Cape Lookout National Seashore

Cape Lookout National Seashore is one of North Carolina’s most popular wilderness vestiges and one of the best places to visit in NC. Even though it’s not well developed, many prefer it over other vacation resorts because of the wild vacation they can get. Comprised of three barrier islands – North Core Banks, Shackleford Banks and South Core Banks – Cape Lookout may seem desolated and barren, yet a vacation or even a short visit there can be a memorable experience.
Accommodation in Cape Lookout National Seashore
Camping is not very well organized. There are no campgrounds on any of the three islands, access to utilities is quite scarce, so you are more or less on your own. You may pitch your tent wherever you like, with a few restrictions that will be explained in the brochure you get when you enter Cape Lookout. Common sense rules apply – don’t camp too close to the lighthouse, close to the cabins or in areas closed for turtle nesting. Vehicle camping is only permitted in South Core and North Core.

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Be warned, there are no camp stores in Cape Lookout. If you are camping there, make sure you bring your own supplies – food and water. There aren’t many water sources on the islands and you can never know when they get unfit for drinking due to weather conditions. Also, be prepared to store your food securely, as raccoons and seagulls are known to come in uninvited for a “quick bite”.

Renting a cabin may be the better alternative for those who need at least some minimum comfort. Each cabin can accommodate between four and twelve people, comes with bunk beds, hot water, heating system, a kitchen with cabinets and a freezer and a private bath. Rates range between $75 and $170 per night, depending on the season and individual facilities of each cabin. Group discounts are available.
Sights and Activities in Cape Lookout National Seashore
Even though Cape Lookout can seem a quiet and deserted resort, it is yet one of the best places to visit in North Carolina.

Next to a simple day-trip on the seashore, the lighthouse is worth seeing if you are camping in Cape Lookout for more than a day. It is located on South Core Banks, next to the historic US Coast Guard Station. If you have camped in North Core or Shackleford, you can arrange for a ferry to get you there and pick you up in the evening. You will need a vehicle to get to the lighthouse if you are pitching or staying at a cabin in South Core, as it’s more than a 10 mile ride. The lighthouse can be climbed up to the top so if you are alright with climbing 207 steps then it’s an opportunity you shouldn’t miss.

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Cape Lookout is also a fishing resort. The main season is in the fall, but you can fish all year round. Be prepared, however, to pay a bit more for accommodation during the main season, as the demand gets quite high.

Swimming is allowed, but keep in mind that there are no lifeguards so, again, you are on your own. If you aren’t a good swimmer, don’t head deep into the water. Big waves shouldn’t be a major concern on the Cape Lookout shoreline, but rip tides shouldn’t be ignored.

Water sports are popular in summer. Wind-surfing and kayaking can be safely practiced but, again, remember to bring your own gear, as Cape Lookout doesn’t offer any rentals.

The Hammocks Beach State Park comprised of three islands – the Huggins Island, the Bear Island and the Jones Island. Transportation from the Visitor’s Center on the mainland to Bear Island is done by ferry, but the other islands are accessible only by private boat or marine taxi. If you are into kayaking, it would be a perfect means of transportation, especially since waters can get quite low during the hot summer days.

One of the main attractions throughout the park is the unspoiled beaches. If you are tired of crowded holiday resorts and want the beach all for yourself, Hammocks is the perfect spot. It’s secluded, free from intruding commercialism and the only crowded thing about Hammocks Beach State Park is your to-do list.

Camping is permitted in designated areas, and so are camp fires and barbecues. The main spots are in the centers of each island, but there are other areas as well. You will get a full map from the Visitor’s Center, and this is also where you can learn about the schedules of events hosted – or you can simply call in for information at (910) 326-4881.

The Hammocks Beach State Park welcomes you daily between 8am and 6pm – they are open till 7pm in summer – and the Visitor’s Center is open from 8am to 5pm.

With its many attractions and things to do – fishing, hunting, boating or picnicking – we can safely say that Hammocks Beach State Park is one of the best places to visit in North Carolina.

Pleasure Island is one of the best places to visit in North Carolina and among the top beach destinations in the state. It is made of three small tows – Carolina Beach, Fort Fisher and Kure Beach. Even though they are so close to each other that you don’t know exactly when you’ve passed one’s borders, each has its unique identity, history and noteworthy sites.
Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach is one of the best known holiday resorts in the state. Accommodations range from fancy motels to cottage rentals and are fit for all budgets. Prices start at $39 at Beachside Inn and can go up to $100 or more.

