[piano intro] -[Deborah] Next on North Carolina Weekend, join us from Elon as we plan your getaway.

We'll explore Edenton, sample wines in Surry County, and journey down the Roanoke River Trail, coming up next.

- [Narrator] Funding for North Carolina Weekend is provided in part by VisitNC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of Barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

[upbeat music] ♪ - Welcome to North Carolina Weekend everyone.

I'm Deborah Holt Noel, and this week we are helping you plan your getaway.

I'm in Elon, a charming little town in Alamance County that's home to an internationally renowned university, a new four-star boutique hotel, and lots of shops and restaurants.

We'll explore Elon more throughout the show but first, let's plan your getaway.

Our first suggestion lies on the inter banks, connected to mainland North Carolina, but seemingly a world away is the beautiful waterfront town of Edenton.

[lively guitar music] ♪ - I live in Edenton, I was born here, and I love this place better than anywhere in the world.

- My wife and I are both from Mississippi.

We spent 15 years in Florida, and just looking to get back to our small town, tripped over Edenton accidentally, and after a few years ended up coming here.

- Edenton tells a story.

I think it tells a story of America and it has some exciting things or people who rose above the adversity, why they were in Edenton.

- We wanted to live in a historic place on the water, and it had to be in North Carolina or South Carolina.

[lively guitar music] Edenton is so unique.

We are a real living downtown.

Everybody comes to the coffee house.

This is where you start your day.

You grab your caffeine and you get to work.

- I come in every morning at eight o'clock with all of them and I'm the only one that still works.

Everybody else has retired.

And most of 'em have moved here, which is great.

I mean, they're part of sort of, the people that have chosen to live in Edenton, and once they find it, they're like, "I cannot believe this place exists."

[bell rings] - It's wonderful to hit the different historic sites.

The trolley tour gives you a great view over the town.

The walking tour with the wonderful homes and all the history here.

The boat tour, giving you a whole different view of the town from the waterfront.

- That in particular is the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse.

We're very pleased about this.

This is the last original of its type in existence.

- But the history of Edenton is what attracts so many people but then they get here and they find there's a lot of other things to enjoy also.

[soft upbeat music] - We're standing in the parlor room of the Penelope Barker House.

And the Penelope Barker House is significant because of Penelope and the Edenton Tea Party.

She orchestrated a woman's movement, it was 50 women together and they signed a petition so it was a lot different than the men up in Boston.

- A lot of visitors will come to Edenton because of our historical ambiance.

Edenton has one of the largest collections of intact 18th and 19th century buildings in the state.

The Coupa House is one of the premier historic structures in this region and it's considered one of the crown jewels in the town's historical collection.

There's the James Iredell Home, is part of our Historic Edenton State Historic Site, there's the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, and of course one of our latest restorations is the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse located down on the waterfront.

[upbeat music] - Edenton Bay Trading Company is a place where you can come for any reasons.

We do have certain merchandise for your home we sell, we have beer and wine, we have a wonderful courtyard where you can come and enjoy an outdoor beverage.

To save vinyl night is a guy standing there playing records, just doesn't cover it.

DJ Eddie and his wife Melissa are wonderful posts of vinyl night.

He is great at reading the crowd and knowing what they want to hear.

You cannot describe vinyl night.

You have to experience vinyl night.

- Spend a weekend in Edenton and experience the rich diverse history of North Carolina, delicious foods and incredibly warm hospitality.

You'll see for yourself why America's prettiest small town is more than just a pretty base.

To plan your trip to Edenton, go to visitedenton.com.

While some wineries offer amazing view with their wine.

One in Surry County offers not only a beautiful Mountain Vista but also disc golf and cabin rentals.

Let's join John and Theresa Litsky at Round Peak Vineyards.

[upbeat music] ♪ - You know, we're in the Yadkin Valley with many other wineries and everybody has a different kind of focus.

Ours here is making really good French and Italian dry wines.

- But we also offer a lot of fun between our Disc Golf Course and what we do with our camp out and other events.

It's a fun place to be.

- It's very pretty and casual place to kind hang out, have a beer, meet some friends - It's very cool, very comfortable, very inviting, just very picturesque.

- Kari Heerdt and Ken Gulaian met at their jobs in Cincinnati in 1998.

They married, moved to North Carolina in 2000 and loved it.

This is where they wanted to stay.

