A few weeks ago I took a road trip with Meghan and Glory to Winston-Salem, NC for the weekend. We first went to Winston-Salem last summer when I was very pregnant, so I was excited to head back to visit again with these girls now that I was able to move around much easier (you can see my blog posts here, here, and here)! We’ve heard such great things about visiting Winston-Salem during the holiday season, and we couldn’t wait to get back and see all that it had to offer.
Also, make sure you enter the giveaway at the end of this post!
Where to Stay:
The Historic Brookstown Inn: During our last visit in Winston-Salem we stayed at the Graylyn which was such a fun experience, and this time we were excited to check out The Historic Brookstown Inn! The Brookstown Inn was established in 1837, and it is a living museum of art. It is located in downtown Winston-Salem, and they offer nightly wine and cheese receptions featuring local Yadkin Valley wines and milk and cookies at bedtime. We also had a suite during our stay, and it was the perfect amount of space for the three of us with the most comfortable beds.
Where to Eat:
Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar: This was our first stop on our trip once we arrived in Winston-Salem, and this restaurant is located in the last remaining mansion on what was “Millionaire’s Row.” The chef specializes in taking signature dishes of the South and serving them with a progressive twist. It’s such a gorgeous restaurant, and everything was delicious! We started out with sharing the yukon gold kettle chips and the bread service which came with butter and different types of spreads which were all to die for. I had the crispy salmon fillet as my entree, while Meghan and Glory split the burger. For dessert we also shared the butter cake and red velvet swiss roll to close out the evening!
Mary’s Gourmet Diner: One of the things that I love about Winston-Salem is that they have so many restaurants owned by women, including Mary’s Gourmet Diner. Mary’s is located in the downtown arts district, and the artwork in the restaurant is commissioned by local North Carolina artists specifically for Mary’s. For breakfast I sipped on a cup of hot tea and also had the cinnamon french toast which I definitely recommend, while Meghan had the breakfast croissant and Glory had the biscuits and gravy.
Canteen Market & Bistro: This is a new spot in Winston-Salem, and it was such a fun stop too! Canteen is a food and beverage market as well as a bistro-style bar & restaurant. The market has a a thoughtfully curated selection of goods, and the restaurant offered a wide variety of dishes. We were able to sample a few plates from the dinner menu including the bruschetta flatbread, fish and chips, yum-yum salmon, and tuna crudo. We also ended our meal with a variety of different desserts, and everything was delicious. It was definitely such a fun and eclectic spot!
The Tavern in Old Salem: The Tavern was built in 1816, and they source a lot of ingredients from local Old Salem gardens. It’s located right in Old Salem which was the perfect spot to go to dinner before our Christmas tour. I had the cauliflower steak while Meghan and Glory shared the pimeno cheese appetizer and chicken entree. It’s the perfect cozy spot for dinner and we had a great experience!
Twin City Hive Coffee Lounge: Twin City Hive is located across the street from The Brookstown Inn. We stopped there before leaving town, and we honestly could have stayed there all day chatting with Joey, Terry, and Drew (who we met on our last trip to Winston-Salem). They have a large variety espresso drinks and teas, and I ordered the pumpkin chai tea latte which was seriously the best that I’ve ever had. They also have a wide variety of baked goods and chocolates (handmade by Joey) that we were lucky enough to sample. Not only that, they have quite a variety of gifts available and their candles are favorites of mine.
What to Do:
Tour and Tasting of Black Mountain Chocolate Factory: Black Mountain Chocolate on Trade Street opened in 2007. They offer guided tours to see the chocolate making process from the bean to the chocolate bar (the sea salt is my favorite), and you’re even able to sample chocolate at the end which is an added bonus! In addition to the chocolate bars, Black Mountain Chocolate Factory also offers a variety of desserts and drinks. I highly recommend picking up a chai tea latte as well to take with you on the tour.
Visit and Shop the 55th Annual Piedmont Craftsmen Fair: We stopped by Piedmont Craftsman Fair in the newly renovated Benton Convention Center. There are collections of stoneware, porcelain, earthenware, delicate graphic designs and more made by artisans. There is also a permanent Piedmont Craftsmen shop on Trade Street if you aren’t in town during the fair.
Mast General Store: We made a stop at Mast General Store and knocked out some holiday shopping! We also may or may not have all picked up matching fleeces. It was such a fun stop for some afternoon shopping.
Christmas by Candlelight Guided Tour: This tour is located in Old Salem, and this year’s theme is “A Baking We Go!” It is a hands-on baking experience in addition to the holiday tour by lighted lanterns throughout the streets of Old Salem. We made Moravian Love Feast buns, Moravian gingerbread, and we also glazed our own chocolate cup. We learned about the history of each item and how they were a part of a traditional Moravian Christmas. At the end of the tour we were able to enjoy the goodies that we baked and we also had drinking chocolate out of the cups that we glazed. It was a fun and unique experience!
Wine Tasting at Childress Vineyards: This was our last stop before heading back to Raleigh. I’ve never had wine from Childress Vineyards before, so I was definitely excited to give it a try! Childress Vineyards opened in 2004, and it is the largest winery in the Yadkin Valley and it really is such a gorgeous space (and it was perfectly decorated for Christmas!). We started out our visit by having lunch at the bistro, before moving onto our wine tasting. I highly recommend asking for Olga for your wine tasting because of how knowledgeable and fun she was! My favorite wines were definitely their sparkling wine and their Cabernet Sauvignon.
Enter the giveaway below for three passes to The Reynolda House, Old Salem, and a gift basket from Visit Winston-Salem so that you are able to experience the city too! Giveaway closes on December 14, 2018. Must be 18 years or older to win. Winner has 24 hours to claim prize before the next winner will be chosen.
Photos by GloryRoze Photography
This post is in collaboration with Visit Winston-Salem, but all thoughts an opinions are my own.
