10 North Carolina towns that look like real-life fairy tales
These North Carolina towns look like fairy tales with their charming allure and whimsical scenery. Check out these stunning options for your next road trip.
We in North Carolina know that our state is one of the most stunning in the country. Even if we don’t get credit for it from outsiders, there’s no denying the beauty that comes with such environmental diversity as we have here. It’s the reason so many North Carolina towns are perfect vacation spots—you can find a lovely beach town where you can kick your feet up as you sip summery drinks, or you can spend a weekend in a town surrounded by nature, ready to lace up your hiking boots and explore.
There’s no wrong answer when visiting North Carolina, but we’re here to highlight some towns that have the characteristics of classic fairy tales, from enchanting scenery to town squares that make you feel like you’re walking through an eighteenth-century story in Europe. Without further ado, here are 10 North Carolina towns you really need to put on your bucket list if you want to be swept off your feet faster than Cinderella married Prince Charming.
1. Banner Elk
Many North Carolina towns have swoon-worthy scenery, but few are as gorgeous as Banner Elk. Visiting this small town will make you feel like you stepped into your own retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”—except there’s no need to eat anyone else’s porridge. In addition to naturescapes that take your breath away, especially in the fall when the mountains and forests turn a blazing red, Banner Elk has a roaring culinary scene that will keep any and all food desires deliciously sated.
In Banner Elk, you can admire carefully curated flower patches, visit an alpaca farm to be one with animals à la Snow White, or bring out your rugged ambitions like Kristoff from “Frozen” and hike some local mountain trails. No matter your course, your destination is fun—and you’ll thank us later for the recommendation.
2. Asheville
Asheville is the largest locale on this list, but it still packs the quaint charm that the other North Carolina towns here do. Asheville is surrounded by stunning forestry like the towns in many classic fairy tales, and its architecture evokes the old styles depicted in classic Disney films. Maybe you’ll spot a building that looks like one in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” or perhaps you’ll see scenery that reminds you of the beautifully green and mossy DunBroch in Pixar’s “Brave.”
Perhaps one of the most fairy-tale aspects of Asheville is how focused it is on individual craftsmen and vendors. You can find small businesses of all kinds across the city, whether you’re looking for art, a new book, homemade desserts—the list goes on. This feels particularly French, almost like you’re walking the streets of France like Belle in “The Beauty and the Beast.” Bonjour, indeed!
3. Bryson City
Where Asheville specializes in the small-town charm found in many classic fairy tales, Bryson City is anchored by natural magic. This is one of the many North Carolina towns surrounded by mountains and forests, and because of this, it’s incredibly easy to head out for a full day of exploring like Tarzan—only please don’t swing from any vines you come across. When you need a break, you can laze by the cool, refreshing waters of Fontana Lake. It’s simultaneously relaxing and beautiful, so there’s no beating it.
Bryson City’s also a popular fairy tale-like town because of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The train leaves from Bryson City and gives passengers a trip they’ll never forget, snaking them through stunning scenery that will remain permanently etched into their minds. It’s also an excursion you’ll want to do more than once, as it’s home to many themes. In the fall, you can ride an autumnal-themed experience to see nature shedding its coat, and in the winter, you can book the Polar Express experience—and see some snow if you’re lucky. There’s even a wine-tasting option!
4. Brevard
Brevard is another North Carolina town that perfectly balances natural escapes with an endearing central area that feels like a city from an old story. Whether you’re frolicking with shopping bags downtown or sandwiching charred marshmallows between crisp graham crackers on the lakefront, it’s easy to feel like a free fairy or forest nymph here. The water is actually a key reason to visit Brevard. You can enjoy a spot of swimming, kayaking, or just photographing waterfalls—this area has all the cutesy allure of “Brother Bear” without the concerns that an actual bear is going to hunt you.
Winter in Brevard is particularly special, too. You likely won’t want to be in the water, but you can instead take in the snow-flecked scenery, participate in local art (which really comes alive during the colder months), or rent a cabin for the ultimate cozy vibes.
5. Hayesville
Hayesville has that classic small-town feel that so many North Carolina towns do, but it’s got so much more going for it than just that. The town has a special allure to it; at night, especially during fall, it almost evokes “Halloweentown” with its old-school style of architecture and wispy trees that look like they could be turned into witches’ wands. And we mean this in the best way, as it’s a vibe that many towns would kill to have.
