North Carolina is my native state and will always be the place that feels like home. Every time I cross the border from Virginia, I breathe deeply and relax. It’s also the setting of many of my favorite books, books that take you all of the way back in history to the first English settlement in what would become America. From its misty mountains to its coastal marshes, North Carolina has a rich and varied history that you can still visit through the pages and in person!
As with my last Destination Booked post on Richmond, this post takes popular books at must-visit destinations and walks you through the book at the historical sites you can still see today. Think of it like a literary tour of the location!
Books Covered on Tour
All links are Amazon affiliate links. You can also shop at my store on Bookshop.org to support independent bookstores. I’ve also included some history nonfiction pairings in the Bookshop.org list if that’s preferred.
What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway
Set in 1913 Asheville where the Grove Park Inn is being built for wealthy visitors, this is a romantic novel with great historical details about the Inn and Asheville.
The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Learn about the Vanderbilt family who built the Biltmore House in this dual timeline book set during the preparations for Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding.
Bonus Middle Grade/YA pick: Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
Middle grade/YA readers will love this dark take on murder and mayhem at the Biltmore.
Outlander series (Books 4-6 & 9) by Diana Gabaldon
Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, & Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone
Follow Jamie and Claire Fraser as they travel through coastal North Carolina and make its mountains their home even amidst the lead up to the Revolutionary War.
King’s Mountain by Sharyn McCrumb
This lyrical tale of war and bloodshed tells the history of the Revolutionary War battle of Kings Mountain and its aftermath.
The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash
Set during the 1929 textile mill workers’ strike, this novel is a sad tale of a mother’s fight to better her children’s lives.
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
North Carolina is the home of American tobacco, and this mid-century tale of just how far tobacco executives will go to hide its detrimental health effects is fascinating.
Daughters of the Lost Colony series by Shannon McNear
These novels imagine what happened to the first English settlers in America, now known as the Lost Colony. These three fierce women undergo the utmost challenges to survive in the New World.
Literary Tour Route
Begin your literary tour of North Carolina in its mountains which are full of whispers from the past.
Begin your tour at the Grove Park Inn where you can walk in Belle and Worth’s footsteps as they visit the under-construction hotel in What the Mountains Remember. Gaze at the massive fireplaces and the wooden beams that make this hotel one of my favorites! Stay here for a couple of nights to have even more time to explore and don’t miss the amazing restaurants and spa!
As described in the book, many tuberculosis patients were sent to Asheville since it had fresher, more healthful air. Wander around Asheville’s cute downtown and see the remaining buildings which housed these patients. Check out this article for a listing of the ones to see.
Before you leave Asheville, you have to visit the Biltmore Estate which contains the largest private home in America! Built by George Vanderbilt in 1895, it is truly stunning! You can see the furnishings picked out by Edith Vanderbilt and see Cornelia’s wedding reception site from The Wedding Veil. April 29, 2024 marked the 100th anniversary of her wedding so be sure to check out this article for a picture of the actual veil!
Don’t miss the downstairs servants quarters where kids will love trying to catch a glimpse of Serafina from Serafina and the Black Cloak. For even more Serafina sites, check out Asheville tourism’s guide.
Be sure to consult my Asheville tourism guide for recommendations on restaurants and other activities to do!
Note: As of 10/1/24, the Grandfather Mountain area is not open for tourism due to the destruction of Hurricane Helene. Check before going.
1.5 hours northeast of Asheville is Grandfather Mountain which is where Jamie and Claire Fraser make their home in Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander series (books 4-9). You can see the same beautiful mountain views from Fraser’s Ridge by visiting the Grandfather Mountain State Park where kids will love walking across the mile-high swinging bridge. You can even attend an Outlander-themed event called Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming and meet members from the TV cast!
Technically in South Carolina, the Battle of Kings Mountain was pivotal in turning the tide of the Revolutionary War. You can walk in the footsteps of the Overmountain men who fought the battle to protect their families from loyalists at the military park. It’s a nice walk through nature on a paved path where you can even see the grave of the British general brought to life in Sharyn McCrumb’s lyrical book, King’s Mountain. Jamie Fraser from Outlander even fights here in Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone (book 9), so I love to imagine Claire and Jamie scrambling through the forest when I visit! Read my review to plan your visit. See if the Liberty Mountain play which dramatizes the battle is on stage during your visit!
Just east of Kings Mountain is Gaston County which was once home to thousands of textile workers. In 1929, these workers went on strike which resulted in several deaths and the mayhem described in Wiley Cash’s masterful novel, The Last Ballad. Learn more about these workers at the Gaston County Museum, particularly its location at Loray Mills, the site of the strike.
In The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers, tobacco reigns supreme much like it did in 20th century Winston-Salem. Visit Reynolda, the home of tobacco baron RJ Reynolds, to see a gorgeous example of a mansion that tobacco built (it’s now an art museum). You can also take a guided audio tour of downtown which includes several stops important in tobacco history.
Stop at the Alamance Battlefield to see where the Regulators battled with the Royal Governor’s troops, including the fictional Jamie Fraser in Outlander book 5, The Fiery Cross. Just a few minutes away is the Textile Heritage Museum in Glencoe, which is a preserved mill town/museum that tells the history of textile mill workers like Ella May Wiggins from The Last Ballad.
**Note: This museum is scheduled to close for renovations on October 7, 2024. It is expected to be closed for 2-3 years.
Visit the wonderful (and free!) North Carolina Museum of History (click to read my review) to see artifacts and displays from all of these books. From the sounds of a textile mill in The Last Ballard to the story of the Lost Colony explored in Shannon McNear’s novels, this museum is a must-see!
Many important scenes from the Outlander series take place in Wilmington. From the treacherous pirate, Stephen Bonnet, to Fergus and his printing press, historic Wilmington is a wonderful place to walk in Jamie and Claire’s footsteps. Start your tour at Burgwin-Wright House, which offers Outlander-themed walking and boat tours. Be sure to listen to its podcast, Outlander in the Cape Fear, before you visit. There are several other nearby places to visit from the Outlander books such as Moores Creek National Battlefield.
Once you read about Claire’s stay at Tryon Palace in A Breath of Snow and Ashes, you can’t forget about it! This colonial royal governor’s home in New Bern is open to visit, and you can even take a special Outlander-themed tour several times a year!
Site of the first English foray into the New World, North Carolina’s Outer Banks is rich in history. Read Shannon McNear’s wonderful Daughters of the Lost Colony series, and visit Roanoke Island which is home to the original “lost colony” settlement at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. Kids will love the hands-on activities and costumed reenactors at Roanoke Island Festival Park, and the whole family will be enthralled with the The Lost Colony play.
Cross the bridge onto the Outer Banks to visit sites found in The Outer Banks House. From the wind-swept beaches to museums like the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education and the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station and Museum, you can just visualize the novel’s main characters, Abigail and Ben, swimming in the ocean and walking in the sand.
I hope this literary journey will inspire you to read a book or two about North Carolina and plan a visit to my home state! I always will be going to Carolina in my mind.
For even more suggestions of where to go in North Carolina and for hotel or restaurant recommendations at these spots, check out my North Carolina Travel Guide.
