We just camped here for a long weekend. I do not recommend or intend on returning…read more This place advertises a large blow up water slide that was closed the whole time we were there with the exception of 2 hours, when a volunteer manned it so his own kids could use it. When his shift was done, it never opened up again all weekend. The change machine in the arcade was broken, but because they are cashless there was no way to get coins for my grandkids to play games. Bingo that was scheduled for 6pm started late because the volunteer came to set it up at 6. The next day we purchased the sand for gem mining and had to wait over 20 minutes for a volunteer to fill the water tank so it would work. My husband said the men's bathrooms were grossly dirty. Positives: The small pool was nice, the grandchildren had fun there. The bounce pad was too hot during the day but was fun for them also. Sites are grassy and had WiFi since there was no cell service there. The volunteers were nice. Even though bingo started late, it did end up being fun.

Reasonable rates and the ladies are very nice on the phone and in the office. They made me sign a…read morewaver on line when I made the reservation and I get that, these days business ought to protect themselves from possible 1 800 attorneys wishing to make a quick buck. At check in I went into the office wearing a mask and neither lady was wearing one until the guy that came in right after me entered the office wearing one too. Employees should wear one to protect customers. You are protecting yourselves from customers but are not protecting the very people that gave you the much needed revenue, just a little detail. Very nice gravel but my site was not level and I am talking about one side lower than the other, not front and back but I was able to fix that. Didn't have a problem with noise, the road does not have heavy traffic anyway. Overall well organized with mowing lawn and dumpster. Close to NC Zoo and to Asheboro and High Point, we would return if we were in the area

Came back for another adventure. Arrowhead is what one would expect. It's rugged and remote, while…read morestill being totally accessible. The sites are pretty well laid out and have the bare necessities. Plenty to do nearby: boating, off-roading, horse-back riding, shooting, hiking, prospecting, etc, etc. If you don't want to backpack, but don't want to camp at a resort, this is a good middle-ground.

We spent the 4th of July weekend in the Uwharrie National Forest at the Arrowhead Campground. It…read morewas a last minute decision and honestly, we would have rather camped at nearby Morrow Mountain State Park but it's closed due to storm damage. Arrowhead was just okay. I'm not sure we would ever go back. First off, even though the bathhouse is brand new it's just not maintained. It was filthy about 90% of the time. The campground itself it nice, but some spots are nicer than others. I would say the two best spots in the whole place are #29 and #27. They're both double spots with electric on site. The campground is VERY popular with Jeeper groups aka 'mud boggers'.Not really annoying, just interesting. Badin Lake is nearby but there's no real beach to picnic and hang out. That was my biggest disappointment. I love the mountains, but I have to admit, I'm not sure I'll go back to Uwharrie. I'll head West to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah before heading back East.

Badin Lake in Troy, NC is one of those places that makes you slow down and realize just how…read morebeautiful North Carolina truly is. And if you're going to spend $15 on a pass to Uwharrie National Forest, this place is damn sure worth it. (Tip: Just pick up your pass at the local gas station about 7 or 8 miles before the forest entrance). Whether you're looking for a peaceful walk, a morning run, a quiet place to think, or somewhere to spend time with family or someone special, this place should certainly have a spot on your list. Getting here is a bit of a 4x4 adventure. I come out to Uwharrie to do a little off roading, so trust me when I say the access roads can get a bit rough, especially after a good rain. I'd recommend at least a truck, and four wheel drive is even better. Could you make it in a Corolla? I could (lol)... But yes probably, just be cool/calm and good at picking a line and avoiding the ruts. Personally, I wouldn't. The extra ground clearance is worth it. Truthfully, anywhere in Uwharrie will lead to one of the most peaceful spots ever, but today i found Badin Lake and this is something special! The paved walking paths are in fantastic condition and exceptionally well maintained/clean (and no trash anywhere but where it belongs). Along the trail are several breakout paths leading to pretty new observation decks/personal fishing piers. Perfect for sitting or relaxing a bit and taking in some great scenery, or simply listening to the water and/or watching the boats riding by. One thing that hit me when leaving was how refreshing it was to see a public recreation area that's maintained this well. Yup, whether you're walking, running, doing photography, fishing, kayaking, or simply getting outside to clear your head, I'd absolutely recommend making this trip. It's peaceful without feeling isolated and scenic without feeling overcrowded. Badin Lake is a place I'm happy to highlight, it deserves the attention!

