Family vacations in North Carolina can be rewarding experiences or absolute disasters -- it all depends on pre-trip homework. To make planning easier, we've done all the preparation. As part of a Huffington Post Travel series on traveling with children, here are recommended attractions for those planning North Carolina family vacations.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Corolla, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Nag's Head and Hatteras are just a few of the family-friendly beach towns that can be found on this beautiful barrier island. The
has much to offer vacationers, including great sports fishing, lots of reasonably priced and fine dining restaurants, clean and safe beaches, a low-key atmosphere and even the chance of viewing one of the wild horses that live on the island's north end.
Address: Kitty Hawk, NCHours: Open year-roundPrice: Free
Marbles Kids Museum
has a wide range of activities including a child-size town where kids can pretend to shop in a grocery store or try their hand at acting on a stage. Children can also enjoy water activities in the Splash! room or work off some energy in the Power2Play World Tour exhibit. In addition, Marbles has an Imax theater onsite that shows box office hits in 3-D, as well as educational movies.
Address: 201 East Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC 27601Phone: 919-834-4040Hours: Tuesday through Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays: noon to 5 p.m. Marbles is closed on Mondays.Price: Children under 1, free; ages 1 to 11, $5 or with Imax, $6.50; adults, $5 or with Imax, $8.95; seniors, $5, or with Imax, $7.95
NASCAR Hall Of Fame
Even if your children are not race fans, the
has a number of interactive exhibits, including a toddler play area and pit crew challenge for kids, which will keep them engaged. Of course, if your family members are NASCAR or race car fans, this museum is a must-see, with displays that describe the early days of the sport, exhibits about the hall of fame inductees, plus many other race-related activities.
Address: 400 East Martin Luther King Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28202Phone: 704-654-4400Hours: The NASCAR Hall of Fame is open every day except for Christmas Day. Open most days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but hours can vary. Please check the calendar on the website before visiting.Price: Children 5 to 12, $12.95; adults, $19.95; seniors and military, $17.95
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
It is no wonder that the 500,000-acre Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America. It is a beautiful park that straddles the Tennessee and North Carolina border, and it is teeming with wildlife, including deer, turkeys, bears and elks. Casual and serious hikers will find miles of trails to explore, with many of them leading to the park's bountiful and beautiful waterfalls. The North Carolina entrance to the park is located near the town of Cherokee.
Address: Cherokee, NC Phone: 865-436-1200Hours: The park is open 365 days a week, 24 hours a day, but there are areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that close in the winter.Price: Free -- it is one of the few national parks that does not charge an entrance fee
NASCAR Race Shops
Many of the NASCAR race teams, including those of
and
, are based out of the Charlotte, N. C., area, and most of their race shops are open for public visits and tours. For racing enthusiasts, it is a fascinating look behind the scenes of what goes on when the cars and drivers are not at the track. Most of the race shops also have gift stores and some have theaters or museums to enhance a visitor's experience.
Address: 4400 Papa Joe Hendrick Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262Phone: 704-455-3400Hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call to confirm.Price: free
The Time Warner Cable Blues & BBQ Festival
The annual
, which used to be the Blues, Brew & BBQ Festival, offers three days of eating, drinking and fun in downtown Charlotte, N. C. This is the largest MBN-sanctioned (Memphis Barbecue Network) contest and festival in the Southeast. Visitors can enjoy seeing celebrity chefs, listening to music and tasting some great cooking.
Address: 935 N. Graham, Charlotte, NC 28206Phone: 704-332-9583Hours: A three-day festival held in September.Price: Admission is free
Biltmore House
The
is a 250-room French chateau that was built by George Vanderbilt in 1895 and is now a popular hotel and tourist attraction. Guests can explore the mansion and grounds on foot or take a Segway tour. Horseback and carriage tours are also available. Visitors to the Biltmore House should also allow time to visit nearby
.
Address: 1 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 28803Phone: 800-411-3812Hours: Open year-round from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.Price: Adults, 17 and older, from $54 to $69 depending on the season and day of the week; children, ages 10 to 16, $5; under 9 are free
North Carolina Zoo
The North Carolina Zoo is a beautiful natural habitat zoo, meaning that the animals are generally given more room to roam and live more like they would in the wild. It is one of the largest such parks in the United States, and there are trams and buses available within the park to ferry guests between three stops within the zoo. The North Carolina Zoo has over 1,100 animals from Africa and North America in its displays. Address: 4401 Zoo Pkwy., Asheboro, NC 27205Phone: 800-488-0444Hours: April to October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; November to March, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Price: Children under 2, free; children 2 to 12, $6; seniors (62 and up), $8; adults, $10
Have you been to North Carolina? What are your favorite attractions?
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
