This fallen red oak tree has been transformed into a piece of trailside art.

The upstairs museum delves into the Lawson family murder, whose eight victims were embalmed at this store in 1929.

This stone statue inspired Thomas Wolfe’s 1929 novel 'Look Homeward, Angel.'

Between 1930 and 1946, a tobacco farmer laid his beloved horses and mules to rest in this small patch of pine forest.

An eclectic store sells obscure vinyl recordings of Charles Manson and Jim Jones, along with many other oddities.

A permanent outdoor art installation made up of more than 100 mushroom-shaped lights.

The author's beautiful and historic home is also a fully functioning goat farm.

An idyllic mineral hot springs facility with a more-than checkered past.

An early life spent in this "Old Kentucky Home" inspired the writings of North Carolina's most famous novelist.

From golden eagles to peregrine falcons, this rehabilitation and education center is a haven for birds of prey.

Rare videos and memorabilia await visitors inside this unique store.

Classy up your Big Mac with bow-tied servers and chandeliers at the world's fanciest McDonald's.

A mountaintop space observatory that is certified dark.

Mystery surrounds a famous marshal of Napoleon's army.

The Cadillac Ranch for monster truck aficionados.

A museum dedicated to the legacy of Bob Moog and his pioneering synthesizers.

This winding road of 318 curves is a must-visit for (careful) motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts.

Divinely-inspired village houses 6,000 dolls, plus strange and lovely outsider art.

Some North Carolina Cherokee have been keeping their history alive for decades with a single play.

The scant remains of this flooded historic village can be explored in one of the most remote areas of the Great Smokies.

The U.S. Supreme Court's secret Cold War relocation facility in the mountains of North Carolina.

This rare basilica nestled right in downtown Asheville is an architectural marvel, inside and out.

This scented city oasis was a labor of love.

The highest point in North Carolina and the United States east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell is named after argumentative explorer Elisha Mitchell.