Just an hour away, Winston-Salem offers a change of scenery that feels like a genuine escape—pairing vineyard views and hands-on history with holiday traditions all its own.
Fall With a View
Fall brings crisp mornings, golden leaves, and weekends made for exploring … especially for couples craving an easy change of scenery. Begin at Reynolda, a 170-acre estate where you can pair American art and colorful gardens with wooded trails and a village of shops and restaurants. Then head to Old Salem Museums & Gardens, which preserves the 18th-century Moravian town of Salem. Its heirloom gardens, brick sidewalks, and restored buildings offer a colorful stroll through history.
Winston-Salem also serves as the gateway to the Yadkin Valley, North Carolina’s largest and most celebrated wine region. More than 45 wineries sit within an hour, many about 30 minutes from downtown. During harvest, cool afternoons, changing vines, and rolling countryside make the drive nearly as enjoyable as the tastings.
For a more active way to take in the season, head to Pilot Mountain State Park, about 25 minutes from downtown. A winding road climbs toward the summit, where easy trails and scenic overlooks reveal miles of Piedmont color and distant Blue Ridge views.
Back in Winston-Salem, there’s still time for dinner and drinks before joining Carolina History & Haunts for a walk along the Historic West End’s quiet streets and past grand Victorian homes. The nighttime tours blend well-researched local history with tales of curses, unexplained encounters, and centuries-old secrets.
Holiday Wonders
By late November, Old Salem’s living-history district shifts into holiday mode. Moravian stars light the Heritage Bridge, while Salem Saturdays bring live trade demon strations, family activities, and festive touches. After dark, lantern led Joy of Christmas Evening Tours share the sights and stories of an 18th-century Moravian Christmas. Visitors can also experience the Candle Tea, a beloved tradition featuring carols, candle-making, and a handmade nativity scene— and sample thin Moravian cookies and buttery sugar cake.
The city’s performing-arts tradition takes center stage Dec. 3–6, when UNC School of the Arts brings its world class production of The Nutcracker back to historic Reynolds Auditorium. The all-student production unites UNCSA’s nationally recognized dance, music, and design programs under internationally acclaimed faculty.
Then trade stage lights for more than a million twinkling ones at Tanglewood Park’s Festival of Lights. Now in its 35th season, the five-mile drive-through spectacle features more than 80 displays and has been named the Carolinas’ top holiday light show by Travel + Leisure. Runs nightly November 13-January 1.
Even the hotels dress for the occasion. Castle-like Graylyn Estate goes all in with themed trees, nutcracker collections and an elaborate gingerbread display. Downtown’s Kimpton Cardinal brings glitzy Art Deco style, while the Historic Brookstown Inn offers a cozier, down-home Christmas inside a restored 1837 textile mill.
Come for the fall color, return for the holiday glow, or make room for both. It’s easy to see why Winston-Salem earned a 2026 Good Housekeeping Travel Award: few places this close offer such a genuine change of scenery in two distinct seasons. www.VisitWinstonSalem.com
