Small Towns Near Raleigh, NC
The best small towns near Raleigh are Hillsborough, Edenton and Beaufort. Hillsborough hosted North Carolina’s first convention on the U.S. Constitution, in 1788. Edenton has a 1767 courthouse and a lighthouse on its waterfront, and Beaufort has a free maritime museum on Front Street.
The ten towns below run nearest first, from Pittsboro about 30 miles out to Southport and Beaufort at about 135. Distances are straight-line miles from the State Capitol, so the drive is longer. The list covers Piedmont day trips, a pottery town, Mayberry, and colonial towns and beaches on the coast.
| Town | Distance | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsboro, North Carolina | About 30 miles | a farmers market, Main Street, music |
| Hillsborough, North Carolina | About 35 miles | history, easy hikes, an art walk |
| Southern Pines, North Carolina | About 60 miles | golf, longleaf pines, a train trip |
| Seagrove, North Carolina | About 65 miles | pottery, a slow country drive |
| Bath, North Carolina | About 105 miles | colonial history, a quiet river town |
| Edenton, North Carolina | About 115 miles | colonial history, a waterfront, a weekend |
| Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina | About 120 miles | a beach day, walking, local history |
| Mount Airy, North Carolina | About 120 miles | Mayberry, TV nostalgia, granite |
| Southport, North Carolina | About 135 miles | a river town, film spotting, a ferry |
| Beaufort, North Carolina | About 135 miles | pirates, boats, wild horses |
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, as the crow flies.
Pittsboro, North Carolina
About 30 miles as the crow flies · Best for: a farmers market, Main Street, music
Pittsboro is the Chatham County seat, a town of about 4,500 built around a traffic circle and its courthouse. The courthouse burned in 2010 and reopened in 2013, and the town once had the world’s largest clothing label mill.
Don’t miss: the year-round Pittsboro Farmers Market on Thursday afternoons, the shops and galleries on Main Street, and live music at Chatham Mills
★ Good to know The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival, a music and dance festival with camping, is held each fall on a farm outside town.
Hillsborough, North Carolina
About 35 miles as the crow flies · Best for: history, easy hikes, an art walk
Hillsborough, founded in 1754, has about 9,700 people and more than 100 historic homes and buildings downtown. The Provincial Congress met here in 1775, and North Carolina’s first convention on the U.S. Constitution met here in 1788.
Don’t miss: the Riverwalk greenway to the free Occaneechi Replica Village, and the summit trail at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
★ Good to know Come on the last Friday of the month for the free Last Fridays art walk downtown.
Southern Pines, North Carolina
About 60 miles as the crow flies · Best for: golf, longleaf pines, a train trip
Southern Pines was founded in 1887 as a winter health resort for Northerners and has about 15,500 people. Its golf club, one of Donald Ross’s earliest courses, dates to 1906.
Don’t miss: free Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, with 7 miles of trails through old longleaf pines, and the Sunrise Theater
★ Good to know Amtrak stops in Southern Pines, so you can leave the car at home.
Seagrove, North Carolina
About 65 miles as the crow flies · Best for: pottery, a slow country drive
Seagrove has only about 235 residents, but more than 100 potteries work in and around it along NC 705, the Pottery Highway. Local pottery goes back to the 18th century, and Jugtown Pottery has run since 1921.
Don’t miss: the North Carolina Pottery Center on East Avenue, then a drive along NC 705 to the working studios
★ Good to know The Pottery Center is closed Sundays and Mondays, so plan a midweek or Saturday trip.
Bath, North Carolina
About 105 miles as the crow flies · Best for: colonial history, a quiet river town
Bath was chartered in 1705 as North Carolina’s first town, and fewer than 250 people live there now. Blackbeard settled here in 1718 after taking a royal pardon, then went back to piracy.
Don’t miss: St. Thomas Church, begun in 1734 and the state’s oldest surviving church building, plus tours of the 1751 Palmer-Marsh House and the Bonner House
★ Good to know Historic Bath is closed Sundays and Mondays; the exhibit center and its film are free.
Edenton, North Carolina
About 115 miles as the crow flies · Best for: colonial history, a waterfront, a weekend
Edenton, a town of about 4,500, was the colony’s second capital from 1722 to 1743. In 1774, 51 women led by Penelope Barker signed a pledge to boycott English tea.
Don’t miss: the Penelope Barker House Welcome Center, tours of the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, and the 1887 Roanoke River Lighthouse on the waterfront
★ Good to know The trolley tour leaves from the Barker House, and tours of the historic buildings are run by the state historic site.
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
About 120 miles as the crow flies · Best for: a beach day, walking, local history
Wrightsville Beach is a town of about 2,500 on a 4.6-mile beach island plus Harbor Island. The Lumina pavilion, lit by 6,000 lights, drew dancers and big bands here from 1905 until 1972.
Don’t miss: the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History and the Loop, a paved path between the two bridges
★ Good to know The museum is open Thursday through Sunday.
Mount Airy, North Carolina
About 120 miles as the crow flies · Best for: Mayberry, TV nostalgia, granite
Mount Airy, population about 10,700, is Andy Griffith’s hometown and the model for Mayberry. It also has what was called the world’s largest open-face granite quarry, which supplied the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Don’t miss: the Andy Griffith Museum, with the largest collection of his memorabilia, run by the Surry Arts Council
★ Good to know Mayberry Days, held in late September, is the town’s busiest stretch, so book a room early for that week.
Southport, North Carolina
About 135 miles as the crow flies · Best for: a river town, film spotting, a ferry
Southport grew around Fort Johnston, built in 1745 at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. It has about 4,000 people and has stood in for other towns in films like A Walk to Remember and Safe Haven.
Don’t miss: the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport on East Moore Street
★ Good to know A state ferry crosses the Cape Fear River from Southport to Fort Fisher, and the town’s Fourth of July festival draws tens of thousands.
Beaufort, North Carolina
About 135 miles as the crow flies · Best for: pirates, boats, wild horses
Beaufort, settled in 1709, is a town of about 4,500 in Carteret County. Blackbeard ran his flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, aground near Beaufort Inlet in 1718.
Don’t miss: the North Carolina Maritime Museum on Front Street and its Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, plus a ferry to Cape Lookout National Seashore for horse watching and the lighthouse
★ Good to know Cape Lookout’s lighthouse climb runs only in summer, and many seashore facilities are seasonal.
What’s the closest small town to Raleigh?
On this list, Pittsboro, about 30 miles as the crow flies. Hillsborough is close behind at about 35 miles.
What’s the best small-town weekend trip from Raleigh?
Edenton is a strong pick, with its courthouse, lighthouse and trolley tour. Beaufort pairs a free maritime museum with a ferry to Cape Lookout.
Which small towns near Raleigh are on the beach?
Wrightsville Beach is the one right on the ocean. Beaufort and Southport sit on the water and are close to beaches by ferry or a short drive.
Can you reach a small town from Raleigh without a car?
Yes: Amtrak serves Southern Pines, home of Weymouth Woods and the Sunrise Theater.