The Biggest City in North Carolina

I first encountered this phenomenon when I lived in Madison, Wisconsin, the phenomenon that renders the largest city in a state practically invisible to those who do not live in that city. When I lived in Madison, nobody--and I mean nobody--ever thought of visiting Milwaukee. They didn't know what they were missing, for Milwaukee is a wonderful place.

I've encountered the same phenomenon in North Carolina. Nobody in Durham--and I mean nobody--seems interested in visiting the largest city in the Old North State. Wilmington, yes; Asheville, yes. But the home of the Levine Museum of the New South? When I suggest a day trip to the city where Mert's Heart and Soul--the best soul-food restaurant in the state--can be found, I'm usually met with blank stares. "What would we do there?" is a typical response.

I don't know how long it's been since you've been to the home of the Mint Museum, but I'm here to tell you it's worth a visit. The several square blocks around the historic Dunhill Hotel is an urban center done right: attractive new buildings and even a few old ones nicely preserved here and there. Most of all, it feels like a big city--heck, it is a big city--and if you are like me, you occasionally need a big-city fix.

During the weeks preceding Christmas, the best attraction within twenty miles of the NASCAR Hall of Fame is the light show at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. This year, there were over 600,000 lights; the crew began installing them in late September and didn't finish until Thanksgiving. And this is a light show done with taste. There was a stand of crepe myrtles with lights arranged to look like snowflakes and ornaments; it was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.