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• Off base in Fayetteville, visitors will find a wealth of attractions to fill their day. The Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Armory and Museum, for example, offers two centuries of preserved documents, uniforms, and artifacts from the Fayetteville Light Infantry Co. — the oldest military unit in the south. Admission: Free. (910) 483-5311.
  
• Art lovers will want to visit the Fayetteville Museum of Art, which features six to eight exhibitions annually, each lasting six to nine weeks. The museum emphasizes North Carolina artists, but also profiles works by such renowned talents as Ansel Adams and Dale Chihuly. Admission: Free. (910) 485-5121.
  
• If history is more your passion, explore the rich heritage of southeastern North Carolina with a visit to the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, which comprises three historical resources. The Museum of Cape Fear features exhibits that chronicle the region's Southern heritage; Arsenal Park houses the remains of the Fayetteville Arsenal, which was destroyed by Gen. William T. Sherman during his march through the state; and the 1897 Poe House is a beautifully restored Victorian residence. Admission: Free. (910) 486-1330.

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AFB (WAYNE COUNTY)

Seymour Johnson AFB is home of the 4th Fighter Wing, which was first formed in Great Britain in 1940 and transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942. The unit saw action in World War II and Korea before being formally moved to Seymour Johnson AFB in 1957. Seymour Johnson AFB is in Goldsboro, N.C., which is the county seat of Wayne County. Incorporated in 1847, the greater Goldsboro region is steeped in North Carolina history and tradition and offers a variety of educational and entertaining attractions for visitors.

—Your first stop should be the Waynesborough Historical Village, which allows you to experience what life was like in rural North Carolina in the 19th century. Visit a family home, a medical office, a one-room school, a law office, and a Quaker meeting house, then watch a blacksmith ply his trade. The village also hosts a variety of additional events throughout the year, including Civil War events. Admission: Free, but donations encouraged. (919) 731-1653.

—The Governor Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site in nearby Fremont is another must-see for Southern history buffs. The site includes a mid-19th century farmstead, a one-room schoolhouse circa 1893, and various living history demonstrations. Admission: Free. (919) 242-5581.

—A short drive to nearby Four Oaks brings you to the Bentonville Battleground State Historic Site, where 80,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fought one of the last major battles of the Civil War. Of special interest is Harper House, where wounded from both sides were treated in an improvised hospital. The site's visitors’'center features exhibits and artifacts from the battlefields, as well as a fiber optic map and an audio-visual program. Admission: Free. (910) 594-0789. Those looking to commune with nature will love Cliffs of the Neuse State Park in Seven Springs. Carved by natural erosion, this spectacular series of cliffs extends 600 yards and rises 90 feet out of the water. The state park also offers hiking trails, picnicking, and river fishing, as well as organized group camping and seasonal family camping (for a small fee). The park's museum is open daily from March 15 until Nov. 30 and weekends through the winter months. (919) 778-6234.

—For those who aren't afraid to rough it, Little River Tours rents canoes for $20 a day. Only unguided tours on the Neuse are available because of North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) projects, according to owner Bob Getchell. Customers must sign a release and provide their own logistical support for hauling equipment. Guided tours on Little River are expected to resume after completion of the NCDOT projects. (919) 735-6529.