14 Things to Do in North Carolina With Kids (2024 Updated)

North Carolina is one of those severely underrated states that have much more to do than you might expect.

They even have many kid-friendly activities that you can try out when you travel here, especially when bringing your little ones with you.

Most are also things that you’ll enjoy doing, such as traveling through the beautiful mountains or even camping.

Let’s take a deep look at a few of the most fun and engaging things you can do with your kids in this state.

14 Things to Do in North Carolina With Kids

Looking to have some outdoor fun with your kids that they’ll never forget?

Or are you interested in some tasty North Carolina treats?

Perhaps you’re more interested in indoor games or checking out some great shopping destinations.

Well, we have good news for you: no matter what your preference, North Carolina has you covered!

These 14 destinations should keep you and yours happy and excited, no matter where you travel.

Choose carefully to create an amazing trip.

1. Mile High Swinging Bridge

The Mile High Swinging Bridge is on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina and is known as America’s highest suspension footbridge.

Check this out: It’s over 228 feet long and spans an 80-foot chasm.

It’s 100% safe and sturdy, but little ones might find it a little intimidating.

Make sure to talk with them while you cross to ensure that they’re comfortable.

Just as importantly, make sure that you don’t have any fear of heights that you didn’t realize you had.

2. Tweetsie Railroad

At Tweetsie Railroad, you and your kids will have fun riding on a real train throughout the park.

On this three-mile closed track, you’ll watch the engineers fire the engines and feel the raw power of locomotive power.

While you’re here, you can also check out amusement park rides, enjoy some musical entertainment, visit the petting zoo, and even go gem mining.

The latter is a particularly popular option for visitors who want to try to strike it rich on vacation.

3. Jockeys Ridge State Park

Jockeys Ridge State Park is one of the most popular state parks in North Carolina and is typically acclaimed for its beautiful sand dunes.

As the tallest active dune system in the eastern United States, it gives you a beautiful look at the horizon as the sun rises and sets.

While you’re here, you can also check out a fun museum and learn more about the dune’s ecology.

This option is great for a low-cost trip that will entertain and educate your children in equal measure.

4. Children’s Playhouse in Boone

The Children’s Playhouse in Boone is a fun and engaging place to hang out and let your kids experience a uniquely imaginative environment.

Suitable for the very young, this area includes hands-on activities like a dollhouse neighborhood, a train table, and various arts and crafts.

You can also hang out in a ball pit and have fun in various other ways.

This makes a trip here a great way for little ones in your family to learn more about the world around them in various ways.

5. Orchard at Altapass

Feel like getting outside and enjoying some cider and caramel apples in the fall?

Check out the Orchard at Altapass, which features gorgeous apples that you get to pick while you’re visiting!

Then, you’ll watch the experts make cider and apple treats right in front of you.

While you wait, you and your kids can do a fun activity book together, listen to traditional mountain music, or even go walking on a trail.

There’s a lot more to do here than you might think at first!

6. Navitat Canopy Adventures

Navitat Canopy Adventures is a well-known zipline course that includes a 2.5-hour trip led by experienced and professional guides.

You’ll fly through ziplines up to 1,250 feet long and over 200 feet in the air over a beautiful forest canopy.

You’ll even go directly into the woods, which are carefully cleaned to ensure you don’t get hurt.

Try this option if you have older kids or teens or a rather adventurous little one who feels comfortable riding along with you.

7. Pisgah National Forest

If you and your family want the best outdoor adventure possible, it’s worth visiting Pisgah National Forest.

This well-regarded forest includes mile-high peaks, beautiful waterfalls, snowy slopes, hardwood forests, whitewater rivers, and hundreds of miles of trails.

Spread out over 500,000 acres, it’s the kind of park you could visit for weeks at a time every year of your life and never fully understand.

That makes it a fun and relaxing place to hang with your kids.

8. The Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore Estate was built by the legendary Vanderbilt family in 1895 and served as their home for many years.

Nowadays, it’s open to the public and features over 8,000 acres that you can explore through some of the most luxuriant and European-style architecture in America.

