BILTMORE,  America's "Castle", was built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt and is preserved and maintained today by his  descendants. With interior square footage over 4 acres, 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 43 bathrooms and an impressive collection of art and period furnishing it is well worth the admission fee and a day's time. Once a working dairy farm the estate now includes a winery, 8,000 acres of trails, Antler Village, gardens and grounds to explore, an on site Inn, fine and casual dining.  Find more Asheville NC Attractions

NC Mountain Heritage, Nature, Museums

OCONALUFTEE INDIAN VILLAGE where the wood smoke drifting on the breeze isn’t like any you’ve smelled before. It’s not the pure tang of hardwood burned  for heat. Nor is it the aroma of a cooking fire, fragrant with baking bread or bubbling broth or roasting meat. There’s something earthy about this fire, because it’s smoldering pitch pine, firing local Cherokee clay into gleaming blackware pottery. Then again, all the sights, sounds, and scents surrounding you are novel. In the Oconaluftee Indian Village, it’s 1750.  Find more Cherokee NC Attractions

THE MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN. So begins your trip through the Museum of the  Cherokee Indian. Totally renovated in 1998, the new  museum tells the story of the Cherokee people using high-tech wizardry along with an extensive artifact collection.  Follow the "Trail of Tears"  and learn about the  language, customs and crafts of a remarkable civilization and people. Find more Cherokee NC Attractions

UNTO THESE HILLS  is an outdoor drama presenting the history of the Cherokee Indians in a beautiful Mountainside Theatre, mid-June thru late August each year.  2011 Season Dates: June 3 - August 13, Monday - Saturday at 7:30 PM.  In 2006, “Unto These Hills” began a new script, new director, new score, new choreography, new set design, new costuming and new cast members ­ all aimed at conveying a more culturally authentic, historically accurate and Cherokee-centered experience. The new play traces the Cherokee people through the aeons, through the zenith of their power, through the heartbreak of the Trail of Tears, finally ending, appropriately, in the present day, where the Cherokee people, much like their newly re-scripted drama, continue to rewrite their place in the world.    Find more Cherokee NC Attractions

THE YMI CULTRUAL CENTER  is an Asheville landmark in the heart of downtown, convenient to City Hall, and Pack Place. Listed on the National  Register of Historic Places, the YMI has served Asheville's minority citizens since it was first established in 1893 as the Young Men's Institute. It houses numerous exhibits, many dealing with the history of African Americans in Western North Carolina, and sponsors such cultural events as Asheville's Goombay! Festival, an Annual Kwanzaa Celebration and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration. We invite all people to come share in the rich heritage and celebration of African and African American culture. Find more Asheville NC Attractions

SCOTTISH TARTANS MUSEUM. A visit to the Scottish Tartans Museum and Gift Shop in  the Smoky Mountains is a stroll through the history and culture of Scotland.  Our 4800 square foot location on Main Street in downtown Franklin, showcases a large Museum area as well as an expansive Gift Shop . Find more Franklin NC Attractions

NC Mountain Train Rides and Railroads

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD  offers the romance and mystique of an era gone by.  Guests on board the Great Smoky  Mountains Railroad will enjoy scenic train journeys across fertile valleys, through tunnels and across river gorges in a spectacular region called the Great Smoky Mountains. This section of western North Carolina offers a wide array of ever changing vegetation and fantastic landscapes. Find more Bryson City NC Attractions

TWEETSIE RAILROAD, North Carolina's first theme park, takes a trip back into the days of the Old West. Hop aboard the train for an unforgettable three-mile journey through the scenic mountains. Even in today's high-tech world, there's still a place for old-fashioned fun. Tweetsie Railroad is a unique attraction that allows children and families to explore their imaginations and a whole lot more. Be a cowboy, Indian or an engineer and take a ride on  historic steam locomotive, Number 12, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Find more Blowing Rock NC Attractions

HENDERSONVILLE HISTORIC TRAIN DEPOT The first steam engine puffed up the Saluda Grade to the Hendersonville Depot in 1879, the steepest main-line standard gauge railroad in the United States. The Carolina Special ran between Charleston, South Carolina and Cincinnati, Ohio from 1911 until 1968. Today the exterior paint has been restored to its original color. A Southern Railway caboose is located at the south end. The depot's baggage room houses the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club and their HO scale model railroad.   Find more Hendersonville NC Attractions

