The Most Picturesque Small Towns in North Carolina

North Carolina, known as the Tar Heel State, is also known for some excellent natural and historical attributes. Home to half of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with the other half in Tennessee, the beauty of North Carolina can be seen through many such sources. Its coastal beaches, national and state parks, and even mountain peaks, which rival some of the tallest east of the Mississippi River, provide that innate beauty. Yet, the picturesque qualities seen in the smaller towns of North Carolina add that nostalgic hometown charm that can be missed in the shadows of larger cities. From Manteo to Blowing Rock, discover twelve small towns that are some of the most picturesque places in North Carolina.

Manteo

The charming coastal town of Manteo on Roanoke Island is an oasis of subtle beauty. This charming town of less than two thousand people boasts numerous attractions perfect for photography enthusiasts. The North Carolina Aquarium features a diverse array of marine life, from sharks to sea turtles, while the Elizabethan Gardens provide stunning photo opportunities. Jennette’s Pier is renowned among top photography circles, and Festival Park, east of downtown, presents its own unique visual delights, especially when touring the Elizabeth II, a replica of a 16th-century sailing ship used in Sir Walter Raleigh's 1585 voyage.

Southport

Sitting along the Atlantic coast near Bald Head Island and Cape Fear, Southport has many picturesque spots. The Southport Pier, Riverwalk, and Southport Marina provide breathtaking water views. Several museums also call Southport home, like Fort Johnson, built between 1748 & 1764, burned in 1775, and rebuilt between 1794 & 1809; the Southport Maritime Museum, displaying actual Megalodon teeth; and the Old Brunswick County Jail Museum, which was built in 1904. There are many other attractions that make this town of four thousand people a picturesque town, like the lighthouse on Oak Island, which has been active since 1932, and the Old Baldy Lighthouse, built in 1817 and considered to be the oldest lighthouse in all of North Carolina.

Sylva

In the Plott Balsam Mountain Range, south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the quaint town of Sylva is home to Pinnacle Park, Wolf Creek Lake, and the Wesner Bald Overlook, offering panoramic vistas of the mountains. Downtown Sylva also features several photo-worthy spots that require less physical effort. Gallery 1 Sylva, possibly the oldest gallery in Jackson County, and the American Museum of the House Cat, displaying everything an avid cat lover could ever want to learn about, are both in downtown Sylva. Plus, just outside of town, the Nantahala National Forest awaits ample opportunities for a plethora of great photographs.

Beaufort

Beaufort, North Carolina, four hundred miles north of Beaufort, South Carolina, has many great attributes that offer excellent photo opportunities. The Rachel Carson Reserve between the mouths of the North and Newport rivers, the Old Burial Ground, with over three hundred years of local history, and Cedar Island Refuge all present that excellent blending of nature and history. There are several other venues downtown, including a guided tour of the historical aspects of Beaufort on a double-decker bus and an informative visit to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, which displays artifacts from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, as well as a whole whale skeleton. They even showcase events for the children, like the Kid’s Cove, Seashore Life, and Coastal Adventures.

Bryson City

From parts of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Tuckasegee River to the Tunnel to Nowhere and the Tsali Recreation Area, Bryson City boasts many attributes that create a picturesque wilderness. This town of just under two thousand residents also has a downtown area filled with excellent photographic opportunities. The Appalachian Rivers Aquarium offers guests a closer understanding of several species of fresh-water fish in fourteen different tanks, as well as an excellent collection of amphibians, crustaceans, and reptiles in five “terrariums.” There is the Bryson City Farmhouse as well, also known as the Sixty-One Park Farmhouse, which was built in 1911 by James Everett and today holds interesting artifacts from then till now.

Elizabethtown

Hidden away between Fayetteville and Wilmington, Elizabethtown is just south of Cape Fear River, which runs to the Atlantic Ocean after looping around Greensboro to the north. As well as being the 15th oldest town in the entire state, this pastoral town is home to several natural attractions, like Jones Lake State Park and Browns Creek Nature Park. Jones Lake offers hiking, fishing, and even camping, while Browns Creek provides up to eighteen miles of mountain biking and hiking trails. There are several great amenities in downtown Elizabethtown that are worthy of that perfect picture as well, like the Cannonball, which details the town’s one and only Civil War battle, which occurred in 1862 between the Confederates and the Union Army.

