4 North Carolina Spots to Explore With Your BFF — Because Some Trips Are Better With Your Bestie

From yoga in the mountains to a Yadkin Valley wine tour, Cardinal & Pine lists some of the best destinations with your best friend.

In North Carolina, plenty of spots promise amusement and relaxation for a getaway with your BFF. So grab your besties and check out our list of weekend destinations.

Find zen in Boone.

The soaring peaks of the Appalachian Mountains serve as the backdrop for yoga, meditation and other zen pursuits at The Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone. 

The 380-acre sanctuary offers relaxation retreats that include massage therapy, Sri Sri yoga (which incorporates Hatha yoga techniques with the principles of Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), pottery classes, hiking and other activities designed to help you to unplug and unwind. 

On-site accommodations range from simply furnished retreat rooms to fully appointed hotel rooms complete with televisions and refrigerators. 

And the center’s dining hall serves a seasonal menu of dishes, many made with fruits and vegetables grown on site. But carnivores, take note: The center’s food options are vegetarian and they don’t serve alcohol, so you may want to make dinner plans in town if you’re craving a steak or a glass of wine.

Pamper your pals in Cary.

At first blush, Cary might not seem an obvious choice for a weekend of pampering with your best friends, but that’s just what the Triangle city offers at the Umstead Hotel and Spa. 

Tucked away in a 12-acre wooded area off I-40, the Umstead is easy to access but feels removed from the bustle that surrounds it. The luxury resort sits on the banks of a private lake, with waterfront rooms that range from comfortable to the super-luxe presidential suite, complete with a separate living room, two bathrooms and a wine fridge. 

The onsite spa offers pampering treatments like manicures, massages, and facials, as well as a lounge with a whirlpool, steam room and sauna. And if you work up an appetite from all that indulgence, Herons, the resort’s acclaimed restaurant, serves seasonally inspired food made with locally sourced ingredients.

Say ‘cheers’ in Yadkin Valley wine country.

Sure, a weekend in Napa would be nice, but who needs the hassle of a cross-country trek when North Carolina has the Yadkin Valley wine region? 

The state’s first federally recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA)—a defined grape-growing region with specific geographic or climatic features that distinguish it from the surrounding regions and affect how grapes are grown—the Yadkin Valley is home to 20 wineries. 

The area has a temperate climate and loamy soil, as well as a similar latitude to Napa Valley, making it an ideal setting for growing European vinifera grapes and French-American hybrids that produce dry wines like chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot grigio. 

After an afternoon of tastings, settle in at the Mitchell River House, a refurbished country home that sleeps 8-10 and was featured in the Nicholas Sparks movie, “The Longest Ride.”

See artisans at work in Seagrove.

For centuries, the red clay soil in Seagrove has been molded and formed into everything from simple utilitarian items like cups and plates to elaborately colored works of art. 

Today that earth inspires dozens of potters who call the small central North Carolina town home. 

Visitors can tour many of the potters’ studios, enjoying an up-close look at their craft, and shop for local works at more than 50 pottery shops in a 20-mile radius. For overnight stays, check out the Seagrove Stoneware Inn, located in downtown Seagrove in walking distance of several pottery shops.