North Carolina offers a diverse range of activities and destinations. Stretching from the mountain to the sea, here are some summer trip ideas!
FUN
Carowinds
Carowinds is an amusement park that straddles the state lines of North and South Carolina! It is home to more than 50 rides and attractions including 14 roller coasters. You can enjoy a variety of food and in the summer you can enjoy their water park.
U.S National Whitewater Center
The U.S. National Whitewater Center comprises 1,300 acres of protected land. You can enjoy activities like zip lining, whitewater rafting, mountain biking/trail running/hiking, yoga, and more! You can also enjoy live music, food, and drinks!
Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park
Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park is an outdoor adventure experience where you can tackle dangling obstacles on the rope course and fly around on multiple ziplines from exciting heights!
BEACHES
Outer banks
The Outer Banks are a collection of barrier islands bordering the Atlantic Ocean and various parts of eastern North Carolina. There are many activities that you can do besides laying out at the beautiful beaches, including airplane rides, arcades and indoor games, waterparks, visiting lighthouses, waterparks and so much more.
Wilmington
Wilmington is a port city located in southeastern North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of New Hanover County. Some activities you can do include visiting the beach, exploring the historic downtown, and taking a riverboat ride. Another fun activity is exploring the film locations of One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek which were both filmed in the city of Wilmington.
Ocean isle
Ocean Isle Beach is a charming seaside town located on the southern coast of North Carolina. Some fun activities include enjoying the beach, golfing, water sports, shopping and dining at some great restaurants.
MOUNTAINS
Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state park near Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet, it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains.
Soco Falls
Soco Falls is best known for its double waterfall. The twin waterfalls are gorgeous, and offer a number of smaller waterfalls both above and below the main falls to view and enjoy.
Blue ridge parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic roadway that stretches from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Western North Carolina. It is famously known as “America’s Favorite Drive”. Some places to visit are Linville Falls, Little Switzerland, the Museum of NC Minerals, and Mount Mitchell.
HISTORICAL
International Civil Rights Center & Museum
The international Civil Rights Center & Museum occupies the former F.W. Woolworth building, which was the site of the famous Greensboro sit-ins in 1960. These sit-ins were a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, where four African American college students sat at the segregated lunch counter and demanded service, sparking a wave of similar protests across the South.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Wright Brothers National Memorial commemorates the achievements of Orville and Wilbur Wright, who conducted the first successful powered airplane flights there on December 17, 1903. The memorial includes a visitor center with exhibits detailing the Wright brothers' lives and accomplishments, as well as a large granite monument situated atop Kill Devil Hill, which marks the location of their first flights.
Biltmore
The Biltmore Estate is a vast mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II in the late 19th century. It's renowned for its stunning architecture, expansive gardens, and historical significance. They offer tours of the mansion and historic barn. You can also explore the winery and the many walking trails. Famous movies like Forrest Gump, The Last of the Mohicans, and Hannibal were filmed at the Biltmore estate. (Pictured on right)