NC Art and Craft Centers

THE FOLK ART CENTER is home base  for the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The Center includes a permanent collection, theme exhibits, demonstrations, education, special events, and a shop. The beautiful grounds are nestled in the woods along the Parkway in West Asheville. A short trail surrounds the building and features exhibits of native trees. Another trail connects with the Mountain to Sea trail. The Center also houses a Parkway Visitor Information booth and book store. Find more Asheville NC Attractions

JOHN C CAMPBELL SCHOOL.  John C. Campbell Folk School provides experiences in non-competitive learning and community life that are joyful and enlivening. Located in scenic Brasstown, North Carolina, the Folk School offers year-round weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography & writing. Brasstown NC

PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS  is a national center for craft education located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Penland offers one, two and eight week workshops in books and paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking, textiles, and wood. The school also sponsors residencies, educational outreach programs, and an exceptional Shop. Find more Spruce Pine NC Attractions

Entertainment and Family Attractions

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE.  has been operating for more than 53 years.  This State Theatre of North Carolina has been thrilling audiences with Broadway musicals, comedy and drama. From the Youth Theatre education program to our professional main stage performances, Flat Rock Playhouse offers the best live entertainment in Western North Carolina. Flat Rock NC

GHOST TOWN is CLOSED at this time. Nestled at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains in Maggie Valley and features a mile-high roller coaster, staged gunfights, live music and shows, crafts, food and lots of fun. Step back into the Wild West at this timeless, family-fun destination located in a beautiful mountain setting surrounded by breathtaking views. Ghost Town in the Sky is fun for all ages.   Find more Maggie Valley NC Attractions

Parks and Nature Attractions

THE BLUERIDGE PARKWAY, at 469 miles long is the nation's longest scenic rural parkway. Now 70 years old it is administered  by the  National Park Service and host to  approximately 20 million visits annually. It connects the Shenandoah Valley National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Along the route are opportunities for lodging, dining, camping, hiking and simply enjoying breathtaking views from easily accessible overlooks and picnic areas. For additional information visit :The Blueridge Parkway Association 

MT MITCHELL STATE PARK, at an elevation of 6684, is the highest peak in the Black Mountains. Named for Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a  professor of sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill who first suggested that the peak that bears his name was the highest in the range. Dr. Mitchell died at a waterfall on the western slope of the mountain while returning from one of many exploratory trips to western North Carolina. Between Asheville and Little Switzerland

SLIDING ROCK  is a recreation area set up by the US Forest Service. It's a 60' natural rock slide with a 6-7 foot deep pool at the base. Lifeguards and staff are on duty from Memorial Day week end to Labor Day and there is a fee of $1 per person to access the area, which is 7.5 miles north of Hwy 64 on Hwy 276. For more info, call the US Forest Service at 828-877-3350. Kids have to be a certain size to slide alone, otherwise they can sit on the lap of an adult and slide. Near Brevard NC

THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM   Magnificent gardens and miles of woodland trails. Continual special events and touring shows. Just as our experience of nature is intimate, visitors to The North Carolina Arboretum connect with plants in personal ways that are as diverse and rich as the land itself.  Whether you enjoy strolling through gardens, exploring exhibits, enriching your mind or hiking and biking, the Arboretum offers activities for all ages.  Get visitor information 

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER  is a living museum of plants and animals native to the Appalachian region. Our purpose is to increase public awareness and understanding of all aspects of the natural environment of Western North Carolina through hands-on and sensory experiences.  Each year welcome 100,000 visitors attend - of which 30,000 are school children expanding their classroom curriculum. Find more Asheville NC Attractions

CHIMNEY ROCK PARK is named for a 500 million-year-old giant granite monolith overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge. Visitors are awed by the breathtaking view that spreads 1200 vertical feet beneath them and 75 miles across the Carolinas. The now state owned park encompasses 1,000 acres offers the best of the mountains in one place with spectacular 75-mile views, hiking trails for all ages, a 404-foot waterfall, a variety of special events and much more.  Find more Chimney Rock NC Attractions

