3 NC attractions rank among the best things to do in the US, according to Tripadvisor
If you’re looking for activities to add to your summer bucket list, you may want to venture out to a few North Carolina attractions that were named among the top rated in the U.S.
As part of its annual Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best awards, Tripadvisor released a list of the best things to do across the country.
Of all the popular experiences and attractions to check out, here’s which ones in North Carolina were based on a high volume of “above-and-beyond reviews” on Tripadvisor:
Top attractions: Biltmore in Asheville (#15)
Best amusement and water parks: Carowinds in Charlotte (#22)
Family-friendly activities: Gem Mining and Goat Farm Walking Tour at Elijah Mountain Gem Mine in Hendersonville (#6)
Biltmore
Location: 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803
The Biltmore, an 8,000-acre estate, is the largest privately owned home in the U.S. with 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. The French Renaissance chateau, which was constructed in 1889, has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state year-round.
Whether you’re making a day trip or planning an overnight stay, there are a wide variety of activities to do at the 250-room estate, including hiking, wine tastings, carriage rides, guided tours and more.
Carowinds
Location: 14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273
Carowinds, nestled along the North Carolina-South Carolina border, is where “the Carolinas come together for fun.”
The 400-acre amusement park, which opened back in 1973, is more than five times larger than it was five decades ago — with more than 60 rides and the Carolina Harbor Waterpark with multiple high-speed water slides, a wave pool, play structures, a kids’ area and a lazy river.
Elijah Mountain Gem Mine
Location: 2120 Brevard Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791
Elijah Mountain Gem Mine is a “premiere mining destination” in the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the largest gemstone store in the state, you can go on a treasure hunt for fossils, rubies, emeralds, garnets, sapphires, amethyst, citrine, quartz, moonstone, fossils, geodes and more to take home or even made into a pendant.
The gem mine is also home to a goat farm, where you can feed, pet and take pictures with the goats, along with an aviary, obstacle course and pond for picnics.
You can find a full list of the 2024 Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best winners of the top-rated things to do online at tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-ThingsToDo.
This story was originally published June 28, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "3 NC attractions rank among the best things to do in the US, according to Tripadvisor."
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