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Every stop worth the detour.
The crowd-favorite places that make a drive worth remembering — waterfalls, beaches, hot springs, hikes, scenic landmarks, dining, breweries, ballparks and more. Browse by category or state, find what's near you, and plan the detour with Roamward.
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163 stopsNC
Sources: 163 Roamward guides · live place map
CyclingBlue Ridge Parkway (Asheville)NC · Scenic roadhigh, quiet ridgeline miles through the southern AppalachiansView guide →Mountain bikingBent CreekNC · Trail systemAsheville’s accessible go-to networkView guide →Ski & snowboardBeech MountainNC · Familythe highest ski town in the eastern U.S.View guide →BeachesAtlantic BeachNC · Familya Crystal Coast classic beside Fort Macon and Bogue Banks surfView guide →LighthousesBodie Island LightNC · Atlantic Coasthorizontally banded black-and-white, with a boardwalk over the Outer Banks marshView guide →LighthousesCape Hatteras LightNC · Atlantic Coastthe tallest brick lighthouse in America, its black-and-white spiral famously moved 2,900 ft in 1999View guide →BeachesBald Head IslandNC · Wilda car-free island of beaches, maritime forest, and a historic lighthouseView guide →LighthousesCape Lookout LightNC · Atlantic Coastthe only U.S. lighthouse with a diamond “checkerboard” day-mark, on a remote barrier islandView guide →LighthousesCurrituck Beach LightNC · Atlantic Coastan unpainted red-brick tower you can climb, in the northern Outer BanksView guide →Scenic landmarksChimney Rock (North Carolina)NC · Rock FormationA 315-ft monolith over Hickory Nut GorgeView guide →Mountain bikingDuPont State ForestNC · Trail systemgranite slabs and waterfalls, friendlier than Pisgah next doorView guide →WaterfallsBridal Veil Falls (Highlands)NC · Roadsideyou can drive the old road behind this roadside fall near HighlandsView guide →BeachesCape HatterasNC · Wildwild Outer Banks shore under America’s tallest lighthouseView guide →LighthousesOcracoke LightNC · Atlantic Coasta small, gleaming-white tower — the oldest operating light in North CarolinaView guide →BeachesCape LookoutNC · Wildundeveloped barrier islands with wild horses and a diamond-patterned lighthouseView guide →Hot springsHot Springs Resort & SpaNC · Resortriverside mineral tubs in an Appalachian Trail townView guide →BeachesCarolina BeachNC · Familya classic boardwalk beach town near WilmingtonView guide →Breweries & distilleriesBurial Beer CoNC · Breweryan artful South Slope brewery with a devoted followingView guide →HikesBlack Balsam KnobNC · Easya grassy 6,200-ft bald right off the ParkwayView guide →Scenic landmarksJockey’s RidgeNC · DunesThe tallest active sand dune on the East CoastView guide →Mountain bikingPisgah (Black Mountain)NC · Trail systemrugged, rooty old-school tech in the legendary Pisgah forestView guide →Wild landsLinville Gorge WildernessNC · WildernessThe “Grand Canyon of the East”View guide →BeachesCorolla BeachNC · Wildnorthern Outer Banks sand near wild-horse country and Currituck lighthouse viewsView guide →WaterfallsCatawba FallsNC · Moderate hikea layered, mossy cascade at the headwaters of the Catawba RiverView guide →Wild landsPisgah National ForestNC · National ForestBlue Ridge waterfalls and forest roadsView guide →WaterfallsCrabtree Falls (NC)NC · Moderate hikea lacy fall on a loop off the Blue Ridge ParkwayView guide →BeachesDuck BeachNC · Familyan upscale Outer Banks village beach with soundside boardwalk and Atlantic sandView guide →Mountain bikingTsaliNC · Trail systemfast, flowy lakeside loops by Fontana LakeView guide →WaterfallsCullasaja FallsNC · Roadsidea roaring roadside fall on the dramatic Cullasaja Gorge driveView guide →Ski & snowboardSugar MountainNC · Familythe biggest ski area in North CarolinaView guide →BeachesEmerald IsleNC · Familysoft sand and gentle surf on the Crystal CoastView guide →DiningAjjaNC · MediterraneanCheetie Kumar's neighborhood spot driven by wood-fired Middle Eastern and Mediterranean small plates. Order: Wood-fired flatbread.View guide →Breweries & distilleriesFonta Flora BreweryNC · Brewerya farmhouse-ale destination in the Blue Ridge foothillsView guide →Breweries & distilleriesFoothills BrewingNC · Brewerya Piedmont anchor known for its cult Sexual Chocolate stout releaseView guide →WaterfallsDry FallsNC · Short walkwalk behind the curtain without getting