{"id":37943,"date":"2018-08-23T09:23:20","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T16:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=37943"},"modified":"2018-09-07T11:08:00","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T18:08:00","slug":"city-guide-48-hours-in-shakori-hills-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-shakori-hills-north-carolina","title":{"rendered":"City guide: 48 Hours in Shakori Hills, North Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking for your next adventure? Add Shakori Hills near Pittsboro, North Carolina to your list. Here\u2019s what to see, do and eat in the Pittsboro area on your 48-hour trip.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/h4>\n

Drive northeast from Charlotte toward Shakori Hills. After sixty miles, or about one hour, head straight to Lexington Barbecue<\/a> and grab a delicious bite to eat from this community staple. Known by the locals as \u201cHoneymonk,\u201d this restaurant was opened in 1962 by Wayne Monk with a menu that specializes in pork shoulders cooked over oak or hickory coals and wood.<\/p>\n

\u201cLexington is a must-stop. It goes without saying that North Carolina is known for its barbecue\u2014it\u2019s like a religion,\u201d said silversmith Leah Keeter, who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. \u201cIt\u2019s a noun where I come from. When I first moved out of the state, two years ago, I was so confused when people would use the barbecue to describe cookouts. A barbecue would be having a hog in the backyard and smoking it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Anne Davenport agrees: \u201cLexington Barbecue is a local\u2019s favorite. Their primary dish is pork, and they have a tomato base for their sauce, which is very specific to that area of North Carolina,\u201d said the Kernersville-born-and-raised physical therapist and ultrarunner. (FYI, the other style of barbecue has a vinegar base.) If you have time, Keeter\u2019s favorite barbecue of that style is west of Charlotte, called Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After checking-off the iconic meal drive to High Rock Lake Marina and Campground<\/a>, which features 365 miles of shoreline. Rent a cabin, grab your fishing rod, toss a line and relax.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/h4>\n

In the morning, welcome the early morning and drive west 40 miles (52 minutes) to reach Seagrove<\/a>, a town that is recognized for having the largest concentration of working potters in the country. Enjoy a self-guided stroll to the shops (most open at 10am)h\u2014there are more than 100 to visit\u2014and learn about North Carolina\u2019s sculptural history.<\/p>\n

Next up: Continue your drive west through Uwharrie National Forest to reach the forest area\u2019s western boundary. Pick your form of adventure<\/a> in Uwharrie, which\u2014in addition to hiking trails\u2014is home to horseback riding, 4-wheeling, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking and great fishing spots.<\/p>\n

\u201cA long time ago, the Uwharrie National Forest was covered under ocean water\u2014even though, it\u2019s not anywhere near ocean now. It\u2019s so rad. You still find shark teeth on west side, near a mountain called Morrow. You can also find arrowheads. And the forest is absolutely beautiful,\u201d said Keeter.<\/p>\n

Davenport seconded the special spot: \u201cOn the edge of Uwharrie National Forest is Morrow Mountain State Park. It\u2019s small, right along the Pee Dee River. Several trail-running races are held there, and there are a lot of great hiking trails.\u201d<\/p>\n

After exploring trails in Morrow Mountain State Park <\/a>and Uwharrie National Forest, continue your journey toward Charlotte to visit the U.S. National Whitewater Center<\/a>. The center is surrounded by 1,300 acres along the Catawba River and features more than 30 activities on land and water\u2014including everything from rock climbing to stand up paddle boarding to zip lines\u2014plus 40 miles of trails. Here, locals and visitors alike enjoy on-site films, races, festivals and outdoor instruction, year-round. Grab dinner and a brew at the River\u2019s Edge and watch the kayakers play. (Check the activities schedule<\/a>, because hours of operation are subject to change.)<\/p>\n

From barbecue to brews, pottery to flowing water and lush woods, you\u2019ll get a strong taste of the delicious, creative and nature-loving culture of North Carolina.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking for your next adventure? Add Shakori Hills near Pittsboro, North Carolina to your list. Here\u2019s what to see, do and eat in the Pittsboro area on your 48-hour trip. Saturday Drive northeast from Charlotte toward Shakori Hills. After sixty miles, or about one hour, head straight to Lexington Barbecue and grab a delicious bite […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":37945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[388],"tags":[1483],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-37943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-staff-business"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-shakori-hills-north-carolina","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"City guide: 48 Hours in Shakori Hills, North Carolina","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-shakori-hills-north-carolina","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-shakori-hills-north-carolina"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/Lake-Tillery-at-Morrow-Mountain-State-Park-is-in-the-Uwharrie-Mountains-of-Stanly-County-North-Carolina_PC-Gerry-Dincher-and-Flickr-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/Lake-Tillery-at-Morrow-Mountain-State-Park-is-in-the-Uwharrie-Mountains-of-Stanly-County-North-Carolina_PC-Gerry-Dincher-and-Flickr-1.jpg?fit=3648%2C2736"},"articleSection":"Travel","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chelsea Davis"}],"creator":["Chelsea Davis"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["staff business"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-23T16:23:20Z","datePublished":"2018-08-23T16:23:20Z","dateModified":"2018-09-07T18:08:00Z"},"rendered":"