Carolina Beach is far more than a mere beach resort – it hosts a major event right now, in the ‘off-season’. The Island of Lights festival begins on Friday, November 25th lasts a whole month, until the Christmas Eve on Saturday, December 24. The celebration officially begins with the Light up the Lake ceremony on November 25 at 7pm, presided by the Pleasure Island Mayors. Visitors can walk around the lake and admire the lighted displays, kids can meet Santa and there is also free cocoa and cookies for everybody.

Kure Beach

Kure Beach lies south of Carolina Beach and is yet another resort worth visiting. With its many beach houses, restaurants, shops and sunny beaches you just can’t go wrong if you pick Kure Beach as your vacation destination. The center of the resort hosts the Kure Beach Pier, one of the longest fishing piers in the area.

Accommodation in Kure Beach is affordable. Darlings by the Sea, Hidden Treasure Inn and Palm Air Realty offer some of the cheapest rates in the area. If you plan an off-season trip, you will spend around $100 a night for a double room and less than $150 for a whole weekend.

Fort Fisher

Fort Fischer occupies the southern part of Pleasure Island and borders Kure Beach at north. If you get the chance to visit this small town, you really have to take a trip to the Civil War Museum and also visit the Aquarium.

Fort Fischer used to be the largest sand and earth fortification of the Confederacy and it was its fall back in 1865 that lead to the Union victory. The Civil War Museum is part of the historical site and presents its visitors with the remainders of the old fortification.

Within the last two years, the Fort Fisher Aquarium has more than tripled in size. The facility, spread across 93,000 sq ft, is slowly but steadily becoming the region’s top attraction. Visitors begin their tour at a huge freshwater greenhouse, then move on to a 200,000 gallon saltwater tank and walk along creeks, estuaries and waterfalls. The aquarium is open daily from 9 to 5 and tickets are astoundingly cheap – only $8 for adults and $6 for kids aged 3 to 12

Also consider to visit N.C. Cape Lookout Nation Seashore

Whether you are getting ready for a two week vacation with your family or only a weekend hike, North Carolina is a great place to visit. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the state of NC is full of sights worth seeing and places worth visiting. In no particular order, here are some of the most popular tourist attractions you must places to visit in North Carolina

The USS North Carolina Battleship Is the First of places to visit in North Carolina

USS North Carolina

The USS North Carolina ship is a masterpiece that dates back from the World War II and has been preserved ever since. They say that walking along the decks can get you back in time – you can re-live the thrills of the ship searching the sky for enemy planes.
The Battleship is a self-guided tour. You start off by watching an introductory movie in an auditorium, watch some exhibits then board the ship. The trip goes through all nine levels and, for an average of two hours, you will climb ladders and explore every corner, from the storage room and the sailors’ cabins to the guns control center. Located on the water it is a great place to visit in North Carolina. From there , take a walk around the shoreline.

The Biltmore

                                                                          Biltmore Estate is Second on out list of Places To Visit in North Carolina

The Biltmore is the largest privately owned home in the United States. Spread on more than 8,000 acres, Biltmore has a four-star hotel, several stores, an in-doors swimming pool, a bowling alley and a gym. Biltmore is also renowned for its winery – their wine has seen an increasingly high demand in the US for the last decades.With a history of more than 100 years, the Biltmore Estate is considered a national landmark and, each year, more than 1,000,000 visitors cross its gates. Your admission includes self-guided tours of the breathtaking Biltmore House and Garden, the new  and Antler hill village featuring the Winery, Village green, and Biltmore Farm. That is an awesome places to Visit in North Carolina

Grandfather Mountain IS ON TOP of places to visit in North Carolina

Grand Father Mnt

Visit N.C.

Grandfather Mountain is one of the most well known landmarks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located at around 70 miles near Ashville, the attraction is easily accessible by car. Here is what you can do in Grandfather: Visit the habitats.  Grandfather has seven natural habitats for cougars, golden eagles, black bears and river otters and they can be observed in the wild – in an environment that resembles the natural settings they should be living in. Visitors are elevated above the habitats on large platforms or separated by large moats and can stand at only a couple of feet away from the animals.
-    Picnicking. There are more than a hundred picnic grills and tables in Grandfather. Guests may bring their own barbecue, but can also buy sausages, friend chicken or salads from the Museum restaurant.
-    Go hiking. There are 12 miles of well maintained tracks with difficulties ranging from beginners’ walk in a park to challenges for mountain climbers. MacRae Peak is a two hour round trip hike with amazing scenery that can truly be the experience of your lifetime. Come and Join the millions on a great adventure with these great places to visit in North Carolina

 Where To Find Gold In North Carolina

Thermal City Gold Mine

Thermal City Gold Mine is by far the best known recreational gold mining camp on the East Coast and a great place where to find gold in north carolina   The western part of NC is rich in many commercial minerals and gem stones, and you can dig for emerald, citrine, rose quartz, rubies, Aventine, moonstone, smoky quartz, tourmaline and many more.

