Girls Getaway For Fun Things To Do In Winston Salem NC

After a recent girls getaway with my oldest daughter before she left for college, I’m excited to share with you all the fun things to do in Winston Salem, NC! I’ve frequently travelled Interstate 77, (I-77) through Winston-Salem on my travels along the East Coast. I’m always passing through Winston-Salem, situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Blue Ridge Mountains… but this was my first visit to the city. I’m so glad I took a few days to explore and peel back the layers of this historic town.

Winston-Salem is the 5th largest city in North Carolina. Founded as an industrial city known for textiles and tobacco. Winston-Salem has history dating back to colonial roots, but for very good reason is known as “The City of Art and Innovation”. The city has areas spanning from Winston-Salem Historic West End, Arts District, Restaurant Row, Wake Forest Innovation Quarter and more. Many important people over the years, including Maya Angelou have called Winston-Salem home. The city hosts more than 1000 art and cultural events annually. Winston-Salem boasts more than 100+ locally owned restaurants and breweries. Between festivals, events, restaurants, and local breweries, there is a plethora of fun things to do in Winston-Salem on any given day.

Winston Salem Best Food

Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro –
878 W. 4th St. Winston-Salem, NC

Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro serves up classic favorites with an upscale twist. Located in downtown, Mozelle’s building was home to a former diner. To pay homage to the prior use of the building, you will find some diner fare on the menu including pie and other southern favorites. Locals frequent Mozelle’s to enjoy their most popular item, tomato pie.

Enjoy daily menu specials created by Chef Jay Pierce. Offerings change frequently based on the current selection of fresh ingredients available. This Winston-Salem hotspot is at the top of our favorites list from all the places we dined at during our visit. The fresh ingredients, funky chic vibe, and sweet treats will continue to beckon us back again on our next visit to Winston-Salem.

Keep in mind, seating inside is limited. I highly suggest reservations. If your dining plans are last minute, try your luck to grab an open table outside on the patio. Seating outside is first come, first served!

Krankies Coffee
211 E. 3rd St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101

These local roasters take their coffee seriously. Choose from an expresso, latte, or cappuccino to get your caffeine fix… just to name a few. This hipster spot features coffee roasted in small batches and a farm to table menu that will make your mouth water.

Enjoy delicious bites including handmade pastries, an everything bagel with herb cheese and tomatoes, or their signature chicken biscuit covered in sausage gravy. Like to live on the spicy side? I’ve got an interesting fact to share with you. Did you know Texas Pete hot sauce is made right in Winston-Salem? At Krankies Coffee, you can enjoy a chicken biscuit served with Texas Pete hot sauce and honey.

Black Mountain Chocolate
732 N. Trade St. Winston-Salem, NC

Take a self guided tour tour to discover how Black Mountain chocolate transforms fair trade cocoa beans into delectable bites of chocolate. Enjoy complimentary samples to determine which sweet treat is your favorite.

Then, after your tour is complete…purchase bonbons, bars, drinking chocolate, desserts, gelato and more. Enjoy in their small cafe, outside on the patio, or take home to enjoy later.

Black Mountain Chocolate is the original artisan chocolate maker in the Carolinas. Founded in 2007, Black Mountain Chocolate was recently named by Cosmopolitan Magazine to be the creators of the “Best in North Carolina” chocolate chip cookies. You’ll have to visit and taste for yourself to see if Cosmo is on the mark!

Camino Bakery

This family owned local bakery has several locations in Winston-Salem. My favorite is located right outside of Historic Brookstown Inn. When you come out of the parking lot, turn left to find Camino Brookstown in less than 300 ft. It’s walkable, from the hotel. Pastries, bread, and sweet treats are made daily.

Canteen Market & Bistro
411 W. 4th St. Winston-Salem, NC

Canteen Market & Bistro is an urban grocery market featuring curated upscale grocery products, along with organic and naturally produced wines. Choose from the deli for grab and go cuisine, dine in the restaurant, slide up to the full service bar, or enjoy a meal on the patio.

This unique foodie paradise has a little something for everyone. Quite unassuming from the outside. This is the prefect destination to enjoy fresh meals where everything is made from scratch. Popular favorites include yum yum salmon skewers, yakisoba Street Noodles, and the Vietnamese Hanger Steak. During our visit we dined on Canteen Fish & Chips featuring light and flaky, crispy battered fried fish with sliced thin pommel frites, and a lemon aioli.

For a lighter meal, I highly recommend the Forget Me Not salad with sprouts, radish, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, white cheddar, candied pecans and hanger steak sliced on top. Menu specials change weekly so always check in for new and exciting creations at Canteen 411. Visit on Wednesday for half price draft wines. Dine on Thursday for Downtown Date Night. For $50 per couple you will enjoy a bottle of wine, appetizer, entree and dessert! Be sure to stop by Alma Mexicana, their sister restaurant featuring tapas, margaritas, and craft cocktails.

Lil’ Dippers – 308 N Patterson Ave, Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Soft serve ice cream handed out of a walk up window in Innovation Quarter is a sweet treat we really enjoyed. Choose from 20+ toppings or 15+ dipping… waffle cones or cake cones. The choices are endless when it come to satisfying your sweet tooth at Lil’ Dippers. Keep in mind, you will need cash to pay as they do not accept credit cards!

Photo Credit: Mary’s Gourmet Diner

Mary’s Gourmet Diner – 723 N. Trade Street NW

Mary’s features classic diner fare and southern comfort food. Visit to order from the breakfast menu. All of your breakfast favorites are served all day. Breakfast burritos, biscuits, breakfast bowls and more…

What Are Fun Things To Do In Winston Salem?