One of the big selling points here is Magical Mountain Resorts, a collection of cabins with fairy-tale decor situated a few miles outside of the town. For example, Alice’s Queen Cabin features countless nods to Wonderland, from playing-card details to the Queen of Hearts’ signature crimson shade being everywhere. It doesn’t get much more fairy tale than this!
6. Blowing Rock
Many of the North Carolina towns above are verifiably gorgeous winter destinations, but if you haven’t considered Blowing Rock for your next chilly vacation, you’re missing out. Sure, the blooms are beautiful in the spring season here, and summer brings many opportunities for exploration. But winter in this town is magical—so much so that it might remind you of Germany, home of fairy-tale popularists the Brothers Grimm, during the holidays.
Blowing Rock blazes to life with twinkle lights throughout the holidays, and if that weren’t enough, the town uses enough garland and red, festive bows to make Santa Claus—who also originates from Europe—proud. So, grab a hot cocoa, put on your favorite snow boots (bonus points if they have coquette embellishments), and enjoy your time in a town reminiscent of the one featured in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.” (Yes, the story “Frozen” was loosely based on.)
7. Edenton
Edenton might not be the first locale to come to mind when you think of North Carolina towns that evoke fairy tales, but if you look a little closer, you’ll see that there’s no shortage of magic here. Similar to New Orleans, where “The Princess and the Frog” is famously set, you can get ‘round town on a cute, red trolley, seeing sights like a towering lighthouse and various styles of architecture, which the town’s website notes go back more than 300 years.
This town is also fairy tale-like thanks to its origins as a port town. Swan Bay comes right up to the town, inviting you into it just like the ocean in “Moana.” Plus, Swan Bay naturally carries a sense of whimsy with it, not least because it shares the name Swan with the main character of the fairy-tale series “Once Upon a Time.” Here, among the trolleys, the wild birds, and the inviting waters, you’re able to be free-spirited, and isn’t that the best type of fairy-tale ending?
8. Beaufort
If Blowing Rock represents the city in “The Snow Queen,” then Beaufort encapsulates the snowstorm that rages throughout the story. As seen in the photo above, snow can descend on this town in really stunning ways, creating roads and paths that look like they were made to be phone wallpapers. Not into snow? No problem. There are water sources, like Taylor’s Creek, here for those who always want to be close to a river, lake, pond, or ocean.
Beaufort has another iconic connection to fairy and folk tales that’s separate from its appearance: Blackbeard. Yes, the pirate who you may have thought was just a legend. Hailing from the U.K., Blackbeard terrorized the seas until his death in North Carolina in 1718. The biggest surprise in this town is that his flagship, named “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” was found in the Beaufort Inlet in ‘96, according to the town’s outlet. Now, you can see pieces of it in a local museum between periods of adoring the scenery and vibes of one of the cutest North Carolina towns.
9. McAdenville
Fans of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” might love McAdenville because of its large, gorgeous bell tower. That’s not all, though: Much of the town’s architecture is old or inspired by old aesthetics, which gives this town a historical air that’s so common in fairy tales. You won’t feel trapped in time here; rather, you’ll appreciate the trends and styles that came before us. Again, like many other North Carolina towns mentioned here, there are myriad options for nature adventures in McAdenville, especially seeing as it’s on the South Fork River.
This is a town you might want to visit twice, as its identity is flipped on its head each winter when it becomes Christmas Town. Yes, it’s an official delineation, and yes, decorations and motifs do take over the town’s streets, buildings, trees, and more. Christmas Town was established more than 80 years ago, and it perfectly complemented the “castle-inspired mills” the area had become famous for. If you’re an avid fan of the holidays, you need to see Christmas Town once in your life—you won’t regret it.
10. Sylva
Sylva is one of the few North American towns whose fairy-tale vibes begin with its name. A sylph is essentially an air spirit, so with a name like Sylva, the town evokes whimsy from the moment you hear or read it. That wispy energy comes to the town naturally, too, as Sylva is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and their gales. Oh, and the wide streets and beautiful pink trees throughout the city don’t hurt, either. There’s an easy-breezy feel here that can’t be easily replicated.
The fairy-tale vibes extend a little outside of the town proper, too. Nearby, you’ll find Castle Ladyhawke, a private venue for weddings and other gatherings, and it’s a stunning expanse whose exterior resembles classic stories and interior looks like old-school but well-maintained Dutch buildings. If you have the opportunity to visit this town and castle, take it.
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