Categories: Travel

Places To Visit When In North Carolina

North Carolina has interesting places to visit and is worth the trip over the state from the mountains to the coast. If you are up for the adventure you will have the chance to see some amazing scenery.

The Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smokey Mountains is a National Park that lies on the state line of North Carolina and Tennessee. The park is free to explore, and you are going to spend several days in a peaceful environment. Paddle Fontana Lake is 240 miles of shorelines along the southern border of the lake. If you are up for an adventure, then you can kayaking, canoeing, an angler, or enjoy stand-up paddleboarding or always wanted to do one of these activities then here is your opportunity. The Great Smoky Mountains has some magnificent waterfalls that you need to visit. According to that Great Smoky National Park website, there are over 100 cascades and waterfalls with and there are smaller cascades and falls along 2,000 miles of streams and rivers. This is a good compromise is you want to go to the Great Smoky Mountains with someone who enjoys the coast with these cascades and waterfalls. If you enjoy hiking, there is the option to hike the Appalachian Trail. This is a famous trail with 71 miles of different sites to see. Even though the hike is long, it makes it worth sectioning off part of the day to see as much as you can on your trip. These are more than just three things that you can see at the Great Smoky Mountain There is plenty to do that is not listed on both the North Carolina side and the Tennessee side.

Sliding Rock

Sliding Rock is a natural waterfall that has 11,000 gallons of water pouring down a 60-foot mountain per minute, and it leads to an 8-foot deep water pool of water according to Pisgah Hospitality Partners website. Who said sliding is just for kids, it is for adults too. Life to short not to be having fun and what’s not more fun than reliving the fun you had as a child. With this amount of water, you have to know how to swim. There are lifeguards that are onsite to help keep everyone safe. Safety is important and Sliding Rock has seasonal safety precautions available with lifeguards from Moromial Day until Labor Day. In the offseason, you can enjoy the slide at your own risk. Slide Rock is located in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. There is an entrance fee of $3.00 per person to slide and to use the two observation location during the season. On the odd seasons, there are no fees.

Nags Head Jockey’s Ridge

Jockey’s Ridge is a North Carolina State Park on the Atlantic coast. It is one of North Carolina’s treasuries to visit. Jockey’s Ridge has the tallest living natural sand dunces. On top of the sand dunes, it is great for flying kites, sightseeing, and sunsets over the ocean and the Roanoke Sound. Kids and kids at heart really enjoy sandboarding down the sand dunes. If you are down by the sound you have the opportunity to go sunbathing, wading, paddling, a one-mile trail to see the wetlands, grassy dunes, and maritime thickets. Go to the Nags Head Jockey’s Ridge State Park and you will not be disappointed.

Battleships

Battleships of North Carolina is located across the river from downtown Wilmington. When you step aboard the battleship, you will be walking back into time and living through the stories and lives of the crew members. You can never fully understand what the crew went through during World War II. The depression hit several areas hard. Going to the battleship you will gain an appreciation for the people who put there lives in danger during this time. Go to the Battleship North Carolina and see for yourself.

North Carolina Aquariums

North Carolina Aquariums were established in 1976 to bring awareness and knowledge of the animal life in the oceans, rivers, streams, and all other aquatic environments. The North Carolina Aquariums are made up of three different locations locates in Kure Beach, Roanoke Island, and Pine Knoll Shores. These locations give you several opportunities to see the North Carolina Aquariums. Each location has a different environment and marine life to explore. To get the best understanding of marine life in North Carolina, you have to take the time to visit all 3.

Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore Estate is located in Asheville, North Carolina. The grand home was privately owned by George W. Vanderbilt. The Fresch Renaissance castle has 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The original estate 125,000 areas of the estate and you get to explore the home during the different tours that are offered. This a chance to learn about the people who lived and worked there during the 1890s. The land expands 8,000 acres with the gardens that were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. He is also the person who designed the grounds of the New York State Park and the United States Capitol. With so many things to see on the estate, it is recommended that you wear tennis shoes and dress for the North Carolina weather. Outside of viewing the grand home, there are other parts of the land worth viewing. Some areas on the land that you should visit is Antler Hill Village where you can see the farm and the petting zoo. You can go on a guided outdoor adventure where you would have the opportunity to go fly fishing, river rafting, kayaking, and biking. There is horseback riding. You can walk or hike in the Bass Pond Trail. Other things you can do on the property are dining at one of the six restaurants on the land, go shopping, Bass Pond and Trial. I can not list everything that the Biltmore Estate has to offer but check it ours for yourself and the prices for the tour tickets.

Tip: If you have never been to North Carolina the weather varies throughout the day, so be prepared.

North Carolina is a great state to plan to visit. I was not able to name all the beautiful places to visit in North Carolina, but the hope is to get you to think of all the potential things that you can do and visit from the mountains, to Raleigh (the state capital), and to the ocean.