North Carolina Car Rental and North Carolina State Overview

The state of North Carolina is ripe with exciting vacation opportunities, providing travelers with unparalleled accommodations, attractions and entertainment. Located on the East Coast, North Carolina entices travelers with snow-white beaches, rustic forests and snow-topped mountains. A beautiful year-round vacation destination, the state of North Carolina features a medley of historical, cultural and social amenities. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or a month long excursion, you're sure to find plenty of exciting vacation options in North Carolina.

From the mountains to the coast, North Carolina has you cover

The state of North Carolina is roughly dived into three major regions. These regions include the Appalachian Mountains, the Piedmont and the Coast. Each of these areas boasts a unique collection of natural and urban attractions. Not sure where you'd like to go on your upcoming North Carolina car rental vacation? Well, simply read the following overviews of each region to learn a little more about area offerings.

  • The Appalachians: This large mountain chain runs through the western part of North Carolina, forming a distinctive landscape in the region. Top North Carolina car rental destinations in this area include the Great Smoky Mountains in southwestern North Carolina and the world-famous Blue Ridge Parkway. The state's highest peak, Mount Mitchell, is also located in this area. Measuring in at over 6684 feet, Mount Mitchell is the highest mountain in the eastern United States.
  • The Piedmont: The central section of North Carolina is called the Piedmont. This area is characterized by rolling foothills with the occasional rock outcropping. North Carolina car rental customers will find the state's largest cities in this area, including a collection of large financial institutions. Other industries in this area include textile and furniture factories, research universities, tobacco farms and golf courses. Temperatures in this area of the state remain mild all year long. Wintertime temperatures average about 42 degrees while summer temperatures hover around 77 degrees.
  • The Coast: This beautiful section of North Carolina is defined by the Outer Banks, a chain of fragile barrier islands that cover more than 130 miles of the coastline. These islands, along with other coastal areas, are home to hundreds of different plants, animals and reptiles. The area is also full of history, providing North Carolina car rental customers with access to site predating events like the Revolution and the Civil War. Common characteristics of this area include lighthouses and wetland conservation areas.

North Carolina celebrates... well, everything!

The State of North Carolina proudly celebrates dozens of festivals each and every year, toasting the regions culture, history and local traditions. Practically all of these celebrations have one major thing in common - they all involve food. North Carolinians enjoy eating and cooking as much as they love hosting festivals. Favorite festival treats include everything from seafood and BBQ to collard greens and yes, even pickles. Pork is basic fare at most any event, so get ready to chow down on some serious meat during your upcoming North Carolina car rental vacation.

Neat facts about North Carolina

  • The state song for North Carolina is "The Old North State" by Judge William Gaston.
  • North Carolina is nicknamed the Tar Heel State. No one is quite sure where this came from. Chances are good it probably evolved from the colonial period, when the colony's chief exports were tar, pitch and turpentine.
  • North Carolina car rental customers will be interested to note that the Tar Heel State has more paved roads then any other state in the nation - over 78,000 miles.
  • Putt-putt, or mini-golf was invented in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
  • The state vegetable for North Carolina is the sweet potato.

North Carolina is bursting with great vacation opportunities. If you would like to learn more about the unique offerings available in this East Coast state, simply log onto the official tourism site for the State of North Carolina at www.visitnc.com. North Carolina car rental customers can also contact the tourist bureau by calling 1-800-VISIT-NC.