You can also check out Antler Hill Village to go dining, shopping, drinking wine, or even check out other exhibits, such as museums, that may teach you more about American history.

9. Winkler Bakery

Want to be part of North Carolina history?

Visit Winkler Bakery.

Built in 1799 and purchased by Christian Winkler in 1807, it stayed in the Winkler family until 1926 and remains the oldest still-operating bakery in America.

Many of the workers wear old-fashioned clothes and produce candy and baked goods that you can’t get anywhere else.

That makes this an excellent place to visit if you want high-quality cakes and other snacks that your children will adore.

10. “Unto These Hills” Outdoor Drama

There’s a lot of Native American history in North Carolina that can be fun to explore if you know where to look.

For example, “Unto These Hills” Outdoor Drama is a unique theater show put on by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

It highlights their beautiful culture, including its many myths and fascinating stories.

Your kids will love the pounding music and the fascinating stories, and you’ll greatly enjoy learning about an important part of our shared history.

11. Linville Falls

Are you looking for something that won’t cost you a dime but that you’ll talk about for years with your kids?

Visit the Linville Falls.

Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, this beautiful waterfall is just a (moderate, so bring your walking shoes) hike away.

The way that it falls out of the cliffside is unique and gorgeous and is something you’ll want to capture on your phone.

Thankfully, you can try multiple vantage points to get the perfect view for your shot.

12. Wright Brothers National Museum

At the Wright Brothers National Museum, you can learn more about the two North Carolina brothers and bike makers who somehow beat the odds and achieved the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903.

This spot features unique camp buildings, interactive exhibits, and many more fun facts.

For example: did you know that one of the Wright Brothers lived long enough to see man land on the moon?

It’s fascinating how quickly flight progressed after that day!

13. Levine Museum of the New South

At Levine Museum of the New South, you can learn more about the somewhat conflicted history of the South, including how it has rebounded since the Civil War and the impact that various social movements have had on its progress.

This museum gives you a specialized look into this history that can help you better understand the unique challenges this region faced and the varying ways that social pressure and movements made it a better place to live.

14. Sarah P. Duke Gardens

Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a bit of a hidden gem in North Carolina.

Located on the Duke University campus, it’s a 55-acre garden that includes over five miles of trails and features four distinct and engaging sections.

There are many adaptable flora to see in the area, as well as benches, picnic tables, and other relaxation spots where you can chill.

If you need a day off from the hustle and bustle of your North Carolina vacation, this is a great place to stop.

North Carolina Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: North Carolina Safety Review

Safety Index:

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Frequently Asked Questions

What other kinds of cool things are there in North Carolina?

Did you know that North Carolina was once home to some of the biggest dinosaurs in the world?

While it’s true that most of the country had dinosaurs and other beasts millions of years ago, it’s believed that North Carolina has some of the best and most intact fossils in the East.

As a result, it’s a fun place to visit if your kids are into dinosaurs: and what kids aren’t?

Are there many big cities in North Carolina?

North Carolina has several very large cities that might be fun to visit, such as Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, and Fayetteville.

Many of these regions have a diverse array of suburbs that also expand the population and things to do.

That said, there are also multiple smaller towns you can visit if you’d rather have a more rural experience instead.

What else should I do while visiting North Carolina?

Why not visit the University of North Carolina?

It’s the nation’s oldest public university and is still in operation.

Along with North Carolina State University and Duke University, it’s one of the biggest and most popular universities in the world.

You can also check out Mount Mitchell, the eastern United States’ highest peak if you think your kids are up for the climb.

Is there anything interesting about the Atlantic Ocean to check out?

North Carolina has a very long maritime history and features multiple museums highlighting its role in the Civil War and beyond.

However, it’s also home to the tallest lighthouse in the US.

Standing 210 feet tall, this lighthouse is in Cape Hatteras and remains a popular tourist attraction.

In fact, there’s only one lighthouse in the whole world that’s any bigger.

14 Things to Do in North Carolina With Kids