4 Small Towns to Visit in North Carolina

Nov 3, 2016

4 Small Towns to Visit in North Carolina From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Outer Banks, North Carolina is home to some of the country’s most charming small towns. The next time you’re feeling up for a little road trip, here are a few communities worth visiting.

Boone

Nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Boone is a quaint college town surrounded by natural wonders, including Elk Knob State Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Grandfather Mountain. The town serves as a great jumping-off point for exploring the outdoors, so whether you’re looking to cut your own Christmas tree, go gem mining, take a back road scenic drive, go snow tubing, or experience river rafting, Boone is the place to be no matter the season.

More than that, Boone is a vibrant community proud of its local culture and creativity. The area boasts varied museums and cultural attractions, including Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

New Bern

Popularized by Nicholas Sparks’ novels A Bend in the Road and The Notebook, New Bern is a beautiful coastal town with origins dating back to the early 1700s. One of the most historically rich communities in the state, New Bern has long been considered the “Athens of the South,” thanks in part to its Masonic Temple and theatre.

In fact, four of New Bern’s historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, so if you love history, architecture, and coastal charm, be sure to put New Bern at the top of your list of places to visit.

Brevard

The Hunger Games helped put Brevard on the map thanks to filming in nearby locations. Located in Transylvania County 45 minutes southwest of Asheville, Brevard exudes small-town charm in many ways, and it’s one of the few places where you’re likely to spot a white squirrel.

Not only is Brevard a vibrant mecca for the arts but its downtown area also serves as a crossroads for outdoor recreation. This gorgeous town puts you within easy distance of Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock, Slick Rock Falls, Looking Glass Rock, and other great landmarks just begging to be explored. You’ll also find plenty of unique shops, restaurants, art galleries, and handmade crafts in downtown.

Manteo

One of the drawbacks of visiting the Outer Banks, especially during peak tourist season, is the crowds. Fortunately, the town of Manteo provides all the charm you’d expect from a coastal community without the crowds.

Manteo sits on the eastern side of Roanoke Island in Dare County. Its picturesque downtown connects to a waterfront gazebo, a marina, and miles of coastline, affording plenty of opportunities to explore the community’s maritime past. A few of the town’s top attractions include Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, the Manteo Weather Tower, the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum, and the Edward’s Landing park.

With so many wonderful small towns across North Carolina, it can be difficult to narrow down your list of must-sees. Have you been to one of the communities on our list? Which small town would you add?

Image from Pixabay licensed under CC BY 2.0