4 low-cost vacation spots in North Carolina

There’s no need to break the bank on a vacation spent enjoying North Carolina’s natural beauty, history, and culture.

A vacation in North Carolina will please any kind of traveler aiming to take in awe-inspiring sights and enriching experiences without spending an arm and a leg. With scenic locales perfect for the history buff, the beach bum, the mountain climber, and the arts enthusiast in your travel party, North Carolina delivers on affordable vacation adventure.

Unsure of where to start? Check out this list of low-cost vacation options spanning the Tar Heel State:

1. Outer Banks

The Outer Banks of North Carolina provide a relaxing and renewing environment for a vacation spent enjoying sun, sea, and surf. With a variety of seashore experiences ranging from popular to private, travelers can map out their ideal beach trip, complete with fun in the sun, dining, and shopping. 

Where to stay: Sure, Nags Head has quaint, seaside cottages and oceanfront motels aplenty, but there’s a more affordable and just as comfortable option waiting across the Shallowbag Bay on Roanoke Island: Heart of Manteo Motor Lodge. At this two-story motel, recently updated rooms are located only a quick walk away from a picturesque, waterfront boardwalk.

Where to eat: With a pair of locations in Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk, Stack’em High Pancakes and So Forth prepares beloved breakfast classics at reasonable prices. Before a day spent sweating in the sun, fuel up with a hearty plate like the shrimp ‘n’ grits royale, complete with a fried egg on top and a biscuit on the side.

What to do: A trip to the Outer Banks simply isn’t complete without a lazy day spent at the seashore, soaking in rays, tossing around a football, or swimming in the shallows. The time-honored Nags Head just saw a 12-mile beach nourishment effort, providing twice as much powdery, white sand to build castles in. Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills attract surfers and skimboarders, while Frisco invites visitors to drive their 4x4s right up to the ocean’s edge for a night spent camping.

Shopping aficionados will be pleased to learn that the region is filled with privately owned boutiques and specialty shops. The Real McCoy Honey and Pottery shop, located on Virginia Dale Trail in Nags Head, offers local honey products and handmade beeswax candles, not to mention a showroom of local and regional pottery, and of course, free honey samples.

Don’t forget your surfboard and rashguard during a visit to Outer Banks beaches like Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills. (Steve Yocom courtesy of Visit North Carolina)

2. The Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park of North Carolina and Tennessee continues to wow visitors from every corner of the world with its ancient mountain ranges, verdant forests, curious black bears, and brightly colored wildflowers. As the United States’ most-visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains prove time and time again that there’s no reason to leave the Tar Heel State to find blissful, outdoor adventure.

Where to stay: Rest your head after a day spent hiking and exploring the national park at Great Smokies Inn. Located in Cherokee, just 1.2 miles from the park gates, this affordable accommodation provides well-appointed rooms rife with rustic charm and rocking chairs with views of the misty mountains.

Where to eat: On your way out of town, plan a lunchtime pitstop in downtown Sylva, the quaint business district of a charming, small town. Here you’ll find Lucy in the Rye, a sandwich shop and diner dripping with nostalgic decor. Chomp on a classic like the grilled pastrami on marble rye, or opt for the inventive poblano jam super deluxe, which sees two local, grass-fed beef patties piled high with bacon, avocado, provolone, and homemade poblano pepper jam on a local potato bun.

What to do: There’s no shortage of activities to entertain the entire family within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wildlife lovers will want to bring their binoculars to catch glimpses of elk, black bears, white-tailed deer, woodchucks, and turkeys. Fans of fishing may aim to catch from one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern U.S., while camping enthusiasts have their pick of rugged backcountry and developed front country sites to spend the night.

The national park also sits near Cherokee, where the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians calls 56,000 acres home. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a sovereign nation, and many of its residents are descendants of those who survived the Trail of Tears—the forced displacement of Native American peoples to present-day Oklahoma championed by U.S. President Andrew Jackson and his colleagues, which killed between a quarter and a half of the Cherokee tribe. Today, visitors to Cherokee can experience live performances, historical buildings, and homemade meals at Oconaluftee Indian Village, as well as learn about Cherokee basket-weaving techniques and purchase handmade pottery from Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc.

