The Essential Guide to Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Once known for Big Tobacco, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has quietly reinvented itself over the years into one of the South’s most compelling culture-forward destinations. I’ve lived in the Carolinas for almost three decades, and I will never pass up an opportunity to visit.

The city transformed its industrial and historic spaces into places visitors will want to linger. It also delivers a refined aesthetic with landmarks like the Reynolda House, the former estate of R.J. and Katharine Reynolds, which blends Gilded Age grandeur with a Southern agrarian sensibility. Add to that the beautifully preserved living-history museum of Old Salem, and a thriving, walkable arts district, and Winston-Salem stands out as a destination defined by history, adaptive reuse, and creativity.

“There’s a strong spirit of reinvention in Winston-Salem, and you see it everywhere,”  Michael Breedlove, senior public relations and communications manager of Visit Winston-Salem tells Travel + Leisure. “What’s great about Winston-Salem is that it doesn’t tear down its past. It builds on it, reshapes it, and gives it new life.”

Here’s what you need to know before planning a trip to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Best Hotels & Resorts

Kimpton Cardinal Hotel

Situated in the original 1929 office building of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel oozes upscale art deco charm. You’ll get a serious Empire State Building vibe here—and for good reason. The architectural firm that designed the skyscraper went on to design New York City’s iconic gem. “A Father’s Day card the Empire State Building sent is on display in the lobby, which I love,” Breedlove says.

The Kimpton Cardinal Hotel boasts 174 guest rooms, including 15 luxury suites, and incorporates original historic architectural details throughout its design. You’ll also notice playful nods to U.S. history, like the Founding Fathers’ faces embroidered on the elevator rugs on each floor.

Onsite diversions include a fun industrial-style Rec Room featuring a basketball court and a two-lane bowling alley. Guests can access it via stairs or by jumping on a spiral slide to the lower level. The hotel’s Parisian-style brasserie, The Katharine, is just off the lobby. The menu is a Southern take on traditional French brasserie fare—escargots, steak frites, and other crafted plates.

Graylyn Estate & Conference Center

I’ve laid my head on pillows all around the world, and my stay at Graylyn Estate remains singularly memorable. The property began in 1932 as the residence of a prominent R.J. Reynolds Tobacco executive, Bowman Gray, and his wife, Nathalie. Upon arrival, you might feel as if you stepped straight into Downton Abbey, thanks to the estate’s spectacular stone structures, castle-like turrets, and stunning gardens. You can choose among 85 rooms spread across the estate’s five buildings.

Nathalie Gray’s passion for travel is notable throughout, from the 17th-century hand-carved paneling from Hotel d’Estrades in Paris to the estate’s Persian Card Room, where you’ll find some of the world’s oldest examples of Syrian art. 

“One of my favorite things is that Graylyn has real-life butlers, and all guests have 24-hour butler service,” Breedlove says. “It might sound over the top, but it’s actually very warm and very Winston-Salem. It gives you a small taste of what life was like in another era, without feeling stuffy.”

Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Graylyn Estate Dining or pop down to The Grille Room for a cozy, fireside dinner. Don’t miss the unlimited free ice cream, available in the former butler’s pantry. For an added treat, pair your ice cream with one of Mrs. Gray’s butterscotch cookies, served daily.

Summit Street Inns

For a homey stay, consider one of the bed and breakfasts within the Summit Street Inns family. Situated in the city’s historic West End neighborhood, accommodations include the 1893 B.J. Sheppard House and the 1887 Colonel Ludlow House. The spacious homes are architecturally stunning with massive porches, original tiled fireplaces, stained glass, and exquisite woodwork. Guests enjoy a hot Southern-style breakfast each morning, plus other perks like plush robes and a complimentary glass of wine or beer each evening of their stay.

Best Things to Do

Reynolda House

Constructed by Katharine and R.J. Reynolds in 1917, the roughly 34,000-square-foot Reynolda House anchored the family’s sprawling estate. Today, it serves as the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, which showcases American art from the colonial period to contemporary works, featuring paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. Among them are works by Andrew Wyeth, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Andy Warhol.

Center yourself at the Historic Reynolda Gardens. Once a sprawling 1,000-acre estate designed by master landscape architects for the Reynolds family, the grounds are now a public sanctuary. You can wander through vibrant themed gardens, explore the exotic flora within the 1913 Lord & Burnham greenhouse, or simply lose yourself along the wooded nature trails.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

At Old Salem Museums & Gardens, history is lived, not staged. Residents still occupy 18th-century Moravian homes, bakers fire the same oven used since 1799 at Winkler Bakery, and traditions like the Moravian Lovefeast reflect a deep-rooted culture of communal hospitality.

