12 things that belong on every North Carolinian’s winter bucket list

Push yourself or just take in the sights with a dozen of North Carolina’s best winter activities.

When you think about social gatherings and activities in the winter, do you think of the holiday season? That’s a common misconception, but considering that winter doesn’t actually start until a few days before Christmas, that’s just a small fraction of what Old Man Winter is all about. 

Consider this: By Jan. 2, 2025, we will have seen Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve come and go, leaving us nearly three more months of winter to enjoy. Winter doesn’t have to be a time to shut ourselves inside to escape the cold. Below, we’ve compiled a list of a dozen ways you can enjoy winter in North Carolina, whether your plan is to push your body to its limits or simply take it easy and take in the sights.   

Western NC winter activities 

As towns in western North Carolina reopen to visitors and start the road to recovery following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September, many locally owned businesses have completely missed out on the tourism dollars that leaf-peeping would have brought in the fall had the storm not come. 

That said, if you’re visiting the region, it helps to make an effort to patronize as many small and locally owned businesses as possible to help folks get back on their feet. While all those beautiful leaves may have fallen by now, there are more than enough reasons to visit western North Carolina throughout the winter. 

Take a Midnight Ride Down Appalachian Ski Mountain

Appalachian Ski Mountain is one of just a handful of ski resorts in the state, and it’s the only one we know of that offers late-night skiing and snowboarding sessions. The venue thankfully suffered minimal damage during the storm, so the season was able to kick off in early December. 

Midnight Blast sessions run from 5 p.m. to midnight and are scheduled this season for Nov. 29-30, Dec. 20-21, Dec. 26-31, Jan. 17-18, and Feb. 15-16. The slopes will close at 11:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to get ready for a midnight fireworks display. 

“As the closest ski area to significant markets within a two-hour drive, such as Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Hickory, and Gastonia, we feel that Appalachian Ski Mountain is in the best position to offer many skiers and riders a night option that wouldn’t otherwise be possible without a longer night session,” says Brad Moretz, president of Appalachian Ski Mountain. 

Wander the Halls of The Biltmore Estate

The entire Biltmore Village surrounding the famed 250-room French Renaissance château and one-time home to George Vanderbilt’s family saw widespread destruction due to Hurricane Helene but has since reopened to visitors.

According to the latest update, the Biltmore House, the Conservatory, and Antler Hill Village & Winery, resplendent in holiday décor, all await your arrival, as do many of the surrounding estate restaurants, shops, and overnight properties. It should be noted that, since the storm, the grounds now open at noon and some attractions later than that, so be sure to check the website to ensure you’ll be attending at a time when you can check out all that you want to see. 

Having opened to Vanderbilt’s family and friends on Christmas Eve 1895, one of the mansion’s most beloved displays to this day is Christmas at Biltmore, which runs through Jan. 5, 2024. There’s plenty of reason to visit after that, as well, with the current Chihuly at Biltmore exhibition showcasing Dale Chihuly’s awe-inspiring works through Feb. 5. 

Take the Plunge at Blowing Rock’s Winterfest

Blowing Rock is arguably one of the most charming towns in North Carolina—in fact, it was dubbed the Best Small Town by Southern Living early in 2024. It’s been through a lot since then, but has reopened since seeing major damage due to Hurricane Helene. 

“As we welcome visitors back to Blowing Rock, we ask for understanding and empathy for the High Country,” read a statement from city leadership on Nov. 20. “Blowing Rock businesses are open and eager to serve and visitor support is vital to their survival. However, recovery for our broader community is ongoing as impact to the area was significant.” 

One of the best reasons to visit the Watauga County town located right along the Blue Ridge Parkway is for Blowing Rock Winterfest—four days of winter fun centered around the beautiful Chetola Resort. Activities include the WinterFeast, Festival of Lights, ice-carving demonstrations, and more. 

But if you really want to make this Winterfest memorable, take the leap at the annual Polar Plunge, scheduled for Jan. 25, 2025. Last-minute registration is allowed on the morning of, so there are no excuses. Judges will award the famous “Golden Plunger” award to the best costume, but all participants get a Winterfest towel. That said, you’ll want a blanket to go with the towel by the time you leave the icy water. Trust us on that one.  