Their jobs, took them away briefly but returned to the area in 2008 for good.

At that time, Ken had decided to give up the corporate world and an opportunity to own a winery was impossible to resist.

- When we moved back here to North Carolina, I returned to the corporate world and Ken looked for a business to own and operate, and he found this beautiful vineyard with spectacular views.

- [Ken] And so we came up, we looked around, we tasted the wines, and it really opened our eyes to what was going on.

- And really decided this was the type of life change he wanted to make and I went full time into the winery business and then eventually the brewing business.

- The folks here are committed to making the best possible wines and beer to help keep brown peak vineyards, a relaxing destination for people visiting the area.

- We do offer wine tastings and beer tastings.

Would you like to see a list in what the options that we have for you today?

- Sure.

- I would do wine.

- Wine.

Okay.

- Yes.

- Our focus is really still on the wines.

We do flights.

We have quite a few wines actually available right now to choose from.

So customers can pick and choose which wines they want.

They can do a dry wine flight, a sweet wine flight, mix it up, et cetera.

- The wine so far has been wonderful, really like the Chardonnay and the rose, they're very crisp.

I love the fact that the wines, they have the French and the Italian grapes, which is something I like more.

- From a quality standpoint, that is the number one thing North Carolina wine has to be.

It has to be good quality, and we strive to make sure every bottle we sell is a quality wine.

- I like the beer better personally.

I do like the wine, but just like, I really like the beer.

Yeah.

- For Ken and I, we also wanna make this a really fun place to be and have people enjoy it the way we do, enjoy use of the Blue Ridge.

The natural scenery that is right here and come spend the day.

Don't just come taste the wine, but come spend the day, have a picnic and enjoy your time here.

- Another way to enjoy the natural beauty of the property is trying your hand at disc golf.

They have 18 holes that will challenge players at all skill levels.

- It's a hugely popular sport.

I did not realize how popular it was and how into disc golf people are until after we put the course in and people started to come.

We had a few tournaments here with some pros that came and played and it opened our eyes to really how big this sport is.

- There you go.

High five.

It's actually a really varied 18 hole Disc Golf Course.

They have open holes where you're not in the woods and they have wooded holes and it winds in and around the vineyards - Since social distancing are trafficked for the Disc Golf Course has picked up substantially.

And I think it's just a great thing to go out and do.

You're outside, you're enjoying the weather, but you're naturally social distance.

You have your own disc, so you're not touching anything else, and you've got a nice distance between you and the other players.

- Round peak's all about relaxing.

We encourage you to come in and do a tasting but more so we encourage you to even bring that tasting flight out onto the patio, bring a picnic and relax.

So for weekend visits, especially if you're getting out and staying in the area it's a perfect place to come because you can spend a whole day here.

You know, we have wine, we have beer, disc golf, hiking and walking around the property, but we want you to stay.

That's one of our big big focuses, is come and relax and stay and just have a really nice afternoon or early evening.

[soft upbeat music] - Round Peak Vineyards is at 765 Round Peak Church Road in Mount Airy.

And they're open daily for tastings tours and disc golf.

To plan your visit or book a cabin give them a call at [336] 352-5595, or check them out online @roundpeak.com.

[soft music] I'm here inside the Inn at Elon, a brand new four star 80 room boutique hotel located within the botanical gardens of Elon University.

And I'm with Jeff Stein and Janet Williams of the university.

I am so excited to be here.

Can you tell me a little bit about the amenities at this hotel?

- The Inn at Elon is a four star hotel and it has 80 guest rooms, including 10 suites.

Some of them with private balconies, separate sitting areas, beautiful bathrooms with soaking tubs, beds a dream to sleep on with custom bedding.

The Inn also has a gorgeous ballroom for events, such as weddings, conferences or retreats.

The restaurants, the bar, lounge, covered patio, courtyard with bar pits.

Then is also on a beautiful Elon University Campus with botanical gardens and a full calendar of cultural and athletic events.

It really is a great getaway with great service.

- Can you come and stay here even if you're not a student here at Elon University?

- Of course.

Guests from all over the state of North Carolina, halfway around the world, staying here every day.

We're actually open and welcome to four legged guests as well.

Pet friendly, one of the only four star inns in the area.

So you walk in the door and you're treated like a member of the family.

- The vision for the Inn at Elon is a stay with purpose.

What that means is that all of the net profits from the end goes towards scholarships for deserving students.

