If you will be traveling into the central part of North Carolina, you will likely cross into Durham. Located just east of Greensboro, it just so happens to be our home town and is famous for a number of things including; the Durham Bulls AAA Baseball team, Tobacco and some good down-home restaurants.
Few people however, realize how beautiful a place it is to drive. Nestled in the low foot hills of North Carolina, it’s got plenty of interesting topography, streams and wide open fields that make for a good number of scenic drives to enjoy.
Here’s our list of the top five.
Colonial Heritage Byway
If you are traveling to North Carolina to learn a little bit about the history of the state, this particular drive will provide you with a lot of insight. During the 18th century, and even into the 19th century, there were many communities along this byway. There are historic buildings that you will see on this over 90 mile drive.
There are many points of interest. This will include the Blandwood Mansion, the Greensboro Historical Museum, and the iconic William Fields house. Although this drive will take you through many communities, you might want to consider looking at more natural settings where you might be able to walk around. The next places called Football Road and it definitely provide you with the option of getting on a bike path and getting some exercise.
Football Road
This drive will take you through about 37 miles of farmlands. You will get to see babbling brooks and ponds. There is also a bike path that you can take, making this a trip that could lead to quite a bit of exercise. At the very least, you need to stop by the Alamance Battleground which is where the Regulators started prior to the Revolutionary War. It’s a bit of history that you can imagine while you are touring this location.
Lafayette’s Tour
This is even longer than the Colonial Heritage Byway Drive, lasting four hours in length. You will get to drive by plantations, southern architecture, and see many different historical buildings. The primary point of interest is going to be the Medoc Mountain State Park which provides hiking and camping capabilities. You will get to do exciting trails if you have the time, but at the very least, you will see beautiful buildings and vistas in all directions.
Devil’s Stompin’ Ground Road
This drive is only about 40 minutes long. It goes directly into the heart of North Carolina. As the legend states, this is where the devil himself, Lucifer, is creating evil schemes to plague mankind. It is this legend that led to the name of this drive which will take you down Route 64. It’s relatively short, but there are many points of interest including the North Carolina Zoological Park.
North Durham Country Byway
This is another short drive, roughly 45 minutes, that takes you down a byway where you will see historic plantations, waterways and the beautiful countryside that stretches for miles. This has a location in history that is well-known, specifically where Gen. Johnson surrendered to Gen. Sherman at what is called Bennett Place. There are exhibitions that you can see on your drive if you have the time to stop by.
These are just a few of the many scenic drives that you can take. If you were to do them all, it would take you about eight hours. You will want to stop and rest, and also have lunch and dinner. Once you are done, you will have a better idea of the beautiful landscape that is in all directions in the state of North Carolina. It’s a beautiful place to take scenic drives if you are on a vacation.
