It’s almost summer, and maybe you’re planning some week-long or long weekend trips. You don’t have to go far to find some great vacation spots! This week, we’re recommending some books that can help you with your planning, along with a fantastic resource you can access through our website.
Let’s start with the most important part of traveling – finding a good place to eat! This updated guide has information about and reviews of more than 120 restaurants across the state. Martin shares the places where locals eat that you might not find otherwise, and shares the stories behind these restaurants. This personal touch makes this book more valuable than standard online reviews.
If you’re feeling adventurous, use this guide to plan a weekend of hiking, cycling, climbing, canoeing or camping (or all of the above!). Johnson gives you an entire itinerary for your trip, including places to stay, restaurants, coffee houses and other attractions in each location. Because this guide is several years old, we would recommend checking to make sure the information is still accurate. While restaurants and hours of operation for parks might change, the beauty of North Carolina’s wildlife and natural resources doesn’t change!
A History Lover’s Guide to North Carolina gives you ample information to plan a trip visiting historical landmarks, sites and museums in the state. Find the most beautiful gardens, the graveyards that drip with history, the places where pirates tread, and the cities where history was made. Use this guide, plus a traditional travel guide, to plan a history-rich vacation!
Frye, Jason. North Carolina. Berkeley, CA : Avalon Travel, Hachette Book Group, 2023.
North Carolina is your traditional travel guide, with several itineraries, and specialized guides for foodies, outdoor enthusiasts, beach combers, mountain lovers, and those traveling with small children. This is a Moon Travel Guide, a company that prioritizes local businesses and sustainable travel, and hires writers who live in the area to compile their guides. You might find something you didn’t know existed right in your backyard by reading this guide!
If you’re looking for short trips a few hours away from Alamance County, this guide is for you! It lists hundreds of trip ideas that are a couple hours away from major cities/areas in North and South Carolina. Whether you choose to focus on trips close to home, or search out hidden gems several hours away, you’ll find some great ideas in this guide. This also can help you plan a road trip, giving you ideas of places to stop as your travel across the state.
The new Mountains-to-Sea Trail invites hikers to explore their area or another area of the state on foot! This book is by one of the champions of the MTS Trail, Jerry Barker. He gives you an armchair voyage to all of the sites along the trail, including cultural sites, the history of the area and the natural wonders you’ll see on that segment of the trail. Whether you decide to hike the trail, or just visit some of the places along it, this book will be a valuable resource for travelers.
Our State Magazine Our State magazine is a wealth of information about North Carolina destinations, and includes brief itineraries of places it features. We have access to all of their back issues through 2020 online. We also carry the printed magazine at our branches, for more recent years’ issues! The Our State staff do a great job of highlighting what makes North Carolina unique and a great place for a vacation.
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at madams@alamancelibraries.org.