Winston-Salem travel guide

Winston-Salem, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Winston-Salem

Introduction

Winston-Salem sits in the northwestern Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, in the west-to-southwestern stretch of the state's Piedmont. It serves as the county seat of Forsyth County and anchors its own metropolitan statistical area within the Triad.

Before you go

Before you go, it helps to know that Winston-Salem is generally safe, though as in most cities some areas are best avoided at night, particularly in the eastern half of the city. Downtown, once a rougher part of town, has been thoroughly cleaned up, especially along Fourth Street, and the city's shopping and dining districts are very safe. Take the normal precautions you would anywhere. For trip planning, the city's visitor center on Brookstown Avenue can help; it is open daily except New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Getting there

By air, Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) sits between Winston-Salem and Greensboro, roughly a 20-minute drive east of downtown. Smith Reynolds Airport, just northeast of the city, handles charters and general aviation.

There is no rail service into Winston-Salem itself, though Amtrak runs several daily trains to nearby Greensboro. By road, the city is reached via Interstate 40, U.S. 421/Salem Parkway, Interstate 77, Interstate 85 and U.S. Highway 52. Greyhound and PART buses both serve Winston-Salem, stopping at the Campbell Transportation Center at 100 W 5th St, on the corner of 5th, Trade and Liberty streets, which also serves as the hub for local buses.

Getting around

Winston-Salem is a car-oriented city, and driving is the most flexible way to reach its spread-out attractions. Major routes into and around the area include Interstate 40, U.S. 421/Salem Parkway, Interstate 77, Interstate 85, and U.S. Highway 52 (Future Interstate 73/74). There is no rail service into the city itself and no metro or tram network; travelers who prefer trains can use Amtrak to nearby Greensboro and continue by road from there. If you fly in, the main commercial gateway is Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), roughly a 20-minute drive east of downtown, while Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) handles general aviation and charter flights. Because the commercial airport sits outside the city, arrange your onward transfer in advance by rental car, taxi, or ride-hailing app. Local bus service is provided by the Winston-Salem Transit Authority, with free transfers between routes; children shorter than the farebox and accompanied by an adult ride free. For regional travel, PART (Piedmont Authority for Regional Transit) connects the city with other parts of the Piedmont Triad, and Greyhound serves longer-distance journeys. Both stop at the Campbell Transportation Center at 100 W 5th St, at the corner of 5th, Trade, and Liberty streets, which is also the hub for local buses and the natural place to make connections. Taxis are available, including Willard's Cab Co, and ride-hailing apps are a convenient alternative, particularly for airport trips or evenings when bus service is not practical. Walking works best for exploring specific districts rather than the city as a whole: historic areas such as Old Salem, with its restored Moravian buildings and gardens, are well suited to a stroll, but you will want a car or bus to move between neighborhoods.

Where to stay

Mid-range options cluster around the university and the Hanes Mall area. The Best Western Plus University Inn sits next to a shopping center, within walking distance of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum and a short drive from Wake Forest University and Highway 52; rooms come with microwaves, minifridges and coffeemakers, and a breakfast buffet is included. The Comfort Suites Hanes Mall offers a complimentary continental breakfast, wireless internet, on-site laundry, a seasonal outdoor pool, and fitness and business centers.

For a downtown base, two all-suite and full-service hotels put you near the Benton Convention Center and within a mile or so of historic Old Salem. The Embassy Suites by Hilton Winston Salem, opposite the convention center, provides cooked-to-order breakfast and evening socials with drinks and snacks, plus an informal restaurant and bar, a fitness center, an indoor pool, a spa and a garden terrace atrium. The Winston-Salem Marriott is a polished downtown property a short walk from Bailey Park, with a bar and restaurant, a lounge, a 24/7 fitness center and extensive meeting space; some rooms have sitting areas or city views, and suites add separate living and dining areas.

