24 Hours in Winston-Salem

Big thanks to Visit Winston-Salem for hosting my stay! All opinions and experiences are my own. 

Recently I had the opportunity to spend 24 hours in Winston-Salem – one of my favorite North Carolina cities! It takes less than 90 minutes to drive to Winston-Salem from Charlotte so it makes for an easy day trip, overnight trip or weekend getaway.

24 HOURS IN WINSTON-SALEM

The occasion for my visit was to run the Craft Half Marathon (check out my race recap here) but I was able to fit in lots of other activities during my short stay. I’m excited to share my full itinerary with you in this post. Winston-Salem is truly charming – a wonderful mix of historic and vibrant. I always enjoy my time spent in the city.

Okay, let’s dive in! Get ready for an action-packed 24 hours!

E-BIKE TOUR WITH TRIAD ECO ADVENTURES

I arrived in Winston-Salem around 2p on a Friday and my first stop was Triad Eco Adventures for an e-bike tour.

The team at Triad Eco Adventures was friendly and helpful. They got me fitted for a helmet and e-bike and then gave me a quick e-bike lesson since it was my first time on one. I set off for a one-on-one ride with my local guide.

Here are some of the things we saw on our two-hour tour:

• North Carolina School of the Arts
• Old Salem and Salem College
• Downtown Winston-Salem
• Innovation Quarter
• Dash Baseball Stadium
• Arts District
• Historic West End
• and more!

My favorite part of the tour was our time spent in Old Salem. It’s a historic district of Winston-Salem which was originally settled by the Moravians in 1766.

“Old Salem Museums & Gardens shares the rich, authentic, and diverse cultural history of the early South–with special emphasis on the Moravians in North Carolina, enslaved and free people of African descent, and Indigenous peoples of the Southern Woodland, through the preservation and interpretation of material culture, architecture, and cultural landscapes.” (Old Salem Museums & Gardens)

What’s so interesting and unique about Old Salem is that it features a living-history museum where interpreters offer visitors a view of Moravian life in the 18th and 19th centuries. You can see tinsmiths, blacksmiths, cobblers, gunsmiths, bakers and carpenters practicing their trades during your visit.

Eco Adventures bike tours are super relaxed so you can stop wherever, whenever if you want to explore something further, have a snack or take a break. Of course I decided to get off my bike and venture into the Moravian Bakery.

The C. Winkler Bakery was established in 1807 and it’s the oldest continually operating bakery in America. Winkler Bakery’s oven is still heated with wood as it was nearly 200 years ago to prepare delicious baked goods like Moravian sugar cake, fresh breads, crisp, thin Moravian cookies and more! There is also a super cute gift shop inside the bakery.

After a cruise by Salem College, we made our way out of Old Salem and headed towards downtown. Salem College is a private women’s liberal arts college and was founded in 1772.

Alrighty, let’s go from old to new! One of my favorite things about Winston-Salem is its amazing blend of historic charm along with exciting modern growth. Traditionally known for its rich history in tobacco and textile manufacturing, Winston-Salem is now also a place for innovation and creativity.

We spent some time in the Innovation Quarter. It’s one of the fastest-growing urban-based districts for innovation in the United States and a place for research, business and education in biomedical science, information technology, digital media, clinical services and advanced materials.

Here are some facts and figures on Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter:

• Home to 170 companies
• Home to five leading academic institutions
• 3,700 workers and 8,000 workforce trainee participants
• 1,800 degree-seeking students
• 1.9 million square feet of office, laboratory and educational space on more than 330 acres
• 770 apartments and condominiums within or close by
• 1.6 acres of publicly accessible green space in Bailey Park
• Restaurants, bars, breweries and coffee shops

We continued to wind our way through downtown and my guide pointed out two fun things – 1) all of the brewery options that Winston-Salem has to offer and 2) the Downtown Arts District which features an eclectic collection of working studios, galleries, shops, residences, restaurants and nightlife.

