North Carolina

Explore 4 articles with North Carolina family trips, tours, and hiking trails

Stories by Charlotte Observer journalists, with AI summarization

North Carolina offers diverse ways to experience its history and outdoors. Take the African American Heritage Driving Tour in Charlotte to learn about the region’s cultural roots. For adventure seekers, explore mountain communities like Boone and Bryson City, where hiking trails and shops have rebounded after storms.

Dive into local nature with easy trails at RibbonWalk Nature Preserve, or take on a challenge at Grandfather Mountain. Guided walking tours, like the NoDa History Walk, connect visitors to both architecture and community stories, blending fresh air with learning.

LaZoom’s Fender Bender tours offer a truly Charlotte experience that blends beer drinking with a tour of a few of the city’s neighborhoods.

NO. 1: NEW TO CHARLOTTE? UNCOVER THE CITY’S SECRETS WITH THESE MUST-TRY LOCAL TOURS

These top tours will have you walking, biking or riding through the Queen City, learning while you mingle or take things at your own pace. Some of them are even free. | Published April 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley

Melissa Oyler at Wolf Rock on Stone Mountain. By Stacia Caliano

NO. 2: 21 BEST HIKING TRAILS NEAR CHARLOTTE, INCLUDING BEGINNER-FRIENDLY AND FULL-DAY HIKES

Ready to explore the Carolinas on foot? This guide highlights fantastic hiking options near Charlotte — or within a couple hours’ drive — for every skill level. | Published April 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Melissa Oyler

Myers Park Country Club’s expansion and renovation project began in 2021. By Charlotte Museum of History

NO. 3: A STEP BACK IN TIME: IF YOU WANT TO KNOW CHARLOTTE, CHECK OUT THESE HISTORIC SPOTS

These award-winning properties beg history buffs and architecture lovers to take a look. | Published April 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley

A bull elk rests in a field at sunset at the Kituwah Farm near Bryson City on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. The farm, owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, is considered the historical mother town and original settlement of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes. By Travis Long

NO. 4: 9 FAMILY-FRIENDLY TRIPS TO TAKE TO THE NC MOUNTAINS THIS SPRING, SUMMER & FALL

After devastating floods last year, many Western NC mountain towns are open for business and need your dollars. Here’s where to go. | Published May 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Martha Quillin

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.