I’m not exactly sure why, but the sense I get from North Carolina is sturdiness. This state just feels solid. Built to last. Nicely settled. This is especially impressive because it must balance so much. On its eastern coast, North Carolina has beaches and marshes — but unlike its southern neighbor, it doesn’t feel like it’s sinking into the ocean. The weather is hot and humid, but doesn’t drown you. It’s definitely old, but not rickety. Everything — from the mountains to the forests to the water — feels exactly where it ought to be.

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Start with the river town of Wilmington, cradled by Wrightsville Beach (surprisingly not named after the flying brothers) along the coast. Now, I didn’t see every beach in South Carolina. But from what I did see, North Carolina takes the prize.

It was here that I officially........

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