Weve spent years exploring and researching the best and wed love to hear from you about our picks. READ MORE: The 10 Best Places to Go White Water Rafting in North Carolina. .ai-viewport-1 { display: none !important;} Its part of the town of Cherokee NC, with its important museums, outdoor theatre, and craft market keeping the culture alive and providing income for local residents. Some area wineries are featured along with others in these NC wine trails. The gorge beneath the ridge is home to several watersheds and tributaries that eventually feed the Catawba River, and as this water makes its way down from the peaks, it creates many gorgeous cascades, including Catawba Falls, which drops approximately 200 feet. Asheville Asheville is not just the first alphabetical entry in our guide to weekend getaways in North Carolina. Read More: High Shoals Falls in South Mountains State Park. The underrated Stone Mountain State Park is shared by Wilkes and Alleghany counties. High Country Events Calendar: This Week 2023 - events and festivals for Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, West Jefferson and WilkesboroThis events calendar is updated weekly every Monday by the NC High Country Regional Visitor Center staff. From late may to early June, these unique plants add extra colors to various trails and attractions in the Blue Ridge. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, Freedom Park, and Discovery Place are a few of our favorite examples. Chetola Resortboasts one of the best spas in Blowing Rock, while the Old Edwards Inn & Spa and The Greystone Inn are top-tier spas in the southern part of the region. Despite the difficulty, a trip to the summit of Buzzards Roost is home to some truly beautiful nature, including forests that have been untouched by man for decades. The outdoors also await in Maggie Valley, with Purchase Knob and Black Balsam Knob within a reasonable drive from town! The Blue Ridge region of NC has become one of the East Coasts top producers of wine. It was a reaction to the mass deforestation that took place in the late 1800s. 8. Nowadays, illegal moonshine is still readily found in the North Carolina mountains. The privately owned but publicly accessible town of Montreat is where the trailheads originate for this mountain, and signs clearly point to Graybeard Trail, which is the main trailhead. One of the oldest spots, Blowing Rock is a charming mountain town with lots of independent restaurants, specialty shops, and cultural attractions. 8. Nantahala National Forest has some beauties, includingSchoolhouse Falls, Dry Falls, and Silver Run Falls. text-decoration: underline Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. There are also lots of things to do in Wilmington (especially with kids) including the following: Walk the riverfront, take a sunset river cruise, and climb down into the depths of Battleship North Carolina. The play tells the story of the Cherokee "trail of tears" and their settling and resultant moving from North Carolina. Mitchell State Park in Burnsville NC. The Divide Tavern open to the public. @media (max-width: 767px) { These museums rank high among our favorite things to do with kids in Raleigh. Potential "after party" at Jimmy Smith or Durham Park for those interested in continuing beyond 7:30. The Chimneys are a pair of peaks located in Linville Gorge, and from their rugged summits, hikers and climbers can find incredible views of the gorge and the peaks surrounding it. Cape Fear National at Brunswick Forest is one place thatll convince you why Brunswick County ranks among our favorite weekend getaways in North Carolina. READ MORE: The 15 Best NC Wineries to Visit. 30000+ detailed listings for North Carolina artists, North Carolina crafters, food vendors, concessionaires and show promoters . Tweetsie Railroad is fun for the family, andGrandfather Mountain is the most noteworthy peak in the tri-county area. Another great waterfall near Cashiers is Silver Run Falls, a quick walk from the parking lot. Before we move further east, we think you should know about the Henry River Mill Village in Hildebran. READ MORE: 40 Facts About the History of the Banjo (From Africa to Appalachia). The southern half of Topsail Island also lies in Onslow County, with the rest shared by Pender County. } When you're exploring the wilderness, it's better to be safe than to be a statistic! The Qualla Boundary is a reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and it encompasses part of both North Carolina and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rocky Face Mountain is a great location for rock climbing, with an old stone quarry where climbers will find a number of challenging and fun routes. Panthertown Valley is not far from Cashiers, but closest to Sapphire. Cheapest thing to do. Our memorable list of things to do in north carolina mountains, from Bryson City to Maggie Valley to Asheville. Friday: Tour: 10:30-11:30, Open House: 1:30-4:00 Saturday: Tour: 10:30-11:15 and 11:30-12:15, Open House: 1:30-4:00 Sunday: Tour: 10:30-12:00 and 2:00-3:30 We recommend calling to reserve a spot on a tour due to limited space. Thanks to countless things to do, this is always one of the first places to visit in Western North Carolina that we mention, no matter who's asking. Advance booking is required. While youre in town, check out some incredible international restaurants in Fayetteville while working it off on outdoor walks and hikes. Located near Highlands, North Carolina, Big Scaly is a pluton mountain, with a