Are you looking for great weekend trips from Winston-Salem? Then you’re in the right place!
While Winston-Salem is a great city to spend the weekend with many fun things to do and amazing restaurants, there are also places nearby that make for a perfect weekend getaway if you want to escape the city. From large cities with famous sights and incredible museums to great places for a relaxing weekend, there are plenty of options.
If you want to find a great place to visit, I got you covered. This guide to the best weekend getaways from Winston-Salem includes a large variety of great getaways!
Weekend Trips from Winston-Salem
Washington DC
Distance from Winston-Salem: 5 hours
Washington DC, the capital of the United States, is situated about 5 hours from Winston-Salem.
You can find a lot of interesting sights in the city. From world-class museums to historically significant landmarks to the White House, there’s so much to discover during a weekend in the city.
There’s too much to fit in one weekend only, so you’ll have to choose some of the great sights for your 2 to 3 days.
You should definitely check out the United States Capitol and the White House.
The National Mall is another must-see sight. You can find many memorials here, such as the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
Furthermore, some of the best museums in the city that you can consider going to are the National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of Natural History.
Asheville, NC
Distance from Winston-Salem: 2 hours
Asheville, NC, the largest city in Western North Carolina, is a wonderful city to spend your weekend. From Winston-Salem, you can get to Asheville in a bit more than 2 hours, which is very doable.
There are many things to do in Asheville and one of the must-see sights in the city is Biltmore. This is a large mansion (in fact, it is the largest privately owned house in the country) that was the main residence of George Washington Vanderbilt II in the 19th century.
You should also definitely check out the Asheville Pinball Museum when you are spending a weekend in the city. Here, you can play all kinds of vintage pinball games.
The city of Asheville is also known for its art galleries and it can be great to explore the city’s art scene during your weekend. For example, you can go to Lexington Glassworks and see beautiful glassworks or attend a demonstration.
Charleston, SC
Distance from Winston-Salem: 4.5 hours
Situated about 4.5 hours away, and thus perfect for a weekend trip from Winston-Salem, lies the city of Charleston. Charleston, the largest city of South Carolina is a beautiful city with many historic sights and historic architecture. The city was founded in the year 1670 as Charles Town to honor King Charles II.
Charleston has a lot of interesting sights, such as the Charleston City Market and the Joe Riley Waterfront Park.
When exploring Charleston, you can see a variety of beautiful architectural styles, and a place where you can see beautiful, colorful houses is Rainbow Row. This is a series with 13 colorful houses.
Other great places in the city to check out during a weekend in the city are the South Carolina Aquarium and The Charleston Museum.
Savannah, GA
Distance from Winston-Salem: 4 hours and 45 minutes
Savannah, GA, is a city that can be reached from Winston-Salem in about 4 hours and 45 minutes by car.
Savannah is the oldest city in the state of Georgia and was established in 1733. You can find it located on the Savannah River.
The city is known for its beautiful historic buildings and cobblestone streets, and there is a lot to do in the city, including visiting very good museums.
One of the best things to do in Savannah is to explore the Savannah Historic District. You could do this through a guided tour.
Forsyth Park is a beautiful place in the city and a must-visit for your weekend as well.
In addition to that, you could go to a museum, such as the Savannah College of Art and Design, and a great area to have dinner is River Street, a street next to the city’s river where you can dine with a view.
Knoxville, TN
Distance from Winston-Salem: 4 hours
Knoxville, TN, the third-largest city in Tennessee is one of the best weekend trips from Winston-Salem and has many fun things to do and see.
You can check out World’s Fair Park when you are in Knoxville. This part of the city was created for the 1982 World’s Fair Exhibition.
At World’s Fair Park, you can see The Sunsphere, which is a tall tower with a large gold globe on top of it.
The city also has many interesting historic sites and great museums. One of the best museums to check out is the Knoxville Museum of Art, an art museum where you can see art of East Tennessee.
You could also do a cruise on the Tennessee River and discover the city from the water. Or you can see a show at the beautiful historic Tennesee Theatre.
Richmond, VA
Distance from Winston-Salem: 3.5 hours
Richmond, Virginia’s capital city, is a large city that dates back to the year 1742 when it was incorporated. The city played a large role in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and other moments in the country’s history.
You can find many historic sites in Richmond that can be interesting to see during your weekend trip. For example, you can find Maymont in the city, which is a Victorian mansion that is now a historic house museum. Also, you can see the White House of the Confederacy in Richmond.
There are also plenty of guided tours that can be great to do during your trip. For example, you could do a guided tour and discover the city’s food scene.
You should also not forget to check out one or a few of the city’s great museums. For example, you could go to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture or learn about science at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Myrtle Beach, SC
Distance from Winston-Salem: 3.5 hours
From riding the SkyWheel Myrtle Beach to visiting WonderWorks Myrtle Beach to exploring Myrtle Beach’s Boardwalk, there are a lot of fun activities that you can do when you are doing a weekend trip to Myrtle Beach.
