Each year fans from across the country visit Winston-Salem to catch a football game at BB&T Field or Bowman Gray Stadium to watch Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Winston-Salem State Rams. We’ve narrowed down our Top 5 Things to Do to turn Game Day into Game Weekend in Winston-Salem.
Grab a pint!
Winston-Salem knows beer — we like to say it’s part of our DNA. After all, we are the historic birthplace of NC’s first microbrewery (historic Salem, 1773). Today, "crafts brew nerds" enjoy a variety of local breweries. All downtown. All amazing. Veteran Foothills Brewing, best-known for the nationally-acclaimed Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout, also hosts a Beer School every first Saturday which you can enroll in for an easy $25. Yeah, good luck deciding between the actual game and beer school!
Small Batch Beer Co., focuses on the art of well, small batch beer. Brewing one tank at a time allows them (and you) to experiment with flavors like beets, lemon candies and cucumbers — no, not all at once!
Hoots Roller Bar & Beer Co. is a newer brewery and housed in the historic West End Mill Works.
Coming Winter 2016: Wiseman Brewery, which will offer 16 taps and food trucks parked out back. Need we say more?
Check out special events and neighborhood bottle shops on our comprehensive beer page at VisitWinstonSalem.com/beer.
Leaf peeping
Even though we’re just a short drive from the mountains, Winston-Salem has an array of spectacular yellow, red and orange foliage hues still glowing well into November. Notable stops along the way include Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Reynolda Road (aka the Reynolda Mile), Historic Bethabara Park, Pilot Mountain and the Yadkin Valley wine region. Don’t just take our word for it. Southern Living Magazine just ranked Winston-Salem as one of the top "13 Destinations to See Fall Leaves in the South" and recognizes the historic district of Old Salem as a prime leaf peeping location.
Want a peek at some of the prime leaf peeping spots — just click here.
Sip & Savor
Bold reds and bright golds find their way from the trees to your glass at our more than 45 nearby wineries. As the gateway to North Carolina’s wine country, you can visit 47 wineries within an hour’s drive of Winston-Salem. Base your stay in Winston-Salem and explore tasting rooms from quaint farmhouses to large estate wineries. Events include fall harvest celebrations, wine blending trials and even llama treks! Or better yet, take advantage of our wine hotel packages found here. Interested in exploring the Yadkin Valley? Check out VisitWinstonSalem.com/wine.
Nibble & Nosh
Whether you’ve got a hankering for North Carolina barbecue or Moravian culinary classics, Winston-Salem’s booming culinary scene gives your taste buds a delectable Southern wake-up call. Winston-Salem’s downtown alone is a hub to more than 100 locally-owned restaurants along with dozens more across the city. The Tavern in Old Salem, serves traditional Moravian cuisine such as savory Moravian chicken, while in the heart of the Downtown Arts District, you find soulful creole inspired cuisine at Sweet Potatoes (Well Shut my Mouth!!) a Restaurant. If you’re looking for the perfect hot dog, be sure to check out J.S. Pulliams Barbecue located on the outskirts of Winston-Salem. Pulliams’ hot dogs have been touted by such publications as Garden & Gun, Our State, and Rachel Ray as one of the best hot dogs in the south. To navigate through our culinary offerings, check out the directory – visitwinstonsalem.com/directory/dining.
Fun Family Outing
Looking for something to do with the family? Stop by the downtown Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem for interactive fun. This hands-on museum is perfect for tots, featuring a beanstalk to climb, doughnut factory, kid-focused grocery store and enchanted forest. For out-of-this-world excitement, visit SciWorks Museum, which offers a 17-acre Science and Environmental Park, planetarium and hands-on special exhibit spaces. For the family seeking outdoor activity, Triad Eco Adventures offers scenic & historical downtown guided Segway tours for groups of two to 13. Appropriate for families with children ages 14+. New to their offerings is a miniature Segway (NINEBOT glider), for kids ages 10 to 13. Triad Eco also offers exciting electric bikes and paddle boarding opportunities. To see all our family-friendly offerings, check out the attractions directory.