The Oconaluftee Indian Village, located in Cherokee, a mile from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, provides a window into the world of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. (Mike Belleme courtesy of Visit North Carolina)

3. Raleigh, Durham, and The Triangle

Those in search of big-city culture, arts, and diverse dining options will find all they seek and more with a vacation to the Triangle of North Carolina, a metropolitan area that gets its name from three renowned research universities located only minutes apart: Duke University, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University. Though the area carries a certain prestige (as evidenced by its concentration of luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and the like), it’s not hard to navigate its best sights on a shoestring budget.

Where to stay: Travelers mindful of their spending may rejoice when they hear that Raleigh’s midtown area contains a cluster of affordable chain hotels. Take your pick of highly rated accommodations like the DoubleTree by Hilton Raleigh Midtown or the Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Midtown, both situated within an easy drive from the Triangle’s shopping, entertainment, and dining districts.

Where to eat: After a day spent exploring the sights of downtown Raleigh, stop in Transfer Co. Food Hall for a locally prepared meal of the cuisine of your choosing. Picky eaters won’t have the stomach to complain when they gaze upon the many vendors contained within this downtown culinary hub: Chhote’s brings the Mumbai street-food vibes, while Dank Burrito prepares burritos, bowls, and tacos with unexpected toppings like kimchi and ginger slaw. Plus, the food hall doubles as an event space, art gallery, and performance venue, all highlighting local artistry.

What to do: Art buffs will find much to ponder at the North Carolina Museum of Art, whose collection spans 4,000 artworks created over the last 5,000 years. Here, modern and contemporary pieces (including 25 by Pablo Picasso) mingle with artifacts from ancient Egyptian and European cultures. Of course, no visit is complete without a stroll through the 164-acre Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park, home to several works from Auguste Rodin, the French artist often called the father of modern sculpture.

Get your fill of live theater with an evening of performance at Theatre Raleigh Arts Center, a non-profit, locally produced company whose summer season includes works like “Peter and the Starcatcher,” the Tony Award-winning play imagining the origin story of Peter Pan, and the beloved Broadway musical “Waitress.”

“The Thinker” sculpture by Auguste Rodin at the North Carolina Museum of Art, in Raleigh, NC.

4. Winston-Salem

There’s one North Carolina town that will please both history buffs and travelers simply wanting a slower-paced vacation—Winston-Salem. Southern hospitality and heritage ooze from every corner of the city. Here, you can explore historic architecture and a varied culinary scene under an urban canopy of picturesque oak and maple trees.

Where to stay: Visitors don’t have to break the bank to stay in historic accommodations in downtown Winston-Salem. The Shaffner Inn is a Tudor Revival-style residence turned charming, eight-room bed and breakfast, located an easy walk from the city’s restaurants, pubs, and breweries.

Where to eat: The husband-and-wife team behind Goodness Gracious whips up home-cooked soul food dishes with heaping portions at reasonable prices. Open daily from noon to 7 p.m. (and 6 p.m. on Sundays), Goodness Gracious features rotating daily specials and tried-and-true classics like oxtails, turkey wings, fried okra, collard greens, and yams.

What to do: Old Salem Museums and Gardens is a compound that forms the cultural and historical hub of the city, which was first settled as the town of Salem in 1766 by Moravians, a group of German-speaking Protestants. The historic site shares the stories of the Moravian, Black, and Indigenous peoples who called Winston-Salem home for centuries, and attractions include the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, the Gardens at Old Salem, and Winkler Bakery.

Triad Cultural Arts is a non-profit organization that commemorates the heritage of Black Americans through festivals, arts programming, and tours. Visit historic neighborhoods, churches, and educational institutions while learning about Winston-Salem’s African-American history and culture on tours offered by trolley, bus, walking, or virtually.

Old Salem Museum and Gardens preserves the history of the Moravian, Black, and Indigenous peoples who have called this area home for centuries. (Brett and Jessica Donar courtesy of Visit North Carolina)

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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