The city, a resort city located on the Atlantic Coast of South Carolina, is a destination with great sights for everyone.
From Winston-Salem, you can get to Myrtle Beach in about 3.5 hours by car.
There are too many fun activities to do in Myrtle Beach to fit into one weekend, so you have to choose what you like best.
There are also many great activities for families. For example, you can play miniature golf at Mt. Atlanticus Minotaur Goff, which is a miniature golf course with many unique elements.
You could also go to Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament to enjoy unique entertainment while having dinner.
Atlanta, GA
Distance from Winston-Salem: 4 hours and 45 minutes
Atlanta, Georgia’s capital and the state’s largest city is a wonderful city to visit during a weekend trip from Winston-Salem. You can get to Atlanta from Winston-Salem in about 4 hours and 45 minutes by car.
One of the best things to do in Atlanta is to explore the World of Coca-Cola. The headquarters of The Coca-Cola Company is located in Atlanta, and at the World of Coca-Cola, you can learn about the history of the brand.
Another highlight of the city is the High Museum of Art, which is a museum with a large collection of American art.
Or you can go see a concert, Broadway musical, comedy show, or another type of show at the historic Fox Theatre.
Furthermore, if you want to see animals during your trip to the city, you can consider going to the Georgia Aquarium or Zoo Atlanta.
Chattanooga, TN
Distance from Winston-Salem: 5.5 hours
5.5 hours east of Winston-Salem lies the city of Chattanooga, TN. The city is nestled between the mountains of Southeast Tennessee and it is situated along the Tennessee River. The natural surrounding makes a visit to the city a great idea!
There are many fun things to do in Chattanooga.
For example, you can go to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum to learn about railroads and take a train ride onboard a historic train.
The Tennessee Aquarium, which is home to 10,000 animals, is another one of the city’s highlights.
If you like art, you can go to the Hunter Museum of American Art to see works of American Impressionism, modernism, contemporary art, and other styles.
You can also ride the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway when you are in Chattanooga. This railway takes you to the top of Lookout Mountain from where you can enjoy a great view of the city.
Baltimore, MD
Distance from Winston-Salem: 6 hours
Baltimore is Maryland’s most populous city and it was founded in 1729. The city played an important role in the American Revolutionary War.
Whether you want to go to a museum, see art, learn about history, or have fun, the city of Baltimore has a lot to offer for a weekend trip.
One of the best things to do in the city is to go to the Baltimore Museum of Art, a museum with a collection of close to 100,000 diverse works of art. Other interesting art museums to consider are The Walters Art Museum and the American Visionary Art Museum.
You can also see a baseball game of the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Fort Henry, a historic pentagonal coastal fort that is known for its important role in the War of 1812 is an interesting historic site that you can explore.
From Winston-Salem, you can get to Baltimore in about 6 hours.
Wilmington, NC
Distance from Winston-Salem: 3 hours
The beautiful city of Wilmington, NC, is reachable in about 3 hours from Winston-Salem. The city is located along the Cape Fear River.
Wilmington has a beautiful Riverwalk where you can go for a stroll while enjoying views of the river. Moreover, the city’s historic district has beautiful houses and many architectural styles can be seen in the city.
A great way to discover the historic district is by doing a guided horse-drawn tour. You can also go to the Bellamy Mansion Museum to see a great example of antebellum architecture.
One of the most iconic sights of the city is Battleship North Carolina, which is a fast battleship that was in use during WWII and is now a museum ship.
The city of Wilmington also has great museums. For example, you can go to the Cameron Art Museum or the Wilmington Railroad Museum.
Another must-do during your weekend is attending a show at the historic Thalian Hall.
Virginia Beach, VA
Distance from Winston-Salem: 4.5 hours
The coastal city of Virginia Beach, VA, located 4.5 hours from Winston-Salem by car, is one of the best Winston-Salem weekend trips and has interesting sights.
When you are in the city, you can go to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center to learn about thousands of animals and learn new things through hands-on exhibits.
You can also check out the Military Aviation Museum or see contemporary art at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art.
Virginia Beach’s oceanfront is great to check out as well. You can find many restaurants and places for entertainment here, where you can also enjoy a view of the ocean.
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Winston-Salem Weekend Trips Tips
These destinations are all great if you want to have a fun weekend trip.
You can also combine several of these weekend getaways from Winston-Salem for an even better weekend. When traveling to the cities that are further away, you might drive through or near other destinations on the list.
You could also stop at those places and spend a few hours there, or you can spend one night in one of the cities and another night in another city.
Weekend Getaways from Winston-Salem Map
Thanks for reading my guide to the best weekend trips from Winston-Salem. I hope I helped you find the perfect weekend getaway!