Firsts That Last
Travel to North Carolina, where you’ll experience firsts that turn into moments you’ll never forget. With stunning mountains, vibrant cities and pristine beaches, just one experience in NC could be everlasting. So we invited some visitors to share stories that are uniquely their own. Watch the Firsts That Last films we curated – each based on a true vacation.
Make It Your Nature
It's up to every single one of us to take care of North Carolina's outdoors. Do your part and take the Outdoor NC Pledge. Once you do, you'll be entered to win an ENO Leave No Trace DoubleNest Hammock.
Summer in NC
Float lazily down a river in our mountains, sip on chilled wine on a patio or learn a new watersport along 300 miles of coastline during a summer trip you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Dream Big in Small Town NC
With mountain views, waterfronts, historic downtowns and more, our small-town hidden gems sure do shine bright. Come for a visit, live like a local, and let us help – enter to win a trip to one of 16 communities across the state.
Show Us How You #VisitNC
Share your vacation shots using our hashtag on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook for your chance to be featured.

#raleigh #raleighnc #rdu #raleighdurham #raleighdurhamnc #trianglenc #visitnc #dji #aerialphotography #dronephotography

This Fuji X-T3 camera in RAW format is powerful 😍 it truly is amazing how many details it captures. Do you shoot in RAW or JPG?

OPTIMIST HALL! Hands down my favorite place in Charlotte to take my whole family for a meal with 💯 agreement! So many great food vendors to choose from, lots of seating, parking, and much more! So it was a ton of fun photographing the storefronts for my client @ratzlaffconstruction who did 7 of the upfits there! I may even drop a cool hype video... 🤔. Have a great Sunday everyone! I tagged all the amazing restaurants at @optimisthallclt so check them out for lunch sometime soon! . 📷: @the5and2project . #eatlocal #shoplocal #supportlocal #704 #keeppounding #cltvideographer #charlottenc #cltphotographer #qcphotographer #qcvideographer #northcharlotte #campnorthend #optimistpark #optimisthall #exploreclt #cltguide #scoopcharlotte #clt.today #thingstodoincharlotte #discoverclt #charlottesgotalot #cltiscreative #yelpclt #dji #djiphotography #cltnc #optimist #foodcourt

Had a beautiful weekend in the mountains. Started with a treetop cabana soak, a little gambling in Cherokee, hiking, tubing, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Not pictured my near death experience tubing 🦋🍃🍄🎰🏔🛁 #latergram #collectmomentsnotthings #lakeview #freakinnature

I think I photographed wave bioluminescence! Completely unexpected - and the blue glow only shows up in one frame from my whole night. My first time ever seeing/photographing it... CRAZY cool. Corolla, NC (OBX). 4/11/22 4:30 am #milkyway #milkywaychasers #milkywaygalaxy #astrophotography #starrynight #corolla #obx #northcarolina #visitnc #bioluminescence #beach #neverstopexploring #outdoors #outdoorliving #longexposure_shots

"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights" - Bram Stoker Capturing this long exposure light trail with the carolinatheatregso turned out the way I visioned it. #througheddieslens #greensboro #visitgso #northcarolina #visitnc #streetshared #aov #weekly_feature #createexploretakeover #shotzdelight #mkexplore #gearednomad #rsa_streetview #imaginatones #hsdailyfeature #longexposure #longexposure_shots #nightphotography #ic_longexpo #global_hotshotz #longexpohunter #magicpict #night_shooterz #dream_image #longexposurephotography #fujifeed #myfujifilm #fujixclub #fujiframez #fujifilmxseries

If you haven’t been up to see the colors in their peak, you better make like a tree & 🍂 You’re welcome. 😂 honestly, the time I spent up here this weekend really spoke to my soul. Conversations 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 the heart are special, conversations 𝘰𝘧 the heart just hit different. #apowellphoto #nikon #nikonphotos #nikoncolors #fallnc #ncmountains #fallcolors #sunset #colorsofnc #chimneys #tablerock #linvillegorge #letstalkaboutfaith #howsyourheart

📍Tryon Palace from Outlander // very Bridgerton vibes. . . #bridgerton #tryonpalace #outlander #nc #visitnc #northcarolina #explore #dametraveler

Waterfalls and sunrises are two of my favorite outdoor experiences. What happens when you combine the two? #sunrise #waterfallsunrise #magicalsunrise #orangesky #mountainsunrise #chasingsunrises #sunriseadventure #morning #goodmorning #morningmeditation #morningmotivation #ncsunrise #northcarolinasunrise #waterfallmorning #chasingwaterfalls #waterfallwednesday #waterfalladventures #ncwaterfalls #northcarolinawaterfalls #waterfalllongexposure #waterfallphotography #sunrisephotography #northcarolina #dupontstateforest #highfalls #highfallsdupontforest