Food & drink

For a sweet snack with a historical connection to Winston-Salem, look for thin, crisp Moravian spice cookies. The "ginger cakes" are the original version, but you can now find them in other flavors at bakeries and gift shops around town. Downtown and the Stratford Road area concentrate most of the city's dining. On Trade Street NW, Sweet Potatoes serves fried chicken and other soul-food staples alongside beer, wine and cocktails, while Finnigan's Wake is a brick-lined tavern with Irish food, microbrews and scotch. Nearby on West 4th Street you'll find Mellow Mushroom, a funky, art-filled pizzeria with craft beer, calzones and stone-baked pizzas, plus a cluster of upscale spots: The Old Fourth Street Filling Station, an upscale New American eatery and bar with a fireplace and covered terrace; Mozelle's Fresh Southern Bistro, serving refined Southern cuisine and diverse wines in airy, bright environs with a covered patio; and 6th & Vine, a downtown wine bar with a small dinner menu and outdoor seating along narrow alleyways. West End Cafe offers updated American fare and views of a lily pond from its front tables, and further out, Milner's American Southern pairs contemporary Southern cooking and craft beers with Sunday live jazz, Rooster's - A Noble Grille builds Southern dishes with international influences from local ingredients, and Ryan's Restaurant overlooks a stream in a wooded setting. Along Stratford Road, Little Richard's Bar-B-Que, The Loop Restaurant (hand-dipped milkshakes, hand-crafted burgers, pizza on an open patio), The Carving Board (a family-operated American cafe and deli) and Sakura Japanese & Sushi cover budget and mid-range options, while Meridian Restaurant serves an elevated Mediterranean and American menu in an elegant dining room. For drinks, Burke St Pub is known for cheap specials and friendly staff, West End Opera House is another local institution, and Earl's mixes Nashville-inspired plates, a whiskey bar and live music in a down-home spot with Southern flair.

What to see and do

Winston-Salem rewards exploration, from its historic districts to its contemporary art spaces. Start in the West End Historic District, a pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood of homes built between 1890 and 1930 that grew out of an early electric streetcar line and the fortunes of the Reynolds and Hanes families; today it is a centre for dining and shopping, and it holds the area's largest and most varied concentration of front porch designs. Old Salem Museums & Gardens is a restored Moravian living history museum where you can watch blacksmiths, carpenters and cobblers at work; it includes the 1784 Salem Tavern and St. Philips Moravian Church, the oldest surviving African American church building in North Carolina. Historic Bethabara Park marks the first Moravian settlement in the state, with costumed guides, a furnished 1788 church, a restored fort and medicinal garden, and greenways across its preserve. For art, the Reynolda House Museum of American Art displays American masterpieces, vintage clothing and original furnishings in the restored home of R.J. Reynolds and his wife Katherine, while the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art shows regional and national artists in a Tudor-style former estate. The Downtown Arts District gathers working studios, galleries and shops, and the Diggs Gallery and Delta Arts Center both emphasise African and African American art. The Lam Museum of Anthropology covers global cultures, and the Charlotte and Philip Hanes Art Gallery at Wake Forest University hosts changing exhibitions. For live performance, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts almost always has a production or performance running. Families can take in minor league baseball at the Winston Salem Dash ballpark downtown, or head to Adventure Landing for mini-golf, laser tag, go-karts and an aquatic complex. Kaleideum North offers a planetarium, an environmental park and hands-on science exhibits.

When to go

Winston-Salem has a humid subtropical climate, with temperatures that generally stay within a moderate range throughout the year. Winters are cool rather than severe, with highs that stay mild and lows that rarely fall into deep cold, making it the quietest season for outdoor sightseeing.

Summers are warm and humid, and although temperatures seldom climb to extremes, the humidity makes the heat feel heavier. This is the busiest season for visitors, so expect higher prices and more crowds if you travel then.

Three days in Winston-Salem

Day one: Start in Downtown, where Fourth Street gives you a first feel for the city, then head to Old Salem for the historic district's restored buildings and gardens. Brookstown Avenue is a short walk away if you want to keep the day compact. Note that some attractions close on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, so plan around those dates.

Day two: Give the day to Salem and its historic sites, then use the afternoon to explore the wider city. Winston and Salem sit side by side, so you can move between them without much travel. If you are arriving by air, Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) near Greensboro and Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) both serve the area.

Day three: Use the morning for anything you missed in Downtown, then look at the surrounding Piedmont and Forsyth County. Amtrak, Greyhound and PART all connect the city, and the Campbell Transportation Center on Trade Street is a hub for local and regional buses. Interstate and Salem Parkway, plus the future interstate, make driving through the Triad straightforward.

About this place