Established in 1766 by the Moravians, a Protestant group from the Czech Republic seeking religious freedom. Take a tour of the 1769 Single Brothers’ House, which served as a communal living space for unmarried men. Today, it functions as a museum illustrating their trades and daily lives. 

Other Old Salem venues to explore include the Blum House Joinery Workshop, Salem Tavern Museum, and the Miksch House & Garden. Breedlove urges visitors not to miss the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts during their Old Salem visit. “It’s well- known worldwide among collectors and historians, but a lot of locals still overlook it,” Breedlove says. “The collection is truly incredible, and the way the galleries connect feels like you’re discovering history one room at a time.” 

Visiting during the holidays? Don’t miss the Moravian Candle Tea, a local tradition since 1929. Costumed guides lead guests on a tour of the Single Brothers’ House, which includes caroling and traditional beeswax candle-making demonstrations. The experience is capped off with a warm mug of sweet Moravian coffee and a piece of fresh-baked Moravian sugar cake. (This event requires a separate ticket.)

Historic Bethabara Park

The Bethabara settlement predates Salem by 13 years, making it North Carolina’s first European settlement. Bethabara became a bustling commercial center with trade shops, a store, and a tavern. Today, it’s a National Historic Landmark and local historic district where visitors can explore the 183-acre grounds with well-preserved 18th-century buildings, a reconstructed stockade from the French and Indian War, and tranquil nature trails home to protected wildlife. 

The site is also home to Bethabara God’s Acre, the Moravian cemetery, known for its uniform and simple gravestones for more than 7,000 people. Status was not considered for burial sites here. The departed were buried in the order in which they passed. Instead of family plots, Moravian parishioners were grouped according to age, gender, and marital status. A particularly moving event is the God’s Acre annual Easter Sunrise Service, the country’s longest consecutive observance of its kind. Thousands of people gather before dawn to hymns played by a brass band. At the conclusion of the graveyard service, the community shares coffee and Moravian sugar cake.

Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies

Moravian settlers brought their tradition of baking ultra-thin, crisp cookies, often flavored with molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, creating a distinctive spicy-sweet taste. Several bakeries around Winston-Salem are known for their Moravian cookies, including Dewey’s Bakery, Wilkerson Bakery, and, of course, Old Salem’s Winkler Bakery. 

However, to witness the magic behind these delectable paper-thin confections, head to Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies, situated in bucolic Clemmons, just outside Winston-Salem. Family-owned for more than 100 years, Mrs. Hanes is the only bakery that still fully rolls, cuts, and packs the cookies by hand. Weekday visitors can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the bakery’s “Artists in Aprons” in action, working their way through more than 110,000 pounds of dough each year. 

Samples are available, too. In addition to the iconic ginger cookies, you can nibble on butterscotch, sugar, black walnut, chocolate, and lemon. Good luck choosing a favorite—they’re all ridiculously good.

Innovation Quarter 

Former R.J. Reynolds tobacco factories and coal plants now anchor the Innovation Quarter. Today, the 330-acre district serves as one of the country’s fastest-growing urban research parks. This lively district mixes high-tech medical labs and startups with historic brick buildings, modern lofts, and a curated collection of local eateries and watering holes. 

It’s also home to the Long Branch Trail, a paved 1.7-mile greenway, perfect for a stroll or bike ride. Visitors can also enjoy Bailey Park, which buzzes with live concerts, outdoor movies, and even monthly free yoga classes in warmer months. A regular rotation of food trucks feeds lunchtime visitors throughout the week, with lots of tables and seating for park dining. 

Breedlove is awed by the area’s transformation. “10 years ago, these were mostly these massive, abandoned factories and warehouses, the east side of downtown was truly a ghost town,” he explains. “Now it’s one of the most ‘alive’ parts of the city. Sometimes I’ll just stop and take a quick look around when I’m at Bailey Park—and I still can’t even believe it’s all there.”

Best Restaurants

Mission Pizza Napoletana

This osteria-style restaurant honors the centuries-old pizza-making tradition from Naples, baking its pies in a high-heat wood-fired oven that yields light, blistered crusts with fresh, balanced toppings.

