What makes North Carolina one of America’s most fun states

CHARLOTTE — North Carolina ranked the second most fun state in the Southeast and the 15th most fun state in the country, a WalletHub report found.

States were ranked based on variety and cost-effective options for entertainment and nightlife. North Carolina’s restaurants, fitness centers, and golf courses all ranked among the top 10 most fun in the country. The state’s movie theaters, amusement parks, and performing arts theaters ranked closer to average on the report’s fun scale. See the ranking breakdown at the end of this article.

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Surrounding states ranked lower on the fun scale. South Carolina trailed at number 19, and Virginia and Tennessee ranked at 24 and 25, respectively.

Source: WalletHub

North Carolina hosted nearly 45 million visitors in 2021, according to NC Dept. of Commerce. Some of the biggest attractions so far in 2023 include rapper J Cole’s Dreamville festival that brought 100,000 fans from 23 countries to the state capital. Other tourist hotspots include:

NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Motor Speedway
Blue Ridge Parkway
Outer Banks and surrounding islands
Carolina Panthers
Charlotte FC and NC Courage
NC State Fair

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Panthers 2023 Draft Party

The entertainment options in North Carolina led to the high ranking. Researchers in the study considered ideal weather, amusement parks, and access to scenic byways and national parks, among others.

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Charlotte and Raleigh ranked in the top 50 most fun cities in 2022, according to a different WalletHub report.

Here’s how North Carolina ranked on individual metrics, from 1 (most fun) to 25 (average):