The Downtown Arts District

The Downtown Arts District is where Winston-Salem's reinvention is easiest to see and enjoy. Centered on Trade and Liberty Streets, the district packs murals, sculptures and installations into a few walkable blocks, along with galleries, craft shops, restaurants and bars. It is a free, self-guided attraction that rewards wandering, and it is the neighborhood most visitors choose for dinner. A good starting point is Artivity on the Green, a half-acre park marked by red towers that recall the smokestacks of the tobacco era, with a rotating mural wall that keeps the place fresh for repeat visitors. The district's character comes from its mix of old and new. Brick warehouses and former factory buildings, built when tobacco and textiles ruled the city, now hold studios and shops, and the creative energy of the city's arts institutions spills onto the street. Shops in the area include Visual Index, Piedmont Craftsmen, CasaShanti, Still Grimey, Major Tomms, Body and Soul, Just Be and a Mast General Store, offering everything from North Carolina crafts to vintage finds. Piedmont Craftsmen, in particular, is a long-running showcase for regional makers in pottery, glass, fiber and wood, so it is a good place to buy a souvenir with a real connection to the region. Food and drink are a big part of the draw. Mission Pizza, Twisted Pine and Camel City BBQ Factory, which serves Lexington-style barbecue with its vinegar-based sauce, are typical stops, and Single Brothers, Broad Branch Distillery and Chad's Chai and Tea Shop supply drinks of various kinds. Because the district is compact, you can browse a gallery, eat dinner and have a drink without getting back in the car.

Timing makes a difference. By day, the district is a calm place to browse shops and photograph murals, and the light on brick is flattering in the morning and late afternoon. By evening, restaurants and bars fill, events and gallery nights occasionally take over the streets, and the lighting transforms the sculptures and signage. On weekends, expect crowds and a livelier atmosphere. Many shops close earlier on Sundays and Mondays, so check hours if you are planning a shopping trip.

Think of the district as a spine that connects other attractions. The Innovation Quarter, built in former tobacco factory buildings, is a short walk away, and the Twin-City Trolley Tour passes through the area. Kaleideum is close enough for families to combine the museum with lunch, and many hotels sit within a short walk, including the Kimpton Cardinal and Hotel Indigo, both in historic downtown buildings.

If you are staying in the Arts District, you can do much of your weekend on foot, which is a significant advantage in a city where many attractions are spread out.

For art lovers, the district offers more than murals. Look for temporary exhibitions in galleries, performances in nearby theaters and music venues, and the independent cinema downtown. For design lovers, the adaptive reuse of historic buildings is a lesson in how a city can keep its past while moving forward. For couples, a slow evening of dinner, a stroll and a nightcap is hard to beat.

And for families, the open green and the visual interest of the murals make the district more child-friendly than you might expect, as long as you finish up before the evening crowds. It is the best single answer to the question of what Winston-Salem is like today.