8 of the Most Walkable Towns in North Carolina
North Carolina has always been a top vacation destination. Why, even imperial civilizations from Europe have sent over throngs of their citizens for years to stay a while in the Tar Heel State. Because of the state’s abundance of natural beauty, artistic and cultural attractions, and intriguing historical sites, you can have easy access to a number of destinations. Whether from the rolling mountains to the Atlantic Coast, North Carolina’s most walkable town will allow you to immerse yourself in the community no matter how long you stay. If you're traveling to North Carolina and want a pedestrian-friendly locale, then check out the Tar Heel State’s most walkable small towns.
Hendersonville
Being called the “City of the Four Seasons” means that Hendersonville is a town that offers every form of attraction from spring to winter. Among these natural and cultural treasures you will enjoy are the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jump Off Point, and the Cheers! Trail. The last one is so named after the hit TV show Cheers! as an allusion to the five unique types of craft beverages you can find along the trail.
Aside from a TV reference, Hendersonville also has Wolfe’s Angel Statue, a stone-carved reference to a character from Look Homeward, Angel, which is renowned writer Thomas Wolfe's first novel. Because Hendersonville is part of a much larger community of intertwined neighborhoods, consider visiting the town’s equally splendid partners like Apple Country (Edneyville), Etowah/Horse Shoe, Flat Rock, Fletcher, Laurel Park, Mills River, and Tuxedo/Zirconia/Green River. You can learn all about these neighborhoods at the Henderson County Heritage Museum as well as their contributions during the American Civil War. If you are ever in need of accommodations, then let the Charleston Inn or the Henderson keep you comfortable.
Blowing Rock
There are at least two origins for the name of Blowing Rock. One, the townsfolk found inspiration from the blowing rock cliffs at the Blue Ridge Parkway. And second, a Native American love story called “The Blowing Rocks,” where two lovers from the warring Catawba and Cherokee tribes yearned to find peace and love in disparate social dynamics and dichotomies. Travelers can appreciate Blowing Rock’s riveting past more at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum.
The Moses H. Cone Memorial Park contains an impressive collection of artworks for conservationists. As for those eager to go exploring in the wide and open landscape, you ought to go climbing up the Grandfather, Table Rock, and Hawksbill Mountains. There is also the Bass Lake Trail for scenic travels through the forested slopes, and while you are standing at the top of Thunder Hill Overlook, you can get a perfect vantage over Blowing Rock. Give yourself a grand time while staying in fine lodgings like Blowing Rock at the Chetola Resort.
Chapel Hill
Approximately 25 minutes from Durham and 35 minutes from Raleigh, the biblically beautiful town of Chapel Hill welcomes visitors with the compelling arts and stunning cultures of North Carolina. You will feel like a colorful figure in several paintings as you walk down the mural-painted streets and alongside the artistic architecture of Chapel Hill. Being home to one of the best college towns in North Carolina, the University of North Carolina, you can appreciate the arts and culture of North Carolina at the Ackland Art Museum, which showcases masterpieces from Europe and Asia.
As a liberal and open-minded town that celebrates life, you can attend the Chapel Hill Pride Promenade every June or the Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, which memorializes the emancipation proclamation of enslaved peoples in the US. There are dozens more festivals in Chapel Hill each year, such as the Annual Carolina Jazz Festival in February, the Revolutionary War Living History Day at the Alexander Dickson House in April, the Annual Forest Theatre Summer Giant Puppet Show in August, and so much more. Feel revitalized while traipsing through the North Carolina Botanical Garden, or watch live demonstrations and programs at the Morehead Planetarium & Science Center. But before marveling at the wonder and beauty of Chapel Hill, stash your vacation gear at The Siena Hotel, the Carolina Inn, or Rizzo Center.
Banner Elk
As the premier ski capital of North Carolina, Banner Elk is a gateway to many of the arboreal wonders in the southern portion of the state. Kayak or swim across Wildcat Lake, or pet the adorable llamas and alpacas at the Apple Hill Farm. Survey the whole of Grandfather Mountain and Boone in the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Mile High Swinging Bridge. At the UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve, you can catch a glimpse of some of the wild and wonderful animals frolicking in North Carolina’s wilderness. The historic Tweetsie Railroad allows visitors to travel between Banner Elk, Boone, and Blowing Rock in a triangle filled with untamed forests and mountains. Lastly, delve into the dark Linville Caverns in Humpback Mountain. If you want to know more about Banner Elk, then see the exhibits and murals of the Banner House Museum. And if you want to spend your nights in town, then book a room at either the Perry House Bed & Breakfast or Azalea Inn.
