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Clingmans Dome observation tower TN1📷 Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0

Road trips in North Carolina

10 road trips and 34 hand-picked places in North Carolina, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Trip guides
10
Places
34

Campsites in North Carolina 517

Trip guides

Road trips through North Carolina

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast – Bottles on Sideboard© jjmusgrove · CC BY 2.0
70
Coast & island drives

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast

98 mi8 stops3 days
The Waterfall Byway: Brevard to Highlands and Franklin – North Carolina - Upper Whitewater Falls 01© P. Hughes · CC BY-SA 4.0
64
Scenic byways

The Waterfall Byway: Brevard to Highlands and Franklin

59 mi8 stops3 days
Pisgah National Forest: the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway – View at Dinner - Flickr - BillMcMannis© Bill McMannis · CC BY 2.0
276
Scenic byways

Pisgah National Forest: the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway

46 mi7 stops2 days
Blue Ridge Parkway high peaks: Mount Mitchell to Blowing Rock – Craggy Gardens NC1© Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0
BRP
Scenic byways

Blue Ridge Parkway high peaks: Mount Mitchell to Blowing Rock

85 mi9 stops3 days
Cape Fear coast: Wilmington, Fort Fisher and Southport – USS North Carolina Battleship, Wilmington, NC, February 2023© David Wilson · CC BY 2.0
421
Coast & island drives

Cape Fear coast: Wilmington, Fort Fisher and Southport

95 mi7 stops3 days
Outer Banks – white metal fence on white sand during daytimePhoto by History in HD on Unsplash
12
Coast & island drives

Outer Banks

177 mi5 stops3 days
Great Smoky Mountains and the Tail of the Dragon – people standing on tower over looking trees under cloudy skyPhoto by Kirk Thornton on Unsplash
129
Scenic byways

Great Smoky Mountains and the Tail of the Dragon

77 mi5 stops2 days
The Blue Ridge Parkway, end to end – gray rock formation on brown sand during daytimePhoto by The AIRDEEz on Unsplash
BRP
Classic American drives

The Blue Ridge Parkway, end to end

465 mi12 stops4 days
Blue mountains, golden autumn – along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Great Smoky Mountains – Gold Skyline Drive - HDR (15643840808)© Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA · CC BY 2.0
BRP
In-depth road trip guides

Blue mountains, golden autumn – along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Great Smoky Mountains

544 mi14 stops6 days
Waterfalls of the South Carolina Upstate – Falls Park Greenville 2017© Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
11
Scenic byways

Waterfalls of the South Carolina Upstate

89 mi8 stops3 days
RouteSuggested daysDistanceDrivingStops
North Carolina’s Crystal Coast398 mi1 h 45 min8
The Waterfall Byway: Brevard to Highlands and Franklin359 mi1 h 04 min8
Pisgah National Forest: the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway246 mi0 h 50 min7
Blue Ridge Parkway high peaks: Mount Mitchell to Blowing Rock385 mi1 h 31 min9
Cape Fear coast: Wilmington, Fort Fisher and Southport395 mi1 h 42 min7
Outer Banks3177 mi3 h 10 min5
Great Smoky Mountains and the Tail of the Dragon277 mi1 h 22 min5
The Blue Ridge Parkway, end to end4465 mi8 h 18 min12
Blue mountains, golden autumn – along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Great Smoky Mountains6544 mi9 h 43 min14
Waterfalls of the South Carolina Upstate389 mi1 h 35 min8
Editor's picks

Places worth the detour in North Carolina

Clingmans Dome observation tower TN1© Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Views

Clingmans Dome

Bryson City, NC
Linn Cove Viaduct – a stone bridge over a lush green forestPhoto by Sakina Faisal on Unsplash
Editor's pick
Views

Linn Cove Viaduct

Linville, NC
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse – Museum of the Sea, Cape Hatteras Light Station (Lighthouse), Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Buxton, North Carolina (14453492464)© Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
Views

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Buxton, NC
Cape Lookout Lighthouse – Keeper's Quarters at Cape Lookout Light Station - 2013-06 - 1© Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY 3.0
Editor's pick
History

