21 Best Things to Do in Greensboro, North Carolina

The third-largest city in North Carolina, Greensboro offers vacationers a choice of museums, gardens and attractions. Visit the Weatherspoon Art Museum, stroll through the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden and go shopping in the Antique Market Place. Best things to do in Greensboro, NC with kids include the Greensboro Children’s Museum, the Greensboro Science Center and the children's garden at Gateway Gardens. Photo: SeanPavonePhoto/Fotolia

The Weatherspoon Art Museum, one of the top Greensboro attractions, is located at the University of North Carolina and is home to one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary art in the Southeast. With a particular focus on American Art, the museum’s internationally renowned program includes over 15 exhibitions each year, a variety of educational activities and programs for both children and adults, and quite a few art-based publications.

The museum's collection consists of over 6,000 works and objects representing all the main art movements from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Featured works consist of paintings by Willem de Kooning, Knox Martin, Eva Hesse, and Andy Warhol, to name just a few. Other highlights include The Dillard Collection of Art on Paper, the Lenoir C. Wright Collection of Japanese Prints, and the Etta and Claribel Cone Collection. Admission is free.

500 Tate St, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-334-5770 Photo: Weatherspoon Art Museum

The Greensboro Science Center consists of three popular family-friendly attractions (an aquarium, a museum, and a zoo), and it is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Greensboro.

The Carolina SciQuarium is the only inland aquarium in North Carolina, and it features a variety of water-dependent animals including sharks, stingrays, eels, otters, an anaconda, and a plethora of fish species. The Greensboro Science Center is one of the best things to do in Greensboro NC with kids. The Animal Discovery Zoological Park is home to a variety of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, ranging from tigers and monkeys to crocodiles, tortoises, and a rare red panda.

The museum also boasts a selection of first-class exhibits and displays, including a giant 36-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex model, a Herpetarium with live snakes, and state-of-the-art OmniSphere Theater, which has a 40-foot dome ceiling with a 3D screen. The Greensboro Science Center also offers a wide variety of educational programs, science workshops, field trips, and camps for children of all ages throughout the year.

4301 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-288-3769 Photo: Ian Scott/Fotolia

The Greensboro Historical Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the Piedmont area of North Carolina, particularly that of Greensboro and Guilford County, and it celebrates the city’s local heritage and culture. The museum is home to a range of exhibitions and displays that document the lives of the people who played an important role in the history of the city, from the Quakers and Scots-Irish to the Native Americans.

Covering more than 17,000 square feet, the museum also provides educational opportunities for adults and students to learn more about the participation of Guilford County in the Civil War, the roots of the Civil Rights Movement, and the rise of textile manufacturing in the South.

130 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-373-2043 Photo: Greensboro Historical Museum

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The Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden is a beautifully sculpted and maintained public garden for the people of Greensboro to enjoy. Renowned for its magnificent bronze sculptures and traditional annual plantings, the 7.5-acre garden boasts a number of engaging features such as a man-made re-circulating stream that adds a tranquil element to the gardens, a spectacular Sensory Garden, which offers an interactive landscape experience, and a lovely Paver Plaza, where visitors can lend their names to the garden.

A pretty wedding gazebo makes the perfect spot for a bride on her big day, and the Garden offers a variety of educational programs and classes to adults and children. It also organizes community clean-ups and other outreach projects. If you are wondering what to do in Greensboro today, the garden is open year-round, and admission is free.

1001 Fourth Street, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-373-2199 Photo: nungning20/Fotolia

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The Greensboro Children’s Museum (GCM) is a fun, interactive museum for children, parents, and educators that aims at encouraging children to learn through play. Exciting exhibitions, immersive displays, and educational presentations inspire children up to 10 years of age to look, touch, feel, and explore in a fun, lively, and safe environment.

Located in downtown Greensboro, the celebrated museum features over 20 permanent hands-on displays, including Our Town, The Health Center, and Edible Schoolyard. The museum also offers a range of educational classes and workshops, as well as special museum programs and summer camps.

220 North Church Street, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-574-2898 Photo: Greensboro Children's Museum

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Formally opened in 1991, the Greensboro Arboretum is a beautifully maintained public garden with over 14 plant collections. It features local and foreign flora varieties and species, exquisite display gardens, and distinctive structural features such as bridges, pathways, a gazebo, and wind chimes. Spread over 17 acres, the garden is a living gallery of greenery, with collections of conifers, climbing plants, hydrophytes, and small trees.

Display gardens include roses, hollies, rhododendrons, and butterflies, while structural features in the garden include the Tanger Family Wedding Gazebo, the Elena Marzulla Bridge, a 23-foot tall trio of oversized wind chimes, and a tranquil viewpoint that provides stunning panoramic views of the gardens. The garden is open year-round, and admission is free.

1001 Fourth Street, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-373-2199 Photo: Oleksii Sergieiev/Fotolia

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Located at the entrance to the city, Gateway Gardens provide a tranquil green space and cultivated garden in which visitors can relax. Spanning 11 acres, this interactive garden is home to a variety of individual gardens and collections, including the Heritage Garden, the Rain Garden, the Great Lawn, and the Michel Family Children's Garden.

Visitors can take advantage of various educational programs, classes, and workshops about the gardens and their history, and they can also learn more about the science of botany. The garden is open year-round from sunrise to sunset, and admission to the garden is free. Browse weekend getaways in NC

1001 Fourth Street, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-373-2199 Photo: narautsu/Fotolia

The Antique Market Place is an antique and vintage shopper’s dream! Located on Burnt Poplar Road in Greensboro, the market covers 45,000 square feet and features over 150 dealers and vendors selling their wares. Treasure hunters and antique aficionados will delight in the vast array of quality antiques, collectibles, furnishings, and vintage items that are for sale.