wet, near HighlandsView guide →WaterfallsElk River FallsNC · Short walka wide, powerful High Country fall with a big plunge poolView guide →GolfChampion Hills ClubNC · privateFazio lives here and routed it through the mountains near Hendersonville. A personal favorite of the architect himself.View guide →BeachesHolden BeachNC · Familya relaxed Brunswick Islands family beach with broad sand and low-rise rhythmView guide →Breweries & distilleriesHighland BrewingNC · BreweryAsheville’s original craft brewery, with a rooftop taproomView guide →WaterfallsGlen Falls (NC)NC · Moderate hikea series of falls with mountain views near HighlandsView guide →BeachesKure BeachNC · Familya laid-back beach town with a fishing pier and nearby aquariumView guide →HikesCrowders MountainNC · Moderatea quartzite summit and cliffs near CharlotteView guide →WaterfallsHigh Falls (DuPont)NC · Moderate hikea massive sloping fall in DuPont, a "Hunger Games" filming siteView guide →WaterfallsHooker FallsNC · Short walka wide, kid-friendly fall and swimming hole in DuPontView guide →GolfDormie ClubNC · semiprivateA rugged, rolling Sandhills layout near Pinehurst that rewards bold lines, now welcoming select play through the Dormie Network.View guide →GolfDuke University Golf ClubNC · publicA Robert Trent Jones design on Duke's Durham campus, long and tree-lined with a true championship pedigree. Open to the public and rich in college-golf history.View guide →Breweries & distilleriesNoDa BrewingNC · BreweryCharlotte’s flagship, home of the award-winning Hop Drop ’n Roll IPAView guide →WaterfallsLinville FallsNC · Moderate hikemultiple overlooks of the falls and the Linville GorgeView guide →BeachesNags HeadNC · Familythe classic Outer Banks family beach beside Jockey’s Ridge dunesView guide →WaterfallsLooking Glass FallsNC · Roadsidea classic Pisgah roadside fall you can wade belowView guide →Breweries & distilleriesOlde Mecklenburg BreweryNC · BreweryGerman-style beers and a huge biergarten in CharlotteView guide →BeachesOak IslandNC · Familya broad Brunswick island beach with piers, lighthouse views, and easygoing rentalsView guide →WaterfallsMingo FallsNC · Short walka tall, delicate fall on the Cherokee reservation near the SmokiesView guide →BeachesOcracoke BeachNC · Wildferry-only Outer Banks sand, regularly ranked among the nation’s bestView guide →HikesGrandfather Mountain (Profile Trail)NC · Hardladders and rock scrambles to the Calloway Peak ridgeView guide →HikesGraveyard FieldsNC · Easywaterfalls and blueberries off the Blue Ridge ParkwayView guide →Breweries & distilleriesSierra Nevada (East)NC · Brewerythe grand East Coast campus of the California icon, near AshevilleView guide →HikesHawksbill Mountain (Linville)NC · Moderatea dramatic perch over the Linville GorgeView guide →DiningBaked Pie CompanyNC · Bakery & PieFrom-scratch pie shop with a rotating seasonal lineup and a signature pie flight letting you sample several slices at once. Order: Pie flight.View guide →WaterfallsRainbow Falls (Gorges)NC · Moderate hikea misty, rainbow-throwing fall in Gorges State ParkView guide →
Category guides
Go deeper, interest by interest.
163 stops across 19 state-by-state guide collections.
Hikes500+ trails in every state, easy to epic545 stops →Waterfalls300+ falls, roadside to bucket-list303 stops →BeachesFamily sand, surf breaks, and wild shores299 stops →Hot springsLuxe resorts to wild backcountry soaks90 stops →Mountain bikingTrail systems, bike parks, and gravel76 stops →CyclingScenic rides, climbs, and rail-trails50 stops →Ski & snowboardBig-mountain steeps to family hills86 stops →DiningGreat meals near routes and gateway towns3,924 stops →Breweries & distilleriesTrip-worthy taprooms and still houses267 stops →GolfPublic courses you can actually book753 stops →National parksAll 63, guided by season and top sights63 stops →Hidden gemsVote favorites into the Roamward map19 stops →MLB ballparksAll 30 MLB parks as a road-trip quest30 stops →LighthousesCoast-to-coast beacons worth the drive60 stops →EventsPlan the trip around the moment31 stops →Wild landsForests, wilderness, and monuments beyond the parks74 stops →CampingEpic campgrounds by where you want to wake up63 stops →Scenic landmarksIconic overlooks, canyons, dunes, and formations57 stops →Roadside AmericanaGiant statues, folk art, oddities, and vintage neon23 stops →
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