USA Holidays
Sample itineraries
Exploring North Carolina
From £955
From the incredible Smoky Mountains to the sublime coast, North Carolina offers a holiday of true variety, featuring natural beauty, history, arts and adventure as well as 500 golf courses and a bevy of wineries.
The Smoky Mountains offer hiking, rafting, wildlife viewing and wonderful scenery. Central North Carolina has one-of-a-kind shopping, dynamic cities and is the “heart” of the thrilling NASCAR. The stunning Outer Banks offer lighthouses, pretty hamlets, 300 miles of unspoiled beach, fascinating Pirate history and the lore of "The Lost Colony"
Highlights:
- Charlotte
- The Smoky Mountains
-
The scenic Blue Ridge Parkway
- Biltmore Estate
- North Carolina Wineries
- Old Salem
- Wright Brothers National Memorial
- The Outer Banks and the glorious beaches
-
Pirate History and Maritime Heritage
-
Seafood restaurants & pretty villages
-
The "Lost Colony"
-
Ocracoke and Cedar Island
- Historic Beaufort
- Cape Fear Region
- Wilmington and it's historic waterfront
-
Delicious North Carolina cuisine and some of the friendliest people in the USA!
Price per person includes:
- Flights from the UK to Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Airport taxes
- Compact car hire for the duration
- 10 night's accommodation
Ideal time to travel: March - November
Days 1-2 Charlotte
Captivating, colourful, and cosmopolitan, Charlotte is eager to introduce itself to you! With character to spare, it's no secret that Charlotte delivers cultural distractions and attractions, dining and nightlife for every persuasion, and a Southern ambiance all its own.
During your two night stay in this lively city be sure to experience the Richard Petty Driving Experience, or for the you ladies, relish in retail therapy at Concord Mills or Southpark Mall.
If you like museums you'll adore the Levine Museum of the New South or the Mint Museum of Art.
Head off to neighbouring Gaston County and spend time at the beautiful Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. Named one of the nation's "20 Great Gardens".. Fancy something a bit more energetic? Visit the US Whitewater Centre and raft the world's largest man-made whitewater river!
Charlotte has big city style with home-town appeal, you'll be sure to fill your stay here easily....
Days 3-4 Asheville
Distance: 131 miles
Set in Western North Carolina in the foothills of the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, the Asheville area is named a must-see destination by Frommer's. It boasts a thriving arts community, diverse outdoor adventures, a vibrant and inviting downtown, numerous historic and architectural attractions, and unique shopping options.
Nearby you can visit the Cherokee Heritage Centre and learn about the life of the Cherokee Indian during the time of the Cherokee nation and their removal along the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. Or explore part of the scenic 469 mile Blue Ridge Parkway, where you'll have access to picnic sites, hiking trails and incredible overlooks.
Be sure to visit America's largest home, the mighty Biltmore Estate, complete with 8,000 acres of magnificent gardens and vineyards. You'll love the Historic Biltmore Village where you'll experience shopping at a new level with unique stores and quaint galleries located within historic 19th century era homes and buildings.
Day 5 Winston-Salem
Distance: 145 miles
Leave the glorious Smoky Mountains behind as you make your way from Asheville to Winston-Salem.
Your journey will take you along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, stop at Blowing Rock for stunning views and continue on down this famous highway for views of Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak on the Blue Ridge. If you are in this region in The Fall, the colours will be spectacular!
Fancy a spot of lunch somewhere special en route? Stop in Yadkin Valley and sample some of North Carolina's diverse and unique wineries, complete with quaint little eateries.
Arrive into Winston-Salem and head for Old Salem Museums & Gardens, America's most comprehensive history
attraction. The three museums - the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early
Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) and the Old Salem Toy Museum - will engage you
in an educational and memorable historical experience about those who lived and
worked in the early South.
Day 6 Raleigh and Durham
Distance: 102 miles
It's a short drive today to Raleigh Durham, the state capital.
