Agggghhh totally forgot to respond on Friday with recommendations w/r/t North Carolina! Quick list off the top of my head:
Asheville: great food, great beer, GREAT GREAT OUTDOORS. Lots of fun day hikes around those parts, but I’m particularly attached to Graveyard Fields and Mt. Pisgah. Definitely spend some time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and take advantage of the pull-offs. A lot of them have little trails that will take you to even more stunning vistas. Spa Theology does great massages if you’re sore after all that hiking. ;-) Biltmore is very cool but, I feel, overpriced but if you’re feeling indulgent, I don’t think you’ll regret it. The house is really remarkable. Free wine tastings in their wine shop, and they are very generous pours (you do not have to pay to access that part of the estate). Lots of breweries in town and surrounding environs; I frequented the Wicked Weed last time I was there and found it very enjoyable; The Wedge is also great. Of course there’s Highlands Brewing and approximately six thousand other breweries, so you will have options! Had good meals at The Blackbird, Curate, and a Jamaican place that I’m blanking on the name of. Visit Chocolate Fetish for some awesome bonbons. Also nearby is Black Mountain, which is a very cute town and a very pretty mountain.
Research Triangle Park = I’m assuming you’ll be around Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro? My old stomping grounds. :-) Durham is super cool these days. Breweries (Fullsteam, etc) and bars are plentiful. Some of my favorites include The Federal, Motorco, Geer Street Garden, and Pinhook (The Fed, Motorco and Geer St also have pretty tasty pub grub). I’ve eaten at Dashi a few times and feel like they have pretty solid ramen and izakaya. Elmo’s is a great, classic diner. Fishmonger’s used to be *the place* for seafood. It seems like there’s new stuff opening every week there, and I haven’t really kept up. Nasher Art Gallery is great, as is the Museum of Life & Science (kid-focused, but a pretty great little museum). Duke’s campus is meh, but nearby is 9th Street which has some fun shops and bars/restaurants. If you’re needing a little outdoors time, Duke Forest has many access points and lots of nice trails.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro are fun and have free public transit, which I encourage you to use as parking can be a pain (although this may depend upon when you’re there!). UNC’s campus is beautiful. Franklin Street can be fun, though it definitely swings more college kids, and it seems like businesses turn over pretty quickly (except for the Ben &Jerry’s, which is stalwart!), so I don’t have many recommendations for the main strip. However, if you keep walking west on Franklin (towards Carrboro) you will hit a strip with a couple great bookstores, and good restaurants. Mint is very solid Indian, Carolina Brewery is pretty good beer + pub grub, Lantern is awesome (one of Gourmet mag’s top 50 American restaurants). It’s a splurge, but worth it, in my book. Also the cocktails are awesome! Make your reservation early if you decide to go there! Elaine’s is also good, as is the West End Wine Bar, as is the Crunkleton (it’s a “private club” due to liquor licensing, IIRC, but a membership will run you a few bucks and lasts a lifetime :-) ). Carrboro is delightful and has a great farmers market on Saturdays. Lots of solid food/drinks places, with some of my favorites being Southern Rail, Venable, Elmo’s (Carrboro location of the Durm diner), Taylor’s, Milltown, Glasshalfull, Speakeasy, Neal’s Deli, Spotted Dog. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Armadillo Grill, for cheap and cheerful Tex-Mex. The grassy area in front of Weaver Street Market is just great for lounging and people watching. Great Outdoor Provision is a great shop if you’re outdoorsy, Syd’s Army Surplus is a trip, and Cameron’s is delightful.
Can’t remember where else you said you’d be in NC. Hope this is helpful!