10 Most Eccentric Towns in North Carolina
North Carolina is far quirkier than most travelers expect. Scattered across its mountains, piedmont, and coastal plains are dozens of towns with personalities that defy convention. Some celebrate caterpillar races to predict winter weather. Others honor a notorious pirate who once called their streets home. A few have embraced their strangest residents, whether those residents are white squirrels descended from a carnival escape or painted pig sculptures lining downtown sidewalks. These ten towns prove that the Tar Heel State has a sense of humor and a deep appreciation for the unusual.
Mount Airy
This foothills town served as the real-life inspiration for the fictional Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show, and locals have leaned into that connection with gusto. Visitors can hop into a vintage Ford Galaxie 500 squad car for a Mayberry Squad Car Tour that departs from Wally's Service Station and cruises past Andy Griffith's childhood home, the world's largest open-face granite quarry visible from space, and other landmarks tied to the show. The Andy Griffith Museum, adjacent to the Andy Griffith Playhouse, holds over 1,000 pieces of memorabilia spanning Griffith's career. Meanwhile, Snappy Lunch, open since 1923 and the only actual Mount Airy business ever mentioned by name on the show, serves a legendary pork chop sandwich smothered in chili and slaw. Live bluegrass fills the Historic Earle Theatre on weekends, where WPAQ's Saturday Morning Merry-Go-Round has broadcast continuously since 1948.
Hot Springs
The only town in North Carolina with natural hot mineral springs, Hot Springs sits at the confluence of the French Broad River and Spring Creek in the Appalachian Mountains. Native Americans discovered these 100-plus-degree waters centuries ago, and by the late 1800s, a 200-room luxury resort with North Carolina's first golf course drew celebrities and politicians seeking therapeutic soaks. Today, the Hot Springs Resort & Spa pipes naturally warmed water into private outdoor tubs along the riverbanks, where guests can soak beneath the stars while listening to the current.
The Appalachian Trail runs directly through downtown, making this a popular resupply stop for thru-hikers, and the Lover's Leap Hiking Trail rewards a moderate climb with 360-degree mountain views. Rafters and kayakers tackle Class II and III rapids on the French Broad, while anglers cast for trout in the designated Mountain Heritage Trout Waters of Spring Creek. Six miles outside town, Paint Rock rises 107 feet above the French Broad River, bearing Native American pictographs estimated at 5,000 years old. Created by the Cherokee Paint Clan, the red and yellow geometric designs served as a sacred waypoint for pilgrims traveling to the healing springs. For panoramic views stretching into Tennessee, the Rich Mountain Fire Tower, a restored 31-foot lookout at 3,643 feet elevation, can be reached by car or via a section of the Appalachian Trail from Tanyard Gap.
Brevard
This Blue Ridge Mountain town has built its identity around white squirrels, a genetic variant of the eastern gray squirrel that arrived here in 1949 after reportedly escaping from an overturned carnival truck in Florida. Today, roughly one-third of Brevard's squirrel population sports the distinctive white coat with dark eyes and subtle gray head patches. The city designated itself a sanctuary for these creatures in 1986, and visitors flock to Brevard College, Silvermont Mansion & Park, and Franklin Park hoping to spot them.
The White Squirrel Weekend each Memorial Day weekend transforms downtown into a celebration of the furry mascots with vendors, live music, and guided squirrel-spotting tours. Beyond the rodent fame, Transylvania County surrounding Brevard holds over 250 waterfalls, earning it the nickname "Land of Waterfalls," and the Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest offer miles of hiking trails and swimming holes.
Little Switzerland
Judge Heriot Clarkson founded this summer colony in 1910 after deciding the sweeping panoramas of deep valleys and distant ranges resembled the Swiss Alps. The community, perched at 3,468 feet along the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 334, embraced the theme wholeheartedly, and many buildings still feature Old World Swiss chalet architecture. The Switzerland Inn anchors the tiny hamlet, while Little Switzerland Books & Beans stuffs multiple rooms of a converted house with thousands of used titles and fresh pastries. Motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts prize the nearby Diamondback (NC Route 226A), a 12-mile stretch featuring over 190 curves through the Pisgah National Forest. Just a short drive away, the Historic Orchard at Altapass provides a taste of Appalachian culture with its historic apple orchard, live music, storytelling, and hayrides against a backdrop of beautiful mountain views.
Beech Mountain
At 5,506 feet above sea level, Beech Mountain holds the title of the highest incorporated town in the Eastern United States. A trip here is defined by its unique local businesses and outdoor adventures. Your first stop should be the Beech Mountain Visitor Center to get oriented with trail maps and local tips. From there, no visit is complete without stepping into Fred’s General Mercantile, a beloved fixture since 1979 that lives up to its slogan: “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it”. This classic general store is a treasure trove of everything from groceries and hardware to unique local gifts.
For exploration, the town maintains a nearly 30-mile network of trails perfect for hiking and mountain biking. The crown jewel is the Emerald Outback Trails, a 7-mile network of paths along the ridgeline above 5,000 feet, offering hikers and bikers soaring mountain vistas. For a more relaxed outing, the paved Buckeye Recreation Center Loop is perfect for a gentle walk, jog, or pushing a stroller. The Buckeye Recreation Center itself provides a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities, including a gym and playgrounds.