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN  is the highest mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountain range at an elevation of 5,964 feet.  The Mile High Swinging Bridge gives visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak. Grandfather Mountain is a Nature Lovers' favorite offering Wildlife habitats, Nature Walks and Trails, Nature Programs, and a Nature Museum.  The complex natural terrain includes 16 different classifications of natural communities with backcountry trails providing access to all.     Find more Linville NC Attractions 

THE BLOWING ROCK ATTRACTION   is North Carolina's oldest travel attraction (since 1933). A short scenic walk includes views of Grandfather Mountain, Table Rock, and Hawksbill. Also enjoy a small garden waterfall, observation tower and unique gift shops. Open daily April-December. January, February and March open weekends only, weather permitting. Located on Highway 321 South across from Green Park Inn. Find more Blowing Rock NC Attractions

FOOTHILLS EQUESTRIAN NATURE CENTER  welcomes you to the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, a 390-acre nature education and recreation center nestled in the beautiful NC foothills. Whether you're interested in outdoor recreation, nature education or preservation of precious open space, you'll find something of interest at FENCE. FENCE came into being in 1985 as a non-profit nature education and recreation center. Since then, FENCE has grown to its present 390 acres& serves some 5,000 people each year with programs in nature study, outdoor recreation and equestrian competition. Find more Tryon NC Attractions

LINVILLE FALLS  is located at the head of the Linville Gorge and is actually two falls: Upper Falls (50 feet) and Lower Falls  (60 feet). A well used (and maintained) trail leads you in the long climb to both lower and upper falls. The climb is strenuous but the rewards are great. They have placed benches along the way for those of us needing to take the climb in stages. The view of the Linville Gorge from the upper vantage point is worth the effort.  Find more Linville NC Attractions

THE CHEROHALA SKYWAY was completed in the fall of 1996 after nearly thirty-four years. It is North Carolina's most expensive highway carrying a price tag of $100,000,000. Winding up and over 6,000 foot mountains for 15 miles in North Carolina and descending another 21 miles into the deeply forested backcountry of Tennessee. The road crosses through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests thus the name "Chero...hala". 

TSALI RECREATION CENTER is an outdoors lover's paradise. Probably the most popular features of Tsali Recreation Area are the 39 miles of trails suited for mountain bikers and horse-back riders, as well as hikers. The 4-loop system offers a variety of landscapes. You can climb 1-foot wide rugged paths or travel flat, well-beaten roads. The four trails--Right, Left, Mouse Branch, and Thompson Loops--meander through mixed pine and hardwoods on a peninsula stretching into Fontana Lake. Near Bryson City

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL is the nation's longest footpath and stretches 2,159 miles  from the Southern most point at Springer Mountain, George to the Northern tip in Katahdin, Maine. It crosses 6 national parks, 8 national forests and touches 14 states. Visit the site for more information and locations in the NC Mountains to access the Appalachian Trail.

Alphabetical List of NC Attractions
with direct links to the sites

The Appalachian Trail in North Carolina
Asheville Historic Trolley Tours
Biltmore
Biltmore Village
The Blowing Rock Attraction 
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Brevard Music Center
Cades Cove
Carl Sandburg Home
Cherohala Skyway
Chimney Rock Park
Clingman's Dome
Flat Rock Playhouse
Folk Art Center
Foothills Equestrian Nature Center
Ghost Town
Grandfather Mountain
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad
Grove Arcade
Hendersonville Historic Train Depot
Horn in the West
John C Campbell Folk School
Joyce Kilmer National Forest 
LaZoom Comedy Bus Tours
Linville Caverns
Linville Falls 
Parkway Craft Center at The Moses Cone Manor
Mt Mitchell State Park
Museum of the Cherokee Indian
Mystery Hill
Navitat Canopy Adventures
North Carolina Arboretum
North Carolina Stage Company
Oconaluftee Indian Village
Orchard at Alta Pass
Pacolet River Byway
Penland School of Crafts
Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education
Scottish Tartans Museum
Sliding Rock
Swannanoa Valley Museum
The Appalachian Trail
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
Tryon Equestrian Nature Center
Tsali Recreation Center
Tweetsie Railroad
Unto These Hills Outdoor Theatre
Valle Crucis Community Park
Valleytown Cultural Arts Center
Western North Carolina Nature Center
Wheels Through Time Museum
Whitewater Falls
YMI Cultural Center