Highest-rated free things to do in North Carolina, according to Tripadvisor

Because the world hasn’t gotten any cheaper, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in North Carolina using data from TripAdvisor.

It is incredibly expensive to be an American.

While workers in the United States have seen an 80% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven’t caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2024 report from Consumer Affairs.

Between 1970 and 2022, the national consumer price index increased by over 500%, while wages only grew by 80%.That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. The number of cost-burdened households in the U.S. reached an 11-year record in 2022, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

In June 2024, Redfin reported that the median U.S. home sale price hit an all-time high of $394,000.It’s no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that’s enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there’s a roster of completely free things to do in North Carolina.Think about the most common items on a vacation getaway itinerary: sightseeing, touring landmarks, or completing a nature walk. Or, maybe you’re just aiming to relax and want some peace and quiet. Whether you’re a history buff or aching to dip your toes in some cool water, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in North Carolina using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 12, 2024.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#30. Hendrick Motorsports Complex

– Rating: 4.5/5 (458 reviews)
– Address: Stowe Lane Charlotte, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Woolworth Walk

– Rating: 4.5/5 (858 reviews)
– Address: 25 Haywood St. Asheville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Duke University Chapel

– Rating: 5/5 (1,020 reviews)
– Address: 401 Chapel Drive West Campus Durham, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. North Carolina Maritime Museum

– Rating: 4.5/5 (903 reviews)
– Address: 315 Front St. Beaufort, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. Pilot Mountain State Park

– Rating: 4.5/5 (775 reviews)
– Address: 1792 Pilot Knob Park Road Pinnacle, NC Pinnacle, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. North Carolina Museum of History

– Rating: 4.5/5 (936 reviews)
– Address: 5 East Edenton St. Raleigh, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Pisgah National Forest

– Rating: 5/5 (688 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. Fort Macon State Park

– Rating: 5/5 (1,076 reviews)
– Address: 2303 East Fort Macon Road Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Asheville Visitor Center

– Rating: 4.5/5 (851 reviews)
– Address: 36 Montford Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Lexington Glassworks

– Rating: 4.5/5 (984 reviews)
– Address: 81 South Lexington Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

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#20. Freedom Park

– Rating: 4.5/5 (806 reviews)
– Address: 1908 East Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

– Rating: 4.5/5 (786 reviews)
– Address: 3070 Memorial Hwy # 7 Lake Lure, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Basilica of Saint Lawrence

– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,232 reviews)
– Address: 97 Haywood St. Asheville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Airborne and Special Operations Museum

– Rating: 5/5 (1,094 reviews)
– Address: 100 Bragg Blvd. Fayetteville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Cape Hatteras National Seashore

– Rating: 4.5/5 (595 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. DuPont State Recreational Forest

– Rating: 5/5 (788 reviews)
– Address: Staton Road Cedar Mountain, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Mount Mitchell State Park

– Rating: 4.5/5 (805 reviews)
– Address: 2388 State Highway 128 Burnsville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Topsail Island

– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,110 reviews)
– Address: 818 Ocean Blvd. Surf City, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. The Folk Art Center (Southern Highland Craft Guild)

– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,430 reviews)
– Address: Milepost 382 Blue Ridge Parkway Southern Highland Craft Guild Asheville, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Tours & Tastings

– Rating: 5/5 (1,437 reviews)
– Address: 100 Sierra Nevada Way Mills River, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. JOLO Winery & Vineyards

– Rating: 5/5 (930 reviews)
– Address: 219 Jolo Winery Lane Pilot Mountain, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Mingo Falls

– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,239 reviews)
– Address: Big Cove Road Great Smoky Mountains National Park Cherokee, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Pullen Park

– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,300 reviews)
– Address: 520 Ashe Ave. Raleigh, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. North Carolina Museum of Art

– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,843 reviews)
– Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Road Raleigh, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Dry Falls

– Rating: 5/5 (1,640 reviews)
– Address: Us-64 Highlands, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Sarah P. Duke Gardens

– Rating: 5/5 (2,212 reviews)
– Address: 420 Anderson St. Duke University Durham, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Jockey’s Ridge State Park

– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,334 reviews)
– Address: 300 West Carolista Drive Nags Head, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,338 reviews)
– Address: 11 West Jones St. Raleigh, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Billy Graham Library

– Rating: 5/5 (2,503 reviews)
– Address: 4330 Westmont Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
– Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Blue Ridge Parkway

– Rating: 5/5 (6,995 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Zuri White-Gibson, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.