Tar Heel Traveler: 20 places in 20 days

Bonlee, Chatham County: A husband and wife bought an entire block of buildings in a small crossroads community and are restoring those buildings in honor of their daughter who passed away. You can visit the bakery and more in Bonlee.

Fishing rod factory, Lee County: One of the only places in the country that makes fishing rods is right here in Lee County, and it is open to the public for tours.

Warren County Community Center, Warren County: This African-American community center came to be during a time of segregation and is still active today.

Porsche parts, Nash County: This sprawling warehouse in Rocky Mount is one of the largest of its kind in the country, full of auto parts for the German sports car Porsche.

Boy Scout Museum, Harnett County: A farmhouse turned museum dedicated to to the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts could be the largest scouting museum around.

Spice Bouquet, Lenoir County: Learn a new recipe and shop for the supplies at this unique boutique.

Tyndall’s Seafood, Sampson County: This small seafood market, a landmark in the county, has been run by the same family for years. The grandson of the original owners is now in charge, keeping the tradition alive.

Wake County Speedway, Wake County: Settle in for races every Friday of the summer at a speedway 60 years old.

Kings Sandwich Shop, Durham County: At an iconic, tiny building on this Durham corner, the sandwiches served up offer a taste of days gone by.

T.G. Brooks store, Person County: In the community of Timberlake, hardware has been sold by the same family since 1936.

Morehead Planetarium, Orange County: Morehead Planetarium is the first planetarium in the country to be built on a college campus. It’s located at UNC and has long been a training ground for NASA astronauts.

Tungsten mine, Vance County: Tungsten is a metal found in light bulbs and many other household appliances. It was also widely used in weapons during WWII, which made the rich tungsten vein that ran through Vance County valuable indeed.

Bailey Farms, Granville County: In the 1990s, the Bailey family switched their crop to peppers and since then their harvest, including of jalapenos, has continued to grow.

De Hart Botanical Gardens, Franklin County: Stroll these beautiful gardens that are off the beaten path. The man who created the refuge has passed away, and the current caretaker is a former pro football player.

Tarboro town common, Edgecombe County: The second-oldest town common in the country is full of historic monuments and pretty flowers.

Church house, Moore County: What once was a church in Pinehurst has been turned into a house for rent.

Sweet Valley Ranch, Cumberland County: The centerpiece of this Fayetteville agricultural theme park is a path through a dinosaur habitat.

Scrap Exchange, Durham County: This huge building in Durham is full of nothing but scrap. It is an artist’s dream!

Whirligigs, Wilson County: A new book is out this month that tells the story of Volis Simpson of Wilson who created whirligigs that became world famous. Today, people from far and wide visit the town’s whirligig park.