Robeson County
You may not know it, but this is the state's largest county, incorporated in 1787 and named for Col. Thomas Robeson of the Revolutionary War.
Lumberton is the county seat, and it is surrounded by 29 townships, including Pembroke, Red Springs, Maxton, Orrum, Fairmont, Parkton and St. Pauls.
It's about a 90-minute drive to Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The county is the home of the Lumbee Indians, the largest tribe east of the Mississippi, which makes up about 40 percent of the county's populace.
You can learn about county history at the Robeson County Museum on Elm Street in Lumberton. It is housed in the railway express station, circa 1908. You can watch the stars at the Robeson Planetatium and Science Center, which is affiliated with the Public Schools of Robeson County.
You may want to visit the Museum of Native American Resource Center at UNC-Pembroke, which features just about everything you'll want to know about Indian life, with an emphasis on the Lumbee.
Or how about a visit to the Historic Train Depot in Rowland? There's the Red Springs Historical Museum, too, where you'll find exhibits on early family life, education, military, farming, baseball and business.
So history isn't your bag?
Try Riverwalk along West 5th Street in Lumberton via Luther Britt Park. It's a mile-and-a half walk with river overlooks and a mecca for bird-watchers. Or how about Riverway Adventure and Education Center at Kingsdale Boulevard in Lumberton on the banks of the Lumber River? There's canoeing, kayaking and camping areas.
And don't forget the 1,600-seat Paul R. Givens Performing Arts Center, known for luring entertainment from Broadway performances to the Moscow State Radio Symphony to renown speakers and newsmakers worldwide for its noted lecture series at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus.