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
Countries
What to do and see in North Carolina, United States: The Best State Parks
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. Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 105 reviews
North Carolina scenic state park offering hiking, birdwatching, wildlife, a wide variety of trees and rare plant life.
Reviewed By tracymW3537RP - Mt. Athos Peninsula, Greece
Well maintained park, with good signage. Clean Restrooms, picnic tables, scenic overlooks. Variety of activity levels.
2. Hammocks Beach State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 236 reviews
Located on Bear Island, this is a great swimming beach.
Reviewed By ElHaKa - Raleigh, United States
We kayaked and camped in the boat in only sites (#12). The experience exceeded all expectations - however we had perfect weather (high of 84, low of 69). You are required to book the site ahead of time and the only thing I would request is that if you book the site and your plans change, be sure that you cancel your site so others can use. There were many no shows. The kayak trail Bear Island is about 1.5 hours from the mainland. We came back via the Bear inlet trail which was more like 3 hours. Hammock Beach is lovely, waves mild. There is a kayak access from the boat-in sites which are also convenient to beach sites #8-11. Although the boat-in sites do not have facilities, it is a 100 yd kayak up the lagoon to the beach and then a walk down the beach to fresh water showers (we rinsed off before heading to our site.) The boat-in sites had a nice breeze and surprisingly no bugs (but I think we were lucky with that). The lagoon trail gets low at low tide.
3. Umstead State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 457 reviews
Sandwiched between downtown Raleigh and the airport, this oasis of green features a stand of 300+ year-old hardwood trees, more than 32 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, camp sites and lots more for nature lovers.
Reviewed By 17campbellf - Raleigh, United States
Beautiful Umstead State Park is beautiful, quiet and refreshing on a hot Raleigh day (don’t forget your bug-spray!) and full of fall splendor when that time comes. Biking, hiking and walking trails abound and you’ll see determined bikers as well as families with littles enjoying the park.
4. Fort Macon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 526 reviews
A Civil War fortress located at the entrance of Beaufort Inlet.
Reviewed By DannyWasserman - Virginia Beach, United States
Check this iconic Fort out at the end of the Island. It served as a hub to thwart off all the enemies and keep America safe. Lots of history and maps and guidelines. Its worth the trip.
5. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 282 reviews
This region is a popular source of outdoor recreation for boating, fishing, hiking and windsurfing, plus being one of the largest summer homes of the American Bald Eagle.
Reviewed By 293marlenes - Tucson, United States
It was cold when we're there so we just drive around part of it (it's a huge lake!) after visiting the visitor's center. That was a really interesting center. There were boaters out in the lake...I suspect they were fishing.
6. Jockey's Ridge State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,240 reviews
Two of the highest sand dunes on the East Coast are located here, providing excellent take-off points for hang gliders.
Reviewed By donnajsatterlee - Princess Anne, United States
An absolutely magical place where there are really tall sand dunes There are trail markings for an easy round trip of 1 1/2 miles to the Roanoke Sound so that it is easy to find the route with shifting sands. The windswept sands make amazing patterns. There is a place that is wheelchair compatible, but only as far as a vista. The rest would be hard to negotiate without wide, sand friendly wheels. There are also some asphalt trails through some native to the area live oaks.
7. Stone Mountain State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 302 reviews
This 15,000-acre North Carolina state park offers trout fishing, hiking, climbing and scenic waterfalls.
Reviewed By 4NCtravellers - Raleigh, United States
Beautiful park with well maintained trails, great views, and tons of flora and fauna. We hiked the full Stone Mountain Loop, and they are NOT exaggerating when they rate this trail "strenuous." Parts are very easy, but there are several parts with steep climbs and/or lots of stairs. If you're going to do the full loop, I recommend starting at the upper parking lot and doing the summit side of the loop first; this was you're coming DOWN the longer side. Save some energy though for the stairs you go UP at the end. Going this direction also means you're doing the sunnier side in the earlier part of the day, and the shadier side as it gets warmer out. That being said, there were families with small children, so it is possible for most people to make this hike, you may just need to rest more at intervals. If you're looking for an easier hiking experience, I recommend parking at the lower parking lot and just hiking the view side of the loop to the falls and back. Also note that the ONLY bathrooms at at the parking areas, so make sure to use the facilities before embarking on your hike. Bring plenty of water. We very happily noticed that mosquitoes, ticks, and flies were NOT a problem at this park.
8. Mount Mitchell State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 749 reviews
The highest mountain in the Black Mountain Range.
Reviewed By V2904KMrobinm - Hendersonville, United States
The drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway is full of long range views; at every turn you are impressed . When you reach the park entrance, you have 2 more miles to the summit. The Mt. Mitchell restaurant is along this road about half way. There is no charge to enter the park. Once at the top there are ample areas for picnicking, hiking trails, small museum, gift shop and some snacks for purchase. It is much cooler than Asheville. It is worth the trip for sure
9. Lake Waccamaw State Park
10. Pettigrew State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By maas_johnf - Raleigh, United States
Pettigrew State Park is on Lake Phelps, the second largest lake in North Carolina. The campground is small, but has a nice wash house with showers. It's unheated and closes December 1st. But within a short walking distance, the visitor center has heated bathrooms that are open year-round. The only negative was an RV running its very loud generator until late at night. From the campground, there is a short hike to Somerset Place, a restored plantation. Beyond that is a nice hike to the Pettigrew family cemetery. A drive takes you to Cypress Point where we saw hundreds of tundra swans in their annual migration. The park is also relatively close to several National Wildlife refuges.
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