Thermal City is easily reachable by car. Located on Highway 221 it is halfway between Marion and Rutherford, right at the Rutherford– McDowell county lane. Coming from the Ruther fordton/Marion exit on I-40, head south towards Ruther fordton for around 8 or 8.5 miles and keep an eye for the road sign on the left hand side. Follow then the directions to the mine.

Accommodation at Thermal City is affordable and fits everyone’s budget. You can camp on the riverside for as little as $15.00 per night or get a cabin with double beds, a bath and a kitchenette with a microwave for $50.00.

You may bring your own mining gear and supplies or buy it from Thermal City. They are authorized resellers of Keene Engineering equipment and can provide you with pumps, hi-bankers/dredges, prospecting and mining supplies, gold pans, a wide range of prospecting books, sluice boxes and many more.

The Lucky Strike Recreational Gold and Gem Mine

Lucky Strike is another recreational facility in North Carolina. The campground is located in Vein Mountain in the Marion County, quite close to Thermal City Gold mine, and is open to public, all year round, from 8am to 7pm.

Next to the regular mining and prospecting activities, Lucky Strike offers the Miner’s Diner – a restaurant for those who would rather be spending the whole day digging for gold than cooking – and, of course, accommodation at affordable rates.

Cotton Patch Gold Mine & Campground

Cotton Patch is another popular recreational mining site located in New London,NC. Their store comes with a wide range of prospecting supplies and they even organize training courses for beginners.

The campground is open all year round and prices start at $15.00 per night and consistent discounts are offered for longer stays. RV camping, for instance, starts at $25 per night but you can pay only $350 if you book a whole month. You are highly advised to call and inquire about availability.

The camp is located on41697 Gurley Road in New London. If you use a GPS device, plug in the coordinates: Longitude 80.1874, Latitude 35.4358.

This is where to find gold in north carolina

Great places to visit in North Carolina

If you’re in US, off on vacations but can’t make up your mind for the spot, you should probably head to North Carolina. If you’re a foreigner and coming to the US for a vacation, consider adding some great places to visit in North Carolina to your destinations list , which will surely make your vacation a delightful one.

• Charlotte Museums

The city of Charlotte is one of the most beautiful places to visit in North Carolina, as it is home to some of the most historic museums and a Science and Natural History Center.

• Jackson Building

The Jackson Building is one of North Carolina’s first skyscrapers in Western North Carolina, situated in the city of Asheville. Built in 1925, this wonder stands, still to date, a symbol of fine architecture.

• Great Smokey Mountains National Park: Grotto Falls

Great places to visit in North Carolina

If you’re a nature lover and looking for all sorts of natural wonders, you should head to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park; one of the most famous parks in the world and Grotto Falls is an amazing 25 feet flowing waterfall happens to be a great sight to watch. Bring along family and friends to experience this wonderful scene.

• North Carolina Art Museum

This beautiful museum, named in the honor of the city, is a home to the finest works of art by artists like Picasso and Matisse. The art work is present in its original and full form. As tourists enter, the first view they have of, are beautiful bronze and stone sculptures, which are a symbol of heritage. If you land in the city, this is one of the places to visit in North Carolina, you don’t want to miss.

• Basilica St. Lawrence

Great places to visit in North Carolina

Basilica St. Lawrence, a place of worship in Asheville, North Carolina, has some amazing antiquated architecture that will leave you stunned. There’s a red brick catholic church with beautifully painted stained glass windows, religious art as well as statues of saints.

• Shopping Malls

For those of you who are shopping buffs, especially youngsters, there are places to visit in North Carolina with high end shopping malls where you can shop till you drop. The Tanger Outlet Center, in Mebane NC, offers up to 80 brand name and designer outlets you can choose from. There’s also Concord Mills, in Concord NC-one of the most popular stores to check out.

Great places to visit in North Carolina

 Great places to visit in North Carolina

ranging from spectacular beaches to the mesmerizing mountain range, is worth notable. North Carolina is richly occupied with momentous landmarks and innate breathtaking scenarios. Good deal of waterfalls, long hiking tracks; millions of acres of state-run forests with unusual flora and fauna genus present North Carolina to be a marvelous gift of Mother Nature.Great Places to Visit in North Carolina

Some of the attractive great places to visit in North Carolina include the following:

• Cape Lookout National Seashore: Cape Lookout National Seashore has an embryonic shoreline with gleaming hues of water.

• Pleasure Island: Encompasses one of the pre-eminent beach destinations of North Carolina.Including
  Carolina Beach , Kure Beach and Fort Fisher

• Hammocks Beach State Park: The place is reachable by boat and sited along midway down the North Carolina shoreline. Major portion of this unscathed park is covered by Bear Island. The water colors include visible blue shades.