In Durham, travel back in history while visiting the place where the Civil War ended, Bennett Historic Site.
You'll enjoy Brightleaf Square where brick tobacco warehouses are a quaint backdrop as you dine on delicious North Carolina cuisine and experience interesting shopping opportunities.
In nearby Smithfield, pop into the Ava Gardner Museum and view the large collection of memorabillia that this Academy Award Winning Actress collected over her years on the silver screen.
Day 7 Kitty Hawk-Outer Banks region
Distance: 225 miles
It's time now to head for the North Carolina coast, and do you have a treat in store for you!
The coast and islands that make up the Outer Banks region of North Carolina are unforgettable and known as America's Beach..
The Outer Banks is a playground for adventure in the outdoors! Try hang gliding for the first time on the giant sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head, or kayak along the shallow flats and backwaters of Hatteras Island, in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge where hundreds of species of birds nest and feed throughout the year on their annual migrations along the American Flyway.
Step aboard a replica
16th century sailing vessel, Elizabeth II, and learn about life on the high seas
in the age of discovery and colonialism.
Visit the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum and learn about the 1,000’s of shipwrecks offshore including the U.S.S. Monitor and World War II submarines. America’s Beach is home to some of the largest remaining tracts of undeveloped seashore in the United States along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where you will find the tallest lighthouse in North America at Cape Hatteras, one of five lighthouses on the Outer Banks.
Day 8 Ocracoke Island-Outer Banks
Distance: 85 miles
Split your stay in the Outer Banks between Kitty Hawk in the north and Ocracoke Island in the south. Sit back and enjoy the leisurely, scenic drive and the hop-on-hop-off car ferry rides as you make your way along this undiscovered slice of America.
If you love mystery and folk lore, take time to stop at Roanoke Island and learn about the mysterious "Lost Colony".
Before Jamestown and Plymouth settlements a group of 120 men and women bravely sailed over from England and established a colony on Roanoke Island in 1587. Life on the Island was difficult and they became low on much needed supplies so the Governor sent John White back to England in the summer of 1587. However, due to war he was unable to return until 1590, when he did arrive, the entire colony had vanished leaving one clue carved into a post, the word, CROATIAN. The fate of these people was never discovered, although there are some interesting theories. It remains today one of America's most intriguing mysteries. The story of the Lost Colony is performed under the stars at the Waterside Theatre on Roanoke Island.
Arrive in quaint Oracoke Island (which was named the top beach in America by "Dr Beach" in 2007) and enjoy picturesque small .
Days 9-10 Wilmington
Distance: 139 miles
Leave the Outer Banks behind as you take the ferry from Ocracoke Island to Cedar Island, a small fishing village on highway 12 in eastern North Carolina. It's know for its seafood, wild horses and a unique way of life. This part of North Carolina is known as the Crystal Coast and is a joy to discover.
En route to Wilmington, stop at Beaufort and stroll along the pretty tree-lined streets and historic waterfront.
Learn about North Carolina's rich maritime heritage in the North Carolina Maritime Museum. View the Blackbeard exhibit highlighting artefacts recovered from the shipwreck believed to be from the infamous Pirate's former flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge.
Arrive in Wilmington, relaxed and refreshed..
This charming port city is located between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean.
Wilmington, the county seat of New Hanover County, was incorporated in 1739 and was originally situated on seven hills located on the east side of the Cape Fear River. It was named in honour of Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, who was a patron of North Carolina's Governor at the time. To this day, visitors are reminded of its rich history by the grand old homes and tree-lined boulevards making Wilmington one of the most beautiful small cities in the south.
Day 11 Charlotte
Distance: 175 miles
Head back to Charlotte for your flight home to the UK.
Want to extend your time in North Carolina? Or perhaps pop across the border into South Carolina, Virginia or Tennessee? Call Bon Voyage to discuss the options available to you.
