207 Best Sights in North Carolina, USA

From the Clingmans Dome parking, taking the trail less traveled to Andrews Bald feels like being in on a secret. To get there, walk the 1.8-mile Forney Ridge Trail, a rocky path with an elevation gain of almost 600 feet. The payoff is several acres of grassy bald at more than 5,800 feet, with stunning views of Fontana Lake and the southeastern Smokies. This is one of only two balds in the Smokies that the park service keeps clear (the other is Gregory Bald). Difficult.

Established in 1948, this architectural centerpiece of downtown incorporates the footprint of the old Pack Library—a 1926 Italian Renaissance–style building—and a recently completed $24 million addition that includes a contemporary glass entrance, a sunny atrium, and the rooftop Sculpture Terrace and Perspective Café. Expanded galleries display more of the museum's permanent collection of American art since 1860, with an emphasis on Southeast regional artists, including those from Black Mountain College.

At this unusual bookstore and bar, you can relax on an overstuffed chair or sofa while sipping one of 80 wines and champagnes by the glass. The inventory includes more than 20,000 secondhand books, with special strength in Civil War, American history, and North Carolina subjects. It's pet friendly, too, with an "espresso dog bar."

Across the Cape Fear River from downtown, take a self-guided tour of a ship that participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific during World War II. Exploring the floating city, with living quarters, a post office, chapel, laundry, and even an ice cream shop, takes about two hours. A climb down into the ship's interior is not for the claustrophobic. A ½-mile timber walkway lets visitors tour the ship's exterior with no cost of admission. The ship, which is open for tours every day of the year, can be reached by car or via river taxi from the downtown waterfront.

This is the smallest picnic area in the park, with only 10 picnic tables. The creek is wide and inviting, with small swimming holes and several channels that create tiny islands. The picnic area is accessible via Exit 451 off of Interstate 40 or the unpaved Cove Creek Road from Cataloochee. There's a small campground here and restrooms but no pavilion. Several good hiking trails begin here, and the Appalachian Trail crosses the road near the entrance at Davenport Gap.

Built in the 1890s as the home of George Vanderbilt, this astonishing 250-room, 175,000-square-foot French Renaissance château is America's largest private house and the number one attraction of its kind in North Carolina. Richard Morris Hunt designed it, and Frederick Law Olmsted landscaped the original 125,000-acre estate (now 8,000 acres). It took 1,000 workers five years to complete the gargantuan project. On view are the antiques and art collected by the Vanderbilts, including notable paintings by Renoir and John Singer Sargent, along with 75 acres of gardens, formally landscaped grounds, and hiking and biking trails. You can also see the on-site Biltmore Winery, the most visited winery in America.

Also on the grounds are a deluxe hotel, a more moderately priced hotel, many restaurants, and an equestrian center. Antler Hill Village includes a hotel, shops, restaurants, farm buildings, and crafts demonstrations. Most people tour the house on their own, but guided tours are available. Candlelight tours of the house are offered at Christmastime. Note that there are a lot of stairs to climb, but much of the house is accessible for guests in wheelchairs or with limited mobility. Pricing is complex, varying by month and day of the week, and not inexpensive, but a visit is well worth the cost for its access to the house, gardens, winery, and extensive grounds. If time allows, a bike rental from the Bike Barn in Antler Hill Village allows you to fully explore the pastoral countryside that feels miles from the nearby city. 

Self-guided visits to the interior of the house typically require advance reservations.

Authorized by Congress in 1794 to help prevent shipwrecks, this was the first lighthouse built in the region. The original structure was lost to erosion and Civil War damage; this 1870 replacement is, at 210 feet, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Endangered by the sea, in 1999 the lighthouse, with its distinctive black-and-white spiral paint and red-and-tan base, was raised and rolled some 2,900 feet inland to its present location. A visitor center is located near the base of the lighthouse. In summer the Museum of the Sea in the former keeper's quarters is open, and you can climb the lighthouse's 257 narrow steps to the viewing balcony. Children under 42 inches tall aren't allowed to climb. Offshore lie the remains of the USS Monitor, a Confederate ironclad ship that sank in 1862.

This distinctive 1859 lighthouse's double walls allow the tower to rise as tall as required—169 feet—without making the building unstable. This lighthouse on Core Banks island withstood retreating Confederate troops' attempts to blow it up to keep it out of Union hands (they stole the lens instead). With its white-and-black diamond markings, the beacon continues to function as a navigational aid. A small museum inside the visitor center over on Harkers Island tells the story of the lighthouse from its first incarnation in 1812. Anyone 44 inches or taller may climb the tower's 207 steps from mid-May to mid-September. The climb is worth it for an incomparable view of Cape Lookout's wild shores. A private ferry, Island Express Ferry Service, runs between both Beaufort and Harkers Island to the lighthouse.

