one hour of ground school including a training video.
After ground school, your class proceeds to the dunes via a scenic walkway. It’s about a 200 yard walk to the base of the dunes. Once you have climbed to the the top of the dunes (the instructor carries the glider) you begin your solo hang gliding flights. The instructor is there to help. He/she will help you get into the harness, provide any last minute instructions, and help you launch.
You will run into the wind, and depending on the wind conditions (and your weight and skill), you can travel anywhere from 30 to 100+ yards at 5 to 15 feet above the sand. Each trip down the dune is termed a “flight”. The standard beginner lesson includes 5 flights. You might not land on your feet the first or even your second attempt.

15 Fun Family Destinations To Visit In North Carolina

North Carolina is filled with attractions the whole family will enjoy. Plan your next family excursion with our list of family favorites from across the state (in no particular order).

In the Mountains

 

Mile High Swinging Bridge, Grandfather Mountain, Linville
Stop to enjoy the cool mountain air as you cross Mile High Swinging Bridge, a 228-foot suspension bridge spanning an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation. Take in the inspirational vistas stretching out for miles in every direction from the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains or hike one of eleven trails varying in difficulty from a gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks.
www.grandfather.com/swinging_bridge
 
Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock
This family theme park features a three-mile, steam-powered train ride through the North Carolina mountains along with shopping, live entertainment, amusement rides and a petting zoo. Parents will enjoy some bargain hunting at the nearby Blowing Rock Tanger Outlets, too.
800-526-5740 or 828-264-9061
www.tweetsie.com and www.tangeroutlet.com

Beach at Lake Lure
Stretching out unexpectedly in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains just south of Asheville, the Beach at Lake Lure offers beautiful vistas in a relaxing setting. Gaze up at Chimney Rock as you float on the lake; then dry off in the sun before stopping for a bite or an ice cream cone at one of the restaurants on the shore. Lakeview Restaurant offers spectacular views.
www.rutherfordtourism.com

Sliding Rock, Brevard
This 60-foot natural water slide in the Pisgah National Forest is not to be missed. Wear your old blue jean cut-offs to sit and slip down the rock into the pool below, where 60-degree water beats summer heat. Sliding Rock is a few minutes' drive from Looking Glass Falls located on US 276 about five miles past the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest. The 60-foot falls were featured in Last of the Mohicans.
www.visitwaterfalls.com

Linville Caverns, Marion
In the caverns, you’ll find a constant 52-degree temperature. After remaining a mysterious secret for centuries, North Carolina’s only show caverns, located near Boone, allow visitors to glimpse nature at work "inside" the mountains. Slow moving ground water created underground labyrinths forming an incredible series of rooms and passages and spectacular formations.
www.linvillecaverns.com

In the Piedmont

 

Boomerang Bay Water Park, Carowinds, Charlotte
Carowinds Boomerang Bay Water Park features a 600,000-gallon wave pool, rental cabanas with chair-side service and numerous other amenities. Bondi Beach, Carowinds second wave pool, totals 34,000 square feet with 275 feet of “beach frontage” (shallow end width), giving guests ample opportunity to sunbathe as they watch the waves roll in on the zero-depth entry.
www.carowinds.com

Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst
Pinehurst boasts eight world-class golf courses, including the renowned Pinehurst No. 2, site of the 2005 U.S. Open Championships and the 2014 men's and women's U.S. Open. The 2,000-acre resort also is home of the Mobil Four-Star-rated Spa at Pinehurst and luxury accommodations with nearly 500 richly appointed rooms. Be sure to check out the Teen/Kids Spa designed for ages 12-17, where guests can sample the hottest product trends in health and beauty and enjoy smoothies in a relaxing atmosphere.
www.pinehurst.com

North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro
This world-class zoo is home to more than 1,100 animals from Africa, North America and Australia. In April 2008, the zoo opened an $8.5 million expansion of its elephant and rhinoceros facilities called the Watani Grasslands Reserve. Visitors can stroll through a rainforest of tropical birds, gaze across a prairie filled with bison, and enjoy the Australian Walkabout hopping with kangaroos. Take a ride on the zoo's 36-foot Endangered Species Carousel featuring figures of zebras, bears, sea lions, elephants, gorillas and other animals.
www.nczoo.org

N.C. Transportation Museum, Spencer
If planes, trains and automobiles make you tick, the N.C. Transportation Museum allows you to explore antique locomotives, rail cars, automobiles and more. It was once a national hub for steam engine repair and employed 3,000 people. Take the train ride around the historic 57-acre site, enjoy the many family-friendly special events and learn how transportation helped build North Carolina. The museum is located just minutes off I-85, about an hour's drive from Charlotte, Greensboro or Winston-Salem. The museum is featured in George Clooney's 2008 film, Leatherheads.
www.nctrans.org

