
Instead of hiding away in your home all winter season, why not go and explore the state one winter wonderland at a time? While North Carolina might not be an epic winter destination, there’s still plenty to do that’ll get you excited to head outdoors. From chasing frozen waterfalls that you can only see during this month, to snow sports, we’ve got a quick guide of what to cross off your bucket list this winter.
1. Go chase a frozen water fall
From the tallest waterfall in North Carolina, at 114 feet, in the Nantahala National Forest, to Looking Glass Falls, which is one of the most popular waterfalls in Pisgah National Forest, the state’s national forests are full of beauty during the winter. We’d recommend not skipping over Sliding Rock which is near Looking Glass Falls. Sliding Rock, a flat rock that acts as a slide for the rushing river during the summer, is completely frozen over in winter, creating quite an interesting sight.
2. Visit the magical Biltmore Estate covered in snow
Winter at Biltmore is an actual thing. They’ve got a flurry of winter activities to enjoy with the entire family that run from the beginning of January to March 31st. For a bit of culture, you can visit their 2 immersive exhibits, the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit, and then the Italian Renaissance Alive that showcases a bunch of impactful Italian art. Stay overnight in a cozy cottage or within the gorgeous estate and discover the snow-covered wilderness around you, go wine and chocolate tasting, and more.
3. Go tubing or skiing
Looking to hit the slopes? An iconic winter activity, skiing, snowboarding, or tubing can be done not too far outside of Charlotte. Places like Beech Mountain or Sugar Mountain Ski Resort are well suited for all ages, with both resorts spanning a rather big area, with lodges to stay in, restaurants to dine in aprés ski style, and plenty of trails to traverse.
4. Stay in a rustic cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Stay cozy in an A-Line cabin that also has stunning panoramic views of Blue Ridge Mountains covered in snow. A website like BlueRidgeRentals is an easy way to scope out what types of cabins are available, and when, from stunning lodges to more quaint, cozy cabins. With so many beautiful nature around North Carolina, any cabin sounds like a good idea to get cozy in during the winter.
5. Take a foodie tour of Asheville
Asheville recently placed on Trip Advisor’s best of 2023 food destinations, and with good reason. The food scene has been absolutely blowing up there (though we think Charlotte isn’t too far behind), and it was given this coveted call out for a few different reasons. Namely, their micro breweries, local agriculture, farmers markets, and restaurant scene. We’ve written up a guide to some of our favorite restaurants in Asheville if you’d like to take a look.
6. Blowing Rock WinterFest
This weekend, enjoy the 25th annual WinterFest over in Blowing Rock. A family friendly event, WinterFest hosts events like ice sculpture walks so you can enjoy the amazing ice statues created by the talented artists (who demonstrate their craft earlier in the day.) There’ll be live music, a pancake breakfast and beer garden (among other food vendors),