Attractions Nearby Greensboro, Day Trips and Excursions

(Greensboro, North Carolina - NC, USA)

This part of North Carolina is certainly not short of tourist attractions, with plenty of possible day trips presenting themselves to holiday makers vacationing in the Greensboro area. The cities within North Carolina's Research Triangle are especially near to Greensboro, comprising the attractions of Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh.

For families, day trips to Asheboro are a must, since this small town is where you will find the excellent North Carolina Zoo and its innumerable animal attractions. Also in reach of Greensboro are the cities of Charlotte, Fayetteville, Seagrove and Winston-Salem.

Asheboro

Asheboro is often nicknamed as the Zoo City and lies a mere 27 miles / 43 km to the south of Greensboro. Those planning a trip to the North Carolina Zoo can expect to find one of the world's largest and more impressive walk-through 'natural habitat zoos', with huge zoned areas, including the African Plains and the Watani Grasslands Reserve.

Charlotte

North Carolina's biggest city, Charlotte is almost 100 miles / 161 km to the southwest of Greensboro, and is therefore a possible day trip destination. Attractions in Charlotte are in very good supply, ranging from sporting events and open-air concerts at the Bank of America Stadium, to the roller coasters at the Paramount's Carowinds and the racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway. For a spot of culture, be sure to check out the Charlotte Museum of History and the Mint Museum of Art, both of which are highly regarded by the entire state.

Durham

Durham is a small student city, on the northeasterly side of the Triangle, whose present-day appearance and status have been very much shaped by one past resident - Washington Duke, a wealthy owner of the American Tobacco Company. The Duke University is an extremely important educational institution in Durham and dates from 1924, when Duke donated a large sum of money to a small local college. Durham is sited around 60 miles / 97 km to the east of Greensboro and is always full of life, with the main hubs of activity being the Ninth Street District and Brightleaf Square.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville sits roughly 95 miles / 153 km to the southeast and is an especially lively place to visit during the summer months, with regular events and open-air concerts being staged at Fayetteville's Festival Park. The centrally located Airborne and Special Operations Museum is also often of interest to day trippers exploring the best that Fayetteville has to offer.

Hanging Rock State Park

Address: 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, Danbury, North Carolina NC, 27016-7417, USA
Tel: +1 336 593 8480
Email: hanging.rock@ncdenr.gov
The Hanging Rock State Park is just under 50 miles / 80 km northwest of Greensboro and is a truly spectacular state park, boasting endless views and covering in excess of 3,000 acres / 1,215 hectares. Situated within the Sauratown Mountain Range, the Hanging Rock State Park features endless recreational activities and outdoor attractions, such as scenic picnic spots, rock climbing (at Cook's Wall and Moore's Wall) and around 20 miles / 32 km of hiking trails - leading to mountain peaks and cascading waterfalls.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: charge for activities and facilities

Old Salem / Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem and its historical district of Old Salem are just a short drive away and offer an insight into Moravian life in the early 19th century. Notable attractions here include the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem, the Delta Arts Center, the Diggs Museum, the Downtown Arts District (DADA), the Historic Bethabara Park, the Old Salem Museums and Gardens, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, and the highly interactive SciWorks, which comes complete with planetarium shows.

Raleigh

Raleigh resides within the southeasterly corner of the Triangle and is approximately 77 miles / 124 km to the east of Greensboro. Named after the famous English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (1552 to 1618), the city contains some interesting neighborhoods and tourist attractions. Not to be missed in Raleigh is the North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Museum of Art, as well as the seasonal State Fair, which lasts for ten days each October and attracts close to a million people.

Seagrove

The small and friendly town of Seagrove is to be found some 40 miles / 64 km south of Greensboro, being around an hour away by car. Seagrove has earned quite a reputation for its pottery, earthenware and ceramics, and together with the nearby towns of Erect, Robbins, Star, Westmoore and Whynot, is home to in excess of 100 different potteries. A visit to Seagrove's very own North Carolina Pottery Center is an absolute must.