GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — North Carolina contains countless opportunities for sightseeing and activities.

Our state is home to some of the oldest towns and settlements in the United States. Many of these diverse small towns are absolutely worth a trip if you are ever looking for something to do.

Chimney Rock 

Located in Hickory Nut George just beneath the towering hulk of Chimney Rock Mountain, Chimney Rock Village offers plenty of shops, hotels, restaurants and bars.  Chimney Rock State Park is a huge attraction for visitors. The park features some amazing rock formations, including the one that gives its name and opportunities for rock climbing or hiking to the top of the mountain, where hikers can get a fantastic view of the nearby Lake Lure. If you are not that interested in making the hiking trip, there is an elevator inside the mountain that lifts visitors up to the top of Chimney Rock.

Ocracoke 

Ocracoke Island is the southernmost island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which is accessible by ferry. The island is a perfect place for a relaxing island vacation, with tons of sandy beachfronts and a town full of local businesses.

Nags Head  

Nags Head is a fantastic location for vacations or day trips. Within Nags Head there is a beach that is perfect for swimming, sunbathing, surfing and a town with world-renowned restaurants. Nags Head offers visitors the opportunities for snorkeling, finding old ships in the ocean, kayaking and hang gliding. 

Kitty Hawk

Kitty Hawk is home to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. At the memorial, visitors can explore the grounds and a reconstruction of the camp where the Wright Brothers built their first airplanes as well as a replica of the prototype.

New Bern 

Being one of the oldest towns in the state of North Carolina, it boasts fame for the invention of Pepsi in 1898. Also, New Bern is home to the famous author Nicholas Sparks, and the area serves as the setting for many of his books, including the award-winning novel The Notebook. 

Cherokee

Cherokee is a town inside the Eastern Cherokee Reservation. At the reservation, it offers visitors an amazing view of the Native American culture and history through museums, shops and shows. Also, there are live demonstrations at Oconaluftee Indian Village that will show the visitors what life was like in an 18th-century village. 

Carolina Beach  

The boardwalk at Carolina Beach is famous nationwide for its shops, restaurants, rides and entertainment for visitors of all ages. During the summer, weekly firework shows, regular concerts and events add even more to the experience. On the beach itself, there are many opportunities for sunbathing and watersports, and at nearby Carolina Beach State Park, visitors can wander a sandy trail that leads to an awe-inspiring view of Cape Fear River.

Pisgah National Forrest  

Nature lovers will delight in the thickly wooded slopes of Pisgah National Forest, whose 500,000 acres (about half the area of Rhode Island) are home to hiking trails that extend for more than 1,600 miles (about half the width of the United States) over rivers, past cascading waterfalls and through the beautiful North Carolina wilderness.