You’ve made it to Nash County, now it’s time to make some memories and share them, too. Feed-worthy adventures–natural and manmade wonders, edible art, eye-popping and mind-confounding creations–are around every corner. So come explore because your next Instagram Story starts here.
No trip to Nash is complete without exploring the Tar River, the winding thoroughfare that helped build the textile industry and the towns around it. A good place to start is at the Tar River Falls across from Rocky Mount Mills. From there, walk the paved 3.1-mile Tar River Trail. Hike east from the falls to one of the longest wooden pedestrian bridges in the United States. A beautiful feat of engineering, it also has those key leading lines that make for a great Instagram photo.
In downtown Rocky Mount there’s something new and unexpected to discover around every corner. Historic Helen P. Gay Train Station will have you looking for platform 9 and 3/4. Lovingly restored through the years, this active train station still shuttles passengers in and through the town it helped build. Red bricks, original wooden benches, and a tidy, lofted-ceiling lobby will make you feel like a passenger in the 1930s.
From the train station platform, don’t miss the vibrant train mural on the Carolina Gateways Partnership building on South Main Street, one of several murals that grace the building facades in Rocky Mount. The Champion celebrates Seaboard Coastline Railroad’s flagship passenger train. And the hot pink and purple CSX train still comes through Rocky Mount today. It makes a scroll-stopping color pop on your Instagram feed, guaranteed to have your followers wondering where you are and what you’re doing.
From the mural, walk down S. Church Street to Bel Air Artisans Center. This incredible art gallery and studio space has had several former lives as a car dealership and a funeral home (ask the artists and gallery folks and they may share a ghost story or two). For you, it’s an incredible, light-filled emporium of sculpture, art, craftsmanship, and angles to explore. Bring your wallet, as you’re likely to leave with gifts for friends or yourself.
While you’re downtown, ignite your imagination and your social feed at the Imperial Centre. One-part science center and one-part art gallery, this 135,000 sq. ft. converted tobacco mill offers guests a chance to touch a moon rock, take a selfie with a Giraffe and then do yoga in a gallery filled with priceless art.
For a fun ride and a pop of carnival in your stories, head to the County Fair Carousel at Sunset Park. Bob up and down on a century-old carousel before taking in this 25-acre oasis in the middle of Rocky Mount. The $5-entry fee to the Amusement Center–open between Memorial Day and Labor Day–is well-spent. Beyond the carousel, there’s an antique miniature train and a spray ground. Year-round hit the rest of the park for tennis, volleyball, basketball, and a shaded 18-hole disc golf course.
Cross the street to City Lake Park where hundreds of fine feathered friends are waiting to pose. The half-mile paved loop around the lake doubles as an art trail with some unique industrial sculptures. Venture across the arched wooden bridge to the park island for a chance to visit hundreds of ducks and geese. Snag them some bird feed from one of the vending machines and you’ll have some very willing participants for your photo shoot.
If food art is more your style, picture a massive mason jar milkshake piled high with a waffle and whipped cream and chocolate syrup drizzled on top. Now go directly to the Corner Coffee Café in Nashville. You’ll find sweet treats of all flavors and types from cookies to cinnamon rolls to iced coffee frappes, but the loaded milkshakes are the real showstoppers. These creative concoctions–with names like "Red Velvet Flame," "Mystical Mermaid," and "Cookie Craving"–will tempt just about anyone. A milkshake bigger than your head, now that’s a scroll-stopper on your feed.
If something more savory is the flavor of the day, Barley and Burger has the 100% black angus beef burger of your dreams. This movie-themed gourmet burger spot will tempt you with Goonies-inspired "Truffle Shuffle" (caramelized onions, fried mushrooms, swiss cheese and truffle aioli) or the "Marty McFly" (American cheese, chili, slaw and mustard).
And no trip to Rocky Mount is complete without a taste of one of the area’s craft beers. An epicenter for what’s new in craft beer, Rocky Mount Mills has five taprooms where you can taste test experimental new flavors and tried and true small batches made on site. How about a beer selfie with Sasquatch? He’s been sighted at Mythic Brewing where the hairy fellow is the mascot. Mythic is known for creating such regional ales as The Abominable Joe Man, (a French vanilla mocha stout), Wampahoofus (a smoked, maple bacon, Imperial porter), and Squatch and the Giant Peach (a peach cobbler wheat dessert beer). Take a picture, just don’t call him Big Foot.