When you mention Nash County, chances are most people will ask you, "Where’s that?" This little county in North Carolina along the Tar River has stayed off the radar for many. But its prime location less than an hour from Raleigh and Greenville, has brought it back into the conversation as of late.
Nash has seen huge investments in its infrastructure and facilities over the last couple decades. As a result, what was mainly an agricultural community, is seeing growth in outdoor recreation, craft beer, tournament sports, and is becoming a hub for arts and culture.
Visitors from surrounding cities are heading to Nash. Traffic coming down I-95 and driving HWY 64 are taking an extended pit stop on their way through. Easier than going to the mountains or dealing with traffic to the coast, Nash offers a river to float down, city-wide trails to hike, craft beer you can get nowhere else, and the option to dine with a true celebrity chef. It is truly becoming the next tourism must-visit in North Carolina.
The tagline for Nash County is "Great stories start here." In a literal sense, the county is home to multiple famous athletes and politicians, including current Governor Roy Cooper. In a more "what’s in it for me?" way, Nash offers visitors a chance to make a new memory or story to share.
For craft beer hopheads, there’s the 82-acre campus of Rocky Mount Mills. It’s the home to the state’s largest beer incubator with five breweries on campus, plus four restaurants, a bottle shop, and a coffee shop/bookstore. Long before your favorite craft beers reach the bars, high-tops, and beer gardens of crowded cities in the South, they start right here. That’s what makes this place a craft beer Mecca. It’s the chance to get something unique, something rare. It’s a chance to taste something for the first time or only time. Every visit is different.
For art lovers, there’s the Imperial Center. It’s one-part Science Center and one-part Art Gallery. This 135,000 sq. ft. converted tobacco mill offers guests a chance to touch a space rock, take a selfie with a Giraffe and then do yoga in a gallery filled with priceless art.
For those who like sports, get ready for the Rocky Mount Sports Complex. This 143-acre multi-use facility offers an assortment of recreational programming options. The Complex, completed in the fall of 2006, includes six youth baseball fields, four interchangeable baseball/softball fields, one championship baseball field, eight soccer/football fields, a professional disc golf course, two outdoor basketball courts, outdoor volleyball courts, picnic shelters and a walking trail. You supply the team spirit.
For those looking to just be entertained, head over to the Event Center. Similar to places you’d find in Charlotte or Raleigh, this 165,000 square feet facility is host to headlining concerts, cheerleading events, volleyball tournaments, basketball playoffs, monster truck shows and more. It also includes an indoor adventure park called Game Day that has climbing walls, rope courses, arcade games and more. In total, the Rocky Mount Event Center welcomes over 250,000 visitors and athletes each year.
For those looking for a big adventure in a tiny package, check into River and Twine. It’s the state’s largest tiny home hotel and it’s located in Rocky Mount. You can choose from one of 21 different units located in a cozy, wooded setting right beside the Rocky Mount Mills campus. Your accommodations come compete with board games, wood, and adirondack chairs around a fire pit. All you have to bring is a sense of adventure and conversation.
Great location. New facilities. Riverfront attractions. Concerts. Sports. Great food. One-of-a-kind accomodations. All the pieces are there to make Nash County the next place to be.
So, plan your visit. Spend the day kayaking the Tar River. Wander through its small towns, picking up handmade art and antiques. Grab a milkshake shaped like a unicorn. Better yet, spend the day on the BBQ and Ale trail filling up your belly. You never know, you may just want to stay.
Come start your great story today.