7 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (2024)

Winston-Salem is a modern city that was founded in 1766, it lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. It is a county seat of Forsyth County, NC, United States.  According to statistics in 2020, the population was around 2.46 lakhs and as a result Winston-Salem is the fifth-most populous city in North Carolina and the third-largest urban area in North Carolina. Winston-Salem is called by many nicknames such as “Camel City” because camels’ cigarettes by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company were first produced here. It is also called “twin city” because at first Winston and Salem were both different cities but in order to form Winston-Salem, they were merged. It is a great destination for tourism as it has various visiting places, and each place has a unique past and culture.

Winston-Salem has 80 parks, 450 restaurants, 12 golf courses, numerous museums and galleries, wedding venues, and the oldest college for women in the country which is known as Salem College. If you’re planning to visit Winston-Salem anytime soon then it is preferable to visit during summer and spring season because there are a lot of things that you can do in these seasons.

7 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Here are some of the top tourist attractions in Winston-Salem that you must not skip if you’re here.

1. Tanglewood Park

Tanglewood Park is located on Clemmons Road and is an 1100-acre public park offering so many facilities. They have tennis courts, two championship golf courses, horse stables, an RV campground, fishing on two stocked lakes, a BMX track, pedal boats, an Aquatic Center, and several trail systems. They provide rental facilities too with food. Tanglewood Park becomes the most happening place from Mid-November to New Year’s Day as they host an event named Tanglewood’s Festival of Lights every year. During that time, the route through the park is decorated very beautifully with fairy lights and is laced with brilliant snowflakes. Tanglewood’s Festival of Lights is known as one of the biggest and best light shows in the Southeast. When you drive through the route of this park, it looks like magic because of almost 1 million lights which are decorated throughout the whole route of the park. This event also features a gift village from where you can do your holiday shopping or meet Santa who gives you gifts. If you’re in Winston-Salem during the event time, then you must not miss it.

Best Time To Visit Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem: You can visit it anytime, but it looks best during the Tanglewood’s Festival of Lights, so it is preferable to visit between Mid-November to New Year’s Day.

2. Triad Eco Adventures

If you really want to explore the city Winston-Salem in a different style by having fun in an exhilarating Segway tour of the city because Triad Eco Adventure is best known for its Segway tour. It takes 2 hours to cover the city by segway but before that, they also provide you with safety training in which you have to cross obstacles to make you more familiar with it. But if you don’t like segway tours then they have other options too such as taking to water or stand-up paddle boarding. You’re provided with its lessons too. They also sell e-bikes and e-skateboards as they believe in selling environmentally friendly products.

Best Time to Visit Triad Eco Adventures in Winston-Salem: Monday– 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Friday– 9am to 6pm, Saturday– 8am to 5pm and Sunday– 10:30am to 4pm.

3. Old Salem Museums and Gardens

It was founded in 1950 by some people to preserve the historic charm of the city for future visitors. The visit here will let you experience the life of Moravian community. It is one of the best museums of Winston-Salem as there are 20 historic buildings to explore within. Volunteers and employees work here for the preservation of historic things. Here, you will be able to watch potters shaping clay and cobblers crafting shoes in the live museum. In addition to it, the museum is surrounded by a beautiful garden area where you can take a walk. Inside the Old Salem Museums and Gardens, visitors do have a variety of choices to shop and eat. The entry ticket of the place per person is $15 and it may vary depending upon the tours and buildings you would like to visit. Not only it’s a place for preservation but is a very popular spot for events, weddings, and large gatherings.

Best Time To Visit Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem: Wednesday to Saturday– 10am to 4pm. It remains closed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

4. Black Mountain Chocolate Factory

It is a perfect place for anyone who has sweet cravings! If you have never visited any real-life chocolate factory, then you should really give this place a try. Black Mountain Chocolate Factory is located near the Downtown area. They serve the best desserts. Their menu is filled with the most delicious chocolates, tarts, and brownies. Here, you can get to learn and see how these are made by attending one of their events named “makery counter”. The factory is open for everybody. You can either take a guided tour where a guide will explain to you about the factory and its work or can enjoy a self-guided tour. Inside the factory, you can also purchase their products too.

Best Time To Visit Black Mountain Chocolate Factory: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday– 12pm to 6pm, Thursday–12 pm to 8pm, Friday and Saturday– 10am to 11pm. It remains closed on Monday.

5. Salem Lake Trail

Salem Lake Trail offers a 365-acre large lake and a 7 mile long and wide well-maintained trail located east of the downtown area. It is also known as the hidden diamond of Winston-Salem. You will get the most amazing views of the lake from the trail. At the trail, you will spot various runners, walkers and bikers and you can also join them for doing the same. It is considered a really great place to visit in the summer season as the lake saves you from the scorching heat of the summers. As the area is surrounded with dense trees and the trail is wide and provides utmost shade which will be a relief in the heat and perfect for a ride in summers. The place has a sort of hilly topography. It is a pet friendly place too. You can also do fishing from boats at Salem Lake, but no bank fishing is permitted here.

Best Time To Visit Salem Lake Trail: Monday to Friday– 8am to 5pm and Saturday to Sunday– 7am to 5pm. The park closes at evening, so it is advised to wrap up your visit there before the sunset.

6. Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park

Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park is the best indoor place if you don’t want to spend your day outside in the heat but want to enjoy it to the fullest. This park is a great place for both kids and adults. Whenever you’re bored, you can visit this place with your family. Climbing walls, rope courses, sky rider, pro zone trampoline, tumble track, battle team, warrior course, virtual reality game, dodgeball, drop zone, tube playground, slam dunk zone, wipeout and bumper cars are some of its amusing attractions because of which people like to visit it more often. You can also use this place as a venue for birthday parties of your kids and for small gatherings. If you want to burn off some energy or get a fun workout, you should definitely pay a visit here. The cost of a ticket for basic trampolines only is $14.49 and $11.99 for children of ages 5 or under. You need to buy urban air socks for $3.49 as they do not allow your personal socks.

Best Time To Visit Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park: Monday to Thursday– 4pm to 8pm, Friday– 4pm to 10pm, Saturday– 10am to 10pm, Sunday– 12pm to 8 pm.

7. Foothills Brewing

Who doesn’t like a bottle of beer at the most famous Foothills Brewing! This place was founded by Jamie Bartholomeus in 2005 and offers a wide variety of flavors of craft beers at a decent price. If it’s your relaxing day, it cannot end without having a chilled beer here. They also hold different events on a daily basis. The atmosphere of the place is very unwound and has the best bartenders for sure. Try their Honey Blonde Ale, Vienna Amber Lager, New England IPA, or Milkshakes. Foothills Brewing will help you escape the heat in summers with their chilled drinks and some pop music.

Best Time To Visit Foothills Brewing: Monday to Thursday– 4pm to 10pm, Friday and Saturday– 12pm to 10pm and Sunday– 12pm to 8pm.

Winston-Salem is a beautiful travel destination which has everything for everyone, it’s an all-in-one destination for leisure, history, relaxation, and arts. Many people have not discovered its beauty and hidden gems – which are still awaiting discovery for most of the people. One can spend their holidays by exploring every captivating place they will find in here. To have an unforgettable experience in Winston-Salem, definitely visit the above-mentioned top tourist attractions here.