Editing North Carolina (section)

==Tourism==
[[File:Biltmore Estate, 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Biltmore Estate]], [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]]]]
[[File:USCGHatteras.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Cape Hatteras Lighthouse]], located in North Carolina's [[Outer Banks]]]]

Charlotte is the most-visited city in the state, attracting 28.3{{spaces}}million visitors in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.crva.com/news/2017-visitor-spending-hits-record-7-billion-charlotte-region-nearly-54-billion-mecklenburg |title=2017 visitor spending hits a record $7 billion in Charlotte region, nearly $5.4 billion in Mecklenburg County |access-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101232635/http://www.crva.com/news/2017-visitor-spending-hits-record-7-billion-charlotte-region-nearly-54-billion-mecklenburg |archive-date=November 1, 2019 }}</ref> Area attractions include [[Carolina Panthers]] NFL football team and [[Charlotte Hornets]] basketball team, [[Carowinds]] amusement park, [[Catawba Two Kings Casino]] (in nearby [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain]]), [[Charlotte Motor Speedway]], [[U.S. National Whitewater Center]], [[Discovery Place]], [[Great Wolf Lodge]], Sea Life Aquarium,<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEA LIFE Charlotte – Concord Aquarium at Concord Mills Mall |url=https://www.visitsealife.com/charlotte-concord/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Sea Life Charlotte-Concord |language=en-US |archive-date=July 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705150414/https://www.visitsealife.com/charlotte-concord/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bechtler Museum of Modern Art]], [[Billy Graham Library]], [[Carolinas Aviation Museum]], [[Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture]], [[Levine Museum of the New South]], [[McColl Center for Art + Innovation]], [[Mint Museum]], and the [[NASCAR Hall of Fame]].

Every year the [[Appalachian Mountains]] attract several million tourists to the western part of the state,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tourism {{!}} Western North Carolina Vitality Index |url=http://www.wncvitalityindex.org/employment-sectors/tourism |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Wncvitalityindex.org |archive-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518201930/http://www.wncvitalityindex.org/employment-sectors/tourism |url-status=live }}</ref> including the historic [[Biltmore Estate]]. The scenic [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] and [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]] are the two most visited national park and unit in the United States with more than 25{{spaces}}million visitors in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Monthly%20Public%20Use?Park=BLRI|title=Stats Report Viewer|website=nps.gov|access-date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118232859/https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Monthly%20Public%20Use?Park=BLRI|archive-date=January 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The City of [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] is consistently voted as one of the top places to visit and live in the United States, known for its rich art deco architecture, mountain scenery and outdoor activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashevilleguidebook.com/asheville/asheville-information/asheville.htm|title=All About Asheville|website=ashevilleguidebook.com|access-date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202020354/http://ashevilleguidebook.com/asheville/asheville-information/asheville.htm|archive-date=February 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://holykaw.alltop.com/the-united-states-happiest-places-infographic|title=The United States' happiest places [infographic]—Holy Kaw!|author=Kate Rinsema|website=Holy Kaw!|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118233931/http://holykaw.alltop.com/the-united-states-happiest-places-infographic|archive-date=January 18, 2015|access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref>

In [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], many tourists visit the capital, African American Cultural Complex,<ref>{{Cite web |title=AACC |url=https://www.aaccmuseum.com/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Aaccmuseum.com |archive-date=August 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816072430/https://www.aaccmuseum.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh]], [[Gregg Museum of Art & Design|Gregg Museum of Art & Design at NCSU]], [[Haywood Hall|Haywood Hall House & Gardens]], [[Marbles Kids Museum]], [[North Carolina Museum of Art]], [[North Carolina Museum of History]], [[North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences]], [[North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame]], [[Raleigh City Museum]], [[J. C. Raulston Arboretum]], [[Joel Lane House]], [[Mordecai House]], [[Montfort Hall]], and the [[Pope House Museum]]. The [[Carolina Hurricanes]] NHL hockey team is also located in the city.

In the [[Conover, North Carolina|Conover]]–[[Hickory, North Carolina|Hickory]] area, attractions include [[Hickory Motor Speedway]], RockBarn Golf and Spa,<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Day Spa at Rock Barn – Rock Barn Country Club & Spa -Conover, NC |url=https://www.rockbarn.com/Spa |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Rockbarn.com |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527003801/https://www.rockbarn.com/spa |url-status=live }}</ref> home of the [[Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn]]; [[Catawba County]] Firefighters Museum,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government |first=Catawba County |title=Catawba County Government – Catawba County North Carolina |url=https://www.catawbacountync.gov/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Catawba County Government |language=en |archive-date=June 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626062847/https://catawbacountync.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the SALT Block,<ref>{{Cite web |title=SALT Block Foundation |url=https://www.saltblockfoundation.org/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=SALT Block Foundation |language=en-us |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614151038/https://www.saltblockfoundation.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Valley Hills Mall]].

The [[Piedmont Triad]], or center of the state, is home to [[Krispy Kreme]], [[Mayberry]], [[Texas Pete]], the [[Lexington Barbecue Festival]], and [[Moravian spice cookies|Moravian cookies]]. The internationally acclaimed [[North Carolina Zoo]] in [[Asheboro]] attracts visitors to its animals, plants, and a 57-piece art collection along {{Convert | 5 | mi |0 | spell = in}} of shaded pathways in the world's largest-land-area natural-habitat park. [[Seagrove]], in the central portion of the state, attracts many tourists along [[Pottery Highway]] (NC Hwy 705). [[MerleFest]] in [[Wilkesboro, North Carolina|Wilkesboro]] attracts more than 80,000 people to its four-day music festival; and Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe water park in [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]] is another attraction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greensboro, North Carolina Water Park |url=https://www.emeraldpointe.com/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Emeraldpointe.com |language=en |archive-date=June 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625161453/https://www.emeraldpointe.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Outer Banks]] and surrounding beaches attract millions of people to the Atlantic beaches every year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2022 |title=Dare County Tourism Board Recap {{!}} May 2022 |url=https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2022/05/25/dare-county-tourism-board-recap-may-2022/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=The Outer Banks Voice |language=en-US |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526050930/https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2022/05/25/dare-county-tourism-board-recap-may-2022/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The mainland northeastern part of the state, having recently adopted the name the [[Inner Banks]], is also known as the Albemarle Region, for the [[Albemarle Settlements]], some of the first settlements on North Carolina's portion of the [[Atlantic Coastal Plain]]. The region's historic sites are connected by the [[Historic Albemarle Tour]].