Catch the Shadow of the Bear in Cashiers

If you stand alongside US-64 at a certain location in Cashiers around sunset at certain times of year, you’ll witness a natural phenomenon that belongs on any sightseer’s North Carolina bucket list. For only about 30 minutes each day, Whiteside Mountain casts a shadow that continues to grow toward dusk. 

In the shadow’s early stages, you might find yourself attempting to interpret what you’ll see as it morphs, but as the earth and sun align at just the right angle (spoiler alert!), you’ll see the distinct profile of a bear roaming the forest canopy. 

You can see the Shadow of the Bear with all the other leaf peepers who mob the overlook every day from late October to mid-November when it’s known to show, but the real pros know that you can return late in the winter from mid-February to early March to catch it without the crowds.  

Piedmont winter activities 

Pick a Side on Tobacco Road

North Carolina is known for its fervent college basketball fandom, and nowhere is that more apparent than Tobacco Road, which is not an actual place but instead refers to the Triangle-area basketball rivalries between UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, NC State University, and Wake Forest University. 

All four teams are in action all winter long leading up to March Madness to end the season, and you certainly won’t regret seeing a home game at any of the four schools, though Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke) and the Dean Smith Center (UNC) are home to the two teams with the richest traditions of success (and for that reason are both party to the most heated rivalry). 

If you’re looking to see all of them play, head south to Charlotte for the ACC men’s basketball tournament from March 11-15. 

Take a Trip Through Time in Old Salem

Descendants of the early Moravian villagers who first settled in Salem, which would later merge with Winston to become Winston-Salem, didn’t want to let their legacy be forgotten, so in 1950, they formed Old Salem, Inc. 

The organization advocates for the preservation of the town, which remains the longest-standing Moravian village in the country, known as Old Salem Museums & Gardens. But this village is more than just museums and gardens—it looks largely as it did a century ago, providing a trip through time that you won’t soon forget. 

During the holiday season, the village invites visitors to see how the early Moravians blended German and American traditions to shape their Christmas observances in 1800s Salem with special all-in-one holiday ticket pricing, available through Dec. 28. Joy of Christmas evening tours on Fridays and Saturdays allow visitors to explore the history of the Tavern Museum, Vogler House, and Boys’ School in the seasonal tradition.

After that, Old Salem shuts down for January, then reopens in February for a new year of programming. Book a stay at The Zevely Inn and enjoy a winter trip while visiting the St. Philips Moravian Church, home to the African and African-American Moravian congregation, the only historic Moravian African-American congregation in the country, started by enslaved people in Old Salem in 1822. Whatever you do, don’t leave without trying the freshly made Moravian cookies (and bringing some home with you). 

Mix Wellness and Indulgence at Raleigh’s Krispy Kreme Challenge

Billed as a unique challenge of both athletic and gastrointestinal skill, this is a race unlike any other you’re going to find around North Carolina. On Feb. 1, participating runners will five miles and 12 doughnuts in one hour. What started as a challenge among 10 friends has transformed into a nationally publicized charity race and the No. 1 tradition taking place on the NC State University campus.

Here’s the challenge: Runners start at the Memorial Belltower on campus, traveling 2.5 miles through historic downtown Raleigh to the Krispy Kreme located at the intersection of Peace and Person streets, where they attempt to consume a dozen original glazed doughnuts. The hardest part of the challenge awaits them as they run 2.5 miles back to the Memorial Belltower. The goal is to finish before an hour is up. 

You don’t have to be a college student to register, and remember, costumes are encouraged. 

Skate the Rapids at Charlotte’s US National Whitewater Center

The US National Whitewater Center has been providing Charlotte-area residents with a place to run, paddle, ride, climb, kayak, and more since 2006. It’s located on 1,300 acres on the outskirts of the city. In winter, staff drain the humongous man-made whitewater rapids course and place two beautifully lit ice-skating rinks on the upper portion of the course. 

Open from mid-November through mid-February, the site consists of more than 24,000 square feet of unique skating space split into four distinct skating areas, including two ice trails and two free-skate zones. Centered among the skating rinks is an old Airstream trailer from which staff sells cold and hot beverages, including beer and hot cocoa. Bring your own skates or rent one of the regularly sharpened pairs at the facility. New this year is the cask curling, which consists of sliding mini kegs across the ice to compete for points.