After cruising through historic West End, we headed back towards Triad Eco Tours to complete our tour. Overall, I really enjoyed this experience and learned a lot about Winston-Salem that I didn’t know from my previous visits. It was a great way to see the city and enjoy an outdoor activity while learning about its history.

A VISIT TO MY FAVORITE BAKERY

I worked up an appetite after all that cycling! I hopped off my bike and headed right over to my very favorite bakery – Louie and Honey’s Kitchen.

Louie and Honey’s Kitchen is seriously my favorite bakery in North Carolina, if not the whole southeast! I cannot visit Winston-Salem without stopping by and sometimes I think about driving to Winston from Charlotte just to go to Louie and Honey’s, haha.

“We are a mother and daughter baking company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina using seasonally inspired heirloom recipes to create decadent desserts. We specialize in our signature Amish Cinnamon Rolls made from a heritage recipe, hand-rolled in small batches and covered in a boiled brown sugar frosting. We also feature cakes and pies reminiscent of our grandmother’s table, with modernized twists influenced by European food trends. Everything in our kitchen is made from scratch, using organic North Carolina milled flour.”

I love EVERYTHING at Louie and Honey’s – their cinnamon rolls are absolutely heavenly (the best ever ever ever)…also the cookies, scones, cakes, pies – it’s all delicious. On this visit I chose a piece of lemon cake and a lemon blueberry scone.

MY STAY AT HOTEL INDIGO 

Next on the agenda was getting checked in at Hotel Indigo. It’s located in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem in the historic Pepper Building. Here are some highlights of the hotel:

• Pet friendly
• 75 rooms with comfy bedding and spa-inspired showers
• Restaurant and bar on-site
• Very comfy lobby/lounge area for hanging out, grabbing a bite or working
• Local art lining the walls to give it a personal feel
• Easy walk to many downtown attractions and restaurants

My room was located on the top floor and very spacious. I loved the creaky hardwood floors in the hallways and in my room. It definitely gave the hotel a warm and homey vibe. It was a great place to make my home base for my stay in Winston-Salem!

DINNER AT SIX HUNDRED 

It was a short walk from my hotel over to the Innovation Quarter for my dinner reservation at Six Hundred. This local restaurant known for its live fire cuisine cooked over oak and hickory cals offers a chef-driven menu showcasing locally sourced food, an extensive wine and cocktail list and top-notch service. They have a lovely indoor dining space as well as an expansive patio.

I was seated in a corner table next to a window in the bar area. This offered me plenty of people watching indoors and out – which was perfect! I ordered a Moscow mule mocktail which was light and refreshing.

I started with an arugula and strawberry salad with burrata, snap peas and pistachios. This was a great combination of flavors.

For my main, I selected the gnocchi which featured fluffy housemade gnocchi with confit chicken, snap peas, mushrooms, a creamy sauce, pine nuts and parmesan. There were a few other dishes I wanted to try but I was trying to be mindful about what I ate the night before the half marathon and I knew gnocchi would be a good carb-loading choice.

EVENING STROLL AROUND DOWNTOWN 

I finished dinner on the early side so I decided to take a walk around downtown before heading back to my hotel. It was a beautiful Friday evening and downtown was bustling with energy and people out and about.

I popped into the cutest store, Just Be. This eclectic and inviting store offers a little bit of everything. You can find jewelry, handbags, apparel, home decor, books, cards and more. It’s a wonderful place to find a great gift or to pick out something for yourself. Just Be specializes in U.S. made, fair trade and handcrafted products.

I left with two pairs of earrings, a selection of incense sticks and a stack of inspirational quotes/readings that can be changed out in these cute frames.

Next I found myself at Chad’s Chai Teahouse for a cup of tea to take back to my room.

Chad’s Chai features loose-leaf tea in a space that makes you feel that a cup of tea was made for sharing. I selected a relaxing herbal blend that was perfect for winding down my evening.

Back in my room, I got everything ready for the big race the next morning!

