We at Axios Raleigh and Axios Charlotte are obviously a bit biased, but we believe that North Carolina is the best place to live in the country. If you can't live here, you can plan a visit based on some of our favorite spots.

• Drive a few hours west, and you're surrounded by the dramatic Blue Ridge Mountains. Head east, and you'll find some of the best beaches around. In between, you've got college towns, big cities, rural charm and rich history.

What's happening: Whether you're looking for something adventurous and outdoorsy or crave the hustle and bustle of posh city restaurants, North Carolina's got something for everyone.

Here's a short North Carolina bucket list, based on perspectives from locals.

Explore the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

The most-visited U.S. national park, straddling North Carolina and Tennessee, drew 11.5 million visitors in 2025. You can journey out west to see elk, which were reintroduced to the park in the early 2000s and have been steadily growing in population.

Get outside at the U.S. National Whitewater Center

The Whitewater Center, just west of Charlotte's center city, is a must-visit if you love outdoor adventures. It includes more than 1,300 acres of protected land, more than 40 miles of trails and access to the Catawba River and Long Creek.

• Start your day with a dry activity like rock climbing, zip-lining, or a ropes course before a water activity like whitewater rafting or deep water solo.

Go troll hunting at Dix Park in Raleigh

The 300-acre park on the edge of downtown Raleigh has cemented itself as one of the city's favorite gathering spots. Two of the major draws to the park these days are the Gipson Play Plaza, one of the largest adventure playgrounds in the South, and the addition last year of five troll statues by the Danish artist Thomas Dambo.

• Dambo said the five trolls — the park has two large trolls, the mother and father, and three smaller ones, the children — tell the story of a family of trolls meant to protect nature.

Experience some of the state's best restaurants

North Carolina is home to several James Beard-winning chefs — such as Ashley Christensen, whose 2007 debut of Poole's Diner helped put Raleigh on the national culinary map — and restaurants, such as Chai Pani and Cúrate, which have helped solidify Asheville as a foodie destination.

• Last year, Counter- nabbed Charlotte's first Michelin Star, and the tasting menu restaurant has been buzzing ever since.
• Check out our annual rankings of the best restaurants in the Triangle and Charlotte.

Keep reading for more of our favorite places in North Carolina

We've rounded up a dozen of North Carolina's best beaches — as decided by readers — from the northern Outer Banks to Sunset Beach.

Why it matters: Summer is right around the corner, and North Carolina is one of the finest states in the land for beach season.

Nags Head/Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills

A stretch of well-traveled beaches is synonymous with the OBX acronym, flush with dunes, wildlife and boardwalks.

Great for: A classic North Carolina beach trip, mixed with lots of modern businesses.

Check out: The Wright Brothers National Memorial, which commemorates where brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright took the first successful airplane flight. Or head to Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve for hiking, birding, kayaking and exploring.

Wrightsville Beach

The No. 1 beach, as voted by our readers, Wrightsville is the closest beach to Raleigh and can be thought of as Wilmington's next-door neighbor.

Great for: Plentiful dining options and coffee shops, beach bars, nature trails and surf-friendly waves.

• If your group is the type to want a mix of a relaxing beach day paired with a late night of bar hopping, Wrightsville Beach is the way to go.

Ocracoke

You can only reach this 14-mile-long island by ferry, but when you arrive, the rewards will wash over you.

Great for: A true island retreat.

• Maybe the purest beach you'll find in the state, Ocracoke's shoreline is maintained by the National Park Service and has no hotels or houses. Camp on a moonlit night and feel the immensity of the ocean.

Ocean Isle

Once a remote destination that was nearly washed off the map during Hurricane Hazel in 1954, Ocean Isle now has many amenities you might see in larger cities, from large grocers to a wine shop. But it still feels small and far away.

Great for: Families, fishing and eating.

• The town recently updated its park and playground, complete with two ziplines for kids, and it's good for hours of entertainment.

Full list

🚆 Amtrak tells us the Mardi Gras service line — the train that runs between New Orleans and Mobile — will have its 100,000th passenger today.

• The trains started running in August, after being offline for nearly 20 years. (Axios)
• Chelsea rode the whole line. Her experience.

💊 Louisiana and other states that passed laws targeting pharmacy benefit managers are running into legal challenges that could limit how far the reforms go. (Axios)

👨‍🍳 Chef Emeril Lagasse plans to open two new restaurants this year. (The Times-Picayune🔒)

• The news comes after Lagasse closed 34, his upscale Portuguese restaurant that opened in 2024. Its last day was Jan. 31.

🦞 Yowza! This crawfish-themed New Orleans birthday for a 1-year-old is over the top. (Instagram)

💇‍♀️ Gnarly Barley has a $20 class today to teach adults how to level up their kid's hairstyles. (Facebook)