12 days in North Carolina Itinerary

Most visitors take a trip to Nags Head to enjoy the beach, but this Outer Banks town offers more than just waterside entertainment.

Family-friendly places like Jockey's Ridge State Park and Nature & Wildlife Tours will thrill your kids. Change things up with these side-trips from Nags Head: Currituck Beach Lighthouse and Museum (in Corolla) and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (in Buxton). There's still lots to do: visit a coastal fixture at Bodie Island Lighthouse, brush up on your knowledge of spirits at Outer Banks Distilling, take a memorable tour with Tours, and meet the residents at North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.

Plan trip to Nags Head with our itinerary maker to find out where to go and what to do.

Sydney, Australia to Nags Head is an approximately 25-hour combination of flight and car. You can also do a combination of train, flight, and car. The time zone difference when traveling from Sydney to Nags Head is minus 15 hours. Prepare for a bit warmer weather when traveling from Sydney in June: high temperatures in Nags Head hover around 32°C and lows are around 24°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 18th (Thu) so you can travel to Charlotte.

A rapidly growing city in central North Carolina, Charlotte is the state's largest urban center and a major regional hub for finance, industry, technology, and entertainment.

On the 19th (Fri), see the interesting displays at NASCAR Hall of Fame, have some family-friendly fun at Escape Kings, and then get in on the family fun at Carowinds. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 20th (Sat): browse the collection at Billy Graham Library and then get curious at Discovery Place Science.

To see other places to visit, more things to do, reviews, and other tourist information, refer to the Charlotte travel itinerary planner .

Traveling by combination of car and flight from Nags Head to Charlotte takes 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of car, bus, and flight. Expect a bit warmer weather when traveling from Nags Head in June: highs in Charlotte hover around 36°C, while lows dip to 22°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 20th (Sat) so you can drive to Blowing Rock.

Blowing Rock is a town in Watauga and Caldwell counties in the U.S. On the 21st (Sun), stop by Mast General Store, let the river carry you with a rafting and tubing tour, and then whizz through the canopy at some of the top local zipline courses and adventure parks.

For other places to visit, maps, more things to do, and tourist information, use the Blowing Rock online tour planner .

Traveling by car from Charlotte to Blowing Rock takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. Prepare for little chillier weather when traveling from Charlotte in June: high temperatures in Blowing Rock hover around 29°C and lows are around 16°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 21st (Sun) to allow enough time to drive to Asheville.

Asheville nestles between two major mountain ranges in the scenic western section of North Carolina.

Kick off your visit on the 22nd (Mon): let your taste buds guide you at a local gastronomic tour and then kick your exploration up a notch at some of the top local zipline courses and adventure parks. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 23rd (Tue): get your game on at Pisgah Forest Gem Mine and then admire all the interesting features of Blue Ridge Pkwy.

To find maps, other places to visit, where to stay, and tourist information, go to the Asheville trip itinerary planner .

You can drive from Blowing Rock to Asheville in 2 hours. Another option is to take a bus. Traveling from Blowing Rock in June, you will find days in Asheville are a bit warmer (33°C), and nights are about the same (19°C). Cap off your sightseeing on the 23rd (Tue) early enough to go by car to Bryson City.

The location of an old Cherokee village, Bryson City embraces a quiet side of the Great Smoky Mountains.

On the 24th (Wed), look for gifts at Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, then try to win big at Casino at Harrah’s Cherokee, and then let the river carry you with a rafting and tubing tour.

To find photos, maps, ratings, and other tourist information, read our Bryson City journey builder website .

Drive from Asheville to Bryson City in 1.5 hours. In June, daily temperatures in Bryson City can reach 32°C, while at night they dip to 17°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Wed) so you can travel back home.