SATURDAY IN WINSTON-SALEM

My day started with a nice 13.1 mile run through downtown Winston-Salem, the greenway and Quarry Park. It was so nice to stay at Hotel Indigo and be a short 0.3 mile walk from the race start and finish. I grabbed a hot latte from Bitty & Beau’s after the race on my way back to my room to shower and check-out.

AN AFTERNOON AT REYNOLDA 

I was so ready for lunch after the race! I ventured over to Reynolda Village where I planned to eat, walk around the shops and tour the Reynolda house and gardens.

Reynolda Village is part of the former estate of Katherine Smith Reynolds and tobacco magnate Richard Joshua (R.J.) Reynolds. Reynolda gets its name from the feminine of Reynolds, honoring the estate’s visionary Katharine. The 1,067 Reynolda estate originally incorporated three things:

1. The main house which is now called the Reynolda House Museum of American Art
2. Formal and informal gardens now known as Reynolda Gardens
3. Farm buildings that are now the unique shops and restaurants that make up Reynolda Village

Wake Forest University’s Reynolda Camus rests on the land that was once farmland to the Reynolda estate and Reynolda is a quick 0.25 mile walk from the South Campus.

I definitely recommend a visit to Reynolda if you are in Winston-Salem. It’s a very cool and historic area to explore.

Theodore’s Bar + Market is such a sweet lunch spot and has a wonderful selection of sandwiches, salads, soups and snacks. It was so crowded on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon so at the tip of another restaurant patron, I opted to order online and pick up my food.

I had a warm turkey sandwich with bacon, havarti and cranberry mayo on local sourdough. It hit the spot after the race!

A TOUR OF THE REYNOLDA HOUSE + GARDENS

Despite all of my previous trips to Winston-Salem and visits to Reynolda Village, I had somehow missed actually touring the Reynolda House and Gardens. I am so grateful that I got to do that on this visit!

It was absolutely fascinating to tour the house and gardens.

Here’s an overview from the Reynolda website:

“Completed in 1917, Reynolda House Museum of American Art was originally the home of Katharine Smith and R.J. Reynolds, founder of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Promising a healthier lifestyle, the more than 34,000-square-foot historic home was the centerpiece of a 1,067-acre estate and model farm. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Reynolds family’s 64-room historic house stands as one of the few well-preserved, surviving examples of the American Country House movement. 

Inside, you’ll find not only more than 6,000 historic objects, but also a collection of world-renowned American art on view in the historic house and special exhibitions in the Babcock Gallery. Spanning 250 years, the collection is a chronology of American art, and features artists such as  Georgia O’Keeffe, Frederic Edwin Church, Alexander Calder, Romare Bearden, Lee Krasner, Stuart Davis, Martin Johnson Heade, Jacob Lawrence, John Singer Sargent, Andy Warhol and Grant Wood. Works rotate throughout the historic house frequently.”

If you’ve visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, touring the house and gardens felt like that but on a smaller scale.

I truly felt that I was able to grasp the history of Reynolda as well as who Katherine and R.J. Reynolds were as people during my tour.

You can make a whole day of exploring all that Reynolda Village and Reynolda House and Gardens have to offer between the shops, restaurants, house + museum, gardens and walking trails.

ONE LAST REFRESHMENT STOP

I departed Winston around 4p to head back to Charlotte but not before stopping at two more favorite spots.

First, Bobby Boy Bakeshop! Another wonderful Winston-Salem bakery, Bobby Boy features pastries and breads made with the highest quality ingredients. They serve sandwiches, quiche, croissants, danishes, cookies and more. Since I arrived late in the day options were limited but I was able to snag a ginger molasses cookie with cream cheese icing.

Second, Village Juice Co. This healthy eatery first started in Winston-Salem and it’s one of my favorite places to visit for a refreshing juice or smoothie, wrap, toast or a nourishing smoothie, salad or grain bowl. I ordered a green smoothie for the road.

SEE YOU SOON WINSTON-SALEM!

I thoroughly enjoyed my 24-hour visit to Winston-Salem and can’t wait to return again soon. Let me know if you want to join me for a bakery and food tour! 🙂