Landing at Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville gives you an easy home base, with nearby cities and getaways close by. Greenville is the biggest city in eastern North Carolina, home to East Carolina University and a lively uptown district along the Tar River. The vibe is college-town friendly, with purple and gold everywhere on game days, plus a serious claim to being the heart of whole-hog barbecue country.

Standout experiences around Greenville: - Eat chopped whole-hog barbecue with vinegar sauce and cornbread at a classic pit, including the Skylight Inn in nearby Ayden - Catch an ECU Pirates football game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium - Walk or bike the Greenville Greenway along the Tar River - Paddle the Tar River from the Town Common - Visit the Greenville Museum of Art and the galleries of uptown - Browse the shops and galleries along the Dickinson Avenue arts district

Greenville sits in the middle of a region worth exploring. Washington, with its waterfront on the Pamlico River, is about a half hour east, and New Bern, the colonial capital and birthplace of Pepsi, is an hour southeast. Raleigh is about 90 minutes west, and the beaches of the Crystal Coast are about two hours away. Spring brings azaleas and warm afternoons, while fall means football and barbecue festivals. Stay for the food, the river, and the easy pace of eastern Carolina.