Planning to travel to the Tarheel state of North Carolina? North Carolina is located on the East Coast of the United States and is bordering the States of Virginia, Tennesse, 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!
North Carolina is also where the Wright Brothers took their first flight!
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!
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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: Raleigh
Raleigh Population: 469,298
State Population:Â 10.49 Million
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.
Airport: 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.
Currency: Like the rest of the United States, the currency is the US Dollar.
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
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.
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.
Travel Insurance: Protect your North Carolina Vacation with travel/health insurance. Find plans here.
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
- Awesome Raleigh Christmas Lights and Displays
- Best Skiing in NC This Winter 2022 – 2023
- Best Apple Picking Orchards in NC
- Best Pumpkin Picking in Raleigh, NC
- 12 Best Places to Experience Fall in NC – Fall Colors in North Carolina
- 24 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in the USA
- 10 Reasons to Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in Fall 2023
- Ultimate Boone NC Weekend Itinerary
- Best Things to do in Mooresville, NC
- Beautiful Sunflower Fields in NC
- Beautiful Lavender Farms in NC to Visit This Summer
- Beautiful Tulip Fields in NC You Won’t Want to Miss
- Photo-Worthy Murals in Raleigh, NC You Shouldn’t Miss
- Awesome Facts About North Carolina You Probably Didn’t Know!
- Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip NC Guide: 3 Day Itinerary
- 20 Best USA Winter Wonderland Destinations
- Best Free Things to do in Raleigh, NC
- Best Free Things to do in the Outer Banks, NC
- The Most Instagrammable Places in Raleigh, NC
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.
Road Trips From North Carolina
Since North Carolina boarders 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 Virgina beach or Shenadoah 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, Fl. A road trip to Nashville will even clock in under 8 hours from Raleigh!
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!