• Wilmington:  The destination is well-known for its rich historical background. The colonial ghost town, situated at the south of Wilmington has attention grabbing historical places along with ruined buildings figures. This region also presents a look to Orton Plantation that has stunning indigenous flowering assortments. Moreover, Moores Creek National Battlefield bears on the reminiscences of front line of the war of Independence.

• Piedmont Fort Bragg/Weymouth Woods Nature: Fort Bragg is a US Army place, including US Army Special Forces (Green Berets), and the cryptic Delta Force with classified base admittance. On the West of Fort Bragg lies the Weymouth Woods State Nature Preserve that occupies worth seeing flora and fauna territory.

• Morrow Mountain State Park: Right at the middle of the NC state lays Morrow Mountain not predominantly high, but holds a picturesque scenario, identified as one of the ancient mountain ranges of earth.

• Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP): This division has the most fabulous views counting highlights of Black Mountains (Mt. Mitchell), Craggy Gardens, Mt. Pisgah and Water rock Knob.

• Smoky Mountains National Park:  This site has striking and eye-catching Great Smokies and mountain peaks with blazing water fall shades. The falling water choices include Rainbow Falls, Abrams Falls and Laurel Falls.Great Places to Visit in North Carolina

  Great places to visit in North Carolina

In addition to aforementioned places, still there are many more appealing great places to visit in North Carolina. If you are planning for Great places to visit in North Carolina , then hurry up and pack your bags to see the wonders of nature, hidden in the NC state. Your time will surely end, but your quest to explore and see the most appreciable North Carolina sites will never be finished.Great Places to Visit in North Carolina

Great Places to Visit in North Carolina

best places to visit in North Carolina

Vacation planning can be stress inducing. In order to ensure you’re sufficiently aware of all your options, we’ve compiled a list of various best places to visit in North Carolina, once there. Mostly people want to make the best of their time and money; wanting to take in as much of the culture, food, and entertainment, a desired locale has to offer. However, a significant amount of groundwork is necessary to realize those apparently lofty ambitions – particularly when the planned vacation is set to take place somewhere as historically rich and geographically diverse as North Carolina. The states regions comprise three separate sections; all offering tourists a multitude of diversions with markedly different climates to explore them in. You could head to the Great Smoky Mountains, opt for the lush foothills of the Yadkin Valley, or rush to the beaches, and sand dunes along the North Carolina coastline. Let’s have a quick inventory.

best places to visit in North Carolina

Historical Finds

The best way to appreciate a lands’ cultural significance is to drop by and move around a few of its historic grounds. Fortunately, North Carolina has no shortage of history; so, rest assured, wherever you choose to end up you’ll be sufficiently serviced with good doses of the traditional, and legendary.

Visitors, on the coastal areas, could head to Somerset Place to gain a better understanding of 19^th century North Carolinian plantation life. Others with much regal inclinations are advised to make a quick visit to Tyron Palace, residence of North Carolinas first permanent state capitol, Lord Tyron.

African American history buffs are pointed to the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum in Sedalia, to enjoy a most informative and historically enriching outing.

Those with strong literary tastes must not to be disappointed, as they may promptly head towards the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in Asheville, exploring the authors’ maternal home. These are only some, among many, eminent best places to visit in North Carolina.

Lighter Fare

History is important, however, fun cannot be ignored. It’s the main reason you’re taking the vacation for starters. Even if it’s not – there is no reason to skip out on the joy. The Blue Ridge Parkway is located smack in the middle of the Smokey Mountains and the Shenandoah National Parks. The Parkway is 469-miles of breathtaking pathway, connecting the two geographical landmarks of North Carolina, featuring highly on any visitor, or residents’ itinerary.best places to visit in North Carolina

North Carolina has a strong Indian connection, perfectly captured in the Cherokee Indian Reservation – the home of the Eastern band of the Cherokee Indians. Other highly enjoyable best places to visit in North Carolina include, but are not limited to, the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro; the Wrights Brothers National Museum in the Kill Devil Hills, sacred for any flight enthusiast, and the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, which would more than satisfy any WWII veteran, historian, and amateur war buff alike.

The Weird and the Beautiful best places to visit in North Carolina

Non-traditionalists need not worry. North Carolinian’s are extremely unusual and continually indulge in underwater bicycle races, drop possums at New Year celebrations rivaling those in New York City, and honor their mules by holding annual Mule days. The culture is ripe, the cuisine eclectic, the hospitality legendary, and the best places to visit in North Carolina seemingly endless. Choose a spot, and get exploring.best places to visit in North Carolina
best places to visit in North Carolina