Old Salem, Winston – Salem
Old Salem Museums & Gardens is one of America's most comprehensive historical attractions. Old Salem’s four museums - the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), the Old Salem Children's Museum, and the Old Salem Toy Museum - engage visitors in an educational and memorable experience about those who lived and worked in the early South.
www.oldsalem.org

On the Coast

 

Battleship USS NORTH CAROLINA, Wilmington
Experience the thrill of the most decorated US battleship of WWII with 15 battle stars. Come aboard and explore nine decks, crew's quarters, gun turrets and much more. This is a tour you won't want to miss. Afterwards visit Downtown Wilmington for eclectic shopping, day or evening riverboat cruises, museums showcasing North Carolina artists and history or tours of the historic district, nature preserves and movie studios.
www.battleshipnc.com

North Carolina Aquarium, Pine Knoll Shores, Atlantic Beach
The Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores features exhibits and animals from across North Carolina. Mountain waterfalls, Piedmont rivers, coastal swamps and offshore shipwrecks are featured habitats. Visitors can see Blackbeard’s flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and the sunken German sub U-352 look like on the ocean floor. The "Living Shipwreck," which displays the wreckage of the sub, features a 60-foot-long viewing window.
www.ncaquariums.com

Kitty Hawk Kites, Nags Head
Learn to hang glide over soft sand dunes or fly tandem with an instructor at up to 2,000 feet. Other activities include kite surfing, dolphin tours, rock-climbing walls for all ages and more. Don't forget to check out one or all of the seven kite and toy stores. Kids’ programs run throughout the summer, as well as many spectacular kiting and hang gliding events.
www.kittyhawk.com

Surf Camp, Wrightsville Beach
Learn to surf in the emerald green waters of Wrightsville Beach and forget all about the hot weather. Surf Camp offers safe and exciting, private and group surfing lessons and camps. The program caters to all levels and the staff of professional certified surfing instructors will take you to the next level offering the perfect opportunity to cool down among the ocean breeze.
www.wbsurfcamp.com

The Birthplace of Pepsi, New Bern
What could be cooler than sipping an ice-cold Pepsi on a hot summer day at the place where Pepsi was born? The inventor of Pepsi, pharmacist Caleb Bradham, invented Pepsi at his drugstore where the locals met to socialize and listen to the latest music. The cellar of Bradham's drugstore served as the original site of Pepsi-Cola syrup manufacturing. Visit the Pepsi Store and browse through memorabilia while learning more about the history of one of the world’s favorite soft drinks.
www.pepsistore.com

Gardens At The Coast

Gardens At The Coast

Just the mention of the North Carolina Coast conjures images of windswept dunes, towering lighthouses and acres of sea oats. Yet this is also a land of manicured formal gardens, masses of azaleas and unique botanical treasures such as the rare Venus Flytrap.The light, sandy soil is easily cultivated, and the climate is tempered by the Gulf Stream for a lengthy growing season. Anyone can well understand why the earliest settlers enthusiastically made this their home.

Become acquainted with the state's signature gardens, regional treasures and smaller gardens of note.

Edenton
Cupola House Garden - A Colonial Revival Garden designed by Donald Parker of Colonial Williamsburg, with parterres, orchard, arbor and herbs befitting this historically significant 1758 home. 252-482-2637

Kure Beach
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher - Featuring natural habitats and ecosystems, including plants that can prosper at the seashore with minimal care. 910-458-8257

Elizabethan Gardens

Manteo
Elizabethan Gardens - A grand formal garden with abundant plantings, antique statuary and ornaments, and peaceful natural areas memorializing the settlers of "The Lost Colony." 252-473-3234 New Bern
Tryon Palace Historical Sites and Gardens - Elaborate 18th century-style gardens benefiting the royal governor's residence and first capitol of North Carolina. 800-767-1560

Wilmington
Airlie Gardens - A 1920's garden filled with abundant camellias and azaleas offering beautiful waterfront views. 910-793-7531

Bellamy Mansion Museum Gardens - Victorian elegance in gardens with year-round color, featuring a symmetrical series of elliptical and circular parterre beds. 910-251-3700

Burgwin-Wright House Gardens - 18th century-style gardens featuring a parterre garden, terraced orchard at the oldest museum house in southeastern North Carolina. 910-762-0570
UNC-Wilmington Arboretum - A 10-acre wildflower preserve, 200 acres of pine savanna, numerous wetlands and more among the rich natural resources of this campus. 910-962-4177

Windsor
Historical Hope Plantation - Historically correct King Bazemore House Gardens featuring herbs, flowers and vegetables, circa 1763. 252-794-3140

NC History and Historic Sites

From George Washington to Barack Obama, U.S. presidents have slept, studied and taken their first steps in North Carolina. They’ve vacationed here, played golf and visited must-see attractions. Depending on whom you believe, as many as four native sons have held the nation’s highest office. As the state awaits a new moment in history with the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, political junkies of all persuasions can dig into our presidents’ pasts at places across North Carolina.