Connemara Farm is where the famed poet and biographer Carl Sandburg moved with his wife, Lillian, in 1945; he lived there until his death in 1967. Guided tours of their 1830s house—beautifully reconstructed in 2017—are given by National Park Service rangers. Sandburg's papers still are scattered on his desk as if he had just stepped away for a moment, and there are 11,000 of his books on shelves. Kids enjoy cavorting around the 264-acre farm, which still maintains descendants of the Sandburg family goats. There are also miles of trails.

This is one of the most memorable and eeriest sights in all of the Smokies. At one time Cataloochee was a community of more than 1,200 people. After the land was annexed for the national park in 1934, the community dispersed. Although many of the original buildings are gone, more than a dozen houses, cabins, barns, and churches still stand. You can visit the Palmer Methodist Chapel, the Beech Grove School, and the Woody, Caldwell, and Messer homesteads. You have a good chance of spotting elk here, especially in the evening and early morning. You'll also likely see wild turkeys, deer, and perhaps bears. Cataloochee is one of the most remote parts of the Smokies, reachable by car via a narrow, winding gravel road that rises over a steep pass before dropping you into the isolated valley. Take the 5 mph speed limit seriously on the blind curves. At dawn and dusk, this uncrowded valley is pure beautiful magic. 

This is a great spot to take in the broad expanse of Cataloochee Valley. Cataloochee comes from a Cherokee word meaning "row upon row" or "standing in rows," and indeed you'll see rows of mountain ridges here. The overlook is well marked and has a split-rail fence.

Many motorists swear that this 43-mile National Scenic Byway rivals the beauty of any comparable stretch on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You're unlikely to encounter traffic, and the solitude found on short hikes to peaks like Huckleberry Knob, a bald with 360-degree views, may be the highlight of your trip. 

The 1875 lighthouse was built from nearly 1 million bricks, which remain unpainted on the exterior. Except in high winds or thunderstorms, or during winter when the lighthouse is closed, you can climb 220 steps to the top of the northernmost lighthouse on the Outer Banks, taking in the view toward Virginia and south to Nags Head.

Deep Creek offers more than picnicking. You can go tubing (rent a tube for the day for around $5 or $6 at nearby commercial tubing centers), hike about two miles to three pretty waterfalls, or go trout fishing. You can even go mountain biking here, as this is one of the few park trails where bikes are allowed. The picnic area, open year-round (but no running water in winter), has 58 picnic tables, plus a pavilion that seats up to 70 (reserve in advance, $32 fee). There's also a campground here.

A Gothic-style gem built in the early 1930s, this chapel is the centerpiece of Duke University. Modeled after England's Canterbury Cathedral, it has a 210-foot-tall bell tower. Weekly services are held here Sunday at 11 am. The chapel is a popular wedding spot, so check the website before trying to visit on Saturday.

This theater, the official state theater of North Carolina, is known for its high-quality productions, with sophisticated sets and professional actors. The productions are mostly well-known musicals and other classics. In a converted barn, Flat Rock holds summer and fall programs and classes for aspiring actors. The drama season, with about a dozen productions, typically runs from March to December. The theater ran an impressive fundraising campaign for its shows and arts education programs after having to postpone the 2020--21 season.

This is one of the South's largest and most important earthworks fortifications from the Civil War, so tough and strategically placed along the Cape Fear River that it was known as the Southern Gibraltar. The fall of the fort in January 1865, closing the last supply lines for the South, helped seal the fate of the Confederacy. You can explore the restored battery with its reconstructed artillery and follow trails along the river. Inside, displays range from Civil War relics and a fiber-optic battle map to artifacts from sunken blockade runners. It's also known for its underwater archaeology sites.

Fort Fisher also includes a beach access point with showers. It's one of the most attractive beaches in the area.

The centerpiece of this multiuse state park is the 1834 pentagon-shape fortress, built under the supervision of a young Robert E. Lee. From atop its walls, where six cannons still point out toward the harbor, take in the gorgeous 360-degree views of Beaufort and across the ocean. The fort was briefly used by the Confederacy against the Union during the Civil War, but was quickly surrendered under siege in 1862. The 365-acre park also offers picnic areas, hiking trails through the maritime forest, and a mile-long beachfront with a large bathhouse, showers, and refreshments. The beach has lifeguards on duty June through Labor Day and is known as one of the best surfing breaks in the Crystal Coast area.

Fort Raleigh is a restoration of the original 1584–90 earthworks that mark the beginning of English-colonial history in America. The site has been identified as the original site of the doomed Lost Colonists, and the question that hangs in the air here is "What happened to the 117 men, women, and children of the 1587 expedition who disappeared without a trace?"

Be sure to see the orientation film before taking a guided tour of the fort.

A nature trail through the 513-acre grounds leads to an outlook over Croatan Sound. Native American and Civil War history is also preserved here.

Soaring to almost 6,000 feet, Grandfather Mountain is famous for its Mile-High Swinging Bridge, a 228-foot-long footbridge that sways over a 1,000-foot drop into the Linville Valley. There are 13 miles of hiking trails and some 100 picnic tables. Part of the area is a state park with free admission, and part is private land—including the swinging bridge—with a $15 admission fee.

