Before Pepsi was a billion-dollar global brand. Before the Cola Wars. Before Michael Jackson, Super Bowl halftime shows, and blind taste tests — there was a pharmacist in a small North Carolina town, mixing something interesting behind his soda counter and wondering if his customers might like it. They did. The story of how Pepsi-Cola… Caleb Bradham and the Invention of Brad’s Drink: The Pepsi Story: Read Article »

Tryon Palace gets the headlines. It deserves them — 16 acres of restored colonial gardens, a reconstructed 18th-century mansion, and enough history to fill a very satisfying morning is a hard thing to compete with. If you haven’t been yet, start there. But here’s what the brochures don’t always tell you: the museums surrounding the… Roundup: “Beyond the Palace: 5 Museums You Can’t Miss in New Bern.”: Read Article »

By [Author Name] | Updated 2025 Raleigh has a lot going for it. But sometimes you want a day that feels genuinely different — a place with a slower pace, a longer history, and the particular pleasure of wandering streets where something interesting is always just around the corner. New Bern is that place. And… New Bern Day Trip from Raleigh: The Perfect Itinerary: Read Article »