The road on this side was closed as the bridge over the Dan River is being rebuilt or upgraded but…read moreparking over in Moratock Park worked fine and I could walk across without any trouble then follow the short path down to the furnace. You'd never guess from the road that a massive nineteenth century blast furnace is tucked back in these trees and it really would be a shame to miss it. The stone stack was built in 1843 as part of the old Moratock Iron Works, and it produced pig iron for decades before the Civil War. It was later used to supply iron for the Confederacy until Stoneman's Raid came through in 1865 and shut the operation down. Standing in front of it now, more than 150 years later, the scale and the condition of the structure are impressive, especially considering how exposed it is. It feels like one of those places you stumble onto and immediately wonder how many people drive past without ever knowing it's there. [Review 630 of 2026 - 4718 in North Carolina - 25811 overall]

Built in 1843 to smelt iron for munitions. A cool piece of history located beside of the Dan river…read morein Danbury.

Darlin family farm is not an actual farm. Instead it is a homage and building facade to characters…read moreof the famed tv show the Andy Griffith show in historic downtown mount Airy North Carolina aka Mayberry. This barn and truck are simply Photo ops and sit next to other Mayberry photo ops and the gift stores inside Wally's and the Mayberry hotel. Overall a really fun photo ops and it's cool to see an homage to the whacky darlin family that was lovable reoccurring characters in the show.

Darlin family farm is not an actual farm.My buddy and I visited Mayberry over the summer. We had a…read moregreat time and it was very fun to see all the sights and scenes from the beloved TV show. This is a great addition to the tour and the town. I would recommend checking it out as it has many fun tidbits from Andy and Barney. Goober says hey! Hey to Goober.

I made a return trip to the World's Largest Chest of Drawers in High Point, NC. It was getting some…read morework done during my stop, so it had a fence around it. The best place to park is likely at the lot across the street. The Chest of Drawers is on a one-way street, so you might need to plan which lane to get in if traffic is heavy. High Point is considered the "furniture capital of the world." So the 38 feet high road side attraction is fitting. The piece was originally built in 1926 to welcome people to the area and promote the furniture. The design was different, and the bureau was smaller and had a mirror. It was painted white with floral accents. It wasn't a functioning piece of furniture as the drawers didn't open. Then in 1996, Sid Lenger, a High Point craftsman and designer, transformed the piece. He wanted a proper chest of drawers, so he designed and built one with hefty brass handles. This version also doesn't open, but is meant to look like a more realistic piece of high-end furniture. He also added the two pairs of six-foot-tall socks to acknowledge the hosiery industry. I hope whatever work is being done to the chest of drawers preserves the cherry wood finish's color as intended.

Another review for my collection of "superlatives," this is the World's Largest Chest of Drawers…read more Of course, it belongs here in High Point as it is the capitol of furniture in the Untied States. Remodeled in 1996, this is the new structure. Steel framing and stucco, it stands 38 feet high with simulated brass handles. And it even includes two giant socks as a tribute to High Point's hosiery industry There is plenty of parking nearby and if you're shopping for furniture at one of these many nearby showrooms, check it out. [Review 336 of 2024 - 3590 in North Carolina - 21370 overall]

It was my first visit back since the ownership and name change, and I have to say I really enjoyed…read moremyself. The owners were tending bar, and they had an awesome musician and a food truck (side chicks). We went for two flight/tastings, which came with five 1.5 ounce pours of your choice. We opted for three whites (Sauv Blanc, Viognier, and Riesling) and all the reds (Merlot, Montepulciano, Chambourcin, cab Sauvignon, and a couple of blends (including a meritage). They are in the process of releasing a new Monte/nebbiolo blend, which I'm thrilled we were able to try. All the wines were delightful, but I was particularly fond of the mystique (Chambourcin), meritage, and the cab. Good s were vice, friendly atmosphere, and tasty wines to please any pallet await you a Gioia Dell Amore!

Spent a lovely afternoon here. They have a cozy log cabin tasting room where you can taste your…read morechoice of 5 wines for $15. We shared two tastings so we were able to taste 10 wines. There is a large offering of over 20 varieties. One of the current owners led our tasting and gave us detailed explanations of the history and thought process behind each wine. There are 11 wines that were the original Autumn Creek wines and then the new owners have added some new wines and new blends under the label Gioia dell'Amore Cellars. We liked all of the wines that we tasted. Our favorites were the Diamond Girl White & Red Blends and the Embrace Meritage red blend. After our tasting we purchased a bottle of Diamond Girl Red to enjoy on property. Outside the tasting room are a large deck and a brick patio with sweeping views of grapevines, a pond, a waterfall, a gazebo, a covered area and an event venue (where an anniversary party was taking place). It made for a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon.

