134 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in North Carolina - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in North Carolina

Littleton, North Carolina

Cryptozoology & Paranormal Museum

Bigfoot prints, Feejee mermaids, and haunted dolls on display in a tiny North Carolina town.

Raleigh, North Carolina

Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky

This woodland architectural installation acts as a camera obscura for the heavens.

Hendersonville, North Carolina

Blue Ghost Fireflies

These eerie outliers of the lightning bug family glow a mysteriously blue color, for too long, and it's awesome.

Sylva, North Carolina

Judaculla Rock

Mysterious ancient boulder carved with petroglyphs in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Bryson City, North Carolina

The Road to Nowhere

This road in the Great Smoky Mountains was supposed to assuage a displaced community, but ended up a $52 million dead end.

Hildebran, North Carolina

Abandoned Henry River Mill Village

An abandoned village that doubled as "The Hunger Games"' post-apocalyptic wasteland is up for grabs.

Rougemont, North Carolina

Castle Mont Rouge

A sculptor's dream studio turned fantastical ruin.

Beech Mountain, North Carolina

Land of Oz Theme Park

A former Oz-themed attraction that has fallen into disrepair, but still holds some of the original magic.

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Unique Food & Drink in North Carolina

Snow Cream

Ice cream made with fresh snow is a beloved Southern tradition.

Peanut Pie

The Virginia treat can “make even your deepest-dyed Yankee start complimenting you with a southern accent.”

Deep-Fried Peanuts

You eat the shell, too.

Hoppin' John

This New Year's luck-bringer has a controversial contemporary taste.

See all 15 things to eat in North Carolina See all 15 things to eat in North Carolina

Atlas Obscura Trips

Escape: Forage & Fiddle in Asheville

Harvest wild food and learn about Appalachian culture in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Community Forums / United States / US: South

Top Discussions in the US: South Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
What would you do on a time crunch in DC?	19 December 9, 2019	3057	December 9, 2019
Carolina House with a Natural Cavern underneath	12 April 1, 2020	5478	April 1, 2020
New Orleans suggestions?	15 March 26, 2020	3550	March 26, 2020
Off the beaten path / hidden gems near Nashville?	9 November 20, 2019	2951	November 20, 2019
Nashville Music Shops — seeking recommendations	10 September 12, 2019	939	September 12, 2019

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Stories About North Carolina

Scientists Need Your Sourdough to Solve a Microbial Mystery

For North Carolina researchers, every starter is more data.

by Hannah Thomasy

So you want to tag a great white, do you?

The Carolinas' Mysterious Great White Shark Cluster Is Not Mysterious, Not a Cluster

They're just doing what sharks do.

by Sabrina Imbler

February 14, 2020

An 1826 map of North Carolina, with counties, roads, settlements, and topographical features.

Why North Carolina Is the Most Linguistically Diverse U.S. State

But it might not be that way for much longer.

by Dan Nosowitz

December 11, 2019

How Whopping Whale Skeletons Come to Life at 'Bonehenge'

“Every one of these animals has a story."

December 5, 2019

Etchison rappelling into a mine shaft.

North Carolina’s Abandoned Gold Mines Don’t Have Gold, But Do Have Bats

A deadly disease could devastate these thriving colonies of winged critters.

by Sabrina Imbler

August 14, 2019

The cufflink found at the site of the Brunswick Town tavern.

Found: A Seditious Cufflink From the Colonial Resistance Wardrobe

It holds a semi-secret message of opposition to the king.

by Isaac Schultz

Some of the trees along Black River are more than 2,000 years old.

Some Bald Cypress Trees in This North Carolina Swamp Are Older Than Cleopatra

New research suggests that Black River's gnarled conifers are even more ancient than we thought.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

A tubeworm growing from under an outcrop, surrounded by other deep sea species.

Found: For the First Time, Deep Sea Tube Worms Near the U.S. East Coast

You never know what you'll find when you turn over a rock.

by Jonathan Carey

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