RALEIGH, N.C. — Snag your sunglasses! Spring break season is upon us, leaving many in a flurry of packing and planning. North Carolina is a prime destination for people both in-state and beyond.

The director for Visit North Carolina, Wit Tuttle, says the mountains and coastal areas are the most popular during this time of year.

“Those beaches are warming up and people want to get out, start working on the tan early on, or they want to get up to the mountains and get in some hiking and see some beautiful scenery,” Tuttle said.

North Carolina ranked fifth among states for total visitor volume in 2020, according to the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics, a global travel research company. The spending report was commissioned by Visit North Carolina.

The report shows how the pandemic took a financial toll, with visitor spending dropping 32% in 2020.

Loosening pandemic restrictions has encouraged a resurgence of in-person events and festivals in the state.

“You know, [it] still makes sense to take some precautions if you're in a group that has extra risk or if you haven't been fully vaccinated,” Tuttle said. “We recommend that you still take the precautions, but I think people are really going to feel like they're back to some of the good old days.”

He recommends visiting some of the state’s hidden gems, which may fare better with the worker shortage than crowded areas.

“We highly recommend places like — you want to go to the coast — the town of Washington or New Bern, great little towns all along the inner banks of North Carolina. Great color, great history there. All sorts of beautiful places.”

“We all know the popular mountain spots in North Carolina, but why not try a place like Spruce Pine? It’s an incredible place, beautiful scenery,” Tuttle said. “Marshall is another great town that has really awesome history. Great stuff to see.”

As for his favorite spots, Tuttle enjoys Bryson City, the Great Smoky Mountains and Ocracoke in the Outer Banks.