Fayetteville Travel Guide, North Carolina

Located in North Carolina, in the heartland region, Fayetteville is the fourth-largest metro area in the state, the number of its residents reaching 300,000. The first people to settle here were Scottish; still the city got its name after a French revolutionary Marquis de Lafayette who visited the city. The city has also got a nickname “City of Dogwoods” after the tree that is predominant there and even became the official state tree.

In 1789 there was no established capital but later was named as the capital of North Carolina. During the Civil War the city was taken over by town militias and its arsenal was considered a threat by General Sherman who occupied the city in 1865 and the arsenal was burned.

Today, Fayetteville has the largest military base in the United States with army posts like Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base.

Being a historic city it is absorbed by revitalization projects and preserving the historical sights and natural beauty. Many of these attractions are concentrated Downtown, or nearby where you'll find restaurants, shops, galleries, museums, and historic landmarks.

Lined with the state's official tree the Dogwood Trail is the best place to start visiting as it begins downtown and many of its stops are within walking distance from each other. Along the trail you can see thirty sites of horticultural and historical significance and there are some other sites that were recently designated as part of the Civil War Trail program.

All of them are worth visiting, but there are some highlights like The Market House, the city's key landmark. Built in 1832 as the original site of the State House, it's an unusual type of architecture, more reminiscent of town halls you'd find in England. Another historic site is, the Cool Spring Tavern. Built in 1788, it is Fayetteville's oldest structure that survived the Great Fire of 1831. It is an example of Federalist architecture that can be viewed only from the outside as the interior is not open to the public.

The Cape Fear Botanical Gardens - a 85-acre garden hosting a restored turn-of-the century farmstead with a farmhouse, tobacco farm, smokehouse, general store and corncrib and it also home to over 2,000 perennials, annuals, native species, shrubs and trees, natural amphitheater, formal gardens and a grand gazebo.

Not far from the Gardens there are some sites with historical importance to Fayetteville. They include Grove, Cool Spring Sts and Cross Creek Cemetery where you'll find the oldest statue in the city and the oldest burial grounds while the wall that runs along the cemetery's southern boundary is considered one of the oldest pieces of construction still standing in the city.

Organized by a freed slave and ordained Methodist minister, The Evans Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church dating 1893 is listed as a National Historic Site with beautiful craftsmanship in Gothic-revival style.

Continue your visit with the Cape Fear Historical Complex for a tour of the museum it includes. It is a two floor building tracing history of the twenty counties of southeastern North Carolina and showcasing the restored Victorian 1897 Poe House, Native American, European and African American artifacts, and the Arsenal Park.

Fayetteville is home to internationally recognized names in the entertainment scene and the many venues are sure to give visitors a great time. You can choose from various performances depending on what you like. Go to the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center if you fancy local performing-arts, top-name entertainers and touring productions. For musicals, classic dramas, comedies and children's favorites head towards the Cape Fear Regional Theater while the Gilbert Gallery Theater provides works by local and regional playwrights. For those seeking a more thoughtful nightlife, check out the cultural options Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra

Fayetteville also has a thriving bar and club scene with big-names like Jerry Seinfeld performing at the Crown Center.

Fayetteville is a lovely city with pleasantly moderate temperatures that welcomes visitors of every age and interest.

email to a friendAsk our travel experts a question about Fayetteville