After you've dropped Junior off at State, where can you go for a good meal, an entertaining walk, a night on the town? We offer some diversions along the return trip for parents seeking a little entertainment. (Provided they have any money left after paying tuition.)
We look at routes to colleges in the four cardinal directions, with a few extra destinations along the I-85 route to the nexus of North Carolina schools.
NORTH:
Cherokee: Those headed to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and points farther north, have a choice between exploring bucolic nature at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or wallowing in high-wattage glitz at Harrrah's Cherokee, the massive gambling resort in Cherokee, N.C. While the Smokies offer some of the tallest mountains on the east coast, Harrah's features an 1,100-room hotel, a 3,000-seat events center, countless gaming tables, video gambling machines, and an 18,000-square-foot spa. Harrah's is at 777 Casino Dr., Cherokee, N.C. www.harrahscherokee.com. The park can be reached at 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, Tenn. 865-436-7318.
NORTHEAST:
Greensboro: Yum Yum Better Ice Cream, in Greensboro, is as legendary for its nuclear pink hot dogs as it is for its tasty ice cream and frozen yogurt. If you're dropping off a college student at Greensboro or Guilford, you might find them turning up again at Yum Yum; 1219 Spring Garden St., Greensboro, N.C. 336-272-8284.
Charlotte: Running through September at The Mint Museum in Charlotte, the first art museum in North Carolina, is a 20-year retrospective of outsider artist Thornton Dial, "Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial," an important show that will be coming to Atlanta in 2013. 2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte, N.C., 704-337-2000, www.mintmuseum.org/
Carrboro: At the Weaver Street Market in Carrboro you can sit on the lawn shaded with oaks, toss a frisbee, enjoy an outdoor musical performance, and, by the way, shop for food. Specializing in organic, locally grown produce, local beef and pork and prepared foods, Weaver Street exemplifies Chapel Hill/Carrboro's laid-back charm; 101 East Weaver Street, Carrboro, N.C. 919-929-001o, www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/
EAST
Aiken, S.C.: Headed to Augusta State University or the Medical College of Georgia? At The Willcox, a 19th Century hotel and restaurant in nearby Aiken, you can take in a sea mud or deep thermal treatment at the spa, sip a Parisian cocktail at the bar, dine on locally sourced produce at the restaurant or enjoy the old world charm of crown moldings, high ceilings and a personal fireplace in one of the rooms; 100 Colleton Ave. SW, Aiken, S.C., 877-648-2200, www.thewillcox.com/
SOUTH:
Macon: Rose Hill Cemetery, burial place of guitarist Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley, is a must-visit for fans of the Allman Brothers; 1071 Riverside Drive, Macon, Ga., 478-751-9119. Also, check out the Allman Brothers Band Museum in town, 2321 Vineville Avenue Macon, Ga., 478-741-5551, www.thebighousemuseum.com
Warner Robins: The expansive and remarkable display of aircraft at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins includes an SR-71 Blackbird, an aircraft that at one time you weren't allowed to photograph, much less touch. Highway 247 at Russell Parkway, 478-923-6600, www.museumofaviation.org/
WEST:
Birmingham: One of the architects of the renaissance of Southern cuisine, Frank Stitt, the chef at the Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Ala., is celebrating his 30th anniversary at the restaurant, amid much national attention. 2011 Eleventh Ave. S., Birmingham, Ala., 205-939-1400, www.highlandsbarandgrill.com/
Tuscaloosa: Now franchised in eight locations, you can visit the original Dreamland barbecue restaurant in Tuscaloosa, at 5535 15th Ave., East Tuscaloosa, Ala., 205-758-8135, www.dreamlandbbq.com/
