Due to its immense size, the United States is a country that offers a wide variety of things to admire when you go there: unique landscapes, unforgettable encounters, etc. Among the most underrated states in the country is North Carolina, which has a lot going for it.
1. The landscapes of the Atlantic coast
With 300 miles of coastline, there’s plenty to do in North Carolina for beach lovers. In addition to the beaches, the state is bordered by a string of “barrier” islands that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the two bays of Albemarle and Pamlico.
The long road that runs along the coast is dotted with many picturesque villages and lighthouses, such as Bodie Island.
2. Raleigh, the capital
Capital of the State, Raleigh enjoys a central status in the artistic and cultural fields. A few museums can be found there, notably the North Carolina Museum of Art , which contains the largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin in the United States. There is also a contemporary art museum built in a former warehouse.
The architecture is not to be outdone since one can find in a part of the city a network of houses of Victorian inspiration (19th century). Not to mention the various cultural events that take place there: Blues festival in March, alcohol festival (beer and bourbon) in August, or a festival dedicated to Afro-American culture in September.
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
To the west of North Carolina is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , an area created in 1934. It is the most visited national park in the country, and for good reason: you can find gigantic forests, many waterfalls of all kinds and peaks, some of which can culminate at 2,000 meters in altitude.
4. Chimney Rock State Park
In the middle of several hectares of forest with hiking trails, is the rock that gives its name to the park, a huge granite monolith 96 meters high. This little break above the trees offers a superb panorama of the estate.
Again, the area covers several hectares and has many places to discover, waterfalls of all kinds.
5. Wine-growing estates
North Carolina is home to the very first vine plantations in the United States. All major types of grapes are grown there, which allows for a very wide variety of wines to be offered. There are more than 400 estates with 150 wine companies… So there is plenty to choose from!
There is also a good reason why North Carolina has so many vineyards. It is simply the climate, which is very similar to that of France in the central regions of the state.
In this regard, the vineyards of the Biltmore estate is precisely the most visited estate in the state, one of the most renowned…
6. Biltmore Estate
One of the state’s many architectural and cultural gems, the Biltmore Estate . If owning a particularly renowned vineyard was not enough, the estate is among the main attractions of the state.
The reason ? The palace located in its heart, in addition to the thousands of hectares of visitable domain. The castle was built at the request of a certain George Washington Vanderbilt with the castle of Blois, in France, as a model. Completed in 1895, the castle is no longer inhabited today but on the other hand welcomes more than a million tourists each year, surely there to admire this palace despite everything modern (equipped with a 260m² swimming pool) with lift origin and even a private bowling alley.
7. The City of Winston-Salem
West of Raleigh is the town of Winston-Salem. One of many historic towns in the state. There are traces of the Moravian pioneers who came to settle in the region some 250 years ago.
The architecture is not to be outdone either since the entire old quarter of the city has majestic houses dating from the 18th century. Like a trip back in time by walking a few meters.
8. Charlotte, the cultural center of North Carolina
Despite its status as the largest city in the state, Charlotte is not the capital. But that does not mean that it is not worthy of interest, far from it. The city is known for its NASCAR car races, which you can attend.