Super cute spot. Looked like someone had just gotten married there because there was confetti…read moreeverywhere. Great stop for pictures and easy to walk too. Wheelchair accessible as well.

A beautiful covered bridge in the Historic district. This modern (1998) covered bridge connects the…read moreVisitors Center with the Historic district. We stopped here for a little walk about on a Sunday morning so we didn't happen upon many people and nothing was open at the time. It was peaceful walk in a pretty area.

This is a great walking trail in the heart of rockingham county, Wentworth. It's right next door to…read morethe old Chinqua Penn mansion, which is now closed. The parking lot is semi well lighted but they do close the trail at night. Not officially like with a gate or anything, but I wouldn'r stay out there after dark because there is no lighting on the trail. During the walk, you'll get to see a pond, koi pond, cows, water fall and most likely a lot of critters. Dogs are always welcome there leashed. We take our German Shepherd on walks there and she loves it. We let her play in the creek during the hike. I believe it's 1.5 miles total. I wouldn't say it's a hard hike by any means, but there are some hills throughout. They do have benches in case you need to take a break. Very pretty and a great place to relax and get some steps in.

Talk about a hidden gem in Reidsville! This trail was absolutely beautiful. Over a mile and a half…read morewalk that completes the trail. We stumbled across some birds and cows. Everything appeared well maintained and clean which was lovely. There are benches throughout the pathway where you may enjoy some sightseeing. Do stay hydrated during the hotter days, there are no shortcuts back to the parking lot. It is one way in and one way out that loops for roughly 1.6 miles. Overall a great experience. Dog-friendliness: Doggies are allowed.

I wasn't sure what to expect but the lady at the visitor center said this was a MUST DO!…read more This was a house that looked like Miss Gertrude stepped of and walked outside and you snuck in. Everything is in its place and authentic to how she had it decorated. The two ladies at the back entrance were super friendly and a wealth of knowledge. We enjoyed walking through and looking at the decor and photos. Amazing art work from around the world. I loved hearing the stories and I could just feel a sense that I had met Gertrude while walking her halls. Thank you for allowing us to stop by right at closing!!

The Gertrude Smith House is located just outside of Downtown Mt. Airy. It is within walking…read moredistance or you can drive as they have a parking lot or you can park in the street. The 1903 house is on the National Register of Historic Homes. Admission is free to tour the Victorian house as that was part of Gertrude Smith's will that admission be free. Ms. Smith left her house by will to be kept as a museum and established a trust to care and maintain it. The house is kept as if it were in the early 1900s with furniture; artwork and decor. The tour begins in the back of the house and I was greeted and given some history of the house and Ms. Smith. The house is self guided so you can spend as much time inside as you'd like. The rooms have information to read about or you can just look at the contents from the antiques; photographs; artwork; furniture; etc. I highly recommend visiting this historic gem if you are in the MT. Airy area.

Another Cool Landmark We were walking around this city and checking out their public art. Winston…read moreSalem has many cool Murals all around the place. This is another cool example of the public art scene in Winston Salem. I enjoy all the colors and the design of this public art mural. Go check it out in this cool city.

This 48-foot span bridge built of oak crosses the Smith River. It was constructed in 1914 by…read moreCharles Vaughan of the Buffalo RIdge area and designed by Walter Weaver of Woolwine. It is a single-span queenpost truss. It is the only historic covered bridge remaining in Patrick County and is maintained by the Patrick County government. The Jack's Creek Covered Bridge was widened and received a new roof in 1969, followed by a full restoration by the Virginia Department of Highways in 1974, at a cost of approximately $4,550. Every June, the bridge is the site of the Patrick County Covered Bridge Festival. The bridge is in pristine condition and is open to the public though of course it is not open to vehicular traffic. It has been replaced by an adjacent boring concrete bridge. [Review 13754 overall, 1075 of 2020, number 1189 in Virginia.]

One of my sons was a history major (like I was) and once I asked him what was the most popular…read morehistory class at his college. He told me the demand for one particular class was so high it was only offered by lottery to juniors and seniors. The name of that course was the History of the Vietnam War. I love the powerful symbolism of this monument. The first word inscribed on it is "Vietnam". The center of the letter "V" in Vietnam takes the form of a cut out wedge at the top of a granite slab. It seems as though the slab is in danger of being split in half, just as our country was split in half over the war. The inscription reads: Vietnam Each peaceful dawn in this place we are reminded of these men who died for their country Stephen J. Brennan P.F.C. Ara. Crosby Jr. W.O. Frederick W. Dauten Jr. Maj. Dedicated May 28, 1984 Town of Guilford Conn. God - Duty - Honor - Country