North Carolina Travel

Mount Mitchell Overlook with Me and Marley

Ultimate North Carolina Travel Guide

Planning to travel to the Tarheel state of North Carolina? North Carolina is located on the East Coast of the United States and borders the States of Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. This State offers beautiful beaches, mountains, cities, and quaint towns! Not to mention North Carolina is home to the highest mountain peak, largest active sand dune, and deepest gorge east of the Mississippi!

The Tar Heel state has a lot to offer, and the new state I call my home, therefore I am so excited to share the best things to do!

First time in North Carolina? Here are some North Carolina Fun Facts!

NC Fun Fact: North Carolina is where the Wright Brothers took their first flight!

Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC
Biltmore Estate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

North Carolina Travel Tips

Here is some practical information and travel tips for traveling in North Carolina, including popular cities, favorite eats, and more!

North Carolina Capital:

The Capital of North Carolina is Raleigh, located in Central North Carolina Piedmont Region.

Raleigh Population:

Raleigh’s population is approximately 469,298 people.

State Population: 

The state’s population is around 10.49 Million and growing.

Credit Cards/ATM:

Credit cards are widely accepted through NC. Some of the major banks are PNC, Wells Fargo, and BB&T. Having some extra cash is never a bad thing, however.

Mobile wallets and tap-and-pay credit cards are not accepted everywhere.

North Carolina Airports:

The two most popular airports in North Carolina are Raleigh/Durham (RDU) and Charlotte Douglas International (CLT). Other Airports you may consider are the Willmington International Airport and the Asheville Regional Airport. Find flights here.

Getting Around North Carolina:

The best way to travel around North Carolina is by car. If you are traveling to Charlotte, you don’t necessarily need a car. Find cars here.

Popular Cities in NC

Some of the most popular cities to visit in North Carolina include Raleigh, Charlotte, Wilmington, The Outer Banks, Durham, Chapel Hill, Asheville, and Boone.

North Carolina Favorite Eats

North Carolina is known for its Southern Comfort food, including biscuits and gravy, barbeque, etc. Make sure to try:

  • Grits
  • Cheerwine
  • Krispy Kreme donuts
  • Duck Donuts
  • Fried Chicken
  • BBQ everything

Additionally, major cities are known to be food and craft beer hubs! Make sure you tip your waiter/waitress.

North Carolina Safety:

Travel around North Carolina is generally very safe. Practice normal precautions.

Power Outlets in Florida:

If you’re from outside the States, the USA uses 110-120V (60 Hz). This is the Travel Converter I use that works across the Globe.

Capitol Raleigh Christmas tree and lights

Weather in North Carolina

North Carolina experiences all four seasons. With that being said, the weather can be quite erratic.

Many times it can feel like spring or even summer in the winter months. However, if you are up in the mountains, you can go skiing in NC!

During the Spring, it will usually seem as if it is either summer or winter, and spring is usually pretty short.

Summers are hot and humid and these warm temperatures can last through mid-November. Find Sunflower fields in NC!

And if you guessed it, fall in NC can many times feel like summer, with a short burst of fall. Fall is also a very short, but pretty season in NC. During fall, many locals like to go pumpkin picking and apple picking. Another popular fall activity in North Carolina is to do a road trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

North Carolina Travel Guides

Best Things to Do in North Carolina

While the list of best things to do in North Carolina could go on forever, some of the most popular attractions that bring people to North Carolina include:

  • A visit to North Carolina’s Capitol, Raleigh and the surrounding cities of Chapel Hill and Durham.
  • Experiencing the beach town of Willmington.
  • Exploring the Outer Banks, also known as OBX.
  • Wandering through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
  • Seeing the largest home in the USA, the Biltmore.
  • Exploring the artsy town of Asheville.
  • Discovering the Queen City, Charlotte.
  • Seeing the Smoky Mountains National Park.
Boone NC mountains are a must visit in a weekend
Boone, NC in Fall

Road Trips From North Carolina

Since North Carolina borders 4 states, there are a lot of road trips and weekend getaways you can do around North Carolina or even to a neighboring State.

From Raleigh, you can enjoy a weekend Getaway to Washington DC, which is about a 4 hour drive. Another popular destination from North Carolina is to Savannah (5 hours from Raleigh) and Atlanta (6 hours) in Georgia.

In South Carolina, popular weekend getaways include Myrtle Beach (3 hours from Raleigh) and Charleston (4 hours from Raleigh).

Those seeking the mountains might want to road trip to Gatlinburg, TN, or Roan Mountain – both beautiful. Or you might want to head to Virginia Beach or Shenandoah National Park.

Further road trips can still be done in less than 12 hours would include a drive all the way up to New York, or down to Miami, Florida. A road trip to Nashville will even clock in under 8 hours from Raleigh!

Roan Mountain in Winter
Roan Mountain in Winter

Since I am based out of North Carolina, I am forever exploring. If you want to stay up-to-date, join me on Instagram @findlovetravel or Tiktok @findlovetravel!

Find more travel destinations and guides here!

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