This travel guide is easy on your wallet and focuses on free things to do in North Carolina, from the mountains to the sea!
Traveling through North Carolina doesn’t have to cost a thing. Whether you’re exploring small towns, museums, cultural sites, or oddities, there are tons of free things to do in North Carolina that go far beyond the usual public spaces, like hikes and waterfalls.
And that’s why we created this guide, so you can also find the best no-cost adventures in NC.
Because there are numerous options, we’ve organized this NC travel guide into the following sections:
- Botanical Gardens and Public Spaces
- Festivals, Events, and Seasonal Fun
- Free Museums and Exhibits
- Historic and Cultural Sites
- Offbeat Attractions and Oddities
You can jump to any section or keep scrolling to start this guide from the beginning!
Read More: 100+ Unique Things to Do In North Carolina (Your NC Bucket List)
Botanical Gardens and Public Spaces
These botanical gardens and public spaces are the perfect way to get out and smell the roses:
- Asheville Botanical Garden: You’ll find a collection of native plants and habitats, focusing on the Southern Appalachian Mountain region.
- Coker Arboretum at UNC Chapel Hill: This 5-acre green space on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill is a popular place to get some sun or have a picnic between classes or any time from dawn to dusk.
- Daniel Boone Native Gardens (Boone): The garden is open every day from May to October. It hosts over 200 species of plants, including various native trees and wildflowers.
- Dorothea Dix Park (Raleigh): Aka Dix Park, this is the largest park in Raleigh, home to big open fields, gorgeous meadows, and some of the best views of our Capital City.
- Highlands Botanical Station: This lovely botanical garden contains nearly 500 species of plants, from mosses and ferns to wildflowers and trees.
- JC Raulston Arboretum (Raleigh): The Arboretum has achieved international recognition for its “imaginative use of resources and the excellence of its plant collections.”
- Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden (Kernersville): The Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden is located in the Kernersville Historic Downtown District (near Winston-Salem) and is the only public garden between Raleigh and Charlotte.
- Reynolda Gardens (Winston-Salem): The Reynolda Gardens (part of the Reynolda estate) comprises 16 acres, including a man-made lake, golf course, formal gardens, greenhouses, and woods.
- Sandhills Horticultural Gardens (Pinehurst): The Sandhills Horticultural Gardens cover 32 acres and are maintained and designed by students of the Sandhills Community College.
- Sarah P. Duke Gardens (Durham): Aka Duke Gardens, this beautiful space offers five miles of pathways, a koi pond, terraced gardens, and much more!
- Stanley Rehder Carnivourous Plant Garden (Wilmington): Part of the Piney Ridge Nature Preserve, you’ll find various carnivorous plants, from Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants, and Sundews. This park also has a walking trail.
- Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden (Greensboro): This popular local spot was built to honor the nation’s bicentennial, with 7.5 acres of plantings, various bronze sculptures, a woodland stream, and a sensory garden.
- UNC Botanical Garden (Chapel Hill): The NC Botanical Garden is a conservation garden spread over 1,000 acres across several sites in Chapel Hill. Inside this garden is a botanical garden, an 88-acre forest boasting 3 miles of trails, a forest amphitheater, and various natural areas and preserves.
- Wilkes Community College Gardens (Wilkesboro): The first MerleFest was put on to raise money for what would become the Wilkes Community College Gardens. The Merle Watson Garden of the Senses in Wilkesboro is one of many wonderful gardens at WCC, filled with beautiful plants and even a wall with Braille plaques.
Festivals, Events, and Seasonal Fun
Mark your calendar for these crowd-pleasing (and free) happenings.
Note that these events are free admision, but food, drinks, merchandise, and special events come at an extra cost.
- Art on the Greene in Banner Elk (May, July, and August): During four weekends each summer, Art on the Greene adds art and crafts to the green space at the Historic Banner Elk School.
- Asheville Drum Circles (Fridays, April to October): Of all the days to be in downtown Asheville, choose Friday at around 6:00 p.m. That’s because the weekly Drum Circle begins then!
