(RALEIGH) -- It's the 4th of July, and if you have not yet made plans for the day, Faye Mitchell at the State Department of Cultural Resources says, from the mountains to the coast, there's a lot to do in North Carolina.

"At the Battleship NC in Wilmington, they're part of the city's celebration which starts at 5:00 PM on the riverfront. At the ballteship they will do a huge battleship blast at 9:05, and that's free to attend."

North Carolina is loaded with history, and on this, the 236th birthday of the U.S., Mitchell says you can step back in time and attend one of our earliest celebrations of “The Glorious Fourth” at Tryon Palace in New Bern.

"They'll have a re-reading of the Declaration of Independence, and you can talk to circa-1783 military people [about their equipment and camp life]."

Fireworks and the USA's greatest hits, preformed by a symphony orchestra. What could be better on the 4th of July? Mitchell says you can get both of those at one stop on this 4th of July.

"The North Carolina Symphony will perform a concert at 7:30 PM at Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary with patriotic music, including the 1812 Overture is always a crowd favorite ... Come early and grab a good spot on the free lawn seating: blankets, lawn chairs & picnics are permitted. Gates at this afternoon at 3:00."

Fireworks, hot dogs, a day by the pool or a backyard barbeque are the regular things we can enjoy on the 4th of July. But if you're looking for something to do that's once in a lifetime, Mitchell says you can head to Spencer and the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

"They're going to have 20 classic locomotives, painted in color schemes reminiscent of earlier times. This is be the first, and probably the only time such an exhibit happens, because it's not everywhere that you can put 20 locomotives."

For photo-bugs, the event also includes nighttime photo shoots that will run from from about sunset through 11:00 PM.