Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By Sam Huntington

Fayetteville, North Carolina has some of the best theater in the south. If you are a person who enjoys culture, you will find what you’re looking for.

In addition to fine art and symphonies, Fayetteville is home to some wonderful theater, all within the splendor of the south. No matter what your tastes, there is bound to be something to suit you in this charming, southern city.

The Cameo Theater is located on Hay Street, which is in the heart of downtown Fayetteville. The Cameo Theater is a 1920s house that has been restored to magnificence. Here you can view independent and foreign films in a pristine atmosphere second to none. The Cameo was recently recognized by the Sundance Film Festival where it was pictured in one of their publications. This charming theater is open every evening and the pictures change weekly. Anyone who enjoys independent or foreign film will love watching films in this beautiful building.

One of the most award winning live theaters in the area is the Cape Fear Regional Theater. The Cape Fear Regional is located on nearby Person Street in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina and features dramas, comedies and musical productions. The Cape Fear Regional Theater has been entertaining audiences for over 40 years and often features some guest stage and screen stars. There even run children’s matinees.

Both the Cape Fear Regional Theater and the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra often host productions at Campbellton Landing, an amphitheater located on the nearby Cape Fear River. Here you can stroll along the beautiful river front before and after some of the finest productions in the area. Campbellton Landing has many productions throughout the year, ranging from classical music, live theater and jazz performances.

For improvisational comedy, check out Stage Door Theater located on Cambridge Street. Each Friday and Saturday evening, crowds enjoy the hilarious improv performances from the talented comedians at the Stage Door. In addition to the wonderful improvisational revues, there are also several comedy plays performed at Stage Door Theater each year. For wonderful comedy in Fayetteville, North Carolina, visit the Stage Door Theater.

One wonderful venue in Fayetteville is the Gilbert Theater. This is a non-profit house that promotes socially relevant theater and original plays written by local writers. You never know, you may be the first to discover new and exciting talent at the Gilbert in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Another place for great productions is the Methodist College Monarch Theater located on Ramsey Street. Here you can see some of the most popular productions in the area at a relatively low price for admission. Some of the most noted names in show business once performed at Methodist College Monarch Theater, including screen star Julianne Moore.

For African-American inspired live works, check out Fayetteville State University Theater. Here you can see one of the wonderful plays written by some of the best African-American playwrights in the country. Fayetteville State University Theater is located on Murchison Road and produces several fine plays a year.

For culture, art and fine theater, visit Fayetteville, North Carolina. Here you can experience some of the most culturally significant productions in a warm, southern environment.

Sam Huntington lives in North Carolina and frequently writes about various North Carolina locales, particularly about all things Fayetteville NC. For more great Fayetteville information visit http://www.visitfayettevillenc.com

By Connie Limon

This is Part 3 of a series of articles. Visiting the Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina is a fun and educational trip for the entire family.

A brief history of the Biltmore Estate

Why name the estate Biltmore? George Vanderbilt named the estate. The name is actually derived by combining two words: “Bildt,” the region in Holland where the Vanderbilt family originated, and “more,” and old English word that means upland rolling hills.

The Biltmore house covers 4 acres, which totals 175,000 square feet and consists of 250 rooms that include 35 guest and family rooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces and three kitchens. Noone has lived in the Biltmore house since the 1950s. Guests and/or visitors to the Biltmore Estate cannot stay in the house. However, you can enjoy a stay at the Vanderbilt-inspired hospitality at the Inn on Biltmore Estate.

Richard Morris Hunt, architect, designed America’s largest home, the Biltmore House. Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture in America, designed all the surrounding acres of formal and informal gardens. The Biltmore House is a National Historic Landmark.

The Biltmore House construction began in 1889. It is comprised of tons of Indiana limestone that was transported by a special railway spur built specifically to bring the massive amounts of material and supplies to the Biltmore construction site. There were hundreds of workers at the site working for more than six years to complete the Biltmore House. It was first opened on Christmas Eve 1895. Mr. Vanderbilt officially opened his doors for the first time to friends and family while displaying the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, arts and antiques. Today, the Biltmore House remains much the same as it was in the early 21st century.

The actual owner of the Biltmore House is all Vanderbilt family. George and Edith Vanderbilt had one child whose name was Cornelia. Cornelia married Britist diplomat John Francis Amherst Cecil in 1924. They had two sons, William A.V. Cecil, Biltmore Estate’s owner, and his son Bill Cecil, Jr., is chief executive officer of the Biltmore Company. The Biltmore Company includes Biltmore House, Gardens, Winery and River Bend Farm, Inn on Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Estate Wine Company, and Biltmore licensed products.

Biltmore House as we know it today was opened at the request of Asheville city officials in the hopes it would attract tourists in the area during the Depression. Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, the only child of George and Edith Vanderbilt, and her husband John Amherst Cecil opened Biltmore to the public in 1930.

Now….back to all the fun and educational activities at the Biltmore Estate…..

The Biltmore House has an 8,000 acre backyard. Outdoor activities include:

• Carriage Rides
• Horseback Riding
• River Float Trips
• Biking
• Hiking
• Segway Tours
• Sporting Clays
• Fly-Fishing School
• Land Rover Driving School

All Biltmore Estate outdoor activities are available by reservation to daytime guests, Biltmore Twelve-Month Pass holders, and Inn on Biltmore Estate guests.

Continued in Part 4

Important Disclaimer: The web site address listed in the resource box of this article is not associated with the Biltmore Estate or any of its employees. This article and the web site are for information purposes only.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved

Written by: Connie Limon. For more information about planning a trip to the Biltmore Estate visit http://smalldogs2.com/BiltmoreEstateTripPlan For a variety of FREE reprint articles and special sections of other topics visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com