BONUS: 5 Small Towns in North Carolina to Visit in 2023
There's A Charming Small Town Around Every Corner in NC
As the year winds down, I wanted to put together a small informal list of some incredible places you can really kick your shoes off and unplug in the great state of North Carolina. There is something for everyone below so let’s get right into it.
Mooresville
Where To Stay: There are some Airbnbs downtown but I’m a fan of Aloft Mooresville
What to Eat: Bae’s Burgers is still one of the best burgers I’ve ever had and absolutely wonderful people. Grab dinner at Toucan’s Lakefront. Famous Toastery for brunch.
What to Do: Stop by Summit Coffee for your caffeine fix and soak in the small-town charm. Head out to Lake Norman and rent a boat or shop Antiques Mall on Main St. There are also several bars along the Downtown Mooresville strip, including a distillery and brewhouse. Cheat and head down to Davidson and visit Davidson Wine Co. and Main Street Books. Before leaving Davidson, gran dinner at Kindred.
Carrboro
Where To Stay: Graduate Chapel Hill. Carrboro is quaint, you can catch the bus or rideshare to get to Carrboro in under 5 minutes.
What to Eat: Caffeine fix at Gray Squirrel. The Spotted Dog is a must. Merritt’s Grill is worth the trip off the beaten path. Cheat and grab a burger in Chapel Hill at Al’s Burger Shack.
What to Do: Shop vinyl at All Day Records. Grab a concert at Cat’s Cradle. Lay out on the lawn at Weaver Street Market. Cheat and go see the Target in Chapel Hill as it’s one of the most urban-forward Targets in N.C, occupying the ground floor of luxury apartments.
Hit the greenways and bike paths, arguably one of the most bikeable small towns in North Carolina.
Belmont
Where To Stay: Spend at least two days nearby, Home2Suites by Hilton will have you covered. It’s enough to eat and see in Belmont and surrounding areas to stretch across a day and change.
What to Eat: Caffeine fix at Mugshots. Lunch at Cherubs Cafe. Hit Nellie’s for a nice dinner and Heirloom for fine dining. There’s Station for a casual patio night. Brunch at Honey Comb Cafe. Promise you won’t skip brunch before leaving?! Finally, book a reservation at Drift on Lake Norman to soak in the views.
What to Do: Stop by Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden for sure, it’s such a beautiful attraction. Book a boat at Lake Wylie Boat Rentals. If you’re looking for speakeasy vibes, check out Jailhouse where an old jailhouse was converted into a cigar lounge and cocktail bar. Grab an Uber to downtown Gastonia and check out Whiskgars Cigar Lounge and Webb Custom Kitchen. Not into cigars? Catch a game of baseball in the FUSE District.
Boone
Where To Stay: Horton Hotel. Enough Said.
What to Eat: Caffeine Fix at Kovu’s Coffee. Grab lunch at Wild Craft Eatery. There are plenty of breweries in the Boone area. You have to stop at Appalachian Mountain Brewery. You can’t go wrong with brunch at Proper or Melanie’s
What to Do: You’re in a gorgeous mountain town so certainly find a way to catch the views. Cyclists, check out Rocky Knob Bike Park. Boone United Trail is also a hotspot with just a 2.5-mile hiking loop. If you’re into kayaking, checking out River and Earth Adventure.
Morganton
Where to Stay: I would stay at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Morganton Historic Downtown.
What to Eat: There are plenty of places to eat in Morgantown but I would suggest Treat for lunch and drinks and then root & vine for dinner. Morgantown is also home to one of my favorite NC breweries: Fonta Flora. I would check out their original downtown location for proximity but do venture out to their Whippoorwill Farm location for the views.
What to Do: Visit Beanstalk Ziplines if you aren’t afraid of heights and a little thrill. Cyclists hit the trail out at Catawba Meadow Park. Go vinyl shopping at Green Eggs and Jam or Main Street Jams.
I won’t do any honorable mentions as if I didn’t mention it I wanted to leave room for in-depth overviews of that city. I hope to continue this series in several states I’ve had the pleasure of living in or visiting in the South.
Hope you enjoy and as always, cut loose.