North Carolina has two national historic sites, the Carl Sandburg Home in Flat Rock and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in Manteo. The Carl Sandburg Home honors the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author of the same name. The Fort Raleigh Site encompasses pieces of the first English colonies in the New World from the late 1500s on Roanoke Island.
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is in Kill Devil Hills and celebrates the first flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore covers a vast line of undeveloped land on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Authorized as the nation's first national seashore in 1937, it stretches almost 70 miles and boasts a historic weather station and several lighthouses.
The Cape Lookout National Seashore encompasses three islands and contains a lighthouse. Modestly inhabited, this 56-mile stretch can only be reached by boat or ferry.
North Carolina has three national historic trails and one scenic parkway. The Appalachian Trail weaves through several states and remains popular among hikers. The Overmountain Victory Historic Trail traces the pathway of American militia in the Revolutionary War through several states. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail follows the route of the forced relocation of the Cherokee people from their home in North Carolina to their final destination in Oklahoma.
A scenic parkway that stretches across several states, the Blue Ridge Parkway follows a beautiful, slow pathway through the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and enjoys high popularity among the locals.
North Carolina has five coastal state parks, scattered across the Outer Banks and the mainland shores, as well as nine more in the eastern region of the state. These parks display the beauty of the coastal region and wetlands. Carolina Beach State Park can be found on the mainland and is frequented by boaters and anglers. Goose Creek State Park includes a wetlands camping area along the Pamlico River. Dismal Swamp State Park has a variety of plant life and many biking trails, making it popular with both bikers and hikers alike.
Fourteen state parks exist in the mountainous areas of North Carolina. This includes Mount Mitchell State Park, which boasts the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River. A hiker can find waterfalls in Hanging Rock State Park or Alarka Laurel Preserve along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Boaters can find their fun at Lakes James or Lake Norman state parks.
