Welcome to North Carolina

The moment you set foot in North Carolina, you’ll be one step closer to exploring one of the most diverse states in the country. From the peaks of the Appalachians and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west to the sandy shores and windswept barrier islands in the east, the Tar Heel State has something for everyone.

Central North Carolina is home to many of the state’s biggest cities and brightest attractions. Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte and Winston-Salem can be found here. Family-friendly highlights include the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh and the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro.

Coastal North Carolina is where you’ll find many of the country’s finest beaches, as well as the extensive barrier island system known as the Outer Banks. Here, you’ll find the Wright Brothers National Monument, which commemorate’s the first human success in self-propelled of flight. Lighthouses, seaside towns and nationally protected seashores are the highlights here. You might also see the famed wild horses of the Outer Banks. Of particular note is the Crystal Coast, where you’ll find Beaufort (once voted “America’s Coolest Small Town”), the Cape Lookout Lighthouse and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

In the mountainous western third of the state, you’ll find highlights like the Biltmore Estate (the largest home in the country) and the North Carolina Arboretum, to say nothing of the region’s bounty of ski resorts and alpine retreats.

Adventure

North Carolina is a land of plenty for fans of the great outdoors. It sports a low Coastal Plain region on its eastern coast (home to the Outer Banks barrier island system), ruggedly rocky landscapes on its western front (home to the Appalachian Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains) and Piedmont Plateau foothills in between.

Beach lovers can explore more than 300 miles of barrier island beachfront on the state’s Atlantic coast. Cape Hatteras National Seashore is particularly popular.

Further inland, highlights include Dry Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell State Park.