About NC
From the Appalachian Mountains to the rolling land of the Piedmont to 300 miles of white sandy beaches: Scenic beauty, a culture rich in history and the arts, and world-class sports and recreational opportunities make NC an exceptional place to live.
Highlights from Across NC
Moving to North Carolina?
The Basics
Getting a driver's license is required before you can register your vehicle. Vehicle registration is required within 30 days of moving here or soon after obtaining a job within the state. Don't forget to register to vote too!
Schools in NC
North Carolina is proud to have been the first in the nation to address learning standards, student tests and school accountability simultaneously. North Carolina boasts 50+ colleges and universities, including 17 public universities, as well as a robust community college system.
Other
Visit NC
From the Mountains to the Coast
When you visit the incredible beauty of North Carolina, you’ll be transformed back into your best self. Feel recharged by our vibrant cities, hike to breathtaking mountain vistas that help you breathe easier, and find your inner peace outside by exploring our sandy shores.
Get back to a better place. Get back to North Carolina.
Natural Beauty
When people think of North Carolina, the word that comes to mind first is 'beautiful.' North Carolina is a diverse land, home to both mountains and sea, with more than 120 species of trees. The state's mountains are the perfect vantage point for viewing the brilliant kaleidoscope of colors they produce each fall. We have 300 miles of white sandy beaches, more than any other Atlantic Coast state except Florida.
North Carolina is rich in resources, with a stunning array of wild creatures, from painted buntings to white-tailed deer, bog turtles and our native brook trout. This is a great state for hunting (opens in new tab), fishing (opens in new tab), boating (opens in new tab), and wildlife viewing, from one of our 10 national parks (opens in new tab) or in one of the 41 locations that are currently part of our state parks system (opens in new tab).
Arts and Culture
Cultural and educational experiences are plentiful. The nation’s first state-supported symphony (opens in new tab) and art museum (opens in new tab) continue to flourish in the state. Along with celebrated Native American and Civil War roots, we also commemorate the Wright Brothers’ first moments of flight. (opens in new tab)
Summer theaters, wineries, craft breweries and festivals abound throughout the state, as does outdoor drama (opens in new tab). A nationally recognized zoological park (opens in new tab) and extensive system of aquariums (opens in new tab) support wildlife education.
North Carolina's roots are in farming and agriculture. Visit NC Farms (opens in new tab) to discover more than 400 destinations of local farms and fisheries, farmers markets, pick your own operations, local food and drink, farm stays and lodging, tours and trails, and community events.
History and Heritage
We're rich in history and culture. Deep in the Great Smoky Mountains, visitors can experience one of the state's greatest cultural treasures: the tradition, fine arts, music and dance of the 10,000-year-old Cherokee culture. Across the state, battlefields and other sites tell tales of NC history in the Civil War. The Wright Brothers' National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills commemorates the first moments of flight that changed the world and forever linked the state to one of aviation's greatest triumphs.
Recreation and Sports
Recreational opportunities range from celebrated golf courses to outdoor sports, to college and professional athletics. The state’s beaches, national and state parks, and mountains offer boating, kayaking, fishing, hiking and skiing. Outdoor recreation areas include the Blue Ridge Parkway (opens in new tab), Cape Hatteras (opens in new tab) and Cape Lookout (opens in new tab) national seashores, and 41 state parks and recreation areas. (opens in new tab)
North Carolina is recognized worldwide for its more than 550 golf courses. Pinehurst (opens in new tab), established in 1895, is considered the home of American golf. Pinehurst most recently hosted the U.S. Open in 2014. Pinehurst No. 2 will be home to the U.S. Open for the fourth time in 25 years when the national championship returns to Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in 2024.
When you’d rather watch sports than participate, North Carolina boasts an array of professional football, hockey, basketball and baseball teams. The Carolina Hurricanes (opens in new tab) hoisted hockey’s biggest honor, the 2006 Stanley Cup. North Carolina is the heart of the stock car racing (opens in new tab) world.
Four universities in the Atlantic Coast Conference (opens in new tab), including North Carolina State University (opens in new tab), The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (opens in new tab), Wake Forest University (opens in new tab) and Duke University (opens in new tab), provide plenty of sports rivalry. National Collegiate Athletic Association Conference (opens in new tab) contenders North Carolina Central University (opens in new tab) and Appalachian State University (opens in new tab) also compete nationally with the latter winning back-to-back championships.
NCpedia
NCpedia is an online encyclopedia about North Carolina, U.S.A. It is considered a trusted resource for North Carolina information. Contributors include professional and independent historians, librarians and archivists, museum professionals and many subject specialists.
On This Day in North Carolina History
The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Office of Archives and History and the State Library bring you a daily blog featuring historically significant events that have occurred throughout our state.