Exploring the North Carolina Triad Area – Our Epic 3-day Itinerary!

This post may have affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

The North Carolina Triad Area is named for the three largest cities in the region: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This area boasts beautiful outdoor experiences, an array of delicious eateries, and a handful of museums and educational centers, making the region a hub for adventure.

Our family has been fans of visiting North Carolina for years. We’ve explored many of it’s gorgeous locations such as Bryson City & Maggie Valley, among many others. And now that we own our own piece of paradise in NC, our Mountain View Lodge, we are even more interested in exploring all that this gorgeous state has to offer.

For my recent birthday trip (with my hubby and our littlest boys) we based our North Carolina Triad Area adventure in Asheboro. We chose to stay at a local Airbnb, conveniently located right downtown, it was within walking distance to shops, the Farmers Market, and some delicious restaurants our foodie family definitely made it a point to try.

A little history about the region.

Located in the heart of North Carolina you will find Asheboro. The city of Asheboro was established on Christmas day in 1796 and is named an All-America City by the National Civic League. It’s best known for its numerous historic structures and for being the home to the North Carolina Zoo.

With 500 developed acres, it is the world’s largest natural habitat zoo!
NC Zoo

Next up we have the city of Greensboro. While it is the third largest metro area in North Carolina the public parks, gardens and a strong sense of community give it a small-town feel. Greensboro is better known as “Tournament Town” because of its numerous athletic venues – courts, fields, stadiums, and even pools.

Lastly, we have the beautiful city of Winston-Salem, popularly known as the “Twin City” due to its hyphenated name. Known for its tobacco and cigarette industry, the influence of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company is easily felt and seen all throughout the city and especially throughout the downtown area.

I really loved seeing the old factories being converted into new cool businesses and the bustling downtown areas of the three cities giving such a laid-back vibe. Each of the revitalized downtown areas are converting and using these old, abandoned buildings to bring life to the city!

Our North Carolina Triad Area Itinerary

Day 1:

Starworks in Star

Starworks is an arts-centered work community that provides artistic educational programs and business ventures. We stopped in for a coffee and smoothies at the Cafe & Taproom and spent a little time looking at some of the amazing art on display, as well as a quick tour through the glass blowing and ceramics studio.

North Carolina Zoo

As the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, more than 1,700 animals call the North Carolina Zoo home with plenty of room to roam. One of the most memorable moments for us was our time at the Acacia Station Giraffe Deck, for just $5 you can feed the Giraffes. The boys were a little nervous, but they loved getting an up close and personal experience with the Giraffes (and so did Chris and I).

Really, we haven’t stopped talking about it!

We loved our time at the zoo and were so impressed
when we found out it was ONLY $5 to feed the Giraffes.
North Carolina Zoo

The Taco Loco

Amazing spot for delicious Mexican food!! Located right in downtown Asheville and around the corner from the Airbnb we rented, the location and vibe were perfect!

The food here was fresh, flavorful, and served at the perfect temperature. We were so happy with every single thing we ordered and we loved fast, friendly service, too.

Day 2:

The Table Farmhouse Bakery

I loved this beautiful gathering spot, the space was gorgeous and felt very inviting. They had incredible food and coffee + the cutest shop in a converted factory/office.

Hiking at Hanging Rock

We are a family that loves the outdoors, our goal when exploring new areas is to find a local watering hole, waterfall, hike, or some kind of amazing view. When we saw pictures of Hanging Rock we knew this was a place we had to see. The 2.4 mile out and back hike is definitely a bit challenging – especially with two 2-year-olds – but totally do-able.

We felt very accomplished once we reached the top and the beautiful views were well worth the effort.

Winston-Salem

If you are looking for a delicious restaurant that puts a high priority on using local goods, you’ve got to try Mozelles Fresh Southern Bistro. We had the fried chicken with peach chutney and for dessert, we went with the caramel peach shortbread. All dishes were SO SO SO GOOD!

Shopping

There are an array of cute shops all along the street in Downtown Winston-Salem, I was a big fan of Camel City Goods. If you are looking for a memento from your time in the North Carolina Triad area, they have really interesting and modern designs for their t-shirts, cups, accessories, etc.

Bailey Power Plant Plaza

We enjoyed our visit to the Bailey Power Plant Retail Space. It was really cool because it is a redevelopment of the former RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company’s coal-fire power plant. It houses some great restaurants and the place we were drawn to, The Chocolate Bar. The perfect spot if you are looking for a sweet treat, they have an array of desserts and ice cream. Once we were done exploring the retail space, we took a little walk across the street to visit Bailey Park – before it rained on us!

Day 3:

Brewskie’s

We loved this spot for breakfast (they serve food all day long and even have local bands come in for the evenings!), and I’m happy to report that they had delicious coffee. As a coffee lover, I feel it is important to mention that. The boys had a blast mostly because they got to play with Jenga blocks while waiting for our meals from the array of blocks and games available (both for the kids and adults!).

Millstone Creek Orchards

The perfect destination for a more relaxed sunny day. We explored the flowers and butterfly gardens and spent a good amount of time in their awesome kids’ play area, too!

I would recommend checking the orchard’s bakery on the weekends (since it’s not open during the week) for some of their famous, fresh donuts.