North Carolina has something for everybody, from the Great Smoky Mountains in the west to the Outer Banks in the east. You might consider it the epicenter of the east coast outdoors scene with the tallest waterfall, oldest tree, and highest mountains east of the Rockies. It’s also the first place the Gulf Stream comes close to shore north of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Culturally and geographically, it’s in the Mid South. It’s the birthplace of NSACAR, they drink sweet tea and say y’all, but the Research Triangle is home to three major research universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You’re far enough south to have beach days in the summer and far enough north for fall color and winter skiing in the mountains.