- Astronomy Days at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh (February): Create a rocket, play a Jeopardy-style game from the Raleigh Astronomy Club, and learn about constellations during the out-of-this-world and kid-friendly fun!
- Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree on Ocracoke Island (end October/beginning of November): This event is a well-produced series of historical reenactments that tells the tale of the world’s most infamous pirate and his demise.
- Boonerang Music and Arts Festival in Boone (June): Boonerang Music & Arts Festival (Boonerang or Boonerang Fest) is an annual event that brings together musicians, local artists, and everyone who lived in Boone or calls it home now!
- Brushy Mountain Apple Festival in North Wilkesboro (October): The massive Brushy Mountain Apple Festival celebrates apple growers and hosts hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, four music stages, and dozens of food vendors.
- Fourth of July Events
Read More: America 250 Events in North Carolina (Red, White, and Blue from the Mountains to the Sea!)
- Lexington Barbecue Festival (October): The Barbecue Festival in Lexington dedicates an entire day to Lexington-style barbecue and even more fun.
- The Cheerwine Festival in Salisbury (May): Take in all things cherry-flavored in Salisbury during the annual Cheerwine Festival. Local arts and craft vendors pair up with Cheerwine-inspired food and beer and family-friendly activities galore!
- Musis, Mush, and Mutts in Shelby (October): Uptown Shelby swells with over 15,000 people for its annual Mush, Music and Mutts Festival.
- NC Hot Sauce Contest in Oxford (September): Get hot and fired up in Historic Oxford, by sampling the food and sauces, participating in pepper-eating contests (at your own risk), and more.
- NC Pickle Fest in Mount Olive (April): The small town of Mount Olive (near Goldsboro) fills with thousands of pickle enthusiasts for NC Pickle Fest. Test your love by joining the Pickle Eating Contest.
- NC Trail Days in Elkin (June): This multi-day event in Elkin mixes outdoor activities (yes, hiking) with kid-friendly fun in the heart of the Yadkin Valley.
- Pinecone Pathways in Moore County (March and April): Pinecone Pathways is a popular and growing event. 100 beautiful custom-made glass pinecones (with special prizes) are hidden along trails in Moore County.
- Piratefest in Greenville (April): You scallywags won’t want to miss the annual Piratefest, hosted along the Tar River in Greenville.
- Small-town Christmas parades (November and December)
- Spring Daze (April) and Lazy Daze (August) in Cary: These annual art festivals in Cary’s Bond Park showcases local artists and craftsmen, with entertainment on four stages, food, and activities for the kids.
- Spruce Pine Alien Festival (June): Formerly known as the SPACE Festival, the Spruce Pine Alien Festival includes 125+ vendors selling UFO and alien merchandise, out of this world food menus, and the chance to compete in a costume contest.
- Veterans Day Celebrations (November)
- Waldensian Festival (August): Valdese’s annual Waldensian Festival unites friends, family, and history. The festival commemorates the Waldensian people and their experiences in the 17th century.
- White Squirrel Weekend in Brevard (May): If you haven’t seen the elusive and famed white squirrel, you can still celebrate this nutty rodent during White Squirrel Weekend.
- Wilson Whirligig Festival (November): The Whirligig Festival surrounds the Vollis P. Simpson Whirligig Park and consumes downtown Wilson with food, arts, and free fun from hundreds of local vendors.
- WNC Bigfoot Festival (August): Marion’s annual WNC Bigfoot Festival is all about the legendary creature that may or may not wander the Northeast US and Marion’s surroundings.
Read More: The NC Tripping Events Calendar
Free Museums and Exhibits
World-class learning and entertainment — for free.
- Aurora Fossil Museum: Dig for shark teeth and other soon-to-be discoveries at the Aurora Fossil Museum. Bring your own shovels or purchase one (or more) from the Visitor Center across the street.
- Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (Hatteras): At the bottom of Hatteras Island, you’ll find the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, which is a commemoration of the 2,000-plus shipwrecks sunk off The Outer Banks.
- Hickory Museum of Art: Just a short walk or drive from downtown Hickory, this museum features more than 2,000 works of art, with a focus on American art from the 19th to the 21st centuries.
- Missiles and More Museum (Topsail Beach): Learn all about Topsail Island’s history, which includes the top-secret rocket launch mission (Operation Bumblebee) that took place here in the 1940s.
- The Museum of North Carolina Minerals (Spruce Pine): At this free museum, you’ll learn about North Carolina minerals and gems and the nearby Spruce Pine Mining District.
- NC Executive Mansion (Raleigh): Since 1891, the North Carolina Executive Mansion has been the home to our governor. Free tours of the home and gardens are available through the Capital Area Visitors Center.
- NC Maritime Museum (Beaufort and Southport): Both Maritime Museums are free admission, and are affiliated with the Graveyard of the Atlantic on Hatteras Island.
- NC Museum of History (Raleigh): Temporarily closed for renovations, we look forward to seeing this FREE museum reopen.
- NC Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh): The NC Museum of Natural Sciences is easy to recognize by the giant metal globe exterior. On the inside, it is filled with beautifully curated exhibits and houses creatures that live in North Carolina.
- NC Museum of Art (Raleigh): The NCMA has a free permanent collection as well as impressive special exhibitions (tickets required). Outside, the Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park trails connect to the Capital Area Greenway.
- NC Music Hall of Fame (Kannapolis): The NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis commemorates North Carolina’s musical heritage.
- Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum (Wilson): Inside the interestingly designed “Roundhouse,” you’ll find a museum that offers insight into African-American life and contributions to the Wilson community, from slavery through today.
- Reed Gold Mine (Midland): Not far from Concord and Charlotte, the Reed Gold Mine is the site of America’s first documented commercial gold find.
- US Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum (Fayetteville): You can easily spend an entire morning (or longer) at the US Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum. The main exhibit starts with the history of airborne and special operations from the 1940s to current units.
Read More: Museums in North Carolina
Historic and Cultural Sites
Explore our historic and cultural sites for free. Some additional offerings do require tickets and all of these places welcome donations, too.
- Bennett Place (Durham): Bennett Place in Durham is where Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston met with his Union counterpart William T. Sherman as part of the largest surrender of the American Civil War.
- Bentonville Battlefield: A visit to Bentonville Battlefield starts at the visitor center, and includes miles of roads that take you around the pivotal Civil War battle site.
- Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum (Gibsonville): In 1901, teacher Charlotte Hawkins Brown established the Alice Freeman Palmer Institute in Gibsonville, near Greensboro. Over 50 years, Brown graduated more than 1,000 African-American students, and you can visit this special place today!
- Folk Art Center (Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 382): The Folk Art Center is the oldest operating craft shop in the United States. With 30,000 square feet and an ADA-accessible trail, this Blue Ridge Parkway stop is a must!
- Fort Fisher State Historic Site: One might not realize as they walk the scenic trail at Fort Fisher that this site was the Civil War’s largest amphibious battle.
- Fort Macon State Park (Atlantic Beach): Fort Macon is wonderful day trip if you’re staying in Atlantic Beach (perhaps Atlantis Lodge?) or Emerald Isle on the Bogue Banks, or Morehead City and Beaufort on the mainland. The fully restored fort hosts a treasure trove of exhibits, and is a popular base fishing and swimming nearby.
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (Manteo): At Fort Raleigh, you can learn about the infamous Lost Colony, its history, and more.
- Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (Greensboro): Commemorating the Revolutionary War Battle of Guilford Courthouse, you can walk, run, drive, or bike around the site’s monument- and tree-lined paths.
- Historic Bath: Bath is the oldest town in North Carolina and was the first port of entry. Today, you can visit and learn while exploring NC’s oldest church (St Thomas), the Palmer-Marsh House, Bonner House, and the Van Der Veer house.
