Weekend field guide

Weekend Trips from Raleigh

We’ve driven these trips from Raleigh. Some fit into a Saturday. For the national parks, we’d set aside a long weekend.

Mountain route

Mountains and cooler air

In the High Country, you can spend Saturday on a trail and still have time for a brewery in town.

Best fit: Fall color, ridge views, and cooler hiking weather.
Time commitment: Friday through Sunday. Add Monday if you want another day on the trails.
Why it works from Raleigh: If you leave Friday afternoon, you can wake up in the mountains on Saturday.

Coast route

At Carolina Beach, you can split a day between the state park trails and the ocean.

Best fit: Beach walks, swimming weather in summer, and the Flytrap and Sugarloaf trails.
Time commitment: Two nights, or one if you leave Raleigh early.
Why it works from Raleigh: You can drive straight to Carolina Beach and spend both nights in one place.

Small-town route

Ride the Vine Line between wineries in Elkin, or head to Wake Forest for coffee and a walk around the reservoir.

Best fit: Wine tasting in Elkin or an afternoon browsing shops in Wake Forest.
Time commitment: A day in Wake Forest or a weekend in Elkin.
Why it works from Raleigh: Wake Forest is close enough to come home for dinner. Elkin makes a good overnight trip.

Raleigh route

When friends visit, downtown and Dix Park give us two very different ways to spend an afternoon.

Best fit: A self-guided walk downtown or a picnic with a skyline view.
Time commitment: A morning or an afternoon.
Why it works from Raleigh: Our downtown audio walk starts at the Convention Center and ends at Union Station.

Long-weekend route

These are the national parks we’d save for a weekend with an extra day off.

Best fit: A full day for a hike, with time to stop at overlooks on the drive.
Time commitment: Three or four days for Shenandoah.
Why it works from Raleigh: At Shenandoah, allow a day for Old Rag and time to stop along Skyline Drive on the way back.