rocky, granite face and sheer cliff faces. Bryson CitysNantahala Outdoor Center is another great place to look. The Biltmore Estate was once much larger, but much of the property was sold to the US government to create Pisgah National Forest. Visitors from Atlanta and points south will find an easy 2.5-hour drive north along US-23/US-441. They eventually donated a huge chunk of their original estate to help create the national forest. Events, festivals, fairs, and more abound in Cherokee throughout the spring, summer and fall, all of them as diverse as they are delightful. Around 300 miles of the trail are in NC, or along its border with Tennessee. Feel free to comment below or let us know by email! The awesome Hammocks Beach State Park also awaits, perfect for birding, hikes, and boating. But local distillers have also modernized and begun to produce some truly high-quality libations. Weve mentioned Brevard and Highlands but think Jackson County definitely deserves a chance, too. Along the route, visitors may find forests and old logging lands, rocky outcroppings and ridges, and even the states only naturally occurring growth of bluebells. Check out the dunes at Jockeys Ridge State Park, hike to see bird migration at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, or just enjoy all of the adorable OBX towns from north to south. Pisgah National Forest is home to impressive Blue Ridge Mountain cabins and some of the coolesttreehouse rentals in North Carolina. Top regional bands perform 6-9 PM. We also recommend The Omni Grove Park Inn (of course!) Pop-Up Park Picnic: Couple Date Night (Self-Guided) - Mt Holly Area. "source": "woocommerce", During the spring and summer, the area is packed with colorful wildflowers, making it a truly picturesque spot. It measures 469 miles, with a little over half of those curving and climbing through the state of North Carolina. Just off I-95 and the seat of Cumberland County, Fayetteville is full of surprises and plenty of fun things to do, especially for kids! Even if you already knew all of that, you still need to know that weve enjoyed many weekend getaways in North Carolinas capital city. Event Views Navigation Photo List Month Day Photo Week Map Today. The school, originally known as the Biltmore Forest School, was built to teach responsible management of forest lands to the timber industry. By wewhynot. min-width: 310px; The Road to Nowhere is another interesting and quirk place to visit near Bryson City. In the Great Smoky Mountains of NC, our favorites include Mingo Falls, Soco Falls, and Tom Branch Falls. magical mountain resort nc. The city of Havelock is nearby, home to the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. Youll find visitor favorites like Mayberry Days, the Grandfather MountainHighland Games, fall festivals, Fourth of July fireworksand much more. at BearWaters Brewing. .generate-back-to-top:visited { Banner Elk and West Jefferson are two of our favorites, but we also cant leave out the amazing Burnsville, surrounded by those epic Black Mountains. ), US Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum, Fun Museums in Greensboro (Kid-Friendly, Contemporary Art, and More!). These trails vary in length from an afternoon jaunt to a full-day excursion, with an option to hike from bottom to top from the town of Graphite, using old logging roads and the Old Mitchell Toll Road. The Buncombe County seat has plenty of restaurants and breweries to keep your belly happy and ready to explore more! It's near Old Fort and very close to the exit on the highway so it's a crowded trail. Read More: Colorful Fall Hikes in North Carolina (+ 20 Beautiful Places to Explore!). Search for Events by Keyword. It makes for a distinctive shape in the North Carolina skyline, and the tallest of these peaks stand at 5,020 feet elevation, with trails for hiking and ATVs. This popular wilderness area is replete with fine hiking trails and summits that overlook the stunning gorge. The mountain rises above the Eno River and is one of the most dramatic summits in the state. Boone, Blowing Rock, and Banner Elk form an alluring trio in the NC High Country, nearing the Virginia border. Beyond this place being the perfect North Carolina getaway for outdoorsy couples, we think youll enjoy Morgantons downtown and surrounding towns like Valdese, Connelly Springs, and more. Tomorrow 7:00 AM + 1 more. } Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Only show events from organizers I follow, Your version of Internet Explorer is not longer supported. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Each week, various musicians from the local community, as well as visitors, gather. There are several segments of it in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Peak to Peak, The Balsams, and Gorges, Peaks, and Waterfalls.. Aside from a quaint and cozy downtown, youll find some of our favorite waterfalls in North Carolina here! Today 5:00 PM 2525 N Graham St Good Vibes R&B Brunch and Day Party Today 7:00 PM Forty8Hundred Restaurant & Lounge Trap & Paint (The 90's Edition) Today 5:00 PM Cloudcheck clt sincitysun Today 10:00 PM While Tennessee has the gorgeous Cades Cove section and famous tourist towns like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, the NC side of the park also has loads to offer. More North Carolina day trips. Free admission. Brevard and Hendersonville steal the show just south of Asheville. } ); Read More About Our Journey! Oconaluftee River Trail. North Carolina Mountains: Rocky Face Mountain, 19.