- Historic Halifax: Halifax is one of the most important historical towns in NC’s colonial and revolutionary periods. Today, you can visit the town’s many historic buildings, with some structures dating back to the 1760s.
- Historic Stagville (Durham): Historic Stagville is the former site of a massive plantation in North Carolina. It once housed more than 900 enslaved people, and today, the site is trying to tell the story of those who were forced to live and work here.
- Lejeune Memorial Gardens (Jacksonville): Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville is a powerful place, with monuments dedicated to Americans who fought and died in multiple wars and important moments in our history.
- Moores Creek National Battlefield: Moores Creek is another historic site that commemorates a Revolutionary War battle. We’d argue that the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge stands out because it’s the first significant victory for Patriots in the American Revolution.
- Penelope Barker House (Edenton): The Penelope Barker House honors a North Carolina woman who made history during the American Revolution. In 1774, Penelope Barker organized America’s first recorded women’s political demonstration, also known as the Edenton Tea Party.
- Pullen Park (Raleigh): North Carolina‘s first public park is perfect for family fun, especially those with younger kids. Admission is free while additional amusements (like the train and carousel) require tickets.
- Somerset Place (Creswell): Next to Pettigrew State Park near the Outer Banks, this was once among the South’s largest plantations. You can walk around the site and many of its buildings, which are paired with explanatory exhibit markers.
Offbeat Attractions and Oddities
So far, we’ve shared more conventional picks, but it’s time to think outside the box with more unique and unusual attractions.
- Collettsville Cup House (pictured above): Hidden deep in the hills of Caldwell County, the Collettsville Cup House is a private home is covered wall-to-wall in thousands of colorful coffee mugs, teacups, ceramic pieces, and random trinkets.
- Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park (Wilson): Located in downtown Wilson (or Wilt-son), the park features over 30 towering kinetic sculptures, or “whirligigs,” created by local folk artist Vollis Simpson.
- Judaculla Rock (Cullowhee): Judaculla Rock is one of the most mysterious and sacred petroglyph sites in the southeastern United States. This large soapstone boulder is etched with over 1,500 carvings, which include symbols, figures, and grooves.
- The Last Shell in Winston-Salem: Once a staple of gas stations across the United States, the “clamshell” canopy design is now a relic of mid-century architecture.
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport Observation Park: Not necessarily an oddity (but certainly unique!), the RDU Observation Park is a great way to experience the only place named Raleigh-Durham. You can watch planes and there’s even a playground for the kids to play!
- Sand Castle at Jockey’s Ridge State Park (Nags Head): Jockey’s Ridge State Park is home to the tallest active sand dune on the East Coast. Along US-158 and across from Kitty Hawk Kites, you’ll find a concrete sandcastle weathered by decades of wind, salt, and sand.
- Shangri-La Stone Village (Prospect Hill): Shangri-La Stone Village is in Caswell County and was built from concrete, imagination, and decades of dedication.
- World’s Largest Chest of Drawers (High Point): Standing 38 feet tall, the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers is a towering tribute to High Point’s long reign as the “Furniture Capital of the World.”
- World’s Largest Frying Pan (Rose Hill): You’ll find the World’s Largest Frying Pan in Duplin County. Built in 1963 to celebrate the local poultry industry, this 15-foot-diameter steel skillet can hold up to 365 chickens at once.
What are Your Favorite Free Things to Do in North Carolina?
North Carolina is home to so many adventures that don’t come with a price tag.
Whether you’re exploring your own backyard or planning a road trip, these free things to do are a reminder that you don’t have to spend big to make lasting memories.
Before we let you continue your NC travels, we’d love to hear from you! Did you already have your go-to list of free things to do in North Carolina? Or do you have any favorites from this guide to share?
If so, let us know in the comments!
More Things to Do (Free and Not-Free)
If you loved this list, be sure to check out our collection of travel guides for even more free (and low-cost) ideas across NC.
Here are a few to keep you exploring this wonderful state!
