Winston Salem, NC, a Fun City With Many Destinations and Landmarks
Winston-Salem is a very old city with a rich history, considering it was founded in 1766; Because of this, it has a lot of historical destinations that can help you learn more about the history of the US and North Carolina in general. However, it’s also an excellent modern destination, with plenty of science and art museums that can educate you about the present as well. Overall, it’s one of the most amazing historical destinations in the USA and it’s a great choice for a quick family vacation; It also has tons of restaurants offering delicious foods, constantly hosts sports events and is home to lots of history related to sports in general. So, let’s find some things to do in Winston Salem, as all of these are excellent destinations whether you’re a resident of the area or a tourist.
Visit a Simpler Time With the Old Salem Museums and Gardens
Back in 1950, volunteers formed Old Salem, Inc to preserve Salem’s historic buildings and structures for its residents and visitors. Now, almost seven decades later, the Old Salem Museums and Gardens have become one of the most popular things to do in Winston Salem. Dedicated employees and volunteers have been restoring the historic district, its buildings and its gardens to pre-damage condition so you can enjoy an authentic “Old Salem” experience. The Old Salem Museums & Gardens also boast a wide variety of restaurants and shops for visitors to check out.
Entrance tickets for the Old Salem Museums & Gardens are generally priced at $15, but this can change if you opt for a guided tour or choose different buildings to visit. It also let’s you host events like wedding, corporate gatherings and parties on its grounds, so it could be a fun spot for something like a family reunion. You can find its entrance on 900 Old Salem Road.
The Reynolda House Museum of American Art Preserves Excellent Historic Art
Another popular historic attraction in Winston-Salem is the Reynolda House Museum of American Art. This museums focuses on collecting old American art and it currently displays hundreds of artistic artifacts. It also hosts separate, unique exhibits for events through-out the year.
The museum itself is actually a mansion that sits on a 20-acre lot with a stunning landscape. You can also visit the Reynolda Village after visiting the museum, which is only a short distance away and features tons of eating and shopping destinations. Interested in a romantic getaway with your significant other? The Reynolda House offers overnight packages so you can stay in a romantic environment during your visit to Winston-Salem. The Reynolda House Museum of American Art is located on 2250 Reynolda Road, so be sure to check it out if you have a thirst for historic art.
The Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem Is a Great Family Destination
If you want a fun and educational place to visit with your kids, the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem is an excellent choice. It is filled to the brink with tons of educational activities with fun in mind so you can have a blast with your family; These activities are focused on developing literacy, social and motor skills in children. Some of the activities include painting and drawing fun little pieces of art, while others focus on reading fun stories and building historic Salem structures. There’s also a playground where your children will have tons of room to run around and climb all over. All of this makes the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem an amazing experience for families.
The museum offers a membership that gives your family free admission, invitations to exclusive events and discounts at stores and retailers all over Winston-Salem. You can also host events like birthday parties and other gatherings here. It’s located on 390 South Liberty Street.
Have a Huge Love for Science? Check out the SciWorks Facility!
SciWorks is a huge nature and science facility that aims to support science, literacy and life-long learning for its visitors. It is an amazing destination for both individuals and families, as it has a variety of exhibits that teach its visitors about a huge range of subjects; For example: physics, biology, health, sound and the environment. The facility also features an amazing planetarium where you or your family can get a look into the wondrous galaxy. Its also located near beautiful gardens and relaxing walking trails.
Admission to SciWorks is $11 for adults and $9 for younger kids and seniors. However, it offers a membership that allows free admission and going to the planetarium is almost always free. You can check it out on 400 West Hanes Mill Road.
Another Historic Destination, Bethabara Park
Visiting Bethabara Park is almost like going two centuries backward in time, as its focused on preserving the religious village previously occupied by Moravians. It’s also conveniently located on a wildlife preserve, so you can get a great look at some of Winston-Salem’s beautiful wildlife; This also makes it an incredibly popular landmark for birdwatchers, as the preserve is home to approximately 120 different species of birds.
Admission to Bethabara Park is completely free, but you can pay for tours that cost $1 for children and $4 for adults. It also has a visitor’s center and various exhibit buildings, but they are only open during certain times. This is an excellent location for a once-in-a-lifetime historic experience, so check it out on 2147 Bethabara Road.
Explore Historical Architecture in the West End Historic District
If you want to dive into Winston-Salem’s rich architectural history, you should check out the West End Historic District. It has over 500 well-preserved buildings that date back to 1897 and are still being used today. Some of the most notable locations in this area include the Zevely House and the Poindexter houses.
Another benefit of visiting the West End Historic District is that you can visit and explore it at absolutely no cost. Its structures represent styles from these eras:
- Classic Revival
- Queen Anne
- Colonial Revival
- American Craftsman
The district covers over 230 acres of land, so you’re guaranteed to never run out of beautiful and classical structures to admire.
Want a Full Tour of Winston-Salem? Check out Triad ECO Adventures
Perhaps you’re overwhelmed with all the different destinations you can visit in Winston-Salem and you don’t know where to start. Luckily, Triad ECO adventures has you covered with extensive tours on SegWays; If you’re feeling adventurous, take to the water with one of their stand-up paddle-boards so you can explore Winston-Salem in a new and exciting way. These tours last about two hours and Triad ECO’s staff will provide you with complete safety training so you can focus on enjoying the tour.
Go check them out on 176 YWCA Way if you’re interested in one of their tours; They also offer tons of recreational equipment for rent or purchase like electronic bikes and skateboards.
Wanna Catch a Football Game? Visit BB&T Field!
Wake Forest University’s BB&T Field hosts various football games between the university’s team, the Deacon Demons, and visiting competitors. It can currently host over 30,000 people and hosts several features like its seven-story high press box, the Deacon Tower, and a huge video board that is 90-feet-wide. It’s located on 499 Deacon Boulevard if you plan to catch an exciting college football game.
If You’re a NASCAR Fan, You Should Visit the Winston Cup Museum & Special Event Center
Dedicated NASCAR fans will cheer with glee as we talk about our next destination, the Winston Cup Museum and Special Event Center. It was founded by Will Spencer in 2005, who has decades of NASCAR racing experience and has a true love for the sport. The museum itself has a huge collection of both classic and modern race-cars with extensive descriptions about their history and owners. It also features a ton of artifacts like trophies and equipment from Winston-Salem’s famous NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Got an itch to experience the thrill of racing yourself? The museum also offers racing simulators so you can experience what it’s like to be a NASCAR driver. NASCAR-enthusiasts should give it a look on 1355 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.
You Should Visit or Move to Winston-Salem Today for a Large Variety of Fun and Educational Activities
We didn’t mention every option here in this article, as Winston-Salem is packed to the brim with recreational and educational destinations. If any of these locations sounded interesting to you, make sure to take a visit to Winston-Salem today and experience some amazing American history while having tons of fun. Perhaps you’ll even take a liking to this great city and move there! Overall though, Winston-Salem is simply a prime destination for just about any activity and you should make plans to at least check out some of its amazing landmarks and activities today!