Fayetteville offers several distinct ways to explore: local history at the downtown museum, historic sites and museums focused on military history, and trails through marshes and wetlands. When planning your trip, it’s worth deciding first what you’re most interested in. Options range from exhibitions and guided tours to a long, paved outdoor trail; their themes and ways of visiting differ considerably.
Local history and historic sites
The Fayetteville History Museum in downtown Fayetteville focuses on the history of the city and region. Visitors can see artifacts and exhibitions, and the museum also offers tours and presentations. The tours connect transportation and local history through a “then and now” approach. This means the focus is not only on historical topics but also on comparing past and present-day perspectives.
Fayetteville preserves its history in nine designated historic districts across the city. This is a different dimension from visiting a single museum: The citywide historic heritage, as well as the downtown museum’s exhibitions, is part of what makes Fayetteville what it is. Those with a particular interest in historic architecture can visit the 1897 Poe House, a late Victorian house museum. It is located within the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex.
Exhibitions in the museum building at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex present more than 400 years of history. Arsenal Park preserves the remains of an ammunition factory that served both the federal government and the government of the Confederate States. The house museum, historic districts, exhibitions and factory remains offer different perspectives and should not be mistaken for a single museum experience.
Tours and planning your visit
The 1897 Poe House has a specific condition for visiting: It is open only as part of a guided tour. Tours take place Tuesday through Friday at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and hourly on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Plan your visit to the house around the tour times and check the schedule before you arrive. The tours and presentations at the Fayetteville History Museum are a separate offering; the times listed apply only to the Poe House.
Military history in museums and exhibitions
Military history is also represented in Fayetteville, with several different areas of focus. The visitor center at North Carolina Veterans Park features exhibitions on military tradition and history. The Airborne & Special Operations Museum offers an in-depth look at the history of U.S. airborne forces and special operations forces. Its exhibition formats include artifacts, life-size dioramas, and audio and video exhibits.
A special feature at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum is a 24-seat motion simulator that lets visitors experience a virtual helicopter assault. Alongside historical content, the museum also features a range of ways to present it. Together with the exhibitions at Veterans Park, this offers visitors a choice between focusing on military history and exploring more immersive exhibition formats.
Garden tours and trails along the Cape Fear
The Cape Fear Botanical Garden offers scheduled tours and private group experiences led by a knowledgeable garden guide. Groups can therefore choose a specifically guided experience. The Cape Fear River Trail offers a different kind of outdoor visit: This paved trail is more than seven miles long and is intended for walkers, joggers, cyclists and other non-motorized users.
The trail is part of the East Coast Greenway and provides access to more than 11 miles of the Cape Fear Mountain Bike Trail. It also includes more than 1,000 feet of boardwalks through marshes and wetlands, as well as signs about local wildlife and plant life. Along the trail, more than 700 plant and tree species and 150 bird species are noted. This makes for a clear distinction when choosing what to do: The botanical garden focuses on scheduled tours and private group experiences, while the River Trail is described in terms of its length, surface and range of non-motorized uses.
Discover more destinations: East Fayetteville, Eastover, Hope Mills, Fort Bragg, Spring Lake.
Go to the main travel overview: Cumberland.
