The hustle and beauty of North Carolina
I’ve called North Carolina home for nearly three decades, and for the last several years — since settling in New Bern with my wife Jackie — the eastern and coastal regions of the state have become my backyard, my classroom, and my greatest source of creative inspiration.
Starting in 2006, I started exploring beyond the Raleigh area and Grandfather Mountain.
I paddled down the Black River. I went for an overnight kayak trip to Bear Island. I visited Bodie lighthouse and Nags Head /Outer Banks for the first time and took a biplane ride to tour the area. I also spent time in Boone, seeing the Linville Falls and exploring the Linville Caves and experiencing the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain. More recently, we’ve moved to New Bern and explored the Crystal Coast, I’ve had my first taste of hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge and visited the Turtle Sanctuary at Surf City.
This state has so much to see and do and I’ve barely scratched the surface. This is the territory I’ve grown to know and love, and want to help tell the world about.
The content featured here reflects the kind of authentic, layered destination storytelling I’m building across this region — editorial writing, photography, and emerging video that captures not just the landmarks, but the feeling of being here.
Here’s a quick look at some of my NC content from my blog, instagram, and YouTube accounts.
Hang Gliding & Adventure at the Outer Banks
The Outer Banks isn’t just beaches — it’s one of the best places in the world to learn hang gliding, with Jockey’s Ridge State Park offering the largest natural sand dune system on the East Coast. I recently took their beginner’s class and had the time of my life!
Blog and video content like this speaks to experiential travelers looking for something beyond the standard beach vacation.
New Bern: Small Town, Big Story
New Bern is where we live, and it punches well above its weight for a town its size — colonial history, the birthplace of Pepsi, Tryon Palace, a vibrant waterfront, and ghost tours that rival anything I’ve seen in larger cities. It’s a destination that deserves more attention, and I’m well-positioned to give it that.
New Bern reels and shorts:
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games The largest Highland Games in North America, held each summer against one of the most dramatic backdrops in the state. This post carries a personal thread — I’m Scottish-born, and covered the event from inside the Hamilton clan tent, banner in hand. That kind of insider perspective is what makes the content resonate beyond a standard event preview, and it’s a strong example of the event-driven storytelling I can bring to western NC destinations and festival organizers.
Kayaking the Coastal Rivers: Some of my most memorable NC experiences have happened on the water. I’ve paddled the length of the Black River and completed an overnight group kayak trip to Bear Island — a barrier island accessible only by boat or on foot. These kinds of immersive, active experiences make for compelling content that speaks to adventure travelers and nature seekers alike.
Ideas for the future
Winter Adventures Across North Carolina: In the west, the Blue Ridge Mountains become a surprisingly robust winter playground — skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing at resorts like Hatley Pointe and Sugar Mountain, with cozy mountain towns rounding out the experience. This post makes the case that winter is an underrated time to explore the state, and is the kind of content that helps destinations extend their visitor season well beyond the summer peak.
We spent last Christmas in a rented house in Emerald Isle, and it was one of our best decisions. The pace slows down, the crowds disappear, and the coast reveals a different kind of beauty. A visit to the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, long walks on nearly empty beaches, and the warmth of a small coastal community in the off-season — there’s a real story here for destinations looking to extend their visitor season beyond summer.
Lighthouse Roads & Eastern NC Road Trips The eastern part of the state is made for road trips: historic lighthouses, pristine beaches, scenic ferry crossings, and small towns with big personalities. I want to build out a series of road trip content that connects these dots for travelers who don’t yet know how much there is to discover east of Raleigh.
Glamping & Outdoor Stays From glamping domes in the NC mountains to unique coastal accommodations, there’s a growing appetite for distinctive, Instagram-worthy stays. I’m interested in highlighting these experiences for travelers seeking something beyond a standard hotel stay.
Click on thumbnails to see larger images
This body of work demonstrates how North Carolina destinations can be translated into cohesive, multi-platform content — preserving regional authenticity while aligning with tourism marketing goals.
North Carolina is where I live, travel, and create — and that local knowledge is an asset I bring to every collaboration. I’m not passing through; I’m here, building relationships, and genuinely invested in helping eastern and coastal NC destinations connect with the travelers who will love them most.
Let’s talk about your vision.
Great destination storytelling starts with understanding your priorities and goals. If you’re developing a campaign or looking to showcase your region through integrated written and visual content, let’s start the conversation.