Greensboro

Greensboro is a city of almost 300,000 people (2020) in North Carolina. It is named after Nathanael Greene, a Patriot general who fought a battle here during the Revolutionary War. It's nicknamed the "Gate City" for its historical role as a transportation hub for the Piedmont. The famous author William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, was born here. It can be sleepy and genteel but is enjoying a newfound reputation as a great place for young people. Downtown especially is experiencing a surfeit of bars, music venues and restaurants. Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point are the three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad, halfway between Raleigh and Charlotte. == Get in == === By plane === 1 Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO IATA). PTI, as the locals refer to it, has around 75 daily flights from most major hubs on the East Coast. Several rental car companies operate at the airport, and taxis are provided by Triad Transportation (+1 336 668-9808). Lyft and Uber pick up and drop off passengers outside doors #2 and #5. As for public transportation, PART Shuttle 27 goes from the airport to the regional hub for $2.50, and from there you can transfer for free to PART buses to other parts of the Triad. === By train === Greensboro is served by Amtrak through its Piedmont and Carolinian services from Charlotte to Washington, D.C. and New York City, and its Crescent service between New Orleans to New York City. The station, officially 2 J. Douglas Gaylon Depot but generally known as "The Depot", is downtown at 236 E Washington St, and doubles as the city's main bus station. The Depot has restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a small cafe. === By bus === Greyhound has daily intercity bus services from several destinations in North Carolina, and long-distance buses from Washington, D.C. and New York City. All long-distance buses arrive at the Depot downtown. PART (Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation) provides bus service between several cities around Greensboro, including High Point, Winston-Salem, Mount Airy, Chapel Hill, Durham, Asheboro, Lexington. Buses arrive at the Depot. === By car === Greensboro is served by four interstate highways, I-40 goes east-west, I-85 goes north-south, and when completed I-73 will go north to Michigan and south to Myrtle beach, and I-74 will go north to Cincinnati and the Quad Cities. US highways 29, 70, 220, and 421 travel through Greensboro. == Get around == === By bus === Greensboro offers public bus service through the Greensboro Transit Authority, and also provides 30 minute service on all 16 routes Monday through Friday from 5:15AM-6:30PM, and evening service every hour from 7:30PM-11:30PM with 7 buses with two or three combined routes running 'hourly'. On weekends, on Saturday from 6AM-10PM with evening service starting at 7PM until 10PM; however, the same evening service ran during the week and Saturday runs only from 6AM-6PM. College students can ride the HEAT bus system for free by showing a valid college ID. There are 7 HEAT routes that carry the college community and the general public; non-students ride for the regular bus fare of $1.50 or a GTA bus pass === By bike === The bike sharing program LimeBike operates in Greensboro. === By foot === Downtown and the adjacent College Hill neighborhood are very pleasantly walkable. == See == 1 UNC-Greensboro. Good people watching and Weatherspoon Art Museum is fun on a rainy afternoon. 2 Fisher Park, Elm Street north of Fisher Avenue, downtown. A 100-year old neighborhood surrounding a central park, a nice place for a walk. 3 Blandwood Mansion and Gardens, 447 W Washington St, ☏ +1 336-272-5003. Greensboro's National Historic Landmark home of Governor John Motley Morehead, and America's oldest Tuscan Villa residence. Features period furnishings, art, and rose gardens. Open to public tours. 4 Greensboro Science Center and the new Animal Discovery Zoological Park (Natural Science Center), 4301 Lawndale Dr, ☏ +1 336-288-3769, info@greensboroscience.org. 9AM - 5PM. A natural history museum geared towards children with many interactive exhibits and a small but excellent zoo. The museum features geology, paleontology, and astronomy exhibits among others and the zoo houses everything from reptiles and farm animals to tigers and monkeys. Adults 14 - 64: $13.50, seniors 65+: $12.50, children 3 - 13: $12.50, children 2 and under: free. 5 International Civil Rights Center and Museum, 134 S. Elm Street, ☏ +1 336 274-9199, info@sitinmovement.org. M–Sa 10AM–6PM. