Top Things to do in North Carolina
Top Hotels in North Carolina
- 1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Asheville Downtown, an IHG Hotel
- 2. Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville Biltmore Area
- 3. Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
- 4. Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville Biltmore Village
- 5. Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Uptown
- 6. Hampton Inn & Suites Outer Banks / Corolla
- 7. Tru by Hilton Fayetteville I 95
- 8. Drury Inn & Suites Charlotte Arrowood
- 9. Bridgepointe Hotel and Marina
- 10. The Dunhill Hotel
Top 10 Sights & Landmarks in North Carolina, United States
North Carolina has something for everyone, with the highest mountains in the eastern U.S., 300 miles of pristine coastline, quaint towns and vibrant cities. From the mountains to the sea, explore the natural, scenic beauty, discover outdoor adventure or try one of 500 golf courses, including the legendary Pinehurst No. 2. Discover a favorite among 100 wineries and 60 craft breweries, tour historic and cultural treasures, sample farm to table delicacies and get the thrill of motorsports in the "home" of NASCAR.
Restaurants in North Carolina
1. Blue Ridge Parkway
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6,921 reviews
This 469-mile scenic drive links Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, while protecting the cultural and natural features of the Blue Ridge.
Reviewed By cynthiap259 - New Britain, United States
Where do I start? What an awesome drive from Skyline Drive all the way to the Smoky Mountains ... through the magnificent BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY! It was in my bucket list and it sure delivered. The blue mountain ridges and colorful fall colors...seen in every overlook, just amazing! We stopped at Mabry Mill, the Blue Ridge Music Center, multiple overlooks, stopped and hiked the Natural Bridge trail and Graveyard Fields trail and saw a whole herd of elks in the Oconaluftee area! Ate real southern food and experienced their hospitality especially at Clyde’s in Waynesville. Didn’t get to explore Asheville and Biltmore Estate due to time constraint but will be coming back for it hopefully soon to see the rhododendrons blooming!
2. Zmax Dragway
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 108 reviews
Reviewed By deharl
This is a wonderful track we always have a good time there.We go there at least twice a year to see the four wide races.This is the only drag strip that races four cars side by side at the same time
3. Elijah Mountain Gem Mine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 779 reviews
Covered outdoor and Indoor gem mining all season. #1 gem mine in the Carolinas on TripAdvisor. No reservations needed. Come pet and feed our goats and see our chickens. We double all competitor’s coupons and we’ll even buy you a coke! At Elijah Mountain Gem Mine, in Hendersonville, NC, you become a prospector from the 1800's and mine for real gem stones that you can keep! Gems that are found daily include Rubys, Sapphires, Emeralds, Quartz crystals, Citrine, Amethyst, Garnets, Adventurine, Sodalite, Opal, Fluorite, Aquamarine Crystal geodes and many more! We have covered outdoor and climate controlled indoor mining for your comfort! Find something really special and have it cut into a pendant for a necklace right here! Sometimes while you watch! You can even bring a picnic and relax at one of our picnic tables by the creek! Our Rock Shop is the best around and no one can beat our prices! See 400 million year old fossils.
Reviewed By konacoast24k - Cocoa, United States
Elijah Mountain Gem Mine in Hendersonville is a great place for a family to visit. Whether you are an amateur rockhound like my husband and I, or just out for a unique adventure, this is a fun experience! They have indoor and covered outdoor sluice runs to hunt for your gemstone treasures, and even a spot where you can walk down and see what there is to find in a small creek bed (you would be surprised at what is under that sand!!). The rock shop is full of interesting gem and mineral specimens, and you can even visit the many goats that live at the site! The weather was not cooperating when we visited which cut our time short (I would have enjoyed lingering at the creek a while longer-so relaxing!). If you are looking for something different and fun to do, visit Elijah Mountain Gem Mine - you won't be disappointed!
4. Crystal Mountain Gem Mine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 299 reviews
Brevard, NC's Crystal Mountain Gem Mine brings you the unique experience of engaging in your own Gem Mining adventure! By joining us in our downtown Gem Mine - full of precious gems from private mine shafts around the world - you're able to mine for your own gemstones and try your luck at striking it rich! Just like a real prospector from the 1800's! You get to keep everything you find!
Reviewed By joboszko - Pendleton, United States
Wow! We are beyond impressed with the service and selection of gem stones here! Holden and Liz were SUPER friendly and the gem mining experience was so much fun for the little ones. Thank you!!!
5. GSMNP - Deep Creek Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 111 reviews
Reviewed By seekingpeace - Ohio, United States
This is an easy hike if you just want to go to Tom Branch Falls and Indian Creek Falls. They are fairly close together with a short walk in between. Our favorite was Tom Branch Falls because you have a bench and a couple places you can just sit and enjoy the falls. The Indian Creek Falls is a little further up the trail with a slight incline to walk up. The path is made up of dirt and gravel but it is very easy to walk on. The Indian River Falls has steps you have to walk down to get to them and you have to stand on a small flat ledge that could possibly hold perhaps 7 to 8 people at a time. This water fall was our second favorite. The Juney Whank Falls are a much steeper and harder path to hike to get to them and it is mostly uphill. My husband has bad knees and he struggled to make it up the steep incline. In our opinion these falls were not worth the climb but we were able to say we made it to all three falls!
6. Henry River Mill Village
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 43 reviews
For decades, the Henry River Mill Village has sat dormant. On the surface, the once vibrant village appears abandoned, lost, and well beyond repair. Since being built in 1905, there has been a lot of history made in the village, including it's most recent appearance as District 12 in the Hunger Games movies. Join us for one of our many tours available for all ages and all interests.