Hillsborough

With less than ten thousand permanent residents, the scenic town of Hillsborough is a picturesque oasis just waiting for a camera. Several venues that incorporate nature and history in the best way possible are in the area. Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Park, surrounding the 867-ft tall Occoneechee Mountain, Blackwood Farm Park, and the Riverwalk, traversing alongside the Eno River, all provide that natural aspect while the Burwell School, in operation as a school in the mid-19th century and the Ayr Mount Historic Site, built in 1815, offer the historian that keen taste of the heritage that first built Hillsborough. There are even a variety of cultural attractions in Hillsborough, like the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts and the Eno Gallery, that are well worth seeing.

Blowing Rock

Blowing Rock is best known for its close proximity to the Blowing Rock, a geological formation photographed by thousands of people every year. This picturesque town also offers various other captivating photo opportunities, like the Julian Price Park, and the Glen Burney Trail, which leads to the Glen Marie Falls. Within downtown Blowing Rock, visitors can stop by the Brahm Art & History Museum, showcasing the history of the town and the area, Flat Top Manor, which is within the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, and Tweetsie Railroad, an amusement park in downtown Blowing Rock that includes an exhilarating train ride behind a steam-powered locomotive that is perfect for any age.

Kitty Hawk

To the north of Manteo, across Roanoke Sound, the town of Kitty Hawk is known best as being the home of the first successful flight by Wilbur and Orville Wright, which occurred in 1903. This is commemorated through the Monument to a Century of Flight in downtown Kitty Hawk, as well as through the Wright Brothers National Memorial, six miles south of town in Kill Devil Hills. The town of Kitty Hawk is also home to Sandy Run Park, which is within 1600 miles of marshland known as the Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve. This reserve is dedicated to the preservation of the flora and fauna in the area, including deer, birds, and other wildlife.

Franklin

In the midst of the Nantahala National Forest, around forty miles south of Bryson City, the town of Franklin is home to a plethora of excellent scenic wonders. The Wayah Bald Lookout features an old fire tower first built in 1937, and Pickens Nose offers several rock-climbing options. Both offer breathtaking vistas of the majestic mountains of western North Carolina that are perfect for the camera lens. There are also many photographic attributes in downtown Franklin. Franklin has three museums - the Scottish Tartans, the Franklin Gem & Mineral, and the Macon County Historical - and is home to a wide variety of festivals. Pumpkinfest occurs every October, and the Winter Wonderland Festival happens in December.

Brevard

The town of Brevard, with less than five thousand permanent residents, is a haven for photographic attractions like the many waterfalls in the area. Rainbow Falls, showcasing a majestic 150-foot waterfall, is ten miles to the southeast, Log Hollow Falls and Slick Rock Falls are both in the Pisgah National Forest, slightly to the northwest, and 85-foot Connestee Falls is five miles south of downtown. There are several picturesque attributes even closer to downtown Brevard as well. The Veterans History Museum has several articles honoring veterans from all over North & South Carolina, while Silvermont Park is the home of the Silvermont Mansion, built in the early 20th century. The Jones Gap State Park, also in close proximity to Brevard, offers everything from fishing to camping to kayaking.

Banner Elk

Located west of Julian Price Memorial Park, the quaint town of Banner Elk offers exhilarating natural activities that attract avid outdoor enthusiasts annually. Between the hiking expeditions into the mountains, white-water rafting on Elk River, and camping and hiking in Grandfather Mountain State Park, this small town, with just over a thousand residents, is a photographer’s paradise. There are even a multitude of historical references in downtown Banner Elk, including the elementary school, which was built in the early 1900s, and the Banner House Museum, which was not only the home of Samuel Henry Banner, an early settler of the town but currently allows visitors to experience how Banner and his family lived back in the early 20th century.

Capture the Beauty of North Carolina

So, in conclusion, there are several opportunities for anyone with photographic aspirations in many of the small towns within North Carolina. From the town of Manteo and its Elizabethan Gardens, to Bryson City and the Tuckasegee River, and back to the town of Kitty Hawk with its dedication to American flight through the Wright Brothers, the state of North Carolina is an oasis of natural and historic attributes. All that is left is to remember to pack a camera.