Two free NC travel spots rank as some of the nation’s best. What makes them special?
If you’re hoping to have fun on a budget, two North Carolina spots may have you covered.
That’s because the destinations were named some of the nation’s best free places to visit. JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh ranks No. 6 and Great Smoky Mountains National Park is No. 8 on a list of “wallet-friendly wonders,” according to results published Wednesday, June 26.
“Travel doesn’t have to be expensive,” USA Today’s 10Best wrote in its report. “Some of the best attractions in the United States are completely free.”
To create the rankings, 10Best editors and travel experts chose their picks for the nation’s top no-cost attractions. Then, readers got to vote on their favorites up to one time per day over the course of a month.
What makes the free NC destinations special?
The resulting list of readers’ choice award winners was released just in time for summer trips. Among the free North Carolina destinations, JC Raulston Arboretum ranked the highest.
The arboretum, part of N.C. State University in Raleigh, said it’s a widely acclaimed garden and has “one of the largest and most diverse collections of landscape plants adapted for landscape use in the southeast United States.”
In addition to taking strolls through the arboretum, “visitors can also take part in the many events and educational programming offered to explore more about gardening and plants,” 10Best wrote.
Also making the list was Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which lies along the Tennessee border. The “massive, preserved space” welcomed more than 13 million visitors in 2023, making it the most popular national park, data show.
While admission to the park is free, travelers who drive face parking fees. Inside, 10Best said there are several activities to enjoy without spending a lot of money.
“Biking and hiking trails lead to scenic marvels across the Smokies, and picnic pavilions and campsites can be found throughout much of the park,” 10Best wrote.
Across the country, the top-ranking free attraction is Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, a roughly 85-mile drive north from Miami. In the past, 10Best has told McClatchy News that it doesn’t share how many people vote in its contests.
The results come as 10Best named readers’ choice award winners in other budget-friendly vacation categories. Among those with North Carolina ties, Casey’s Buffet in Wilmington ranks as the nation’s fifth-best place to get an “all-you-can-eat fix.”
