Whether you already live in Winston-Salem or are thinking about moving here, you might be interested to learn the top five things people love about this area. Here we go!
The Great Outdoors
The city of Winston-Salem maintains 79 beautiful parks, and we’ve also got some great outdoor destinations like Salem Lake, with its seven-mile trail, and Quarry Park, with its beautiful views.
Winston-Salem boasts 11 trail systems for light hiking and nature walks, as well as paved trails and greenways. You can walk, run, or bike through some truly lovely wooded areas.
If you’re into a more urban setting, we’ve got some pleasant, walkable areas downtown, with Segway tours, an arts district, and some terrific murals that are worth seeing. We’ve also got popular Bailey Park in the heart of the city, with its 1.6 acres of green space. Sometimes it’s fun to be outside but still in the thick of the action.
Small Businesses
Winston-Salem has a nice, small-business atmosphere; not every building you see is a big box restaurant or store you would find literally anywhere else. We’ve got some terrific, locally-owned restaurants and cocktail bars where you can enjoy great, one-of-a-kind food and drinks. Some of my favorites include:
- Joyner’s Bar
- Mission Pizza
- Silvermoon Saloon
- Krankies
We also have almost every kind of locally-owned-and-operated business you can imagine, and the community supports them all tremendously—better than I’ve seen anywhere else I’ve ever lived!
Local Art
Whether you’re into visual art or performing arts, Winston-Salem has it all. The city houses close to 20 art galleries, from little, independent places (like Delurk Gallery) to larger, more well-known establishments. In the performing arts arena, we have the Stevens Center, the a/perture cinema, and SECCA (the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art), which offers a little bit of everything. We’re so art-conscious in Winston-Salem that we have an entire arts district, where you can walk from gallery to gallery and enjoy the sculptures, murals, and ARTivity on the Green, our art-themed park.
History and Museums
Winston-Salem’s known history goes back to the 1700s, with the Moravian settlers. If you go to Old Salem, you can still see some of their original buildings and streets and learn more about their groundbreaking education and construction methods.
Not quite so far back, with the arrival of the Reynolds family, Winston-Salem became a powerful tobacco town. A lot of the buildings belonging to that family and used for the tobacco trade are now museums, including the beautiful Reynolda House and gardens. Others have been repurposed and turned into fresh, new businesses, but they’ve preserved the history and maintained some of that old-time flair.
The Future
But enough about the past; let’s talk about the future! Not too long ago, the city rebranded itself as the City of Arts and Innovation, and they have really embraced their new vibe. Over a billion dollars’ worth of development is going on right now in downtown Winston-Salem, and you can just feel the excitement in the air. However, all the developments and improvements are going on at a measured pace, which keeps it sustainable.
Are you convinced yet? Do you HAVE to live in Winston-Salem? If so, I’d love to be your go-to guy. Please feel free to contact me at:
Phone: (336) 837-5924
Email: Jeff@govalentino.com
