Now that fall has arrived (though apparently it hasn’t gotten to Winston-Salem…yet) it’s time to start thinking about vacations — Fall Break mini vacations, that is. Fall Break is less than a month away, and if you don’t want to stay on campus or go home, why not explore North Carolina? With so many fun cities a short drive away, why not spend some time in one of the cities that calls North Carolina home? Here are just a few ideas for the perfect fall break vacay.
Asheville, NC
Asheville, the “Paris of the South,” is a smaller city located in the picturesque Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. Less than two and a half hours away, the city is a perfect vacation spot for anyone interested in the arts, outdoors, history, or just some fun in the mountains! Downtown Asheville is filled with fantastic local restaurants, cafes, and shops, ideal for people looking for a chill place to hang out for the weekend. Not too far away is the River Arts District along the French Broad River — home to at least 170 artists and their workshops.
And don’t forget about the Biltmore Estate! It is the largest home in America (still!) and is known for its beautiful grounds and own winery. Do I hear wine tasting?! As for the outdoors, in the areas surrounding Asheville, there are places to go hiking, zip-lining, biking, and picnicking.
Charlotte, NC
The “Queen City” is only an hour and a half away from campus, and is jam-packed with things to do! First, there is Carowinds, the closest theme park to Wake Forest. The park happens to split the border of both North and South Carolina! It’s perfect for a day trip!
For all the NASCAR fans out there, the city is home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway –– obviously. If you really want to geek out over NASCAR, check out the NASCAR Hall of Fame located downtown. With all the perks that come with being a large city — like a beautiful downtown area, fantastic malls and shops, and really, really awesome restaurants — Charlotte is a great place to indulge on a weekend. Find a friend at UNC Charlotte and have them give you a personal tour of the city!
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh, the capitol of North Carolina, is less than two hours away from Wake Forest! This is a great opportunity to visit your friends at NC State, UNC Chapel Hill and Duke! All three schools are located in the area. Once you have gathered your friends, explore the city!
Stop by the city’s various museums like the North Carolina Museum of Art and the North Carolina Museum of History, and finish the day off with a huge concert at the PNC Arena! You can even tour the North Carolina Executive Mansion, the private residence of the Governor McCrory. You can also end the day dancing at one of the many nightclubs in the city! There’s just so much one can do!
Wilmington, NC
The city by the beach is perfect for a mini-getaway! Wilmington is only three and a half hours away from Wake Forest! There’s the beach, first of all! And even though it will probably be too cold to go swimming by the time Fall Break rolls around, it is still perfect for a fun-filled long weekend full of potential profile pictures. Plus, Wilmington is home to USS North Carolina, the most highly decorated battleship in WWII (this is a dream for the undercover history buff). The ship is open to visitors.
When you finish touring, you can take a calm stroll along the Riverwalk, which is even more beautiful if you go at sunset. But if you’re not into ALL that, then take a short drive to Fort Fisher and visit the historic site and then the Aquarium filled with the coolest animals (not just sea creatures) you could ever look at! It truly is awesome. Oh, and there is always downtown Wilmington! Plus, you never know when you’re going to see a movie star filming something there…
Wake Forest, NC
Why not visit the town where Mother So Dear was founded? It’s only a two hour trip, so the rest of the day can be spent exploring the old Demon Deacon stomping grounds (from the days before he was our mascot!). The small town is also close to Raleigh, so one can easily spend a time here on the way back to campus from the state’s capitol!
Be sure to visit the Wake Forest Historical Museum, Shorty’s Famous Hot Dogs (the original Shorty’s) and explore the grounds that used to be home to students of Wake Forest College!