When the North Carolina Welcome Center program opened in 1968, it included two centers that greeted fewer than 150,000 visitors. Today, nine centers greet visitors from all fifty states and around the world. Many things have changed since those two Welcome Centers opened in 1968, but one thing has remained constant: North Carolina hospitality.
Located at the state's borders, all Welcome Centers have a statewide focus, with an emphasis on information for visitors traveling a particular interstate corridor. Professional, nationally-certified travel counselors located at each Welcome Center:
- Distribute the state’s Official North Carolina Travel Guide, the Department of Transportation’s official state map, and other marketing publications exclusively about North Carolina.
- Offer detailed travel information in clean, modern facilities.
- Book room reservations at no charge for visitors staying overnight in North Carolina.
The Welcome Centers are open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, except Tuesdays. The centers are closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
All Welcome Centers provide satellite television for travelers interested in news and weather updates, and all have high-speed internet connections and computers at the reception desks to enable travel counselors to assist travelers.
Together with the Department of Transportation, the Division continues to modernize Welcome Center facilities with these recent upgrades:
- In 2003, the state’s newest Welcome Center opened on I-26 in Madison County.
- In 2005, a major renovation of the I-85 South Welcome Center in Cleveland County was completed, along with a less extensive update at I-26 in Polk County.
- In Spring 2007, the I-85 North Welcome Center in Warren County was renovated, with new lighting and fixtures and an enlarged reception desk.
- A renovation of the I-77 South Welcome Center and Rest Area in Mecklenburg County is currently underway.
In addition to the Welcome Centers, there are also Visitors Centers on U.S. highways that focus on local, rather than statewide, attractions and events. Instead of being operated by the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, these Visitors Centers are operated locally.
For more information about North Carolina’s Visitor Services, visit the links below:
North Carolina Welcome Center Attendance
Brochure Submission Policy for North Carolina's Welcome Centers