Being a long time fan of the National Park service, I love to go camping at their campgrounds when…read morepossible. Given the pandemic, finding opening at any campground has proven difficult, especially if you want a last minute get away. And by last minute I mean two weeks in advance... Making reservations at Badin Campground is super easy since its all done on the web. There are mentions of first come, first serve sites but when we arrived there was a no vacancy sign at the entrance so I'm pretty sure the first come, first serve is pre-pandemic policy. Checking in is a breeze too since there really is no need to check in. The loops are small enough to quickly find your site and each site post is marked with the site number and a placard with the visitors last name and dates of stay. We stayed at site 35 which is the first site on the left of the upper loop. These are primitive only sites but the bathrooms, showers and water is a short walk away. I felt we were secluded enough from the other sites that it was semi-private but you could still see the other sites clearly. Even though the posted quiet hours are from 10pm to 6am DO NOT expect it to be anything but quiet. There were multiple sites close to our loop that had very loud conversations well into the morning hours but mostly, there is non-stop traffic from four wheelers, hunters, etc. that fly down the road mere feet from the campsite entrance. This is a playground for off-roaders and a very popular spot for, what looks to be, a mecca for off-roaders. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and the site. I would probably consider Arrowhead campground for our next stay as it seemed to be a little quieter. BTW - no - alcohol is permitted. This seems to be a hot topic on forums of people not knowing and getting fined.

I've stopped here a few times over the years. Clean and safe and they have an attendant on site…read more They have vending machines. Plus there is a Vietnam vet memorial here.

This is one of the nicest rest stops I've visited. Easy to get to off of 85, has plenty of parking,…read moreand is pet-friendly. In addition, the facilities are clean and organized. There are vending machines available, which is convenient. As we get older, rest stops are a godsend. North Carolina has some excellent rest stops, and this may be one of their best. JV

What a cool building for the city offices, they've done a fantastic job updating this. Lexington is…read morea nice little community and the city employees that I met, pretty nice people.

When I do reviews of cities and towns, I always review based on places of similar size. So I would…read morenot rate Lexington against New York, Nashville or Charlotte as examples. More like Lexington vs. Salisbury, Statesville, etc.. Nice town of 18,000 plus population, between Charlotte and Greensboro. Part of the Piedmont Triad with Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High point. The BBQ capital of North Carolina and recognized as one of the top places in the US for BBQ. I had low expectation of Lexington before visiting but I was wowed by how much this small town has to offer. Downtown This may be one of the best downtowns I have seen for a town of its size. Very healthy downtown area. Lots of shops, restaurants and places to get an adult drink. Downtown Lexington has a couple of places that are rare these days. One, a downtown grocery store (old school grocery) Conrad and Hinkle. Two, an old hardware store. Downtown grocery and hardware stores have all but gone away, so it is great to see both of these places doing well here. Parking is street parking, at least I didn't find any parking garages or lots. Signs on Main Street state two hour parking which is better than paid meters like you see in other places. There is a depot district in downtown that has a couple of breweries. This section also has a lot of empty buildings that appear to be old textile or furniture companies. This section of town has a lot of promise if they can get the right businesses to come in. Downtown Lexington is a great place for a day trip. Highly recommend it. Outside of downtown For a city of only 18K, you have about every big box store you need. Plenty of grocery store variety as well. There are at least three wineries close by, including Childress Vineyards on the west side of town. Oh and don't forget about the many BBQ places. I85 runs through the city. This gets you to Greensboro to the north and Charlotte to the south. Winston-Salem is a 20 minute or less drive from Lexington which is great.

