8 Unique Places in North Carolina to Explore

Perpetually at the top of lists of places both to visit and live, Asheville is the crowd pleaser of North Carolina destinations. It’s ideal for foodies, beer nerds, live-music lovers, history buffs, and especially anyone who appreciates the great outdoors.

With the most breweries per capita in the country, Asheville is sometimes called the Napa Valley of beer, as the incubator for Wicked Weed, Highland Brewing, and Burial Beer, to name just a few of the breweries and taprooms in town.

Over one million visitors come every year to view the Biltmore Estate‘s 250 rooms, winery, and 8,000 acres of formal gardens and grounds designed by Central Park landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted – especially around the holidays when the estate is decked out in festive lights, ornaments, and decorated Christmas trees.

Asheville hosts more than a dozen music festivals and even more outdoor concerts, ranging from Appalachian folk to bluegrass to electronic and funk. Independent music venues like the Orange Peel and Grey Eagle have hosted big-name acts and amateur jam sessions, with a variety of open mics and intimate sets every night of the week.

It’s outside where Asheville really dazzles, as the city’s location in the French Broad River valley, under the backdrop of the Blue Ridge mountains and between several national forests and parks, means it’s possible to spend a day kayaking, hiking, or mountain biking. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop for a picnic and a locally brewed beer.

Asheville is one of the gateways to the classic Blue Ridge Parkway, which has inspired many leisurely Sunday drives and photo opportunities along its scenic outlooks. The Pisgah National Forest was built on a land donation from the Biltmore Estate and within it is Mt. Mitchell, the Appalachian Mountains’ and east coast’s tallest peak at 6,500 feet, with an easily accessible observation deck.

If you enjoy the high-altitude life, but find Asheville a bit too urban, Blowing Rock might be for you. This scenic Blue Ridge mountain town is known for its spectacular views, boutiques and artisan shops, and winter skiing and snowboarding. Named after a mountain formation with legendary gusts of wind and a grief-stricken Cherokee maiden, Blowing Rock draws visitors to its outlook on Grandfather Mountain, Wild West-themed Tweetsie Railroad, and annual music festivals.

A historic port city on the Cape Fear river and a seashell’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, Wilmington is as beloved for its cobblestoned downtown, riverfront restaurants, and vintage clothing shops nearly as much as it is for its short drive to beaches. A southern coastal town that could double as a New England fishing village, Wilmington earned the nickname of “Wilmywood” after serving as a host for shows like Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill, and as inspiration for the thriller(s) Cape Fear.

The beach season in North Carolina extends well past Labor Day, as the water often stays warm enough to swim in until Halloween. Carolina Beach’s boardwalk and Wrightsville Beach’s surfing are each within twenty minutes of downtown.

Back in Wilmington, learn about the local history on a riverboat cruise, a Ghost Walk of haunted sights, or a self-guided tour of the WWII Battleship North Carolina.

Far from a sleepy college town, Durham still earns acclaim for its innovative dining scene, progressive politics, and creative spirit, sustained in part by the presence of Duke University and its international mix of students and researchers.

Durham is a town where you can wake up with a fair-trade, locally roasted latte from Cocoa Cinnamon and drive a few minutes to the Eno River for a hike and a swim, followed by a wander through the galleries at Duke’s Nasher Museum and admiring what’s in season at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. You’ll still have time for a nap at your downtown hotel before a tapas dinner at Mateo, a concert at DPAC, and a nightcap at Alley Twenty Six.

The Outer Banks are known for their pristine beaches, iconic lighthouses, and dramatic past of shipwrecks and pirates. As much of Hatteras Island is difficult to reach without your own boat, private plane, or a lot of patience along the one-lane Highway 12, it keeps the sands secluded for visitors, as well as the sea turtles who nest in the dunes. It’s the wild beauty of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore that brings many visitors year after year, as well as the town’s limited development and lack of mass tourism that ensures that even in peak season, you’ll never have trouble finding a spot for your beach umbrella.

Even the black-and-white-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, with its 257 steps to the top, hasn’t prevented hundreds of shipwrecks in the nearby waters. Visitors can learn about the wrecks and the area’s history and culture for shipbuilding, diving, piracy, fishing, and lifesaving at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.

Whether you prefer dining out or cooking your own seafood feast, fishermen still regularly supply the island’s markets with just-caught shrimp, scallops, swordfish, and other fresh catches.

While many travelers know about Asheville and Durham, don’t sleep on the Triad – a central region of the state encompassing historic tobacco town Winston-Salem, the international furniture market in High Point, and the up-and-coming arts city Greensboro.

The state’s third-largest city, Greensboro has been attracting artists with lower rents than its bigger sisters and a growing downtown. Museum musts include the International Civil Rights Museum, built on the site of the 1960 Woolworth’s sit-ins, the Greensboro Science Center with a small zoo and aquarium, and Weatherspoon Art Museum with a modern art collection encompassing Matisse and Picasso, as well as many local artists. Thousands come to the Coliseum Complex for world-class concerts and sporting events.

Living up to the “green” in the name, there are four distinct public gardens in Greenboro, including an arboretum, wetland bog garden, walking trails with a sculpture garden, and a children’s garden; all are open year-round with free admission.

A small town in eastern North Carolina seems an unlikely place for a destination restaurant and hit TV show, but Chef Vivian Howard chose Kinston as the spot for her fine-dining restaurant Chef and The Farmer when she moved back to her home state from New York City. The PBS show A Chef’s Life follows Chef Howard as she sources ingredients for her restaurant from local farms and learns Southern food traditions.

Kinston’s other mainstay is Mother Earth Brewing, another local labor of love from two beer enthusiasts who grew up in town. The eco-minded, LEED-certified brewery is built from reclaimed materials and has a solar-powered tap room, with brews ranging from a hazy IPA to a seasonal ale with homegrown tomatoes, as well as new gin and whiskey distilled on site.

When not eating and drinking, visitors can explore nature trails and kayaking on the Neuse River, discover Civil War sites, or learn about the heritage of African American music in the area at the Music Park.

One of Beaufort’s early visitors was the infamous Blackbeard the Pirate, whose ship Queen Anne’s Revenge ran aground here shortly before his death in 1718. Now, the idyllic “Inner Banks” village feels a bit like a southern Nantucket Island with its busy marina, antique shops, and historical sites. You can see how the region has evolved from fishing port to pirate hideout to surfing hotspot at the NC Maritime Museum, as well as see a bit of the archaeology treasure trove excavated from Blackbeard’s shipwreck.

Beaufort’s marina and location on Taylor’s Creek makes it a popular spot to charter a boat, borrow a kayak, or just enjoy the views and fresh seafood at a waterfront restaurant. If you are more of a beach than a boat person, it’s a short drive to Atlantic Beach and Fort Macon State Park (with a restored Civil War-era fort to explore). The Rachel Carson Nature Reserve is also nearby, with an abundance of wildlife and birdwatching accessible only by boat.