Reviewed By WeagleDude - Midlothian, United States
There is no other place I have ever been as unique as Henry River Mill Village. The site of Katniss Everdeen's house from Hunger Games and rich 120+ year old history. I went thinking that the history would be neat and the fandom was amazing. I left thinking the fandom is neat and the history being the most amazing part. Our family even met one of the individuals who used to call the village home as a kid. While I still like the rustic look of the houses, I value more that the renovations are restoring the outside of the houses closer to what they would have looked like when the original families lived there. I think it's important that that past is respected since it was home to many who live locally in the area. It's like the most amazing convergence of history, present, and future! My wife, kiddos, and I were able to stay in the 1st house restored by the owners. Calvin informed me that our kids were the first kids who have stayed in the upstairs beds that his wife designed. Take a look in the next time you're near hickory North Carolina, highly suggest you book this on your way towards Asheville or Raleigh depending on which way you're headed.
7. Biltmore
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 26,629 reviews
George Vanderbilt's historic country estate in Asheville, NC; Biltmore includes Biltmore House--America's largest home--plus gardens, winery, Antler Hill Village, historic farm, 4-star Inn on Biltmore Estate, shops, restaurants, branded products, and outdoor adventures. This National Historic Landmark is an amazing destination offering a wide range of activities for all ages.
Reviewed By travelerfromsj - San Jose, United States
We did the self-guided audio tour of the house early in the morning, with tickets bought on-line a month earlier. While the house itself was fascinating, I have to say the audio part of it was a little corny and overacted at times- all about guests going to a party, and not much about the history or architecture of the house; but I liked seeing the period clothing. The tour ended appropriately with a tour of the servants quarters, at the bottom of the house. After that we walked around the gardens, to the Bass pond and back. The highlight was definitely the Conservatory, which was stunning; make sure to stop in there to see the orchids. After a quick lunch we took the Legacy of the Land tour, which is a shuttle tour that makes a few stops for guests to get out and look around. I think our tour guide was Jim, and it was absolutely fascinating. I was expecting a tour of the Farm, but it was more about Vanderbilt’s decision to build the Biltmore, how he acquired the land, Olmsted’s design of the grounds, the beginnings of the US forestry service… It was definitely a nice counterpoint to the house tour, and I highly recommend it. We ate at Antler Hill Village twice while here, and sampled wine at the winery. I have to say this place is HUGE; it’s about 5 miles between the Biltmore House and Antler Hill Village, so you’ll definitely want a plan and a car. Plan on spending at least a day. The only negative we ran into is that parking for the Biltmore House tours was confusing and not well signed, especially if you’re looking for the park and walk lot. Pretty much every car that came in ended up driving all the way up to the lawn in front of the house, where a guard told them to do a U-turn and go back. More signs or a couple of folks directing traffic in the morning would be really helpful.
8. Wright Brothers National Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,204 reviews
Park where visitors can see a replica of the Wright Brothers' plane and receive an entertaining history of flight.
Reviewed By PHLee7ca - Ellicott City, United States
We visited this attraction on a sunny Saturday in October. The cost was $10/adult and lots of free parking. We first walked around the grounds and saw the old "runway", sheds, and climbed up Kill Devil Hill to see the monument and view of the town. Then we joined the narrated tour by one of the Park Rangers, she was very informative and animated! We then spent the rest of our time touring inside the info. center and got our "passports" stamped in the Gift Store! From the top of the hill, we noticed a full scale scene of the first flight and stopped by on our drive out....very nice, all the "characters" immortalized in bronze along with the plane. A very nice "park", museum and history lesson.
9. Charlotte Motor Speedway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 959 reviews
For more than 50 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway has set the standard for motorsports entertainment for fans of all ages.Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only race vacation destination where fans can immerse themselves in the heart of NASCAR country. Visitors can attend one-of-a-kind race spectacles such as the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR Sprint All- Star Race and Bank of America 500; take behind-the-scenes speedway and race shop tours; explore the new NASCAR Hall of Fame; and drive an 800-horsepower stock car.Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte host international NASCAR, NHRA and World of Outlaw events; gigantic AutoFairs, grassroots Legend Car and street legal drag racing, Monster Trucks and one of the world’s largest drive-through holiday light shows, Carolina Christmas. There’s entertainment for every thrill-seeker!Through every event and every decade, Charlotte Motor Speedway puts FANS FIRST with a never-ending commitment to enhance the fan experience. That tradition continues with unmatched value through affordable season tickets, the debut of the world’s largest high-definition television screen and more opportunities for you to see your favorite drivers. Make memories with us at The Greatest Place to See the Race!
Reviewed By kayem3354
My husband and I throughly enjoyed driving on the race track to see the light displays. We did not go to the Christmas Village, but the movie Home Alone was playing as we were driving. The Christmas lights were spectacular and unusual. Not the run of the mill light display. Definitely worth every penny. Will return if we’re in Charlotte next Christmas.
10. Battleship North Carolina
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,471 reviews
As you walk the decks of the NORTH CAROLINA, imagine yourself in the South Pacific during WWII searching the sky for enemy aircraft, anticipating what may happen next. Step aboard the most decorated US Battleship of WWII! Explore nine decks, crew's quarters, gun turrets, and much more. Discover where history comes alive. Located at the junctions of highways 17, 76, 74, 421 on the Cape Fear River across from historic downtown Wilmington. Open every day!
Reviewed By nowpacking - Dallas, United States
Very impressive! The kids loved it and were captivated by all the levels, rooms and the chance to see what life was really like at sea! Lots of exploring up and down the steep stairs - the ship is huge and the history is so interesting. We really enjoyed our visit and they are still talking about it.
