MARTHA QUILLIN

The Charlotte Observer

TRAVEL

Helene was a mighty storm, but the North Carolina mountain communities that have reemerged from the mud are proving they're stronger.

Nearly all of the region that was affected by Helene has reopened and is welcoming tourists: a coff ee shop that was washed out here, a barbecue joint that was flooded there, a hiking trail that, a few months ago, was impassable for a tangle of downed trees.

While not every business rebuilt — and some relocated or temporarily downsized — there are plenty of places to stay, eat, shop and enjoy the mountain air. Owners and workers at these enterprises say they need visitors to come back.

Here are nine North Carolina destinations from the northern mountains to the southern ones that can elevate your mood and he

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