‘Charming’ main street in NC town ranks among best in the nation. Here’s why
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- A North Carolina town has one of the nation’s best main streets, a new report finds.
- Main Street in Waynesville is known for shopping, food and entertainment.
- To create the list, USA Today's 10Best turned to travel experts, editors and readers.
A North Carolina town is nestled in the mountains, and one of its attractions will “steal your heart.”
Waynesville ranks No. 2 on a list of the nation’s best places with “charming main streets,” according to results published Wednesday, April 15.
“Main streets across the United States are experiencing a renaissance,” USA Today’s 10Best wrote in its report. “Once abandoned and boarded up as people shifted to the suburbs, these iconic thoroughfares are now thriving.”
To determine the best main streets, 10Best said it asked travel experts for nominations. Editors narrowed down the list and then turned it over to readers, who could vote on their favorites over the course of a month.
Why Waynesville ranks high
On the resulting list of readers’ choice award winners, Waynesville was the only place in North Carolina to earn a spot in the top 10. The town, a roughly 30-mile drive west from Asheville, is home to nearly 11,000 people.
“Waynesville’s charming Main Street is the perfect place for picking up artisan gifts, indulging in retail therapy at boutiques, or even hunting down treasures at antique stores,” 10Best wrote in its report. “Enjoy some delicious Appalachian cuisine at one of their many eateries or even treat yourself to a local craft beer after a day of hiking in the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”
But the shopping and food scenes aren’t the only highlights. The town’s Main Street also is home to festivals and live music performances, according to the Downtown Waynesville Commission.
“Waynesville’s strong showing is a testament to its authentic Appalachian heritage, welcoming atmosphere, beautiful landscape and Hallmark-movie-like vibe,” the commission wrote in an April 15 news release about the 10Best win.
Other fan-favorite NC destinations
It’s not the first time the hub of a North Carolina city has been honored. Hickory, a roughly 55-mile drive northwest from Charlotte, was home to one of the nation’s most-loved main streets in 2024, The News & Observer previously reported.
This time around, 10Best said the No. 1 main street in the country was in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a roughly 60-mile drive north from Philadelphia. Here are the other towns that rounded out the top five:
- Emporia, Kansas, at No. 3
- Howell, Michigan, at No. 4
- Paso Robles, California, at No. 5
The results were part of a 10Best competition that named the top public spaces across the United States. Here’s how North Carolina destinations fared in other categories:
- Carolina Beach Boardwalk at No. 4 in best boardwalks
- Dix Park in Raleigh at No. 5 in best city parks
- The Nest at Downtown Cary Park at No. 2 in best playgrounds
- Gipson Play Plaza at Dix Park in Raleigh at No. 3 in best playgrounds
- Wilmington Riverwalk at No. 7 in best riverwalks
In the past, 10Best has told The N&O it doesn’t reveal the number of people who vote in its contests.
This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 10:03 AM with the headline "‘Charming’ main street in NC town ranks among best in the nation. Here’s why."
