Visit NC Launches 'Real & Rare' GeoTour

RALEIGH, NC (Sept. 19, 2026) — Visit North Carolina zooms in on its map of Real & Rare places with today's launch of the NC Hidden Gems GeoTour, a quest that leads to 15 sites where hidden caches await discovery. With the use of the free Geocaching.com app and their own savvy, seekers can earn a custom geocoin and the pleasures of connecting with one-of-a-kind sites that shape the NC travel experience.

"The NC Hidden Gems GeoTour is an inspiring approach to exploring the weird and wonderful points of interest in our Real & Rare campaign," said Wit Tuttell, Visit NC's executive director. "These are places travelers love to discover, and the GeoTour adds a rewarding dimension for avid geocachers and curious travelers alike."

Members of the NC Geocachers Organization were among those who gathered for this morning's launch celebration at Dix Park in Raleigh. Before the featured event, the geocachers co-sponsored a CITO Across the World trash pickup with Outdoor NC, a Visit NC initiative that embraces outdoor experiences and stewardship. CITO stands for "Cache In Trash Out."

Unique rewards

Real & Rare is a curated collection of more than 50 places with uncommon appeal for natural grandeur, human achievement or pure whimsy that earn them a place on the traveler's bucket list. The 15 sites on the GeoTour embody those qualities on a journey that includes NC's mountain, Piedmont and coastal regions.

From links at VisitNC.com or Geocaching.com, seekers can download the NC Hidden Gems GeoTour passport and begin the quest. Passports are also available at the NC Welcome Centers. For each site, travelers can learn what makes the place real and rare, see hints to the cache location and, once the cache is found, log the code words into their passport. Those who log 10 or more caches will be eligible for a geocoin.  

Those new to geocaching can start the adventure here.

Common ground

The GeoTour launch date coincides with the CITO Across the World observance with members of the geocaching community cleaning up litter, planting trees, restoring habitat, building trails and removing graffiti. The initiative aligns with Outdoor NC's geocaching perspective.

"CITO reflects the values at the heart of the Outdoor NC Leave No Trace Principles," Tuttell said. Outdoor NC, launched in 2021, encourages people to explore the outdoors mindfully by respecting natural and cultural resources, minimizing human impact and caring for places that create memorable experiences.

"The shared values of our Outdoor NC program and Geocaching.com make us appreciate the partnership even more," Tuttell said.

Note: A selection of images from the Real & Rare collection is available for download at this link (credit VisitNC.com unless otherwise specified).

About Visit North Carolina

Visit North Carolina, the state's official destination marketing organization, is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina’s economic development organization. The EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism and film marketing.

The mission of Visit NC is to unify and lead the state in positioning North Carolina as a preferred destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production to maximize economic vitality statewide. Each year, North Carolina welcomes about 40 million visitors who spend nearly $37 billion during their visit. The tourism industry employs more than 230,000 people and generates nearly $2.7 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information, travel ideas and inspiration, go to VisitNC.com.

Contact

Veda Gilbert | Suzanne Brown | Emily Neeley
media@VisitNC.com