Cape Lookout Lighthouse

Harkers Island, NC
Dry Falls, US Highway 64, Cullasaja River Gorge, Highlands, NC - 53044548340© w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Dry Falls

Highlands, NC
2016-07-25 13 36 37 Graphic description of the view northward on the observation platform on the summit of Mount Mitchell in Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina© Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Views

Mount Mitchell State Park

Burnsville, NC
Grandfather Mountain - Black Rock parking lot view, Oct 2016© Thomson200 · CC0
Editor's pick
Views

Grandfather Mountain

Linville, NC
Ocracoke Village – HMT Bedfordshire© https://www.flickr.com/people/kostia/ (User:Stavia) · CC BY 2.0
Editor's pick
History

Ocracoke Village

Ocracoke, NC
Biltmore Estate Second floor - 50719220432© daveynin · CC BY 2.0
History

Biltmore Estate

Asheville, NC
Chimney Rock State Park – Hydrangea Chimney Rock SP Lake Lure NC 20210610 124844247© bobistraveling · CC BY 2.0
Views

Chimney Rock State Park

Chimney Rock, NC
Julian Price Park Campground – MP 296 Julian Price Lake Area (b7c1d4e7-67f1-449b-9b56-0e6428b51aca)© National Park Service · Public domain
Camping

Julian Price Park Campground

Blowing Rock, NC
Looking North Over Flight Path from Memorial Tower, Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina (14260772520)© Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Kill Devil Hills, NC
Tail of the Dragon – Deals Gap-Welcome to NC© Washuotaku · CC BY-SA 4.0
Views

Tail of the Dragon

Robbinsville, NC
North Carolina - Upper Whitewater Falls 01© P. Hughes · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nature

Whitewater Falls

Sapphire, NC
Tryon Palace – Bottles on Sideboard© jjmusgrove · CC BY 2.0
History

Tryon Palace

New Bern, NC
260906-0948 Fort Macon State Park© Mark Clifton · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Fort Macon State Park

Atlantic Beach, NC
Hammocks Beach State Park Boat Ramp June 2014 - panoramio (1)© Mikeiamunion21 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nature

Hammocks Beach State Park

Swansboro, NC
Battleship North Carolina – USS North Carolina Battleship, Wilmington, NC, February 2023© David Wilson · CC BY 2.0
History

Battleship North Carolina

Wilmington, NC
Carolina Beach State Park 2© Mx. Granger · CC0
Nature

Carolina Beach State Park

Carolina Beach, NC
Fort Fisher State Historic Site – Fort Fisher (2) (20991812823)© Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Fort Fisher State Historic Site

Kure Beach, NC
Oak Island Lighthouse (2) (40694198103)© Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Oak Island Lighthouse

Caswell Beach, NC
Fungus, Whiteside Mountain Trail, Whiteside Mountain, Highlands, NC - 53043584047© w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
Views

Whiteside Mountain

Cashiers, NC
Bridal Veil Falls, US Highway 64, Cullasaja River Gorge, Highlands, NC - 53044551645© w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nature

Bridal Veil Falls

Highlands, NC
Mount Pisgah – View at Dinner - Flickr - BillMcMannis© Bill McMannis · CC BY 2.0
Views

Mount Pisgah

Candler, NC

FAQs

What are the best road trips in North Carolina?

Popular routes include North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, The Waterfall Byway: Brevard to Highlands and Franklin, Pisgah National Forest: the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway and Blue Ridge Parkway high peaks: Mount Mitchell to Blowing Rock. CampingSpirit has 10 trip guides that pass through North Carolina, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

Which places in North Carolina are worth a detour?

Our editors recommend Clingmans Dome, Linn Cove Viaduct, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Cape Lookout Lighthouse, Dry Falls and Mount Mitchell State Park.

Nearby

South Carolina 5Virginia 9Georgia 5West Virginia 3Kentucky 6Tennessee 11District of Columbia 2Maryland 5