By Lahoma Scarlette, Miami Times Contributor - Nestled between South Carolina and Virginia, North Carolina is home to a diverse geography of urban and rural areas, mountainous regions, and various countrysides and coastal areas that serves as the perfect destination to start a new year of adventure.
But this is not your typical travelogue to the Outer Banks or Asheville’s famed Biltmore Estate. Come along for the ride and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
To begin a tour of the Tar Heel State, I and my millennial son, Julian, flew two hours from Fort Lauderdale into North Carolina’s most populous city, Charlotte.
We picked up a rental car upon our arrival to embark on our road trip, which would take us to one town and three cities in four days.
Carolina’s clay culture in Seagrove
First up was a drive into the heart of North Carolina to the town of Seagrove, about 90 minutes from Charlotte. It turns out this charming place is the pottery capital of the U.S., with more than 50 shops within a 20-mile radius.
The North Carolina Pottery Center, open since 1998, was an excellent stop to learn all about the state’s clay culture. The center presents a history of pottery, from pieces crafted by Native Americans (the original potters) to contemporary works. It rotates exhibitions throughout the year, including “Korean Influence on NC Pottery,” running now until June 25.
After a day of learning about the art of pottery, into the woods we went for an overnight stay at Getaway Asheboro.