Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem is one of the most historic towns in North Carolina. Home to the first Moravian settlements in the state, its first occupants called the area home in 1457. The town of Winston-Salem was established in 1913 after the post office combined the mail offices for the towns of Winston and Salem and christened the cities into one town. For this reason, Winston-Salem is often called the Twin Cities.

It’s also called Camel City in reference to Camel cigarettes and the town’s longstanding past as the headquarters of tobacco giants. Locals often abbreviate the name to Winston.

The historic Moravian settlement of Old Salem [1] is one of the main reasons travelers put Winston-Salem on their must-see lists; the impressive collection of period buildings, Moravian churches, and museums make this small section of town an attraction unto itself.

Outside of Old Salem, there are lots of other opportunities for recreation in Winston-Salem.

Stop at the Winston-Salem Visitor Center (200 Brookstown Ave., 336/728-4200, www.visitwinstonsalem.com [2], Mon.–Fri. 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.) to pick up brochures and maps of Winston-Salem. For more detailed information on Old Salem, try the visitors center in the historic district (600 S. Main St., 336/721-7300, www.oldsalem.org [3], Tues.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12:30–5 p.m.). Tickets for the museums in Old Salem are available here.

Getting to Winston-Salem

It takes just over an hour to reach Winston-Salem, which is located 80 miles north of Charlotte [4]; take I-85 to U.S. Highway 311 or I-77 to U.S. Highway 40. Amtrak (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com [5]) offers regular train service to High Point, North Carolina, with a bus transfer to Winston-Salem.

In town, it’s possible to walk through the historic district and downtown but a car is needed to explore outlying areas and to travel between neighborhoods in the city.