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum is an archival center, collecting museum and teaching facility devoted to the international struggle for civil and human rights. The Museum celebrates the nonviolent protests of the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, which served as a catalyst in the civil rights movement. The museum complex includes 30,000 square feet of exhibit space. It is located in the historic 1929 F.W. Woolworth building in Greensboro, and you can see the original lunch counter and stools where the Greensboro Four began their sit-ins. Entry is only by guided tour, which lasts about an hour and a half and drags on somewhat. $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, $8 for children 6–12, free for children 5 and under. 6 Greensboro History Museum (Greensboro Historical Museum), 130 Summit Ave, ☏ +1 336 373-2043. Closed Mondays and City of Greensboro holidays, Tu-Sa 10AM–5PM, Su 2PM–5PM. A nice way to spend an afternoon, the Greensboro Historical Museum has surprisingly extensive collections on the city's varied history, from pre-Columbian times all the way to the present day. Lots of artifacts on display with detailed information. Includes a collection of Civil War weapons and artifacts, and a little area that reproduces shops and buildings from turn-of-the-20th-century Greensboro. It also has a large number of exhibits for children. Backpacks must be checked at the front desk. Free admission. (updated Apr 2018) 7 South Elm Street. The center of downtown Greensboro, Elm Street is lined with attractive historic buildings. If you follow the street a bit further north, they start to turn into corporate high-rises. (updated Apr 2018) == Do == 1 Wet'n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park, ☏ +1 336 852-9721. Late May-early Sept. 2 Greensboro Cultural Center at Festival Park, 200 N. Davie St. 3 Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 2332 New Garden Rd, ☏ +1 336 288-1776. Old Battleground Rd in North Greensboro. A beautiful park with jogging/bike trails, a small visitors center, and interesting information on the revolutionary war battle that occurred there. There is also a yearly reenactment of the battle on the weekend closest to March 14th. Free. (updated Jan 2018) 4 Greensboro Grasshoppers Baseball at First Horizon Park, 408 Bellemeade St, ☏ +1 336 268-2255, fax: +1 336 273-7350. If it's baseball season and the Hoppers are at home you will regret not going to a game. The team built one of the newest and most beautiful ballparks in the southeast. There are areas for children and seating on the grass, in the stands, boxes, and standing at the huge outdoor bar by left field. Thursdays are extremely packed due to the cheap beer and you may want to consider that (although usually only the bar area is shoulder to shoulder). The atmosphere is very family oriented and easily accessible as the park is downtown. Parking can sometimes be a problem but if you're willing to walk 10 minutes then free parking is not a problem. (updated Jan 2018) 5 The Barn Dinner Theatre, 120 Stage Coach Trail, ☏ +1 336-292-2211. The oldest continually-operating dinner theatre in the country. Buffet dinner and a live show (seat-only tickets may be available if you don't want dinner). No vegan options. Tickets start at $46 per adult/$23 per child. Hit the lakes - Lake Brandt, Lake Higgins and Lake Townsend all offer canoeing and kayaking. 6 Lake Brandt, 5945 Lake Brandt Rd. 7 Lake Higgins, 4235 Hamburg Mill Rd. Also allows fishing. 8 Lake Townsend, 6332 Townsend Rd. 9 Black Diamond Backyard, 407 Prescott street (close to the baseball stadium), publicbackyard@gmail.com. 8am-8pm. Community urban greenspace on the edge of downtown, with a large orchard and gardens (updated May 2018) == Buy == There are a number of unique shops along South Elm Street downtown, including numerous art galleries, boutiques and cafes. 