Must-see attractions in North Carolina

Exceptional in prioritizing the 1000 or so ‘enslaved persons’ who worked here above the families that claimed their ownership, Stagville Plantation ranks…

Charmed by Asheville's natural beauty, shipping and railroad heir George Washington Vanderbilt II decided to build a summer home modeled after three…

The beautifully preserved core of the Moravian settlement of Salem extends across several blocks south of downtown. You’re not obliged to pay for…

Expanded in 2010 with the completion of the stunning, glass-and-steel West Building, this superb museum stands 6 miles west of downtown. Ranging far and…

The secret is out – Durham’s coolest attraction has to be this research and conservation center, home to the largest collection of lemurs outside their…

This remarkable modern museum traces Cherokee history from their Paleo-Indian roots onwards. Its villain is the perfidious Andrew Jackson, who made his…

The glass-fronted West Wing is a showstopping introduction to this downtown museum, which is looking sleek after a $24 million renovation that added 70%…

The Sullenberger Aviation Museum, honoring Captain Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III, is located at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The FW Woolworth store where four black students from North Carolina A&T State University sparked the ‘sit-in’ campaign by ordering coffee on February 1,…

Tracing the story of the ‘New South’ that emerged from the ashes of the Civil War, this committed museum explores the years of Reconstruction, Jim Crow…

The stupendous 315ft monolith known as Chimney Rock towers above the slender, forested valley of the Rocky Broad River, a gorgeous 28-mile drive southeast…

The US Mint opened its first-ever outpost in Uptown Charlotte in 1837, using gold mined from the mountains nearby. Transported 3 miles southeast a century…

Self-guided tours take you through the decks of this 45,000-ton megaship, which earned 15 battle stars in the Pacific theater in WWII before it was…

For a comprehensive, evenhanded and engaging look at the story of North Carolina, immerse yourself in the state history museum. Starting with a 3000-year…

Dolphins are commonly spotted on Ocracoke's gorgeous, undeveloped 16-mile stretch of sandy beach. Swimmers should be aware of rip currents. Find parking…

The Tsali Recreation Area has been famed among mountain bikers for so long that local riders rather take it for granted. For out-of-state visitors, though…

This remarkable five-sided fort, with 26 vaulted rooms, is one of North Carolina's most visited attractions. Completed in 1834, it was the site of the…

Self-taught engineers Wilbur and Orville Wright launched the world's first successful airplane flight on December 17, 1903 (it lasted 12 seconds). A…

A major decision awaits visitors to North Carolina’s original state park. Will you drive up Mount Mitchell, at 6684ft the highest peak east of the…

For a totally exhilarating stop on a journey along the Blue Ridge Parkway, stop off and strip down at Sliding Rock, 7 miles off the parkway. Propelled…