If you head up the Florida coast in your campervan, you’ll find yourself in North Carolina in just 11 hours. From there, you can start your road trip and travel from the Tar-Heel state’s beautiful beaches to its gorgeous mountains. Of course, having a campervan makes it much easier to stop and take advantage of all of the popular locations, so we have created a list of our favorite camping destinations for your North Carolina road trip.
Carolina Beach State Park
For your first stop, we recommend that you visit Carolina Beach State Park. There are more than 700 acres for hiking and fishing. It also happens to be one of the few places in the United States where you can see a Venus flytrap growing in the wild! If you want a break from the park, you can get a tan at Carolina Beach or drive 13 miles up the road to visit Historic Downtown Wilmington, where you’ll find a Riverwalk full of shops, restaurants, and more!
Source: North Carolina State Parks
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
From there, we suggest that you continue your trip up the coast and camp at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where you can fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. Though you’ve probably seen plenty of beaches as a Florida native, the Outer Banks is one of the longest barrier islands in the United States! You also have the opportunity to climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for a birds-eye view of the islands.
Hanging Rock State Park
As you make your way across the state towards the mountains, you won’t want to miss Hanging Rock State Park. Not only does it have five stunning waterfalls, but it also gets its name for one of the state’s most iconic rock formations. At the namesake Hanging Rock, you can take in all 8,600 acres of the park, and if you have a travel companion or tripod, you can even add an impressive photo to your social media feed.
Mount Mitchell State Park
Next on our list, we have Mount Mitchell State Park, which is home to the highest point east of the Mississippi. This is an obvious must-see because it allows travelers to take in a complete 360 view, which makes for some unbelievable sunrises and sunsets!
Pisgah National Forest
Though it isn’t far from the previous stop, Pisgah National Forest can’t be left out of your road trip because it takes you on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which has been appropriately named “America’s Favorite Drive.” Not to mention, the stop is close to Asheville, so you can easily stop by the historic Biltmore mansion, grab a craft beer, or explore the mural-covered streets.
If you’re looking for even more adventure, you can drive about two hours west from the forest to visit the Great Smoky Mountains. This popular mountain chain starts west of the Pigeon River in North Carolina and extend further into Tennessee.
Has this list left you inspired to road trip through North Carolina in a sleeper van rental? If
so, you’ve come to the right place! We encourage you to contact Ondevan Campervan