Edenton
On the languid shores of Edenton Bay and Albemarle Sound, travelers can relax at Edenton. As a near-perfect Eden with its 18th-century architecture and laidback ambiance, one can discover the compelling history of the town at the Maritime Underground Railroad. It was there that slaves and fugitives—like abolitionist writer Harriet Jacobs—broke their shackles during the American Civil War. More history can be gleaned at the Chowan County Courthouse, the Cupola House, the Roanoke River Lighthouse, and Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. Last but not least, you should take one of Edenton’s vintage trolley tours through 300 years of history. One of these trolley tours tells of how Edenton was the first colonial capital of North Carolina and also where the first female political action in US history transpired. When all the traveling gets you exhausted, settle down at the Couch House or Hampton Inn.
New Bern
New Bern, located on the Neuse River that leads out into the Atlantic Ocean was the first state capital of North Carolina before Raleigh took the title. The Tryon Palace stands as the former state capitol, replete with lavish gardens, hallways, and vestibules that accommodated governors, legislators, and even George Washington. Come explore the solemn grounds of the New Bern Battlefield Park, where the Battle of New Bern occurred in 1862. Then, pay homage to the fallen soldiers of that battle at the New Bern National Cemetery.
The history of African Americans is most prominent in New Bern, as the Freedmen’s Bureau allied with White charities and Northern missionary communities to educate and support many illiterate and newly freed slaves following Emancipation. And if you are ever walking down the intersection of Neuse, Broad, Roundtree, and Queen streets—popularly known as the Five Points—you might come across an old drugstore from the 1890s where Pepsi Cola was first created.
There is more to discover in New Bern, like learning about the Great Fire of 1922 at the New Bern Firemen’s Museum or gallivanting in the Croatan National Forest. Whatever you decide, remember to first purchase a room at the Bridge Pointe Hotel & Marina, Aerie Bed & Breakfast, or Abbot Zeigler Motel & Suites.
Black Mountain
Travel 25 minutes away from the city of Asheville and into the mystical town of Black Mountain. As a premier resort town within the Black Mountains, the eponymous town was a thriving location for pioneers of the Appalachian arts and culture in the 20th century. One can find serenity and adventure while braving the sinuous trails and tracks in the Mount Mitchell State Park and Pisgah National Forest, one of the 11 most awe-inspiring national forests in the US.
Take photos of the bellowing Andrew’s Geyser or from the top of Black Mount Fire Tower. Every August, attend the Sourwood Festival to celebrate the local ethnicities and communities in Black Mountain. At Catawba Falls, you can let yourself feel relaxed and rejuvenated by the lulling waterfall descending from the mountains. You can also feel the same sense of tranquility while strolling along Lake Tomahawk Park. Do not feel so fretful in Black Mountain because excellent lodgings like the Black Mountain Inn and Lake Eden Retreat will keep you safe and sound in the long evenings.
Brevard
About 50 minutes away from Black Mountain, the lush and vivacious town of Brevard gives travelers access to some of the best and most walkable natural attractions in Transylvania County. One can brave the hundreds of scenic routes in the Gorges State Park, the Nantahala National Forest, and the DuPont State Recreational Forest. You can soak in the iridescent sprays of over 250 mesmerizing waterfalls in the region, such as Looking Glass Falls, Cove Creek Falls, and Daniel Ridge Falls. You can also attend the annual White Squirrel Weekend every May, where the townsfolk celebrate the most adorable and commonplace animal in the region, the white squirrel.
Visit the Silvermont Mansion for some bluegrass music, or tour the grounds of the Allison-Deaver House, the oldest known standing frame house west of the Blue Ridge Mountains since 1815. Pay homage to the veterans of World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the War on Terror at the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas. At the Transylvania Heritage Museum, learn all about the Cherokee, Yuchi, and Creek peoples, whose artifacts can be found deep in the forests. And at cozy establishments like the Sunset Motel and Campbell House, let go of your troubles while spending your walks in Brevard.
Conclusion
Even though Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the airplane for people to take to the skies, you need not travel so fast and far a distance when you are exploring the most walkable towns in North Carolina. Brevard and Black Mountain are surrounded by dynamic and untamed wilderness within trekking convenience. Hendersonville is a composition of tight communities and neighborhoods, each with its own attractions for tourists to cherish. As for others, you will not worry about straying far off course when each town’s amenities are remarkably near to whatever place of residence you will be resting at. In short, you best pack your most durable shoes and pants when you are touring the most walkable towns in North Carolina.