President James K. Polk State Historic Site (Credit: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources)

James K. Polk Our 11th president was born on a 150-acre farm south of Charlotte in 1795. The oldest of 10 children, he lived there until 1806, when his family moved to Tennessee. Nine years later, Polk transferred from a Tennessee academy to the University of North Carolina, where he graduated with honors in 1818.Sites to see

• President James K. Polk State Historic Site, Pineville. About 12 miles from convention headquarters in Charlotte, the site features period log structures and furnishings similar to those from Polk’s childhood. Exhibits explore the Mexican-American War, the Oregon boundary dispute, the annexation of California and other events that marked Polk’s single term as president (he did not seek re-election).  
• UNC-Chapel Hill. Polk Place, a tree-lined quadrangle in the heart of the historic campus, is named for the distinguished alumnus. Morehead Planetarium and Science Center displays a bronze statue of Polk in its art rotunda.  
• State Capitol. A monument on the grounds honors Polk, Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson as “Three Presidents North Carolina Gave the Nation.” President Harry S. Truman spoke at its dedication in 1948.

Andrew Johnson In 1808, our 17th president was born in downtown Raleigh in a kitchen at Casso’s Inn, a bustling business where both of his parents worked. After apprenticing as a tailor, he traveled the South, returned to Raleigh, then moved with his family to Tennessee in 1826.
Sites to see

Johnson House

• Andrew Johnson Birthplace. A highway marker across the street from the Capitol approximates the original site of the kitchen. In honor of the Johnson sesquicentennial, Harry S. Truman attended ceremonies at the house, which is now located at Raleigh's Mordecai (pronounced MOR-duh-kee) Historic Park. 
• State Capitol: The monument “Three Presidents North Carolina Gave the Nation.”

Andrew Jackson About 30 miles south of Charlotte, a historic marker in Waxhaw places the birth of our seventh president “a few miles southwest of this spot” in 1767. That could land you in South Carolina, which is consistent with Jackson’s own account, but North Carolina has yet to give up its claim. In any case, Jackson studied law in Salisbury with prominent attorney Spruce Macay and was admitted to the Rowan County bar in 1787. He moved to Tennessee while it was still part of North Carolina.

“Three Presidents North Carolina Gave the Nation”

Sites to see 

• Museum of the Waxhaws and Andrew Jackson Memorial. With its focus on the region’s history and Scots-Irish heritage, the museum illuminates Jackson’s boyhood and influences on his world view as a young Patriot and future president. 
• Salisbury. Stroll down Jackson Street, supposedly named for Old Hickory. A highway marker at the Rowan Public Library notes his tenure with Macay. And the Rowan Museum has a warrant for his arrest on a complaint that was settled out of court. 
• Greensboro Historical Museum. Before moving to Tennessee, Jackson stayed at the family home of his friend John McNairy. The McNairy House has been relocated to the grounds of the museum, whose collection includes native daughter Dolley Madison’s famous red velvet dress and photos of presidential visits. 
• Cherokee. Visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Oconaluftee Indian Village and Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, or watch a summer performance of the outdoor drama “Unto These Hills,” for a Native American perspective on the president who administered the Indian Removal Act of 1830.  
• State Capitol: “Three Presidents North Carolina Gave the Nation” monument.

Woodrow Wilson Our 28th president was the son of a minister who was pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington from 1874 to 1885. The future Nobel Peace Prize winner attended Davidson College, a top liberal arts college about 20 miles north of Charlotte, during the 1873-74 academic year. He withdrew because of illness and spent the next year convalescing at his family’s home in Wilmington. Future Congressman John D. Bellamy was among his local friends.
Sites to see

• Davidson College. Wilson is rumored to have planted a tree in the college arboretum. He also played center field on the baseball team, but note that Wilson Field is named for T. Henry Wilson Jr., Class of 1951, and not the president.  
• Wilmington. First Presbyterian Church is near the riverfront in the historic port city; a marker notes the site of the manse where the Wilsons lived. Also, John Bellamy’s home is now the Bellamy Mansion of History and Design Arts. 

Abraham Lincoln The official story places the birth of our 16th president in a log cabin in Kentucky. An alternate story suggests that Nancy Hanks gave birth to the future president in the North Carolina foothills of Bostic, about an hour’s drive from Charlotte.
Site to see

• The Bostic Lincoln Center makes its case at a library on Depot Street and with visits to Lincoln Hill, site of another log cabin.

