Winston Salem
The City of the Arts and my current hometown
Nestled right outside the foothills of North Carolina, Winston Salem is one of those towns that would be perfect for a day trip. It is small enough that getting around is easy and big enough to find things to do.
History
Winston Salem is steeped in history. Settled by the Moravians, it boasts three small historical sections that can be visited throughout the year. The most popular is Old Salem formed in 1766. There is a visitors museum, shops, and a bakery where you can buy sugar cake and cookies. You can buy tickets to visit some of the houses or just spend an hour walking around and enjoying the scenery.
In addition, there are two smaller communities Bethabara and Bethania that were settled earlier than Salem. Bethabara has a small park that hosts many festivals. Bethania is more of a residential community but does have a visitors center. For those of you that are Outlander fans, you would recognize both of those communities.
Family Fun
Winston also hosts the great American pastime with its own minor league baseball team, The Dash! Get it? Winston Salem used to have a dash or hyphen between the two names and therefore our baseball team is representing that.
The Arts
Winston Salem is known as the City of the Arts. It is home to the North Carolina School of the Arts as well as The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art where you can enjoy local pieces as well as participate in art workshops. The Reynolda House is also a lovely place to visit. Besides the art museum, the grounds host a beautiful English garden and grounds to hike and walk your dogs. Make sure you catch the Nutcracker or another fantastic ballet at the Stevens Center or perhaps an opera.
Education
In addition to the NC School of the Arts, Winston Salem is home to several colleges and universities including Wake Forest University, Winston Salem State University, and Salem College, the first women’s college in North Carolina.
Food and Beverages
Besides the sweets of the Moravians, you can also find some local delicacies that call Winston Salem home. Krispy Kreme started here and you can visit one of the original stores. Dewey Bakery sells great Moravian sweets as well as cakes and ice cream.
If you are looking for a great brewhouse, check out Foothills Brewery. They also have a restaurant. We also have Wiseman Brewery, the Fiddle and Fish, Incendiary Brewery, Hoots, and Small Batch Beer company, all within walking distance of each other. Well, a very hilly walk, but it’s possible.
You can also enjoy your stay at the famous Kimpton Cardinal Hotel. This building was designed by the same architect that created the Empire State Building in New York. He had a practice run here first. Paul McCartney stayed here last week when he put on his show.
All in all, Winston Salem is a pretty cool place to stop in and visit on your way to the beach or the mountains of North Carolina or if you are just passing through.
