Charlotte’s Best Excursions

Most Unusual Architecture [1]: Korner’s Folly [1] was designed as a showroom for a local architect and has ceilings of differing heights, trap doors, pivoting windows, and secret hiding places.

Best Place to Step Back in Time [2]: The Moravian settlement of Old Salem [2] was first occupied in 1766. Several of the original buildings have been preserved and act as a living-history museum.

Tastiest Sweets in North Carolina [3]: At Winkler Bakery [3], sugar cakes and sweet breads are still made using the same techniques the Moravians used in the 1800s.

Most Picturesque Place for a Sunday Drive [4]: There is a reason that the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway [4] is called “America’s favorite drive”: The scenery between the Shenandoah Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains is among the most beautiful in the nation.

Best Place to Find Fine Art [5]: Celebrated North Carolina artist Bob Timberlake has assembled a collection of prints, lithographs, and original works depicting life in North Carolina at the Bob Timberlake Gallery [5].

Best Place to Find Cookware and Kitsch [6]: The Mast General Store [6] was founded in 1883 and still acts as a supermarket, hardware store, clothing shop, and community gathering spot for locals. The historic store carries everything from cookware and cookie mix to bolts and rocking chairs.

Prettiest Inn [7]: There is nothing ragged about the Inn at Ragged Gardens [7], which is a former summer home built in the 1900s.

Best Place to Board a Battleship [8]: Heralded for its successes in World War II battles, the 45,000-ton warship, Battleship North Carolina, [8] now serves as a museum and a tribute to the North Carolina soldiers who died during the war.

Best Place to Spot a Celebrity [9]: More than 350 movies and TV shows have been shot on the studio lot at EUE Screen Gems Studios [9], making it the biggest production facility outside of California. Look for celebrities while you’re on the studio tour.