Furnished apartments in Winston-Salem

Among the first Europeans to settle the Winston-Salem area were a community of Moravians, a German-speaking protestant group who followed the teachings of Jan Hus, a heretic from Bohemia who in 1415 was burned at the stake. At Old Salem Museums and Gardens, visitors have the opportunity to see how the Moravians lived in North Carolina in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, with living exhibits of their various crafts and trades.

For a look at the life of the Reynolds family, which molded the development of the city with its tobacco empire, head to the Reynolda House Museum of American Art. It was originally the Reynolds family home on an over one thousand acre estate.

For shopping, make your way to Trade Street’s busy boutiques and galleries, and don’t miss the iconic Mast General Store. It’s an old-school general store with a wide selection, including lots of throwback candy.

Winston-Salem and the rest of the Piedmont Triad region are served by Piedmont Triad International Airport, located east of Winston-Salem in Greensboro. Piedmont Triad International Airport isn’t a huge transit hub, but it has a number of direct flights across the country, and it’s just one stop away from almost anywhere in the U.S.

The easiest way to get from the airport to Winston-Salem is by car. You can take a local taxi or use a rideshare service, or you can rent a car. Parts of Winston-Salem are eminently walkable, particularly the city’s downtown. But if you plan on venturing out into the city’s surrounding neighborhoods or exploring the region more broadly, a rental car will make your trip much easier. You can take taxis to wherever you need to go, but fares could easily add up if you’re taking lengthy trips.

Winston-Salem is also a great city for biking, and it’s easy to find affordable bike rentals if you want to explore the city on two wheels.

North Carolina is famous for its barbecue. The regional style is pork cooked low and slow, then chopped or sliced (not pulled). Make sure you try some, and if you want a spot vetted by the North Carolina Barbecue Society, look up restaurants in Winston-Salem that sit along the Historic Barbecue Trail. For Moravian sweets, head to Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies, an age-old establishment that makes thin, crunchy cookies in a variety of flavors by hand. For a great selection of restaurants in close quarters, focus your search on the city’s downtown.

Pilot Mountain State Park, half an hour from the city center, is an excellent place for hiking on paths and bridle trails. If you’re so inclined, you can also rock climb or canoe.

Hanging Rock State Park, about 30 miles outside of the city in the Sauratown Mountain Range, is a gorgeous getaway where you can swim and boat on a lake in addition to hiking. Moore’s Knob is the highest point in the range, and Moore’s Wall is a destination for serious climbers.

The name Salem was chosen by the area’s Moravian settlers, and it’s a version of the Hebrew word “Shalom,” meaning “peace.” In the mid-nineteenth century, the Moravian Salem Congregation sold a stretch of land north of Salem to the county, and the new town built on it was eventually named Winston after Joseph Winston, a local Revolutionary War hero. Joseph Winston led a rifle unit in several key battles against the British and went on to represent North Carolina in Congress.