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Rerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel State

By Ryan Pitkin

October 10, 2024

With western North Carolina under a travel advisory, here are some other ideas for road trips in the Tar Heel State this fall.

This was not the article we set out to write. The original assignment here was to write about the best places for leaf peeping in North Carolina, and if you know anything about the Tar Heel State, you know that the western NC mountains are the only place for leaf peeping in the state. 

As that list was being compiled, Hurricane Helene passed through western North Carolina, leaving a trail of destruction that tragically took more than 70 lives in our great state, disconnected residents from power and internet, and washed away entire road systems. 

As this is being written, western North Carolina is still under a travel advisory. 

“State and local officials strongly advise motorists avoid travel in Western North Carolina due to the risks associated with riverine flooding, landslides, slope failures, road closures and downed trees,” reads the VisitNC website

It will take months and in many cases years for folks in western North Carolina to recover from Hurricane Helene, and while countless businesses in the area rely on visitors who come each fall for leaf peeping, Christmas tree shopping, and other fall-related tourism, this season will be dedicated to recovery efforts. 

This article from Cardinal & Pine includes a number of verified organizations to which you can donate if you want to help. 

In the meantime, we’ve compiled this list of other ideas for road trips in the Tar Heel State this fall if you had to cancel your annual trip to the mountains. 

1. Carolina BalloonFest, Statesville

Oct. 18-20

Known as the second oldest hot air balloon festival in the country, the Carolina BalloonFest celebrates its 49th year in 2024. Always occurring during the third weekend in October, the festival features hot air balloon morning competitions, mass ascensions, and evening balloon glows in addition to live entertainment on two stages, a kids’ zone, marketplace and artisan village, and NC wine and craft beer garden. 

Over nearly half a century, festival organizers have donated over $1 million back to the local community, and this year they plan to help in Helene recovery efforts. “Much of the severe damage occurred 40-50 miles west of our event site,” reads the festival website. “As such, we will be moving forward with our event on October 18-20, and we feel a deep responsibility to support our community by committing to using a portion of the proceeds to assist those in need in the western part of our state.” 

2. SCarowinds, Charlotte

Through Oct. 27

You may know Carowinds as the amusement park that straddles the border of North and South Carolina at the southern tip of Charlotte, but did you know it turns into a frightfest every fall, remaining open past dark to become SCarowinds? A chilling curse awaits at every turn, weaving its dread through five hair-raising haunted mazes, four nerve-wracking scare zones, hundreds of monsters, thrilling night rides, and pulse-pounding live performances, including the new Wake the Dead.

While SCarowinds used to be a separately ticketed event, it now simply transitions over as night falls, meaning if you’ve already been at the park during daytime activities such as Tricks and Treats or Oktoberfest, you can stick around for all the mayhem that ensues after dark. 

3. NC State Fair, Raleigh

Oct. 17-27

Launched as a way to showcase the state’s agriculture, agribusiness, arts, crafts, and culture, the NC State Fair offers an opportunity for North Carolina’s growing urban population to learn about agriculture through educational and competitive exhibits in categories including livestock, agriculture, cooking, folk art, and more, with more than $700,000 in award money up for grabs, all while giving the agricultural community a chance to showcase its latest crops, livestock, and technologies. 

Rerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel State

Photo courtesy of NC State Fair.

4. Carolina Renaissance Festival, Huntersville

Saturdays & Sundays through Nov. 24

Take an autumn stroll through the wooded Village of Fairhaven where history comes alive with nonstop immersive and interactive entertainment scheduled throughout the day, ranging from valiant jousting knights on horseback and majestic falconry to beautiful mermaids and fairies, friendly dragons and lots of feasting. Shop an abundance of arts and crafts in the village open-air Artisan Market.

Special event weekends include Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights on Oct. 26-27, which includes trick or treating for kids and a costume contest for all ages; and Pirates’ Christmas on Nov. 9-10, which also includes a costume contest alongside plenty of early Christmas deals. 

5. Inshore Fishing, Crystal Coast

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is an oft-overlooked gem that comprises 11 communities that are home to a total 85 miles of shoreline along the southern Outer Banks. Thanks to large, open, sandy-bottomed sounds that filter water flowing in from rivers and inlets, the Crystal Coast boasts some of the clearest water in North Carolina, and you’ll find a number of rod-bending fish such as flounder, red drum, black drum, striped bass, speckled trout, sheepshead, and ladyfish that you can often see before you even cast on them. 

Black drum are your best bet for fall fishing, though red drum — or redfish, as the locals call them — are available year-round in the temperate, shallow waters of the Crystal Coast. Fishing for red drum will take you into the winding marsh creeks, where they like to school to breed and spawn. When you find a school, you can pull one in on just about every cast.

6. Leatherwood Mountains, Ferguson

Located around 20 miles southeast of towns like Boone and Blowing Rock, which were devastated by Hurricane Helene, the folks at Leatherwood Mountains were relatively lucky in the late-September storm. 

The resort-style community offers cabins for rent, campsites, equine trails, on-site fishing, hiking, tennis, swimming, zipline, and more. The website notes that roads into the community are clear, though they suggest you check with NC DOT before traveling. 

“Leatherwood Mountains Resort feels extremely blessed to report that we sustained minimal flood and wind damage,” the site reads. “Our community support and volunteer clean-up efforts are astounding. Our Resort Community is dependent on tourism to survive.”

Leatherwood’s Horse Trail Rides and other trails will begin reopening on Oct. 10, while the zipline is expected to reopen on Oct. 12. Campground and stall rentals remain suspended until mid-October. 

 7. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Belmont

It may not be the best year for leaf peeping in North Carolina, but the colors abound at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden just outside of Charlotte, where you’ll find 30 acres of spectacular gardens including a children’s garden, a conservatory dedicated to the display of tropical plants and orchids, a Dry Piedmont Prairie, annual and perennial displays, sparkling fountains, walking trails, and more.

The annual Scarecrow Hollow exhibit features an eclectic display of original scarecrows crafted by local community members—each one a unique expression of autumn magic. While the garden is open year-round, Scarecrow Hollow runs through Nov. 3 this year. 

Rerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel State

Photo courtesy of Robert Nunnally/CC BY 2.0.

8. North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro

Fall is definitely the best time to visit the North Carolina Zoo, as the cool autumn air welcomes visitors and allows the animals to wake from their summer lethargy. Take note when exploring the 2,600 acres of exhibits and animals: At the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, you’ll need to prepare for lots of walking. But there’s no better place to get in your steps, as the zoo’s natural habitat means trees are everywhere, giving you an opportunity for leaf peeping while animal watching.

Rerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel State

Photo courtesy of Diane Villa/CC BY-SA 4.0.

9. Lighthouse Tour, Outer Banks

Take advantage of the lack of traffic as the summer season comes to an end and see if you can’t tackle the Outer Banks Lighthouse Challenge: seeing all five of the famed lighthouses located along the banks in a single day. Of course, you could take your time and make a long weekend out of the task, as the northernmost lighthouse (Corolla on Currituck Beach) is more than 100 miles from the southernmost (Ocracoke on Ocracoke Island). The lines will be down in the fall, opening things up for other activities along the Banks. 

Rerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel State

Photo courtesy of Mark Pearson/Unsplash.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.Rerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel StateRerouting fall: Alternative autumn destinations in the Tar Heel State

Author

  • Ryan Pitkin

    Ryan Pitkin is a writer and editor based in Charlotte, where he runs an alternative weekly newspaper called Queen City Nerve. He is also editor of NoDa News, a community newsletter in the neighborhood where he has lived for 15 years.

CATEGORIES: THINGS TO DO
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