Seashores, mountains, rolling countryside, booming cities, major historic sites—the Carolinas offer something for everyone. North Carolina is one of the five fastest-growing states in the country. Its three large metropolitan areas—Charlotte, the Raleigh-Durham Triangle area, and the Piedmont area—have populations exceeding 1 million. Forbes magazine named Raleigh the best place in America for business and careers in 2009 and the best place to live in 2008.
The Outer Banks, a chain of narrow barrier islands on North Carolina’s eastern coast, boasts the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, wildlife refuges, and the East Coast’s highest sand dunes. The western part of the state features the Blue Ridge Mountains, 75-mile views, waterfalls, and year-round outdoor sporting adventures.
South Carolina is home to many historic, cultural, and artistic treasures, including Charleston. The nation’s first permanent English settlement Charleston preserves the best historic sites and traditions of the Old South. Like North Carolina, South Carolina’s scenic wonders include wide sandy beaches, barrier islands, forests, mountains, and charming small towns. The state offers a multitude of outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking, white-water rafting, scuba diving, and golfing. Other must-see attractions include colonial plantations, Civil War museums, and Revolutionary War sites.
With their increasingly diverse economy and population, the Carolinas provide a wide range of opportunities and career options to suit any nurse’s fancy—whether you prefer sophisticated cities, the seaside lifestyle, or laid-back mountain or country living.