Colonial Revival–Style B&B Shaded by Sugar Maples

It’s almost predictable that the Rosemary House Bed and Breakfast actively participates in the small Pittsboro, North Carolina, community, given that it’s named for the herb that traditionally symbolizes friendship. Local artists have decorated many of its rooms, from hand-painted dressers and antique vanities to an original mural in one of the bathrooms. It's also common to see innkeeper Karen hosting a roomful of aspiring authors at the early-20th-century Colonial Revival inn for one of its regular writing workshops.

The inn’s porch overlooks a lawn of large sugar maples. Rocking chairs welcome those looking to spend their afternoon watching birds or reading books about how to use a rocking chair. Each of its five rooms comes individually decorated, with the Haven and Retreat rooms featuring fireplaces and air-jet tubs. Antique four-poster beds and clawfoot tubs hark back to the B&B's early days, and the artist-painted trompe l'oeil window and marbleized mantel in the Haven room add a more modern flair.

Because Rosemary House has only five rooms, Karen and her husband Mac can be especially attentive to their guests, preparing a full breakfast and recommending activities throughout Tar Heel country. Check out their list of "66 Things to Do When You Stay at Rosemary House," from canoeing on University Lake to buying fresh produce at the local farmers’ market on Thursday.

Pittsboro, NC: Tight-Knit Community Near UNC, Duke, and the State Capital

Within a 45-minute drive from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Duke University in Durham, and the state capital of Raleigh, Pittsboro enjoys a convenient location in the middle of many of central North Carolina's main attractions. Downtown Pittsboro is lined with antique shops and historic houses and buildings. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Pittsboro Historic District at the center of town contains buildings constructed between 1780 and 1949, including the distinctively yellow 18th-century Patrick St. Lawrence House.

In addition to its co-op grocery store, Pittsboro's nonprofit, largely volunteer-driven Carolina Tiger Rescue is an example of the town’s tight-knit attitude. There, endangered wildcats such as ocelots, binturongs, and spotted leopards live on a 55-acre sanctuary. Public tours of the facility wend through grass and gravel for up-close encounters with the animals, and twilight tours are also available seasonally to observe them during their most active hours.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.