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Meet NC By Train
All aboard! NC By Train here, and I've connected people and communities across North Carolina for more than three decades, but this year I'm celebrating a different birthday: Thomas Dambo's NC trolls are turning 1.
Dambo is a Danish artist who builds giant sculptures from salvaged wood and other reclaimed materials, and in 2025, he brought a family of seven trolls tied to the legend of the Grandmother Tree to NC. Five live at Dix Park in Raleigh, Little Sally hides in the woods of High Point, and Big Pete with the Big Feet lies in Charlotte's River District. Each one carries a clue to finding the ancient tree.
That's where I come in. My Piedmont trains run between Raleigh and Charlotte multiple times a day with a stop in High Point, so you can visit every troll without sitting in traffic or circling for parking. Settle into your seat, watch the countryside roll by and step off ready to explore — but trolls are only part of the adventure. Raleigh, High Point and Charlotte teamed up with me to share their favorite places to eat, shop and explore in each city. Grab a ticket, pack your walking shoes and come meet the family.
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Big Pete With the Big Feet
Meet Big Pete. You'll recognize him by the feet. Charlotte's troll makes his home in the newly designed River District on the city's west side. Dambo's whole point is that discarded wood can become something worth traveling for, and Pete makes the case in person. Snap the photo, admire the details and keep off the sculpture so he stays standing for the next visitor.
Sullenberger Aviation Museum
Sullenberger Aviation Museum sits on the campus of Charlotte Douglas International Airport and holds more than 40 military, commercial and civilian aircraft. Oral histories, photos and memorabilia fill in the stories of the people who built aviation in the Carolinas. The star at this museum is the actual plane Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger safely landed on the Hudson River in January 2009. The US Airways jet was bound for Charlotte that day — and it finally made it here.
The Whitewater Center
The Whitewater Center makes it possible to paddle the same water where the Olympians train. The man-made river there is the largest in the world, set on a 1,300-acre campus along the Catawba River. Book a rafting trip, then stay for the rest: Ziplines, climbing walls, and miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking fill the grounds. After dark, it turns into one of Charlotte's favorite spots for live music and a cold beer by the water.
Uptown Charlotte
Head into Uptown for plenty of dinner options. Angeline's is the spot for a long Italian dinner with friends, while Fin & Fino gets fresh, sustainably caught fish every day. McNinch House serves an elegant menu with vintage wine pairings in a grand Queen Anne-style house made for special occasions. La Belle Hélène brings classic French dishes and a romantic brasserie feel to date night. End on the rooftop at Merchant & Trade, where the cocktails come with panoramic views of the skyline.
Little Sally
High Point's newest resident has furniture legs for hair. Little Sally was built from reclaimed wood as a tribute to the city's long run as a furniture-making capital. You'll find her in a wooded spot near a former factory, so wear good shoes for the roots and vines along the way. Take as many photos as you like, but skip the climbing. She looks sturdy, but she's still a work of art.
Chelsea on Green
Chelsea on Green gathers more than 40 antique dealers under one roof in downtown High Point. Designers come here hunting for pieces they won't find anywhere else, and you're welcome to browse right alongside them. Expect furniture, decorative accessories and original artwork spanning the 18th through 20th centuries. The showroom is open to the public year-round, except during the spring and fall High Point Market, when the city fills with industry buyers.
Smitty and Pearl’s
Smitty and Pearl’s is High Point’s newest entertainment destination, pairing premium seafood and handcrafted cocktails with a stellar arcade. Three restaurant and bar concepts give it range: the Siren Lounge, Umbo Restaurant & Bar, and The Jungle Bar, each with its own personality. Grab a drink at the walk-up bar, claim a spot on the patio or settle in for a more elevated evening.
Stock + Grain Assembly
Stock + Grain Assembly settles the group dinner debate. The downtown food hall sits near Truist Point, home of the High Point Rockers and Carolina Core FC, and brings together independent vendors serving burgers, sushi, barbecue, sandwiches and cookies. Enjoy a Sally Smash from Smash & Sizzle, or Little Sally Ceasar from Fig & Olive, each giving a nod to Little Sally herself. And for cocktails, it’s Bevelry Bar or Cahoots. Everyone orders what they want from as many counters as they like, then they regroup at the same table. The calendar stays full too, with live music, trivia nights, karaoke, watch parties and Social Saturdays.
Thomas Dambo Trolls at Dix Park
A family of five giant trolls moved into Dix Park in late 2025 — tied for the most Thomas Dambo trolls in one spot in the US. Track them down across 308 acres of pine groves, nature trails and century-old oaks on the edge of downtown Raleigh. Save time for Gipson Play Plaza, where playgrounds, gardens and public art come with skyline views. Visiting and parking are free daily, dawn to dusk, with a free shuttle on weekends.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
NC's most-visited museum spreads millions of specimens across four floors in downtown Raleigh. The star is Dueling Dinosaurs, which made national headlines in 2024: a predator and its prey, preserved together in stone and only on display here. Then walk through a conservatory full of butterflies and peek into working science labs. Other exhibits take you through the state's coastal habitats and out to the edges of the solar system.
Sam Jones BBQ
Fourth-generation pitmaster Sam Jones brought his family's whole-hog tradition to downtown Raleigh in 2021 — and the rules haven't changed in a century. The meat is chopped, never pulled. A sandwich gets slaw. And if it isn't cooked over wood, it isn't barbecue. Each 180-pound hog smokes for about 16 hours before it's chopped with cleavers, while salt, pepper, cider vinegar and hot sauce finish the job. The MICHELIN Guide American South recognized Sam Jones BBQ in 2025.
Carolina Hurricanes game at Lenovo Center
Is Raleigh a hockey town? Absolutely. After years as one of the NHL's best regular-season teams, the Carolina Hurricanes beat Vegas in 2026 to bring the Stanley Cup home for the first time since 2006. Catch a game at Lenovo Center, where fans have earned the arena a reputation as the loudest house in the NHL. Visiting teams hate playing here. We wouldn't have it any other way. The season runs October through April.
This itinerary was produced in partnership with NC By Train, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Visit High Point and Visit Raleigh.