Bryson City's historic train station is the departure point for the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Diesel or steam locomotives take you on a 32-mile journey along the Tuckasegee River or a 44-mile trip passing through the Nantahala Gorge. Open-sided cars or standard coaches are ideal for picture-taking as the mountain scenery glides by. Trips are offered year-round, but with very limited schedules January to March. There's a café on board serving basic fare like pizza and hot dogs. Your ticket gives you free admission to the nearby Smoky Mountain Trains Museum and its room-size functional model train dioramas.   During the holiday season, the town booms as pajama-clad families arrive for Polar Express–themed rides. 

From almost 5,000 feet on Gregory Bald, you have a breathtaking view of Cades Cove and Rich Mountain to the north and Fontana Lake to the southeast. Gregory Bald is one of only two balds in the Smokies that are kept clear of tree growth by the Park Service. This is a view that just a few thousand people a year will see, as it's reachable only by a strenuous 11.2-mile roundtrip hike via the Gregory Ridge Trail, with 2,700 feet of elevation gain. The trailhead is at the end of Forge Creek Road in Cades Cove. In early summer, this difficult hike through old-growth forests to Gregory Bald offers an astounding display of hybrid flame azaleas. Difficult.

Located at more than a mile high and set in a stand of spruce and fir, the picnic area has 41 tables. Nearby is Mile High Overlook, which offers one of the most scenic views of the Smokies and is a wonderful place to enjoy the sunset. For birders, this is a good spot to see golden-crowned kinglets, red-breasted nuthatches, and other species that prefer higher elevations. Nearby are a campground and trailheads for several good hiking trails, including Flat Creek. The disadvantage is that, due to the high elevation (and the risk of snow and ice), the picnic area is open only from late May to mid-October.

Wander through the 1786 John Haley House and the 1801 Hoggatt House, where rotating exhibits highlight Piedmont history and Quaker heritage with local artifacts. On Saturdays, costumed reenactors demonstrate trades like traditional blacksmithing. The museum is home to native son John Coltrane's childhood piano and a school bus cab with operational lights that's fun for kids.

Set in a wooded 183-acre wildlife preserve, this was the site of the first Moravian settlement in North Carolina. The reconstructed village showcasing the mid-18th-century community includes the original 1788 Gemeinhaus congregation house, a colonial homestead, and well-maintained medicinal gardens. God's Acre, the first colony cemetery, is a short walk away. Children love the reconstructed fort from the French and Indian War, and hiking trails head off into the hills around the settlement. Brochures for self-guided walking tours are available year-round at the visitor center, where interpreters in period attire help bring this bygone era to life.

What was once an aging, isolated beach town is now a vibrant year-round community where the tiny chapel schoolhouse again educates children and restored buildings house art galleries, a coffee shop, a bookstore, a barbecue restaurant, and a nonprofit dedicated to the wild horses that wander the beach and surrounding maritime forest.

The road ends in Corolla—to access the beach north of here, you need a 4x4 vehicle.

Built in 1939, Jennette's Pier was North Carolina's oldest wooden ocean-fishing pier until 2003 when Hurricane Isabel knocked it down. In 2009, the state of North Carolina came to the rescue, breaking ground for not only a new, 1,000-foot-long concrete pier but also a public beach access point with 262 free parking spaces. Operated by North Carolina Aquariums, this is a great spot for fishing—depending on the time of year, you can catch black and red drum, flounder, king mackerel, mahimahi, gray trout, and others—and the website gives a daily fishing report along with details of notable catches. Non-anglers can walk on the pier, check out the aquarium fish tanks in the two-story, 16,000-square-foot pier house, or just laze on the wide, clean beach.

The 427 acres of this park encompass the tallest sand dune system on the East Coast (about 80 to 100 feet). Walk along the 384-foot boardwalk from the visitor center to the edge of the dune. The climb to the top is a challenge; nevertheless, it's a popular spot for hang gliding (Kitty Hawk Kites has an outpost here for beginner lessons), kite flying, and sand boarding. You can also explore an estuary, a museum, and a self-guided trail through the park, which also has eight picnic shelters. In summer, join the free Sunset on the Ridge program: watch the sun disappear while you sit on the dunes and learn about their local legends and history. Covered footwear is a wise choice here, as the loose sand gets quite hot (25–30 degrees hotter than air temperature) in the summer months.

Family memories are made here on tall ocean piers where kids reel in their first big catches. You can swim, beachcomb, kiteboard over the big blue sea, or scuba dive down to find some of the Cape Fear Coast's dozens of shipwrecks. Wildlife excursions set off from various nature trails, birding sites, and miles of undeveloped beach at the southern end. Shorebirds and loggerhead sea turtles inhabit the remote reserve of Zeke's Island. At Fort Fisher, the Confederacy's largest earthen fort, you can track Kure Beach's history. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (generally Memorial Day to Labor Day); parking (mostly no fee). Best for: sunrise; sunset; surfing; swimming; windsurfing.