North Carolina Lodging

Our Regions

North Carolina Mountains

The Appalachian mountain chain runs through the western part of North Carolina. The highest peak, Mount Mitchell, in Yancey County, is 6,684 feet high, making it the tallest along the eastern coast of the U.S. The Great Smoky Mountains make this area one of the country’s top scenic attractions. Visitors can enjoy grand vistas of magnificent beauty driving through the mountain ranges on the world-famous, 250-mile Blue Ridge Parkway.

Two-thirds of the mountains are covered with hardwood forests, and in autumn, they create a brilliant, colorful display. Skiing is a popular winter sport, with some areas getting 30 inches of snow a year. Summers are cool and refreshing with low humidity.

Central North Carolina

Encompassing the central part of the state, Central North Carolina is made up of gently rolling foothills—and also boasts of one of the most dynamic economies in the U.S. Here are the state’s largest cities, biggest financial institutions, great universities, industrial centers, textile and furniture factories, distribution facilities, highways, tobacco farms, shopping meccas, top golf courses, historic sites and entertainment offerings.

Although the area enjoys four distinct seasons, temperatures are mild year round—the average wintertime temperature is about 42 degrees, and in summer, it’s 77 degrees. The area also enjoys sunshine for about 210 days a year.

North Carolina Coast

Warmed by the nearby Gulf Stream, the North Carolina Coast is a sunny place filled with pristine beaches and the powerful grandeur of the ocean, giant sand dunes (highest along the East Coast) and wetlands filled with an abundance of wildlife and plants. The defining characteristic of the area is the Outer Banks, a chain of fragile barrier islands with 130 miles of unspoiled coastline surrounded by 900 square miles of water.

The area is also full of history, dating back to the 16th century, when the first English settlement was built—and then vanished. There are also sites from pre-Revolutionary Days and historic lighthouses (including the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, at 208 feet, the tallest on the East Coast), and it was here, at Kitty Hawk, that the Wright Brothers ushered in the era of flight in 1903. The city of Wilmington is a major U.S. seaport. The average annual temperature is 63 degrees; the growing season lasts 295 days.