Our guests can take pride in the fact that they are supporting Elon's commitment toward a greater purpose.

[military music] - [Deborah] There's also a high-end restaurant here at the end.

Tell me about the Mark.

- The Mark has a sophisticated atmosphere with a Southern charm.

We have a great executive chef and the restaurant serves American classics with locally sourced ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We also have the bar that serves craft beer, signature cocktails, a large selection of wine by the bottle or by the glass.

Our guests are welcome to walk out to the fire pits and gather around with friends.

If a custom prefers to stay in, the inn is happy to serve their selection in the comfort of their guest suite.

- [Deborah] Tell me about some of the other things that you can explore while you're here in Elon.

- You know, we're more than just a top 100 national university in an exciting historic town.

So while you're here, whether it's business or pleasure, you could come cheer on the Phoenix, Elon's athletic teams division one, or watch a future star Broadway or television in our top 10 rated performing arts programs.

But we also want folks to enjoy locally owned businesses and restaurants.

So sip a little coffee or other refreshments at the Oak House, Grab a Meal, Tangent Tacos, Pandora's Pies, the Root, Med Deli.

Shop at simply Oak Boutique.

And I just wanna make sure, you know, before you leave town you should never forget to try some of the state's best ice cream, Smitty's.

- [Deborah] Love it.

Now you're talking my language.

- All right.

- It's good.

The Inn at Elon is at 605 North O'Kelly Avenue in Elon.

To book your room or learn more, give them a call at [336] 586-0329 or visit them online at theinnatelon.com.

Their restaurant, the Mark at Elon is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

To learn more, visit the markatelon.com.

Across our state in Asheville, the Montford neighborhood is renowned for its large beautifully restored homes.

And perhaps the most famous is Asheville's longest operating inn, offering opulence from a by gone era.

Let's join producer Caleb Owa Lobby on his visit to the Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast.

[upbeat music] - I just spent the most amazing weekend at the Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast, here in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.

Located in historic Montford District of downtown Asheville.

The Lion and The Rose is the perfect destination for those looking for the ideal getaway.

The house was built in 1896 and still retained so much of its Victorian charm.

When I arrived, I checked into the beautiful Marion hall room.

This is just one of four standard guest rooms at the Lion and The Rose.

It's got a number of historic heirlooms in terms of the furniture in here.

The history of the property is rich.

And we had the opportunity to sit down with one of the owners, Karen Wilson, to learn more about this beautiful home.

- So we're one of the oldest Bed and Breakfast in the area.

So the previous owners really did a lot of collecting of the, about the history, the families that lived here, old photographs and all that fun stuff.

- [Caleb] This is a photo of the actual Bed and Breakfast?

- [Karen] It sure is.

[group chattering] Mm-hmm.

It's the oldest photograph we have.

- 121 years ago.

- Yep.

It is pretty amazing.

- [Caleb] Its really interesting.

So this is the first family, right?

That was an ownership of the Bed and Breakfast, Charity Russ Craig.

- Exactly.

Yeah.

She was here from 1896 to 1913.

- Beautiful.

The oldest son in the Tom's family.

Wow.

- He was friends with Thomas Wolf.

- So they were contemporaries and they were friends, Charles French Toms, Jr. - [Narrator] Exactly.

- That is amazing.

But you guys have done a great job to preserve this history and leave it here for the guests to see.

- Exactly.

Most people are really fascinated by the history.

Unfortunately we can't answer all the questions, but we're happy to share anything we know, absolutely.

- Well that's okay.

It was 121 years ago, Karen.

- I know, you're absolutely right.

- I'll give you a break this time.

After sitting down with Karen, I just had to check out some of the wonderful amenities The Lion and The Rose to offer.

[soft upbeat music] ♪ One of the most unique things about The Lion and The Rose is the house made craft beer, brewed by Karen's husband and the other owner of the Bed and Breakfast, Steve.

Wow.

And what was this called?

[group chattering] - What do we call that one now?

- The Lion is just The Lion and The Rose.

Is this it?

- [Steve] Yeah.

- Oh my then I'm happy to be at The Lion and The Rose.

- I think we can call it the Shocked Lion.

- This is delicious really.

- It's shocking how good it is.

- It's shockingly good.

Shockingly cold crisp.

That is amazing.

Oh thank you for that.

- Yeah, sure.

- I gonna steal this one.

[laughs] Help yourself.