Old Salem Museum & Gardens –
600 S. Main St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Step back in time 200 years to discover how a Moravian in Old Salem lived. Explore 100+ acres of historical restored building that have been preserved to show how they were utilized many years ago. After buying your tickets at the Old Salem Visitors Center, start your self guided tour by walking over the Heritage Bridge.

The Gunsmith Workshop provides a view of the blacksmith forge and the tools utilized by gunsmiths to create rifles and revolvers. You can even commission the master gunsmith to handmake a gun for you. The process to make a gun takes 6-18 months from start to finish depending on the complexity of the gun. Keep in mind prices start at a cool $3000 and there is a 2.5 year backlog of customers. So, if you want a one of a kind firearm, you better get on the list in a hurry!

The Salem Tavern Museum & Barn was built in 1784, serving as a hotel, restaurant and bar for more than 100 years. Guests were traditionally only non-Moravians coming to purchase goods or visitors passing through town.

C.Winkler Bakery still to this day houses a 200 year old wood fire oven. This working bakery continues to produce bread and sugar cake daily. View the oven, sample cookies, and learn how a traditional day went for a Moravian baker. Then, venture upstairs to sample and purchase Brasstown Chocolates.

These are just a few of our favorite places in Old Salem. To fully immerse yourself in the experience, allow at least half to a full day to explore the museum, heirloom gardens, speak with interpreters, and historic trade demonstrations. Keep in mind…guests with mobility issues and wheelchairs will have difficulty visiting some areas due to uneven historic brick sidewalks and stone walkways.

Explore Winston-Salem Downtown Arts District

Stop at Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery on N. Trade St. to find furniture, crafts, leather goods, jewelry, home goods, and decor from over 400 artisans. Find handmade jewelry and rare pottery at Red Dog Gallery. View murals by local artists and red “smokestack” beams at Artivity on the Green. Pick up a handcrafted piece of art from Visual Index. Prices range from $4+, so everyone can truly find a piece of art to commemorate their trip to Winston-Salem.

Art-O-Mat – Art designed by Clark Whittington dispensed through refurbished cigarette machines in Winston-Salem. More than 100 machines have been respurposed to offer 2×3 original works of art for only $5 each from artists around the world.

Tour Mrs. Hanes Moravian Cookies –
4643 Friedberg Church Rd. Clemmons, NC 27012

This tour is worthy of the 15 minute drive outside of the city. These handmade cookies are one of “Oprah’s favorite things”. After just one bite you will understand why.This bakery is the only place you will find hand rolled, hand cut, and hand packed cookies.

The history behind the Hanes family explains how these popular cookies came about. Mrs. Hanes need to provide extra income for her large family. She began to make and sell these cookies from home. Her cookies became so popular she couldn’t keep up with demand even with baking from her oven around the clock.

Now local “artists in aprons” hand cut, hand roll, and hand pack cookies daily. More than 110,000 pounds of the “world’s thinnest” cookies are made each year. The story behind this family owned business is truly inspirational. Of the six flavors made, ginger is the most popular flavor. Sugar and lemon run a close tie for second and third. These thin, crisp cookies are filled with immense flavor. Each cookie celebrates the roots of the Moravian weaved into the culture of Winston Salem. This unique experience is in our top three of places you must visit while in WS!

Tour the Reynolda Estate –
Reynolda Village, Reynolda House Museum of American Art, & Reynolda Gardens

Explore the estate of the Reynolds family summer cottage. This iconic American family amassed their wealth primarily through the tobacco business. Learn about the history of the family, sickness and sorrow in the later years of Mr. and Mrs. R.J Reynolds, and how this summer cottage came about. Explore Reynolda Village. Shops, restaurants, and galleries now occupy buildings originally constructed to support the estate. The carriage house, blacksmith shop, smokehouse and more are all modeled after an English Village. After shopping at Reynolda Village, enjoy a fresh salad for lunch at Silo Bistro & Bar, then satisfy your sweet tooth with a crepe at A Penny Lane Cafe.

Camel City Goods Co. – 1004 Brookstown Ave. Winston-Salem, NC

Camel City Goods Co. offers clothing and accessories with trendy designs to show your love for WS and North Carolina.

Winston Salem Hotel & Best Place To Stay

Historic Brookstown Inn – 200 Brookstown Ave. Winston-Salem 27101

This hotel was originally a cotton mill that dates back to 1837. Spacious rooms feature ornate, original bricks making the hotel a unique place to stay. Our room was located close to the dining room. Each morning of our stay, I woke up to an amazing aroma from the complimentary southern breakfast being prepared. Southern favorites including biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, grits, sausage, waffles, pastries, and cereal are the perfect fuel to start your day with in Winston-Salem.

Hurry back to the Brookstown Inn for their complimentary wine and cheese reception from 5-7PM. Then enjoy complimentary warm cookies and milk before bed from 8-9PM.

How Many Miles Is Winston-Salem From?

80 Miles to Charlotte

145 miles to Asheville

330 miles to Savannah

436 miles to Nashville

What Is Winston Salem Famous For?

1700’s the Moravians settle the area and Salem College is founded

1800’s Winston becomes a thriving industrial center after the Civil War.

1901 HanesBrands is founded

1913 Winston and Salem unite as one city

1937 Krispy Kreme is founded

1954 Wake Forest University relocates to Winston-Salem

Visit Winston-Salem Visitor Center
200 Brookstown Ave.
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Follow Just Marla on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for foodie finds, travel tips, and our family adventures. I would be glad to answer any questions about fun things to do in Winston-Salem! Feel free to comment below or message me.

Facebook

Twitter