14 North Carolina Tours That Earn the Road Trip

1.2-hour Outer Banks Wild Horse Tour by 4WD Truck

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,449 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) Our pick

Ride with a local guide in an open-air 4WD truck across Corolla’s beach and sand roads. You’ll learn how the horses reached the Outer Banks, search for family groups, visit the Wild Horse Conservation Area, and hear local stories from guides such as Edna, Paul, Ann, John, and Karla. Expect wind, cold weather, and a rough ride.

“It may take some time to find the horses. It gets very cold in November on the truck so dress warm….”

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2.Asheville Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,053 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $26

At 8 pm, follow a local guide through downtown Asheville for about two hours of ghost stories and dark history. Hear about Helen Clevenger, Thomas Wolfe, the Basilica architect, and Civil War spirits while visiting Pack Square, Grove Arcade, Pritchard Park, and more. Guides include Christian, Brian, and Tad. Expect hills, quick walking, and weather exposure.

“Very interesting stories. Learned so much with our guide. It was a pleasured to walked around Ashville and learn the history behind it.”

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3.Charlotte’s Ultimate Southern Charm Historical City Cart Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,347 reviews · 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39

Ride a cushioned, seat-belted golf cart through Charlotte’s Uptown with guides such as Caleb, Darlene, Peyton, and Tremaine. You’ll hear stories about gold mines, Elvis, the Queen City name, Fourth Ward homes, sports venues, churches, cemeteries, and local characters. Blankets and a minibus are available in cold or wet weather.

“Very fun way to see all the sights and learn the history of Charlotte. The tour guide was engaging and very knowledgeable. Blankets were available as well if anyone was cold.”

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4.Asheville Historic Downtown Guided Electric Bike Tour with Scenic Views

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,234 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $75

Ride a comfortable electric bike through Asheville with a local guide, covering the Grove Arcade, Basilica of Saint Lawrence, historic neighborhoods, greenways, and the Omni Grove Park Inn. Guides such as Josh, Torin, Ana, and Leighann are known for clear safety instruction and lively stories. The small group size, easy hills, and scenic stops make this a useful first look at the city.

“Met in the parking lot at the visitor center which had great parking. Met josh the guide there and he went over all the safety features and had us try the bike before our ride. He was attentive and helpful. I appreciate stoping at the sites designated but it was too long at the Omni. Totally get trying to build up the economy after the hurricane but his conversation about the dining at the flat iron and omni idk. Just seemed more sales than authentic. Great ride and fantastic path.”

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5.Charlotte’s Premier Historical City Tour on Eco- Friendly Cart

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,079 reviews · 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39

Ride through Uptown Charlotte and Fourth Ward in a seven-person electric cart with local guides such as Keith, David, Jonathan, Scott, and Kevin. You’ll pass the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Mint Museum, stadiums, museums, and historic homes while hearing stories about Charlotte’s past and present. Open-air seating, hotel pickup for some Uptown groups, and a weather backup add flexibility.

“We toured around the Uptown area and the 4 Wards and learned a lot about the Queen City. The guide was great, highly recommend!”

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6.90 Minute Historic Uptown Neighborhood Segway Tour of Charlotte

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 917 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75

Learn to ride a Segway, then explore Charlotte’s Uptown with guides such as James, Rod, David, or Isaiah. The 90-minute route covers the arts district, Trade and Tryon, Fourth Ward, and The Green. A two-hour option adds historic cemeteries and the Carolina Panthers’ stadium.

“My experience was great. My tour guide did an excellent explaining all about the history of Charlotte.”

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7.Charlotte FUNNY Historical Comedy City BUS Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 684 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $45

Ride through Uptown, South End, NoDa, Plaza Midwood, and Fourth Ward with a local comedian at the microphone. Guides such as Tom, Roxanne, and Shaine mix Charlotte history, music, audience banter, and mature jokes. Bring sealed beer or wine, expect one short stop, and return to 1st Ward Park after about 90 minutes.

“My experience on this tour was great, the host/DJ was awesome! He kept the guest engaged and was very polite to add very funny. I will definitely return next time I’m in the Charlotte area. Two thumbs up for Shain!”

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8.2-Hour Guided Segway Tour of Asheville

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 676 reviews · from $65

Learn to ride a Segway i2, then follow a guide through Asheville’s downtown streets and sidewalks for two hours. Guides such as Marieve and Teddy mix local history, architecture, photo stops, and practical suggestions. The small group size keeps instruction personal, though the equipment may show some wear and offers no storage for water or bags.