Breedlove suggests checking out the Pizzakase experience, a play on the Japanese concept of omakase.“You sit down, give up control, and let the chef surprise you,”  Breedlove explains. “Half the fun is not knowing what’s coming next.”

Heff’s Burger Club

You might go to Heff’s Burger Club for the food, but you’ll want to stay for the atmosphere, according to Breedlove. “The burgers are amazing at Heff’s, but what really sticks with you is how original the place is,” Breedlove says. “Cartoons on the TVs, punk rock playing, weird art on the walls. They are just 100 percent themselves. Maybe it shouldn’t work on paper, but it totally does.” 

Breedlove recommends the Lady Killer, a smash patty with American cheese, locally-made pickles, shredded lettuce, red onion, and black garlic sauce. “It’s one of the most perfect burgers I’ve had,” he says.

Mozelle’s

For elevated, made-from-scratch Southern dishes in a cozy bistro setting, grab a table at Mozelle’s, a local stand-out since 2008. Must-try dishes include shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and tomato pie, but don’t sleep on Mozelle’s innovative chef specials. Dietary restrictions? No worries. Most of their dishes are or can be made gluten-friendly, plus they offer vegetarian and vegan options.

Camel City BBQ Factory

It’s against the law to visit North Carolina without eating barbecue before you leave. Maybe that’s not true, but it should be. If you want to play it safe, hit up Camel City BBQ Factory. Located downtown, Camel City is a bit of a new twist on a traditional barbecue joint. Don’t miss the “Barcade” on the third floor with darts, foosball, and pool tables, plus arcade games like Pac-Man, Skeeball, and Galaga.

Best Time to Visit

Winston-Salem is a fantastic year-round escape, but spring through fall is a popular window for visitors, due to mild weather for outdoor exploration and historic garden strolls. If you don’t mind the cold, holidays in Winston-Salem are pure magic. The city leans heavily into its Moravian roots during that time with unique Old Salem experiences such as special candlelight tours and traditional Lovefeast services.

How to Get There

Winston-Salem is situated in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, so it’s easily accessible by air or by car. While the city has its own smaller airport, Smith Reynolds Airport (INT), most commercial travelers opt to fly in one of the larger airports nearby. The closest hub is Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, North Carolina, which is about 23 miles from downtown. Road-trippers can get there via I-40, I-77, U.S. Highway 52, and I-285. 

Neighborhoods to Visit

The Arts District

Situated primarily along a historic stretch of Trade Street, Winston-Salem’s Arts District is the vibrant, creative hub of the city. The area’s transition from industrial past to artistic present is on full display in galleries, street murals, and art installations. 

Artivity on the Green is an ideal spot for an epic Instagram background. The art-themed green space includes a cool red “smokestack” that pays homage to the city’s industrial past and a performance area sculpted from silver ribbons. A vibrant mural wall is the real draw here, though. Local artists revamp it every several months, providing a perfect reason for a return visit. 

Delurk Gallery has a revolving exhibit of contemporary photography, mixed-media works, and paintings, and the artists are often on hand to chat with visitors. Piedmont Craftsmen showcases almost 400 of the nation’s finest craft artists. You’ll find a bounty of handmade, distinctive items and wearables. Other shops worth a visit include Artworks Gallery, Red Dog Gallery, and Mast General Store.

“The best time to visit is the third Friday of each month, when Art Crush is happening,” Breedlove says. “Galleries stay open late, there’s music in the streets, art vendors, and kids’ activities.”

The Tanglewood Park Area

Most locals will tell you that Tanglewood Park is their favorite outdoor spot close by, located in nearby Clemmons, North Carolina, just 15 minutes southwest of downtown. This massive, 1,000-acre county park has a little bit of everything—walking and mountain bike trails, a stunning arboretum and garden, public horseback riding, golf for all levels, several fishing lakes, paddle boats, a huge waterpark, and several playgrounds. You’ll even find the historic Excelsior at the Manor House for overnight stays. Tanglewood Park is an ideal add-on for those seeking outdoor diversions without venturing too far from the city.

How to Get Around

Winston-Salem is easy to explore. Its relatively compact and walkable downtown area is packed with several hotels, breweries, restaurants, and cultural attractions. Neighborhoods like Old Salem, Innovation Quarter, and Reynolda Village are easy to get to by ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft, or by rental car.  For outdoor lovers, greenways and bike-friendly routes provide a refreshing way to explore parks and nearby attractions.