Saluda
This tiny town on the edge of Polk County rose to prominence thanks to the Saluda Grade, which was the steepest standard-gauge mainline railway in the United States until Norfolk Southern ceased operations in 2001. The Saluda Depot & Museum tells the story of the Saluda Grade. Each year on the first Saturday after July 4th, over 15,000 visitors descend on this town of 630 residents for Coon Dog Day, a festival that began in 1963 and features a parade, live bluegrass, a 5K race, and, of course, competitions showcasing coon hounds known for their distinctive bark and keen sense of smell. The celebration ends with square dancing under the stars. Nearby Pearson's Falls offers a gentle quarter-mile walk to a 90-foot cascade, while the Green River provides some of the most challenging whitewater in the eastern United States.
Oriental
This coastal village owes its unusual name to a Civil War shipwreck. The steamship Oriental ran aground off Bodie Island in 1862, and when the town's first postmaster's wife discovered the vessel's nameplate washed up on the Outer Banks, she insisted the settlement take the name. Today, Oriental brands itself the "Sailing Capital of North Carolina," and the numbers prove it: nearly 3,000 boats call this harbor home, outnumbering the human population more than three to one. The Oriental Cup Regatta draws sailors each September, while informal races fill the waters most Wednesdays and Saturdays from May through fall. The town's eccentricity peaks on New Year's Eve, when a handmade dragon parades down Hodges Street at 8 p.m. and again at midnight to drive away evil spirits, followed by the dropping of a giant croaker fish sculpture. That same fish inspires the annual Croaker Festival each July, when parades, live music, craft vendors, and harbor fireworks celebrate the Atlantic croaker and the community's fishing heritage. The Oriental History Museum displays a porthole from the original shipwreck, and Lou Mac Park offers waterfront views of sailboats gliding across the Neuse River.
Banner Elk
This High Country village at the foot of Beech Mountain has hosted the Woolly Worm Festival every third weekend of October since 1978. According to Appalachian folklore, the 13 bands on a woolly worm (actually a woolly bear caterpillar that becomes an Isabella tiger moth) correspond to the 13 weeks of winter, with darker bands predicting harsher weather.
A visit here offers a blend of the cultivated and the wild. You can sample award-winning wines at the Banner Elk Winery, which offers tours and tastings on its scenic estate. For a different kind of local flavor, the Banner Elk Café& Tavern is a beloved spot for Southern-inspired breakfast and lunch. Beyond the fuzzy prognosticators, Banner Elk sits minutes from Grandfather Mountain with its Mile High Swinging Bridge, the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster, and Sugar Mountain ski resort.
Bath
Chartered on March 8, 1705, Bath holds the distinction of being North Carolina's oldest town and its first port of entry. The settlement briefly served as the colonial capital and weathered political rebellions, yellow fever epidemics, and the Tuscarora War before acquiring its most notorious resident: Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard the pirate. The reformed buccaneer settled here in 1718, befriended the colonial governor, reportedly married a local woman, and used the town as one of his bases before meeting his end at Ocracoke. Today, the North Carolina Historic Bath & NC Historic Site preserves this layered history across 13 acres, including the Palmer-Marsh House (circa 1751, one of the oldest surviving homes in the state) and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, built in 1734 and still standing as North Carolina's oldest church building. Walking the original town limits takes barely an hour, but the Blackbeard lore, waterfront views along the Pamlico River, and handful of historic structures make Bath feel like a portal to another century. The Bonner House, a classic example of a Carolina farmhouse, offers a look at 19th-century life.
Lexington
Located in the Piedmont, Lexington proudly carries the title of "Barbecue Capital of North Carolina." This town's entire identity is steeped in the tradition of pork shoulder smoked over hickory coals, a method that has been perfected here for generations. The cityscape is dotted with family-run pits, each with its own loyal following and subtle variations on the iconic Lexington-style dip. The Lexington Barbecue Festival, held each October since 1984, draws up to 200,000 visitors to nine blocks of Main Street for cook-offs, live music on multiple stages, and the "Hogway Speedway" pig races.
Between festivals, decorated fiberglass pig sculptures from the Pigs in the City public art initiative line downtown sidewalks, each one painted by local artists with themes ranging from Pigahontas to Mr. Porkwrench. Lexington Barbecue, open since 1962, remains the flagship restaurant where many pilgrims begin their smoked-pork education. Beyond the smoke, you can delve into the history of this craft at the Davidson County Historical Museum, which details the area's furniture and barbecue heritage. For a change of pace, the Bob Timberlake Gallery showcases the highly detailed American realist art of its namesake, one of North Carolina's most celebrated artists.
Embracing the Odd and Unexpected
What makes these ten towns remarkable is not just their individual quirks but their wholehearted commitment to them. Residents of Brevard do not merely tolerate their white squirrels; they throw festivals in their honor. Lexington does not simply serve barbecue; it builds an entire identity around smoked pork and painted pigs. From a mountaintop theme park where Dorothy still walks the yellow brick road to a coastal village that drops a giant fish sculpture at midnight on New Year's Eve, North Carolina's small towns reveal a state that refuses to take itself too seriously. These communities remind travelers that the most memorable destinations are often the ones bold enough to celebrate what makes them different. Pack a sense of adventure and an open mind, and let these eccentric corners of the Tar Heel State surprise you.
