The roads in and through the Great Smoky Mountains feature all the elements that make for a great motorcycle tour: spectacular vistas, uncrowded roads, sweeping curves and an abundance of roadside attractions.
Morrow Mountain State Park in Stanly County is one of the highest points in North Carolina’s Piedmont region. Whether you’re hiking, horseback riding, camping, paddling, fishing, swimming or simply taking in the view, this park offers a rare mix of highland beauty and accessible outdoor experiences, all just an hour from Charlotte.
For a unique, off-the-grid outdoor experience, Roanoke River Platform Camping offers campsites that fully immerse you in the wild beauty of Eastern North Carolina, including some paddle-in-only sites. Along the Lower Roanoke section, you’ll find platforms built above quiet waters and swamplands, ideal for those seeking solitude, wildlife sightings and star-filled skies.
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, situated on the Albemarle Peninsula in Eastern NC, is a haven for wildlife and one of the last strongholds of endangered red wolves. Established in 1984 to preserve rare pocosin wetlands — peat-rich ecosystems with unique, shrubby vegetation — the refuge also boasts swamp forests, marshes and an incredible diversity of wildlife. Black bears, river otters and wintering waterfowl thrive in this 152,000-acre sanctuary.
The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail winds through Western North Carolina, tracing the route of Patriot militia who crossed the rugged Blue Ridge in 1780 on their way to a decisive victory at Kings Mountain. This stretch of trail not only honors the march that changed the course of the Revolutionary War, it invites modern travelers to walk through the same passes, forests and foothills that tested those original Overmountain men.
The North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers some of the most diverse and accessible adventures in the Southern Appalachians — from the mist-draped ridgelines of Kuwohi to the trout-filled creeks of Deep Creek and the wide-open meadows of Cat
In Halifax County, Sylvan Heights Bird Park offers a truly global experience with no passport required. Home to the world’s largest collection of rare and endangered waterfowl, the park features more than 2,500 birds from around the world, including swans, parrots, cranes, owls, toucans, flamingos and an astonishing variety of ducks, geese and pheasants.
With its striking black-and-white diamond pattern, Cape Lookout Lighthouse stands as one of the Outer Banks’s most iconic coastal landmarks and certainly one of its most remote.
Just outside the Triad cities, Hanging Rock State Park spans more than 9,000 acres of hardwood forest, sheer cliffs, quiet coves and elegant waterfalls, all stitched together by a trail system that rewards both casual walkers and serious trekkers.
Recognized instantly by its soaring Big Pinnacle, Pilot Mountain State Park rises above the rolling hills of the Piedmont and delivers some of the most dramatic views in North Carolina. Just 20 miles north of Winston-Salem, this state park draws hikers, climbers, paddlers and photographers with its mix of quartzite cliffs, scenic trails and riverfront access along the Yadkin.