Eastern NC winter activities 

Watch the Pickle Drop in Mt. Olive

You will see neither mountain nor olive while driving into Mount Olive, but it won’t be long until you come across a pickle or two. Located an hour’s drive east of Fayetteville, you may know the tiny town of Mount Olive by name, thanks to the popular brand of pickles. Founded in and named after the town in 1926, the Mt. Olive Pickle Company is proud of its hometown, and its hometown is proud of those pickles. Each winter, townsfolk and many out-of-town visitors get together for one of the state’s more bizarre New Year’s Eve traditions: the pickle drop. 

The New Year’s Eve Pickle Drop is exactly what it sounds like. Each year on New Year’s Eve, several thousand people from the town and surrounding areas gather in front of University of Mount Olive’s Kornegay Arena to watch Mount Olive Volunteer Fire Department’s Tower 23 truck lower a giant, glowing pickle into a huge pickle jar to mark the end of the year. Note that, in the interest of keeping things family-friendly, the event does not occur at midnight like many ball drops. Festivities start at 5 p.m. and are all over by 7:30 p.m. The pickle drops at 7 p.m., followed by a fireworks show. 

Beginning with a few Mt. Olive employees in 1999, the Pickle Drop has since become the stuff of legend, drawing several thousand people each and every year (for context, just over 4,000 people live in Mount Olive).

This year’s 25th annual celebration includes live music from the ThrowBack Collaboration Band plus free pickles, food trucks, and a chance to win door prizes for those who contribute to the annual canned food drive for Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC. 

See the Tundra Swans in Rodanthe

Every fall, migratory birds flock to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge in the Outer Banks, and the most spectacular species of them all is the tundra swan. The swans begin to arrive near the end of October, arriving from the far reaches of Canada, and throughout the winter, they continue to accumulate on the NC coast by the thousands. 

At the height of migration, the state hosts an impressive 80% of the entire Eastern tundra swan population. Winter might traditionally be considered the Outer Banks’ offseason, but it offers a flurry of white-winged beauty. 

During migration season, you can spot tundra swans from any of the three impoundments at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The North Pond Wildlife Trail behind the visitors center is a good place to start, and it shouldn’t take much effort—the swans are as loud as they are lovely.

Vibe to tunes at Wilmington’s NC Jazz Festival

Wilmington may be known as a port city surrounded by beaches, but it’s a wonderful place to visit in winter as well. Wilmington is home to one of the largest National Register Historic Districts in the South, allowing visitors to wander through historic house museums like the Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design, Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens, or the Latimer House Museum. You can explore at your own speed with the Wilmington History eTours App. 

If you’re more interested in living in the present, enjoy a weekend filled with performances by some of the greatest traditional and swing jazz musicians from around the world during the ninth annual North Carolina Jazz Festival.

The mission of the North Carolina Jazz Festival is to preserve the traditional American art form of jazz by bringing world-class musicians together in Wilmington for the purpose of entertainment with live jazz performances but also to educate and inspire the next generation of jazz enthusiasts and students through free workshops and professionally led master classes.

This year’s acts include Bill Easley, Bruce Harris, Carlos Garcia Trio, Chuck Redd, Chris Gelb, Christian Garcia, Dillon Goodson, Emily Asher, Herman Burney, Jen Hodge, Gregg Gelb, Jonathan Russell, Ken Peplowski, Kevin Bales, Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Nate Najar, Rossano Sportiello, and Shaye Cohn.  

Go Sledding by the Beach at Jockey’s Ridge

Located on the Outer Banks, Jockey’s Ridge State Park boasts the tallest active sand dune on the East Coast, and winter is the windiest time of year on the ridge. That may not sound appealing at first, until you learn why visitors go to the park in the first place: hang-gliding lessons and kite flying are both favorite pastimes on the dunes. 

If that doesn’t interest you, there’s also sandboarding, which offers all the thrills of snowboarding without the snow by whizzing down the side of a sand dune. Kitty Hawk Kites offers sandboard rentals all year long during park visitation hours. Or you can bring your own sleds of all types to experience winter sledding in a whole new way.

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