Very cool urban "archaeological" find...nobody but locals "in the know" seem to be aware it's even…read morethere! Found out about it from the very nice & informative bartender at Dust Off Brewing (check out doing to the YoCo Brew Trail; check into 6 breweries on the app & get a t-shirt). He couldn't quite remember how to get to it, but after some intensive research, found the geo coordinates. That was honestly the only way to find this place, plus a little guts & guesswork. You can quasi see some portion of the rockwork of the ruinous remains from the paved Riverwalk trail. The "easiest" way to get to the ruins is to follow the Riverwalk Piedmont Medical Center Trail to just before mile marker 1.25; you will see this steep wooden thing with awkwardly placed planks. You basically have to rock-wall climb your way up. From there you are on a mountain biking trail. Follow the arrows for just over a quarter mile and you will see some indicators of the ruins before they open up in front of you. You will most likely have the place to yourself. Really cool to wander around and take it all in. Just be careful with holes and don't walk on or within the actual ruins as they are pretty sketch & unsteady. There are spiders, snakes, and flying insects galore, so put on repellent and stay vigilant cuz it is deep woods! You can either get back down the way you came; I found this gray rock slope that I found easier to navigate than sliding down the wood thing I climbed up. Either way, really neat find and I'm so glad I explored to find it! The paved walkway along the Catawba is also a nice walk to and from!

Built in 1998 for nearly $2m, this is a modern covered pedestrian bridge and it is named for the…read moreroad that it covers, Old Salem Road. It is located at the site of North Carolina's first Moravian community and is next to the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. I found it interesting that it is the first covered bridge built in North Carolina in nearly a quarter century, and is one of only three in the State. From the American Society of Civil Engineers (North Carolina) web site, "It is a timber Burr arch truss bridge (named for early 19th Century American bridge builder Theodore Burr) which compliments the characteristics of Old Salem's Moravian heritage. The structure spans approximately 120' over Old Salem Bypass with 17' vertical clearance over the roadway, and a 12' walkway. The bridge is framed with two massive Burr-arch trusses, 15'-10" in height with a 5' rise. The arches spring from two cast in place concrete, stone-faced abutments. The western landing of the bridge has stairs and a wheelchair ramp, meeting the American with Disabilities Act requirements, providing access to the bridge from the strollway. East of Old Salem bypass, the structure connects to an elevated concrete walkway leading to the stairwell and ramp, which connects to Main Street." It is a spectacular photo opportunity and in fact, a family was having some professional portraits done when I was here. Sorry to disturb y'all! [Review 19948 overall - 3435 in North Carolina - 922 of 2023.]

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.

First and foremost: this is a private home in a quiet neighborhood and not a public museum /…read moreproperty. If you visit, please make sure to not enter the property / knock on the front door / disturb the family who lives there in any way. Respectful, okay? Okay, cool. That all being said -- this place is a historical landmark for Winston Salem and humanity as a whole. It was the home of writer/actress/director/activist Dr. Maya Angelou from 1994 until her death in 2014, when she passed away inside this home. Dr. Angelou once wrote a lovely little essay called "In the Valley of Humility" (published in the collection "Letter to My Daughter") about how and why she decided to make Winston-Salem her home. She decided on Winston-Salem in part because of the warmth and kindness she felt from the community at Wake Forest University, and decided to accept the position of lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies there in 1981. This came after a divorce when she was looking for a "soft place to land". Anyone who has spent time in the Wake Forest part of Winston-Salem can certainly understand the appeal for her in that moment. Whenever I feel the need for a spiritual moment or reset, I like to quietly drive by her former home on Bartram. I take in the trees, how green and peaceful everything is. I pull out of the neighborhood and drive the few minutes down to the Wake Forest campus -- the same drive that Dr. Angelou likely made when she was heading over to speak or teach. It's really easy to understand why she picked Winston-Salem as her haven. Whenever I have visitors in from out of town, this is one of the first places I recommend that they visit. She may not live there anymore, and the house may now be painted deep blue instead of sunshine yellow, but driving by this house and down these streets -- especially after reading "In the Valley of Humility" -- allows so much in-depth insight into the day-to-day existence of one of the most cherished Southern writers of our time.

