RALEIGH, N.C. – There’s more to the Thanksgiving holiday than food and football, and many activities are available at destinations within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources – often for little or no cost. Take time to give thanks for the natural beauty and cultural richness of North Carolina this weekend.
Statewide
State Historic Sites. Most historic sites will be closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday, but resume regular operations on Saturday. Most are free.
State Parks. Open Thanksgiving Day and through the weekend, except those impacted by forest fires in western North Carolina, including South Mountains, New River, Elk Knob, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Mitchell, Lake James and Chimney Rock State Parks. Free.
East
N.C. Aquariums-Roanoke Island, Pine Knoll Shores, Fort Fisher. The three aquariums are closed Thanksgiving Day, but open through the weekend. Fee.
Roanoke Island Festival Park, Manteo. Closed Thanksgiving Day only but open through the weekend with holiday programming. Fee.
N.C. Maritime Museums-Beaufort. The Beaufort museum will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but open through the weekend. Free.
N.C. Maritime Museum-Southport/Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Hatteras. These maritime museums will be closed Thursday and Friday, then resume regular operations. Free.
Battleship North Carolina, Wilmington. Open Thanksgiving Day and through the weekend. Fee.
Museum of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Free.
Tryon Palace, New Bern. Closed Thanksgiving Day, but open over the weekend with holiday programming. Fee.
Museum of the Cape Fear, Fayetteville. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Free.
Piedmont
N.C. Symphony, Raleigh. Holiday Pops performances Nov. 25 and 26, Meymandi Concert Hall. Fee.
N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Free.
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Free.
N.C. Zoo, Asheboro. Open Thanksgiving Day. Fee.
N.C. Museum of Art, Raleigh. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Museum Park open. Free.
Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Free.
N.C. Transportation Museum, Spencer. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Polar Express Nov. 25-27. Fee.
West
Mountain Gateway Museum, Old Fort. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Free.
(Information Source: ncdcr.gov)