This small town is located in Randolph County near North Carolina's Pottery Highway and there…read morereally isn't much. It's one of those "blink and you miss it" spots. If they have a downtown or a police department or even a gas station, I couldn't find it. What I did find is the "WHYNOT" sign and that was good enough for me. The name is really the important thing here. According to legend, the townspeople were in a meeting to discuss what they should name their place. Hours and hours of arguing until one resident stood up and got everyone's attention. "Why not this. Why not that. Why not name the town Why Not and let's go home?" And so they did. Welcome to Whynot. If you're looking for the sign, it is 1402 NC-705, Seagrove, NC 27341. There is a church across the street where I briefly parked. [Review 14998 overall, round number 500 of 2021, number 2862 in North Carolina.]

Nice little museum. Quite a bit of info. Nice to see the set up of the courtroom. Great area at the…read moreend for kids.

Located in the Old Davidson County Courthouse, this museum tells the history of Lexington and…read moreDavidson County with a number of displays of memorabilia and artifacts from its history. This is the South, so they certainly have some information on the Civil War (and the former Memorial that's since been removed) but the original courtroom furniture and jail cell are still here. The ground floor had photos of Lexington through the ages. Interesting to see all of this and learn about this interesting city. The museum is free and donations are appreciated. [Review 1792 of 2024 - 3711 in North Carolina - 22815 overall]

It was a scorching hot North Carolina day in April when we arrived for the afternoon tour at…read moreSouthern Grace Distillery. We had paid in advance and made it just in the nick of time to join our group of about a dozen people. The crowd was a mix of adults and children; personally, I didn't quite understand the presence of kids on a jailhouse and whiskey tour, but the group was ready to dive into the history. The tour kicked off with chilling news of hauntings. Our guide mentioned that the show "Ghost Hunters" had even visited the site, certifying the old jail as haunted--though fortunately by "friendly" spirits. The sensory experience was a bit of a rollercoaster. I generally enjoy the scent of bourbon, and the initial aroma upon entering the distillery is quite pleasant. However, the main room where we spent a significant portion of the tour had a scent that was overwhelming and wholly unpleasant. That said, the content of the tour was good. It provided a well-balanced mix of intriguing historical facts about the prison and the technical side of whiskey making. The kids got restless during the tour and actually started brutally kicking each other in the shins. They each had on shell toed Crocs, so you could hear the crunch of bone and flesh beneath each kick. Their parents let it go on indefinitely. The hour passed quickly and was well worth the $14 adult admission. The tasting at the end is not for the faint of heart. They serve hard liquor, and I do mean HARD. My lips were numbing and my face was next. I had to tap out after the third swig! On the bright side, the gift shop is fantastic. They have the most darling items; we walked away with two tote bags and a delicious pink lemonade drink that will be perfect for sharing with friends this summer. This is a unique, affordable way to spend an hour, provided you can handle the heat and the high proof!

Wow this was a micro craft distillery at its best. Customer service, selection, and knowledge. They…read moretruly deserve being the face of the charlotte area whiskey. 1st entering, you walk into a small area with a gift shop area, bar area, and small separate sitting area on the first floor. The small sitting area also houses their original small still they currently produce their gin in. Pretty cool piece of history. So about the juice...They're really got some good stuff. You can do a curated flight for 10 dollars each pour, you can also do single pours of whatever they have available as well from their core products to the single barrels. I really love what they're doing with the "Story" line where they experiment with different finishes and blends. I'm not a huge rye guy but they are certainly doing it right. That says a lot for me to grab 2 to take home of their rye single barrels..my bartender was so cool and knowledgeable I even grabbed the one he actually picked. Overall 10/10. They're giving the bigger names a definite run for their money. You will not go wrong supporting and drinking local with them. Hands down the best in the charlotte area. They do offer shipping but, you NEED to go in for the full experience and the option to grab distillery exclusive bottles. #Foodierunner approved lol