North Carolina — What to Visit — Sightseeing & Attractions

Weather, Transportation, Regions, Fact & Essentials, and an Overview of the state

Read our article: North Carolina, USA — visiting The Tar Heel State with information about Weather, Transportation, regions, fact & essentials, and an overview of the state.

Sightseeing and Attractions

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where after four years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights in 1903. With courage and perseverance these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever.

The site of man’s first powered flight by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903, the Wright Brothers National Memorial is located in Kill Devil Hills on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

The memorial boasts a 60-foot-high granite pylon atop a 90-foot hill to commemorate the visionary brothers as well as a museum, a reconstructed hangar and daily presentations on the Wright brothers’ historic first flight.

Web: Wright Brothers National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina

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Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway winds its way past scenic overlooks, state parks, national forests, picnic areas, campgrounds and some of North Carolina’s most spectacular hiking trails. Fishing, canoeing, whitewater rafting and camping are perfect ways to enjoy natural mountain wonders. So is an early summer visit to Roan Mountain, the world’s largest natural gardens of crimson-purple rhododendron.
The Blue Ridge Parkway, nicknamed “America’s Favorite Drive,” is a 469-mile scenic route connecting the Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks. North Carolina is home to 252 miles of Parkway, which meander through two national forests and offer campgrounds, picnic areas, lodges, restaurants and countless scenic overlooks.

Web: Blue Ridge Parkway (blueridgeparkway.org)

Map: Blue Ridge Parkway Map (nps.gov)

Web: Blue Ridge Parkway (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Cherokee Indian Reservation

Homeland of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee Indian reservation welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Popular attractions include Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Museum of the Cherokee, Oconaluftee Indian Village, the outdoor drama Unto These Hills, Qualla Co-op, arts and crafts, shopping and more.

Web: Cherokee, NC (visitcherokeenc.com)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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