1 Four Seasons Town Centre, 410 Four Seasons Town Centre, ☏ +1 336 292-0171. An indoor 3-story mall adjacent to Koury Convention Center offering over 180 stores and restaurants anchored by Belk, JC Penny's and Dillard's. There has been a sharp rise in crime around the mall including car theft due to its proximity to the highway, but being attentive should be sufficient for staying safe. (updated Dec 2017) 2 Friendly Center. A 75-acre open village shopping center with over 1 million square feet of stores, it is anchored by Belk and Macy's, offering more local stores than the mall. Next door to Friendly Shopping Center is The Shops at Friendly Center. Stores include REI, Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, Coldwater Creek, a family-owned toy store named Toys & Co. Restaurants include P.F. Chang's, Flemings's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Ben & Jerry's, and Mimi's Cafe. The large Harris Teeter grocery store offers hot bars, pizza, sushi and a great salad bar. (updated Jan 2018) 3 Eclectic By Nature, 414 State Street, ☏ +1 336-373-0733. Eclectic by Nature offers candles, stones, gifts, books, and a great selection of handcrafted herbal teas. The store is also home to a rotating variety of spiritual advisers and Tarot readers from a wide array of backgrounds. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful; if they don't know, they know who to ask or how to find what you're looking for. The store is also a center for Pagan, Wiccan and other spiritual cultures in the Triad area. (updated Apr 2016) == Eat == 1 Pizzeria L'Italiano, 219 South Elm St (downtown), ☏ +1 336 274-4810. M–Sa 11AM–9:50PM, Su 4–9:50PM. Buy it by the slice or get a whole pie. 2 Positano, 2605 Lawndale Dr (parallel to Battleground Avenue in the Target shopping center), ☏ +1 336 288-4900. An authentic sit-down Italian trattoria whose food distinguishes itself from the rest. 3 Sapporo Fantasy Japanese Steak and Sushi House, 2939-C Battleground Avenue (in the Earth Fare shopping center), ☏ +1 336 282-5345. Quality sushi, if not the best in Greensboro at very reasonable prices. 4 Saffron Indian Cuisine, 1500 Mill Street #104 (above Wendover Avenue), ☏ +1 336 574-3300, info@saffronindiancuisine.com. Excellent Indian cuisine that is hard to find in North Carolina. Has a lunch buffet seven days a week at a very reasonable price. Table service is by far the best in the Triad. Noteworthy vegetable samosas. 5 Natty Greene's Brewpub, 345 South Elm St, ☏ +1 336 274-1373. Downtown pub with several very good microbrews. Very large place and crowded on the weekends. 6 Stamey's Barbeque, 2206 W Gate City Blvd, ☏ +1 336-299-9888. BBQ since 1930, across the street from the Greensboro Coliseum. A second location is on Battleground Ave. Stameys BBQ, along with Brushy Mountain BBQ in Wilkesboro, Hannahs in Lenoir, Short Sugars in Reidsville & Danville VA, these are the top BBQ places in all of North Carolina. 7 Sticks and Stones, 2200 Walker Ave, ☏ +1 336 275-0220. Across the street from Lindley Park Filling Station at the intersection of Walker Ave and S Elam Ave. Excellent brick-fired pizza, salads, and regional microbrews. 8 Pho Hien Vuong, 4109 Spring Garden Street, ☏ +1 336 294-5551. M–Th 11AM–3:30PM, 5–9:30PM; F–Su 11AM–9:30PM. Good Vietnamese. 9 Saigon, 4205 W Gate City Blvd, ☏ +1 336 294-9286. Good Vietnamese. 10 Sushi Republic, 329 Tate St, ☏ +1 336 274-6684. M–F 11:30AM–2:30PM, 5–10PM; Sa 5–10PM. Tate Street on the edge of UNCG campus, previously Sushi 101). Owned by two Korean brothers. There are some very interesting and delicious concoctions offered on their menu. 11 Fishbones, 2119 Walker Ave (corner of Walker and Elam streets), ☏ +1 336 370-4900. 11AM–closing daily. Possibly the best bar food in town. A 2-minute drive or 15-minute walk from UNCG. A variety of imported beer, liquor, and wine and has outdoor seating. Ghassan's. Four locations. Best steak sub in town. Also serve a variety of Middle Eastern dishes such as kabobs, falafel, hummus, and gyros. 12 Lucky 32 Kitchen and Wine Bar, 1421 Westover Terrace, ☏ +1 336-370-0707. A local favorite since the late 20th century for "honest seasonal American fare." They also have 60 wines by the glass. 13 Green Valley Grill, 622 Green Valley Rd, ☏ +1 336 854-2015. Beside to the O. Henry Hotel, they feature seasonal food using old-world European culinary sensibilities and flavors. Their wine list features 50 wines by the glass and wine flights. (updated Jan 2018) 14 Print Works Bistro, 702 Green Valley Rd, ☏ +1 336 379-0699. Traditional and modern versions of classic dishes popular in European Bistros. Honest drinking bar. Adjacent to Proximity Hotel. (updated Jan 2018) == Drink == 1 M'coul's Public House, 110 W McGee St (corner of Elm and McGee streets), ☏ +1 336 378-0204. Irish bar downtown with over 17 beers on tap from around the world, and a large selection of scotch and whiskey. Two levels, both with outdoor seating. One of the best places downtown to see a sunset. Large menu including: salads, sandwiches, and traditional Irish fare. A very diverse demographic frequents this restaurant/bar. The upstairs bar is smoking, tends to be the rowdier section and can get quite crowded on the weekend. The downstairs bar is non-smoking and is much more relaxed and "Irish" looking. There is a fiddle player and acoustic guitar pair on Friday nights that plays downstairs (outside when the weather permits). Most food costs $7-12. 