North Carolina events › Visit › Welcome Centers
North Carolina lists 9 official welcome centers on its interstates, open open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily; closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; the National Park Service lists 6 Blue Ridge Parkway visitor centers in the state, most of them seasonal.
- Welcome Centers9NC Commerce list
- Parkway Centers6NPS list
- Welcome Center Hours8 a.m. to 5 p.m.daily, per the state list
- CheckedOct 272026
NC Welcome Centers
| Center | County; Town | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-26 East Welcome Center | Polk County; Columbus | I-26 at Mile Marker 68, Columbus, NC 28722 | (828) 894-2120 |
| I-26 West Welcome Center | Madison County; Mars Hill | I-26 at Mile Marker 6, Mars Hill, NC 28754 | (828) 689-4257 |
| I-40 West Welcome Center | Haywood County; Waynesville | I-40 at Mile Marker 10, Waynesville, NC 28786 | (984) 236-9525 |
| I-77 North Welcome Center | Surry County; Dobson | I-77 at Mile Marker 105, Dobson, NC 27017 | (336) 320-2181 |
| I-77 South Welcome Center | Mecklenburg County; Charlotte | I-77 at Mile Marker 1, Charlotte, NC 28241-0724 | (704) 588-2660 |
| I-85 South Welcome Center | Cleveland County; Kings Mountain | I-85 at Mile Marker 2, Kings Mountain, NC 28086 | (704) 937-7861 |
| I-85 North Welcome Center | Warren County; Norlina | I-85 at Mile Marker 231, Norlina, NC 27563 | (252) 456-3236 |
| I-95 North Welcome Center | Northampton County; Pleasant Hill | I-95 at Mile Marker 181, Pleasant Hill, NC 27866 | (252) 537-3365 |
| I-95 South Welcome Center | Robeson County; Rowland | I-95 at Mile Marker 5, Rowland, NC 28383 | (984) 236-9530 |
Hours as the state prints them, once for all nine: open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily; closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Source: NC Department of Commerce.
Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Centers in North Carolina
| Center | Location Printed by NPS | Hours as Printed |
|---|---|---|
| Doughton Park Visitor Center | Milepost 241 in North Carolina near Laurel Springs, NC | Most visitor contact stations on the Parkway are seasonal, typically open from May through October. (no per-center hours printed on this page) |
| Moses H. Cone Memorial Park | Milepost 294 in North Carolina near Blowing Rock, NC | Most visitor contact stations on the Parkway are seasonal, typically open from May through October. (no per-center hours printed on this page) |
| Museum of North Carolina Minerals | Milepost 331 in North Carolina near Spruce Pine, NC | Most visitor contact stations on the Parkway are seasonal, typically open from May through October. (no per-center hours printed on this page) |
| Craggy Gardens Visitor Center | Milepost 364 in North Carolina near Mt. Mitchell State Park | Most visitor contact stations on the Parkway are seasonal, typically open from May through October. (no per-center hours printed on this page) |
| Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center | Milepost 384 in North Carolina in Asheville, NC. The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (MP 384) in Asheville, NC is open year round and only closed on Thanksgiving, December 25th and January 1st. | open year round and only closed on Thanksgiving, December 25th and January 1st |
| Waterrock Knob Visitor Center | Milepost 451.2 in North Carolina near Maggie Valley, NC | Most visitor contact stations on the Parkway are seasonal, typically open from May through October. (no per-center hours printed on this page) |
Source: National Park Service. Per-center hours are printed only for Asheville.
What We Could Not Confirm
- Per-center hours for the Parkway centers other than Asheville are not printed on the NPS page we read; check the NPS page before you drive.
- The VisitNC visitor-center directory showed no entries for us, so it is not used; the NC Commerce list is.
- The state prints one set of hours for all nine welcome centers and no per-center hours; the page carries no date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are welcome centers open on holidays?
The state list says they are closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Where is the Asheville Parkway center?
The NPS page lists the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center at milepost 384 in Asheville.
Sources
Read on October 27, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “North Carolina Welcome and Visitor Centers”, itsnorthcarolina.com/visit/welcome-centers/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.