Something's Brewing in North Carolina

Something’s Brewing In NC It may be hard to bottle this place, but we do it every day. In North Carolina, you’re never far from fresh local beer and people who love to talk about ales, lagers, porters, stouts and the seasonal experiment the brewmaster has on tap. The heady aroma of malted barley, bitter hops and fermenting yeast wafts from 60-plus brewpubs and production breweries – more than any other Southern state – in big cities, coastal villages, mountain towns and rural communities. Their tantalizing variety and award-winning quality earn the state an esteemed place in the world of craft brewing. North Carolina is home to more brewpubs and breweries than any other Southern state North Carolina is home to more brewpubs and breweries than any other Southern state In 2012, Asheville rose to the top of examiner.com’s BeerCity USA poll for the fourth consecutive year. Home to 11 breweries and three beer festivals, the Western North Carolina city also ranks among the “24 greatest cities in the world for drinking beer” according to Gadling, the world’s top travel blog. Asheville even boasts an informative Brews Cruise, which takes guests on guided tours to some of the city's microbreweries. When you lift a pint to toast to North Carolina’s abundant breweries, you’ll have plenty of interesting choices. Celebrate with Gaelic Ale from Highland Brewing Company or Fiddlehead Extra Pale Ale from Green Man Brewery in Asheville. Tipple some Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale from Triangle Brewing in Durham, Ruby Lager from Olde Hickory Brewery in Hickory or Corolla Gold Beer from Weeping Radish Farm Brewery in Jarvisburg. Try a dark-as-night Jumpin’ Bean Coffee Stout from Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill, a thirst-quenching Ölsch Pale Ale from the wind-powered Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills, an award-winning Southbound Stout from Boylan Bridge Brewpub in Raleigh or a fruity Endless River Kolsch-Style Ale from Mother Earth Brewing in Kinston. Sebastian Wolfrum, a co-founder of the North Carolina Brewers Guild and director of brewing operations at Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing Co. in Greensboro, anticipates there will be more than 50 breweries in the state soon and a growing reputation worldwide. “North Carolina beers win awards regularly at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado and at the World Beer Cup®,” he says. “In the next few years, some beer styles will be defined by us,” Wolfrum says. Other North Carolina breweries making names for themselves include Natty Greene’s (enjoy the Buckshot Amber Ale); Winston-Salem’s Foothills Brewing (try the Pilot Mountain Pale Ale); Wilmington’s Front Street Brewery (get a chocolaty Dram Tree Scottish Ale); Farmville’s Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery (don’t miss the Milk Stout); and Durham’s Fullsteam Brewery (whose Hogwash Hickory-Smoked Porter pairs well with hickory-smoked barbecue). Fullsteam founder Sean Lilly Wilson, who led the group Pop the Cap in lobbying for laws allowing craft brewing in the state, sees a steadily expanding culture of handcrafted beer enthusiasts. “People appreciate fresh, local, innovative brews,” he says. “They get interested in what’s on tap from week to week. That’s what attracts them to brewpubs in the first place, and it’s what keeps them coming back for more.” Sample regional favorites at one of many annual events, such as the World Beer Festival in Durham, and visit the North Carolina Brewers Guild to learn more about local beer and its community of brewers, wholesalers, retailers and enthusiasts.

Visit Oriental North Carolina

...a place where land and water meet under the best circumstances.  A place shared by fishing trawlers and racing yachts, Victorian homes and modern marinas, shady lanes and waterfront vistas. It’s a quiet place where people smile and wave to passersby. A pace that captivates you so quickly and thoroughly that, from the moment you arrive, you’ll be making your plans to return – or just maybe stay.

Oriental is located in Pamlico County, just below where the Neuse River connects with the Pamlico Sound. The Pamlico is the second largest sound on the East Coast after the Chesapeake Bay. The Neuse River, the widest-mouthed in the US, is five miles across at this point. Five navigable creeks also meet here: Smith, Green’s, Raccoon, Whittaker and Pierce. Connected by a short channel to the Intercoastal Waterway, Oriental has earned a reputation as one of the most popular stops on that well-traveled aquatic thoroughfare.

Because of its unique setting, Oriental is perhaps best known as homeport to some of the East Coast’s finest sailing. In fact, many of the activities here occur in and around the water, such as the Oriental Cup Regatta, sport fishing and the annual Croaker Festival. However, you’ll quickly discover that this congenial Eastern North Carolina town has a lot more to offer.

Remote, yet easily accessible, Oriental is an ideal spot to get away from it all. And once you’re here, you’ll find most everything you need – from local art to local seafood – just a leisurely walk or bike ride away. For those who wish to wander a little farther afield, the surrounding area offers exceptional opportunities for cycling, paddling, hunting, golfing and other activities, all within a short drive.

But most important, Oriental offers the friendly, small-town charm; relaxed comfort and simple serenity that creates the feeling that you somehow belong here. It’s a haven of simple living to which you can return again and again, a place you can call home.

The Georgia Satellites