North Carolina

North Carolina At A Glance

We visit the North Carolina mountains every year. Asheville is always a family favorite with good food, breweries, and short hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Amanda has been hiking the Smokies and rafting the Nantahala in Bryson City for over 15 years!

A person in a pink jacket stands near the base of a tall waterfall cascading over a rocky cliff. The water gently splashes onto the rocks below, surrounded by greenery and natural rock formations.

Major Cities

Raleigh (capital)
Charlotte
Greensboro
Durham
Winston-Salem

National Parks

Great Smoky Mountains

Bryson City

Brevard

Asheville

Explore THe

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Amy and I both grew up in East Tennessee and then lived by the park entrance as adults. We have spent countless hours in the Smokies with our families, camping, hiking, and biking.

All of our Smokies blogs live on our sister website, Knoxville Backyard & Beyond.

Explore More!
A black bear walks across a grave road in Cades Cove with the Great Smoky Mountains seen in the background.
Steep mountain trail with two hikers, bordered by lush evergreen trees. A vast forested valley stretches in the background under a clear blue sky. A tall pine tree stands prominently on the right side.