Welcome to North Carolina
North Carolina runs all the way from the Atlantic beaches to the highest peaks in the East, and it packs a first and a biggest into that stretch. On the Outer Banks, the Wright brothers made the very first powered flight in 1903 — you can stand on the exact spot, or even fly a reproduction glider yourself. Those same barrier islands have wild horses roaming the sand, the tallest natural dunes on the East Coast, and so many shipwrecks the waters earned the name Graveyard of the Atlantic. Head west and the Great Smoky Mountains become the most-visited national park in the whole country, while Asheville hides Biltmore, the largest house in America. Add tangy whole-hog barbecue and the centuries-old mystery of the Lost Colony, and you have a lot of state to explore. Below you will find every North Carolina map, trip, guide, and hidden gem we have.
- Nickname: The Tar Heel State
- State horse: Colonial Spanish Mustang
- State vegetable: Sweet potato
- State bird: Cardinal
- State flower: Dogwood
- State tree: Pine
Towns You Will Likely Visit
Coast & Outer Banks: Corolla, Nags Head, Manteo, Wilmington, Beaufort.
Piedmont & cities: Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Winston-Salem.
Mountains: Asheville, Boone, Blowing Rock, Cherokee.