We have more downstairs if you want some more.

- Wonderful.

This is great.

This is great.

Thank you.

After an amazing day, I headed back to my room and enjoyed a relaxing evening to myself.

We all know the best thing about a Bed and Breakfast is the breakfast.

Karen prepares a delicious homemade meal every morning for guests.

Mm-hmm.

That is delicious.

The beer that Steve actually brew here is inside of his mimosa.

This is seriously delightful.

I got my sausage, pancakes here, the egg and cheese cup.

I gotta dig into this.

Mm-hmm.

So good.

The Lion and The Rose Bed and Breakfast, an 1896 classic, beautiful furniture, luxurious rooms, and I will say one of the best breakfasts I've ever had.

See you next time.

- The Lion and The Rose Bed and Breakfast is at 276 Montford Avenue in Asheville.

To plan your visit, give them a call at [828] 255-7673 or go to their website at lion-rose.com.

Over the next few weeks North Carolina Weekend is partnering with the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources on an initiative called PATH.

It stands for parks and trails for health.

It's all about finding wellness by getting outside into nature.

And one way to do that is with paddling.

Producer Michael Connell found a great trail along the Roanoke River that helps you along that path.

[lively guitar music] ♪ - 23 years ago in economic downturn in our region, a number of grassroots folks came together to think about what was some low hanging fruit in our region that we could draw some economic benefit from, and the idea of camping platforms on our historic river surface.

And today we represent 15 camp sites beginning in Halifax going down to the lower Roanoke Plymouth area.

But even during recent virus, we realized that our camping platforms and our paddle trail are a great place for people, especially urban people, to come get outside, get away from other people and noises.

[water trickles] - Paddling out to one of the Roanoke River partners camping platforms, reveals a beautiful wetland ecosystem.

Mature Cypress trees and Blackwater tributaries lead the way to the Cypress cathedral location, named for the mature Cyprus trees that surround the site.

Visitors can experience the site sounds and currents of hundreds of acres of protected wetlands.

- There's an extensive bared owl population.

We enjoy them because they're very vocal all times of the day.

I could even demonstrate for you if you if you like.

[imitates owl hooting] [owls hooting] - Traveling along Eastern North Carolina's Rowan Oak River is also a journey back in time.

[lively guitar music] In 2008, the river was recognized as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

With the coming of the civil war, enslaved African Americans traveled the river to escape slavery and make their way to freedom.

♪'Cause I'm gone and I won't be back ♪ ♪ If you don't believe me ♪ The Roanoke is not just for overnight camping.

North Carolina Wildlife Commission access points provide a convenient way to paddle the Roanoke for a few hours or multiple nights.

Canoe trail markers throughout the system guide paddlers to the platforms.

Sections of the river also have cell phone capability.

So you can use your modern devices for pinpoint root finding during sunset hours.

[softupbeat music] The platform sites require the use of portable stoves for cooking.

Free standing tents make a night on the sites an easy setup.

- Of our 15 platforms, you'll find some that are a wooden structure, a wooden deck, that is completely surrounded by water.

You have to paddle in and paddle out.

This one here in Williamson is a little bit different than all the rest in the town, created this one as part of their riverfront development.

You're right on the edge of their downtown so you can walk up to get something to eat.

You can call for a pizza to be delivered and they do have a bathhouse here too which midway your camping experience is nice to be able to get a shower.

People who come then also spend money in our communities.

They buy some food and gas and ice and that keeps our mom and pop businesses going.

Our trail is sustained is through membership and through support from our small towns and our county governments.

And all of those pieces are critical to continuing a bare bones budget, to be able to offer this really unique outdoor experience that now incorporates cultural heritage of our region for people to come from far and wide, to learn more about the history and life here along the Roanoke River.

- There are many ways to access the Roanoke River paddle trail.

The best way to learn more is visiting their website at roanokeriverpartners.org.

To learn more about the path initiative, go to ncdcr.gov and look under featured programs.

Well, that's it for tonight's show.

We have had a terrific time exploring Elon.

It is a lovely place for getaway and if you've missed anything in today's show, just remember you could always watch us again online at pbsnc.org.

Have a great North Carolina Weekend everyone.

Goodnight.

[upbeat music] ♪ ♪ - [Narrator] Funding for North Carolina Weekend is provided in part by VisitNC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions, from the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of barrier island beaches.

You're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

[piano outro]