The House In the Horseshoe is a historical gem for North Carolina. The property is on over 2500…read moreacres of land. The house is named after the Deep River that bends like a horseshoe. The house is a mile from the river but the views are stunning. The cotton gin has been turned into a museum. There are a lot of displays you can read to learn more about the property. There is also a short video that is a great introduction to the house. Guided tours of the house occur on the top of the hour. A $2 donation is asked at the visitor's center to help reserve the property. The tour ran about 45 minutes and covered the history of the time, the residents of the house and the architecture. The house is also known as the Alston House. Alston was attacked in his house during the Revolutionary War and there are still bullet holes from the pellet guns. Governor Benjamin Williams also lived in the house. He planted the cotton and had a racetrack. The house is furnished with period pieces of the Colonial and Revolutionary Wars. Four rooms are on the tour. It was worth the drive to see this property and learn of its historical background.

A well preserved colonial house in a rural setting with beautiful vistas over fields of grain. A…read moreskirmish was fought in the house during the Revolutionary War. Many bullet holes were left unfixed. A very interesting story of the skirmish and the actions of the wife of the house is told by the tour guide. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided a detailed description of the house and the events that occurred there. The experience was interesting and relaxing.

On a list of North Carolina's covered bridges, I couldn't miss this one but I'm glad that I didn't…read morego too far out of my way. A mile down the road, past the volunteer fire department and with most of it being packed gravel, it's off to the side of the road. The covered bridge doesn't carry anything but spectators these days. It is over a narrow creek. The bridge is one of two covered bridges in Randolph County. The other is the Pisgah Covered Bridge in Asheboro https://www.yelp.com/biz/pisgah-covered-bridge-asheboro?hrid=OcQUULbn_aGxb6CDpQdnMQ. It is not much longer than my van and not any wider. It was originally located on Layton Road and is now here. Room to pull off to the side of the road and wade through the weeds to get to the bridge. I would not recommend it in anything other than good weather. [Review 19951 overall - 3438 in North Carolina - 925 of 2023.]

What a delight! After living in New Mexico for the past 16 years, I happened to be back in town…read moreand was able to do the Christmas program they had. Everything was great! The staff were on point and volunteers very knowledgeable. What a local treasure!

First of all, the folks here are friendly and extremely helpful/informative. We will have to come…read moreback for the apple picking down the street. Our first time here, we toured the grounds and the preserved farmhouse. Lace and I always get a kick out of checking out old farmhouses, and this place did not disappoint! Old books, clothes, furniture, even a calendar hanging from 1905! There are some animals on the grounds but not many, so don't bring kids expecting to have a petting zoo experience because this isn't that. The farmhouse itself is deceptively huge and has a unique layout. Worth the trip if you're interested in these kinds of things. They do plenty of events on site, but they didn't have anything going on for this particular outing.

This place is a dream!…read more This Victorian house museum is located in Kernersville, NC, about a 10-minute drive of Winston-Salem (about an hour drive north of Charlotte).  My wife and I came here for the first time during Christmas week to celebrate my birthday, and what a treat it was! I mean, WOW! We absolutely loved it. The entire house features 22 rooms, 7 stories, 15 fireplaces and the first little theater in the U.S., and as you will see from the posted photos they do a beautiful job decorating it for Christmas.  Parking is free but a bit limited, so make sure to make it ahead of time. Also, I highly recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time as the house gets pretty tight where there are large groups of people.  Overall, 100% recommended.

What a great experience! This house is so cool with so much rich history. Highly recommend checking…read moreit out on a cold winter day or rainy day. Great way to spend an hour or two. We took an hour and a half. We went during Christmas time and it was extra special! The staff was kind and full of knowledge on the place. A must see!

Pretty little hideaway worth stopping and walking around the short trail…read more Great location to take some outdoor photographs!

This place feels wonderfully remote, so a little heads up that cell service is spotty and it's…read moreworth being mindful as you arrive. Once you're there, the quiet really sets in, with wildlife sounds all around and very few cars passing by. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxing and peaceful, perfect for slowing down and taking a breath . Picnic benches are scattered nearby, along with trash receptacles, which makes it easy to linger responsibly . The bridge itself is beautiful and well maintained, showing only moderate signs of wear that add character rather than distraction . During our mid autumn visit, the waterway and surrounding landscape were bursting with color , making the views especially memorable. I later realized there was a walking trail close by that I missed, so that's something I'd definitely suggest checking out when you visit ‍. Parking isn't clearly marked or abundant ‍, but with a bit of patience, you'll manage just fine. Overall, it's a quiet, scenic spot that feels refreshingly untouched and worth the effort to find .

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.]

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]