North Carolina Traveler

A blend of oral history and memoir with a good dose of quirky humor, Tar Heel Traveler: New Journeys Across North Carolina is a celebratory look at the people and places of North Carolina. WRAL-TV reporter Scott Mason—the Tar Heel Traveler—profiles colorful characters and out-of-the-way places. The sequel consists of all new material and showcases twenty-five of Mason’s most memorable television stories along with the amusing stories behind each.

Scott Mason is the Tar Heel Traveler and he loves to eat hot dogs, cheeseburgers, barbecue, biscuits, and ice cream served in crumbling cinder-block buildings and ramshackle dives along the back roads of North Carolina. As a full-time feature reporter for WRAL-TV in Raleigh since 2007, Scott has discovered that North Carolina is filled with many amusing characters and out-of-the-way places, all of which are part of his Tar Heel Traveler television segment that airs Monday through Thursday on WRAL’s 5:30 pm newscast. The most popular stories are always about the hole-in-the-wall hot dog dives, cheeseburger joints, barbecue places, and ice cream parlors he has visited. He has featured dozens of such places on TV and now on paper he expands each story. Each chapter of Tar Heel Traveler Eats focuses on a particular restaurant as seen through the eyes the reporter who stumbles upon these classic dives. He peppers each chapter with dialogue and descriptive detail that includes the often inspiring stories of how these places began. These stories are not only about the nothin’-fancy kind of places that are close to people’s hearts, but also about the culture, tradition, and heritage of North Carolina.

As WRAL-TV’s full-time feature reporter, Scott Mason—the Tar Heel Traveler—has profiled over one hundred food establishments across North Carolina and now he is sharing those wonderful places in his first portable travel guide offering readers an easy way to know where to grab a memorable bite while on their own travels across the state. Mason captures the essence of each eatery and highlights favorite dishes. Some places are famous for barbecue and others for hot dogs. Still others are known for steak, seafood, fried chicken, biscuits, doughnuts and ice cream. For the most part, they are longtime, loveable joints full of tradition and loyal customers who are more like friends and family. May these places live forever! Happy travels…and good eatin’!

The staff of John F. Blair, Publisher, in conjunction with independent booksellers throughout the state, has updated this comprehensive look at North Carolina. Information is provided about accommodations, restaurants, scenic attractions, cultural events, and recreational opportunities. No fees were accepted for inclusion in this guide.

Winner of the 2010 Edgar Award for Best Novel Heralded by the Washington Post as a "a magnificent creation, Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies", John Hart's The Last Child is his most significant work to date, an intricate, powerful story of loss, hope, and courage in the face of evil. Thirteen year-old Johnny Merrimon had the perfect life: a warm home and loving parents; a twin sister, Alyssa, with whom he shared an irreplaceable bond. He knew nothing of loss, until the day Alyssa vanished from the side of a lonely street. Now, a year later, Johnny finds himself isolated and alone, failed by the people he'd been taught since birth to trust. No one else believes that Alyssa is still alive, but Johnny is certain that she is---confident in a way that he can never fully explain. Determined to find his sister, Johnny risks everything to explore the dark side of his hometown. It is a desperate, terrifying search, but Johnny is not as alone as he might think. Detective Clyde Hunt has never stopped looking for Alyssa either, and he has a soft spot for Johnny. He watches over the boy and tries to keep him safe, but when Johnny uncovers a dangerous lead and vows to follow it, Hunt has no choice but to intervene. Then a second child goes missing . . . Undeterred by Hunt's threats or his mother's pleas, Johnny enlists the help of his last friend, and together they plunge into the wild, to a forgotten place with a history of violence that goes back more than a hundred years. There, they meet a giant of a man, an escaped convict on his own tragic quest. What they learn from him will shatter every notion Johnny had about the fate of his sister; it will lead them to another far place, to a truth that will test both boys to the limit. Traveling the wilderness between innocence and hard wisdom, between hopelessness and faith, The Last Child leaves all categories behind and establishes John Hart as a writer of unique power. Now with an excerpt from John Hart's next book The Hush, available in February 2018.

North Carolina Adventure Weekends makes it easy for campers, hikers, cyclists, paddlers, and climbers to plan weekend after weekend of memorable outdoor trips. It’s written for both novice and experienced adventurers who enjoy―or aspire to enjoy―a variety of outdoor pursuits but don’t have time to spend hours researching the best destinations or can’t get away for a long trip. Most outdoors enthusiasts enjoy a variety of activities, and this is the ideal resource for hikers who love to climb, paddlers who also pedal, and everyone who wants to get the most adventure out of a weekend. It’s also ideal for couples, families, or groups who love sharing a weekend getaway but want to do different things. Many guidebooks focus on one specific activity, such as hiking, paddling, or camping, and North Carolina Adventure Weekends eliminates the need for weekend warriors to spend hours thumbing through multiple guidebooks and websites, trying to find the best options for their multisport weekend trips. Furthermore, regional guidebooks might offer suggestions on different outdoor activities but not pinpoint the best options for adventurers who only have a weekend to explore. With North Carolina Adventure Weekends, readers have numerous action-packed weekend itineraries at their fingertips. They’ll know not only where to stay to be closest to the action, but also which adventures―hike routes, bike rides, paddle trips, climbing areas, etc.―are weekend-worthy. Each chapter highlights a focused geographic area and includes detailed directions, so readers can spend more time playing and less time driving from place to place. Adventurers will also learn where to stock up on supplies, what to do on a rainy day, and where to go to rehash the weekend’s adventures over an epic-worthy meal and a beer.

Many people who visit North Carolina's coast have ambitions no grander than lying on the sand, eating seafood, and shopping the outlet malls. On the other hand, there are those who would prefer a nighttime "turtle walk" on Bald Head Island, where they might see a giant loggerhead emerge from the sea and lumber across the sand to lay her eggs. And those who would travel the Roanoke River Paddle Trail, negotiating a labyrinth of streams by day and camping by night in a swamp home to minks, bobcats, barred owls, and black bears. If you're a nature lover who'd like to discover a surprising array of wild places, then The Natural Traveler Along North Carolina's Coast is the resource for you. The book covers all the region's classic sites -- Wright Brothers National Memorial, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tryon Palace, historic Wilmington -- but gives special emphasis to places that celebrate nature. Here, you'll discover the birder's paradise that is Lake Mattamuskeet. You'll see why the revamped North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is as impressive as any such facility on the East Coast. You'll be moved to explore the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum before your ferry ride to remote Cape Lookout. Author John Manuel's introductory chapter on the natural history of the coast will familiarize you with the variety of habitats you'll encounter in your travels. He also provides hard information on dates of operation, fees, and directions, as well as sidebars on subjects of special interest and recommendations for restaurants and lodgings. Book jacket.

D. G. Martin is back with a fully updated edition of his beloved guide, North Carolina's Roadside Eateries, ready to help Tar Heels and visitors alike find the places locals love to eat. D.G. is your personal tour guide, and he takes you to more than 120 notable roadway haunts, including over 30 new restaurants, that aren't just great places to eat but fixtures of their communities as well. What's included: *Features locally owned and community favorites *Covers a range of food tastes from BBQ and traditional southern fare to Mexican food and Laotian cuisine *Introduces the restaurant owners and locals who make these places unique *Includes current contact information, hours, and directions *Recommends nearby points of interest to explore after eating A trusted companion to thousands of North Carolinians, this book not only offers new and exciting ways to get a good meal but will also help folks learn about and appreciate the rich local history of the Tar Heel State.