Experience North Carolina’s coast, Piedmont, and mountains from a new perspective — on horseback. Equestrian experts across the state offer unforgettable tours of our summer landscapes.
A horseback ride to the beach begins at the sound end of Hatteras Island and winds along sandy trails through Frisco’s maritime forest. And keep your eyes peeled for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the distance. For riders seeking speed, guides will demonstrate how to canter along the water’s edge.
52193 Piney Ridge Road
Frisco, NC 27936
(855) 629-7669
equineadventures.com
Enjoy a relaxing summer evening with a guided horseback ride just outside of Charlotte. Follow your guide through cornfields and farmland as the sun sets. You’ll return just in time for an old-fashioned cowboy dinner featuring grilled chicken, pork chops, mashed potatoes, and baked apples around the campfire.
310 Joe Lee Helms Road
Indian Trail, NC 28079
(704) 992-1550
horsebacktrailriding.com
Starting at a fourth-generation family ranch in Marshall, horseback rides at Sandy Bottom traverse winding mountain trails leading to expansive views. You can even catch a glimpse of the Big Bald summit and neighboring Tennessee. Longer rides include a stop at the Little Pine Gem Mine, where you can dismount and pan for treasure.
1459 Caney Fork Road
Marshall, NC 28753
(828) 649-3464
sandybottomtrailrides.net
Cliffside Overlook provides a stunning view of Linville Peak, framed by blooming rhododendrons in late spring and early summer. photograph by Craig Zerbe/iStock/Getty Images Plus
The first sign of summer at Grandfather Mountain has arrived: The rhododendron blooms are back. Join a guided trail walk through the Catawba rhododendrons — known for their bright pink and purple flowers, these shrubs thrive above 3,000 feet. The annual event will close on Sunday with a guest speaker, kids’ craft stations, and opportunities to learn more about this ancient mountain.
2050 Blowing Rock Highway
Linville, NC 28646
(800) 468-7325
grandfather.com/events
Kitty Hawk Kites, the host of this long-standing event, has been an Outer Banks beach staple for experienced and novice flyers alike since 1974. photograph by Daniel Pullen
Fly your own kite out, or set up beach chairs at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and watch as a rainbow of kites — some up to 100 feet long — soar overhead. Named for NASA engineer Francis Rogallo, who retired in Kitty Hawk, the festival celebrates the inventor whose flexible wing paved the way for stunt kites, hang gliding, and more.
(252) 449-2210
kittyhawk.com/events
illustration by wildpixel/iStock/Getty Images Plus
On June 19, 1865, all remaining enslaved people in the United States were freed. More than 150 years later, Juneteenth National Independence Day became a federal holiday. This month, honor this historic event at one of our state’s celebrations.
The Pope House Museum, named for its former resident, Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope — the only Black man to run for mayor of a Southern capital city during the Jim Crow era — will host a two-day educational event.
Head out to Pack Square Park to enjoy live music, food trucks, art displays, and a parade to honor the descendants of those who were enslaved.
Shop goods from 40 Black-owned businesses while enjoying dance performances, crafts, giveaways, and even a pie-eating contest.
(704) 920-3976
cabarrusarena.com
A street fair in downtown Fayetteville will feature live music performances. On Sunday, taste dishes from Black chefs and culinary students at the Heritage Brunch.
visitdowntownfayetteville.com/juneteenth-jubilee
Leland Cultural Arts Center will host this traveling exhibit, which tells the history of Bunce Island in Sierra Leone, once a major part of the Atlantic slave trade.
(910) 385-9891
townofleland.com/lcac
For more June events, click here.
Eleven Our State authors share stories about the role light plays in their holiday celebrations.
For more than 50 years, a dazzling chandelier has hung in the dining room of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Only recently has its remarkable backstory been fully illuminated.
At Burge Flower Shop, Randolph County residents find comfort, joy, and inspiration by the bouquet.
A pair of mother-daughter innkeepers inherited a love of hosting from their expansive family. At Christmastime, they welcome guests to their historic lodge in Stanly County.