2 Old Town Draught House, 1205 Spring Garden St (directly on the edge of UNC-G campus), ☏ +1 336 379-1140. Popular with students, professors, and locals that want to have a good sandwich and cheap beer. Great food specials daily and very popular on Wednesday nights. 3 Cheesecakes by Alex, 315 S Elm St, ☏ +1 315 273-0970. M–Th 7:30AM–10PM, F 7:30AM–11PM, Sa 9AM–11PM, Su 10AM–10PM. Serves exceptional cheesecake, cookies, and other baked goods, and coffee. Also has Wi-Fi. 4 Tate Street Coffee, 334 Tate St. A local favorite, Tate Street Coffee is a hot spot of college students from UNCG during the school year. Located right off UNCG campus, it's known for both its delicious coffee and its free jazz shows every Thursday night. 7AM–11PM daily. 5 Westerwood Tavern, 508 Guilford Avenue (by the tracks), ☏ +1 336 273-4650. 3PM–2AM daily. Great place to experience local culture and drink with the natives. All your dive-bar hallmarks: cheap beer, pool table, patio, and interesting characters. == Sleep == 1 Hyatt Place, 1619 Stanley Road, ☏ +1 336 852-1443. 2 The Biltmore Hotel, 111 W Washington Street, ☏ +1 336-272-3474. Historic hotel in downtown Greensboro off N. Elm street. 3 Dailey Renewal Retreat Inn, 808 Northridge Street, ☏ +1 336 451-7742, daileyrenewalretreat@triad.rr.com. Historic Bed and Breakfast near UNC-G. 4 Embassy Suites Greensboro Airport, 204 Centreport Drive, ☏ +1 336 668-4535. 5 Homewood Suites Greensboro, 201 Centreport Drive, ☏ +1 336 393-0088, fax: +1 336 393-0070. 6 Marriott Courtyard Greensboro, 4400 West Wendover Avenue, ☏ +1 336 294-3800. 7 Microtel Inn Greensboro, 4304 Big Tree Way, ☏ +1 336 547-7007. Grandover Resort Golf Spa Weddings Meetings 1000 Club Road 800 472 6301 Fairfield by Marriott Greensboro Airport, 7615 Thorndike Rd (I-40 to HWY 68 South), ☏ +1 336-841-0140, fairfield.gso@dalyseven.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Hotel with free breakfast, WiFi, and an outdoor pool. Renovated in 2018. (updated Jul 2019) SpringHill Suites Greensboro Airport, 505 Hickory Branch Rd, ☏ +1 336 884-4900. (updated Mar 2025) === Splurge === 8 O.Henry Hotel, 624 Green Valley Road, ☏ +1 336 854-2000. AAA Four Diamond Hotel in central Greensboro by Friendly Shopping Center. Locally owned, features afternoon tea, free full breakfast. 9 Proximity Hotel, 704 Green Valley Road, ☏ +1 336 379-8200. High-end hotel with sustainable practices that include water heated by 100 solar panels, huge windows with abundant natural light and plenty of fresh air circulating into guest rooms. == Stay safe == Greensboro is a charming southern city but has its share of crime just like any other large area in the state. Common sense is your best friend; don't ever leave your car unlocked or with valuables visible. Walk in well-lit places at night, especially downtown. The South and East sides of the city are a bit rougher than the rest. Best to drive through if you don't have specific business there. When going to places late night on Gate City Blvd. , be aware of your surroundings--this is one of the areas that has seen the most increase in late-night crime. Cops are everywhere and generally helpful but remember they are very serious about what they do. == Connect == The Greensboro Public Library has free Wi-Fi, and the 1 Central Library branch is conveniently located downtown. Computers with internet access are available too, but you need a library card or a guest pass (available if you show an out-of-state ID) to log on. Free public Wi-Fi is also available at the Depot. == Go next == Chapel Hill - Lively college town 50 miles to the east, home to UNC Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Tar Heels. Winston-Salem - Twenty-mile west drive for a re-creation of Moravian life in the early 1800s in Old Salem. Try the Moravian cookies. Seagrove - Forty-mile drive south to a community of more than 90 potters. All styles and price ranges available. Makes great Christmas gifts. Asheboro - North Carolina zoo. Hanging Rock State Park - Gorgeous mountain park offers camping, picnicking, and hiking trails with various levels of difficulty. Several waterfalls.