by Susan Paunovic

Since I moved to North Carolina a few years ago, I have been hearing about the Land of Oz, which holds its annual Autumn at Oz every fall in Beech Mountain. I was fortunate enough to finally go and it was so worth it! Anybody who loves The Wizard of Oz will not be disappointed.

The Land of Oz opened in 1970 and recreates features from the movie, including Dorothy’s house in Kansas, the ‘twister’, and, of course, the yellow brick road. While you walk through the park, you encounter all the iconic characters in their costumes and hear their renditions of all the classic songs. It truly is a magical place and I enjoyed every minute of it.

That being said, there was one area that didn’t hold up to all the ‘magic’. Bathrooms, if you can call them that, were porta potties before you entered the theme park and then again in the Land of Oz, which was several hours later. Small bladders beware!

All in all though, the experience is one that I do not plan on missing again. The actors, the costumes and the music give you an up-close Broadway-like experience that will leave you wanting to watch the movie upon your arrival home.

Make plans for your trip in 2023 when the Land of Oz will be open in August.

(Tune in to the Reel Travels Podcast #18 to hear more about the Land of Oz! For more information on ticket prices and the Oz shop, visit https://www.landofoznc.com.)