“I was very nervous to try Segways, but our tour guide was amazing and helped me learn quickly! I am so glad we got to experience Asheville this way- highly recommend!!”

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9.Blue Ridge Parkway Waterfalls Hiking Tour from Asheville

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 593 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $112

Join guide Tony of Tumblestone Tours for a five-and-a-half-hour outing from Asheville to three waterfalls in Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest. You’ll ride the Blue Ridge Parkway when open, hike about three miles at an easy to moderate pace, and get hotel pickup, drinks, snacks, and local stories in a small group.

“Despite dense fog limiting mountain views, the Blue Ridge Parkway Waterfalls Hiking Tour was wonderful. The 2.7-mile hike was the perfect low-to-moderate level trek with beautiful waterfalls as the highlight. Tony made the trip outstanding—he came prepared with cold water and snacks, shared a wealth of knowledge, and kept an incredibly positive attitude throughout. Highly recommend!”

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10.Carolina History and Haunts Charlotte Historical Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 542 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $27

Walk Charlotte’s Fourth Ward with guides such as Elizabeth or Artie, hearing theatrical tales of ghosts, Revolutionary battles, medical history, gold mines, and haunted houses. The 90-minute tour ends at Old Settlers Cemetery, near the starting point. Expect easy city walking, uneven sidewalks, and a family-friendly mix of history and spooky storytelling.

“Absolutely wonderful! Elizabeth was incredibly theatrical and great at building suspense with her storyline. There was so much everyone in my family learned, from haint blue to Lincoln being assassinated to America’s first gold rush. I would highly recommend this tour, not only for the spooky stories but also for a chance to learn a lot about Charlotte itself!”

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11.Gem Mining and Goat Farm Walking Tour in Hendersonville

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 460 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

At Elijah Mountain Gem Mine and Goat Farm in Hendersonville, you’ll wash mining material through covered flumes, keep the crystals and fossils you find, then visit goats, peacocks, pheasants, and a large crystal and fossil shop. The two-hour visit suits families, couples, and anyone curious about rocks.

“This was such a great experience; even better than expected. We mined 3 large buckets between my son (9), my husband and myself. My kid LOVED it (and so did we). The place is big, has beautiful rocks, gifts, a fun obstacle course for kids, dinosaur statues, shaded tables, a bar, chickens and goats. The workers were kind and professional. Highly recommend this excursion.”

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12.Asheville Insider Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 435 reviews · from $35

Start at Pack Square and walk through Asheville’s story with a local guide. You’ll see the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, Grove Arcade, YMI Cultural Center, Basilica of Saint Lawrence, and Pritchard Park. Guides such as Marilyn, Mary, and Tebbe bring local insight, humor, and personal stories to this small-group tour.

“Our guide was a No Show. We waited 10 minutes, called customer support. Turns out our guide never even looked at his messages to know he had a booking. So disappointing.”

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13.Downtown Asheville Tip-Based Sightseeing Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 360 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $5Best value

Start at Grove Arcade and walk through Pack Square, the Urban Trail, Basilica of Saint Lawrence, Pritchard Park, and Mast General Store. Guides such as Peter, Leah, David, and Judy share local history, food tips, and Asheville stories. Expect an easy-paced English tour for up to 17 people, with drinks, popcorn, and brewery discounts included when available.

“We're 2 friends from Cape Cod and Georgia, who met in Asheville. Neither had been to Asheville before, so took the walking tour to learn about this fabulous city. We were blown away by the tour Peter took us on. He was able to condense history, gossip, politics, architecture, restaurant reviews and effects & comeback of Hurricane Helene in less than 2 hours. Then gave us hints on what we should check out when our tour was over. What a city, but we'd never have appreciated it in the same way without his tour.”

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14.Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 343 reviews · 3 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Meet your certified cicerone at Hi-Wire Brewing for a three-hour walking tour through Asheville’s South Slope beer scene. You’ll sample 10 local beers at three breweries, learn how beer moves from grain to glass, and hear stories about Asheville’s brewing rise. Guides have included Mark, Michael, Cliff, and Jo.

“This tour was very good. Lots of detail information about beer and brewing process. Also gave us Asheville history. Highly recommend. Our guide could answer any questions about beer and brewing beer!😀”

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