A range of modern furniture and décor is also available for those shoppers looking to refurnish their homes or offices. The market also regularly holds special yard sales where exceptional bargains can be found throughout the year.

6428 Burnt Poplar Road, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-662-0544 Photo: Stillkos/Fotolia

The Pig Pounder Brewery is a local microbrewery that specializes in the production of authentic British beers, including varieties like an English Dark Mild, an Extra Special Bitter, and a classic Milk Stout, for local venues around the city. Visitors can enjoy guided tours around the brewery and learn about the history of the facility and the production of craft beer along the way.

They can also taste some of the brewery’s best products in the state-of-the-art interactive tasting room. Pig Pounder Brewery produces year-round brews such as Mild Mud, Plain Pig, and Boar Brown, as well as seasonal brews like Punk Piggy and Barbie Swine.

1107 Grecade St., Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-553-1290 Photo: Pig Pounder Brewery

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park commemorates the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, which took place in 1781. The battle was the most hotly-contested battle of the Revolutionary War's Southern Campaign and began the campaign that led to American victory in the Revolutionary War.

The battlefield is preserved as a National Military Park and is listed on the National Historic Register of Places. Visitors to the park can explore the area home to a variety of natural ecosystems and landscapes on foot or bicycle or they can explore the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park Museum, which features a range of outstanding exhibits and displays regarding the history and background of the battle.

2332 New Garden Rd, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-288-1776 Photo: James/Fotolia

Located opposite the Marriot Hotel in Downtown Greensboro, Undercurrent Restaurant has been serving discerning diners for more than 16 years. Perfectly located, the restaurant boasts a stylish bar area that is open all day for drinks, in the afternoon for appetizers, and for pre-dinner drinks in the evening.

Undercurrent’s seasonal menus feature New American cuisine with a global influence, and the dishes are prepared with local, sustainable ingredients and served in a classic French way. If you are looking for romantic date ideas in Greensboro, this is a great place to try. The beautifully furnished dining room is spacious and stylish with semi-private banquettes, large tables, and an outdoor seating area for alfresco dining under the stars. A private dining room is available for special occasions and other events.

327 Battleground Avenue, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phone: 336-370-1266 Photo: Undercurrent Restaurant

The Greensboro Ice House offers a year-round venue for the public to enjoy ice-skating, skating classes, youth and adult hockey, and figure skating. Located on Landmark Center Boulevard, the multipurpose facility boasts a range of convenient amenities, including four locker rooms with showers, a separate women's locker room, and a pro shop with skate sharpening.

The facility has two multipurpose birthday rooms, and it can be rented for private functions such as birthday parties as well as other special occasions or events. The Greensboro Ice House is also home to the Summit Figure Skating Club and the Greensboro Youth Hockey Association.

6119 Landmark Center Blvd, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-852-1515 Photo: adrian_ilie825/Fotolia

Classic soul food meets sweet European decadence at this relaxed, family-friendly bistro-style eatery. With humble beginnings as a late night supper club that featured a Southern-inspired menu, this restaurant fast became a dynamic institution.

Today, Dame’s Chicken & Waffles upholds that reputation by offering a delicious, home-cooked brunch and a lunch and dinner menu with favorites such as crispy, Southern Fried chicken, creamy grits, and “schmears” – sweet crème butters whipped with fruit and other sweet ingredients. Their waffles are available in a variety of flavors, including sweet potato, gingerbread, fresh blueberry, and a vegetarian option.

301 Martin Luther King Jr., Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-275-7333 Photo: Dame's Chicken & Waffles

Celebration Station is a fun-filled theme and adventure park great for the whole family. Featuring both indoor and outdoor attractions, rides, and games, Celebration Station has something for everyone. The park has a quarter mile go-cart track for teenagers and young adults, an individual go-cart track for younger kids, water-based bumper boats, and 36 holes of miniature golf on a well laid out and exciting course.

Ball game fans will delight in the six softball and baseball batting cages with slow, medium, and fast pitch machines, while an arcade with over 100 video and arcade games are sure to keep the kids occupied for hours. Refuel at the on-site restaurant, which serves all-American food and soft drinks.

4315 Big Tree Way, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-316-0606 Photo: Olesia Bilkei/Fotolia

Located at the Proximity Hotel, Print Works Bistro is a LEED Platinum certified restaurant that serves contemporary American comfort food in a classic French bistro setting. Beautiful gardens and an outdoor stream surround the eatery, while the airy, cream-colored interior with floor-to-ceiling drapes offers a casual, sophisticated ambiance.

Dishes are made with locally-sourced ingredients and sustainable produce and include homemade soups and garden salads, warm baked flatbread, burgers, Angus Beef steaks and ribs, and a variety of fresh fish. Desserts include profiteroles, macaroons, and homespun ice cream with chocolate sauce. Enjoy an excellent selection of wine by the glass or bottle, as well as an array of craft beer and signature cocktails.

702 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-379-0699 Photo: Print Works Bistro

Situated next to the Natural Science Center of Greensboro and the National Military Park, Country Park is a beautifully maintained public garden and picnic space that features two well-stocked fishing lakes, a network of walking, jogging, and cycling tracks, and a handicap accessible children's playground.

The park is also home to the Guilford County Veteran's Memorial and Bark Park, which is a wonderful off-leash dog park located within Country Park where visitors can walk their dogs without worry. Eight picnic shelters are dotted about the park, and in the summer, the lakes offer a variety of water-based activities such as paddle boating and kayaking.

3905 Nathanael Greene Drive, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-373-3648 Photo: rayhennessy/Fotolia

Hops Burger Bar is a classic burger bar that serves a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and fresh salads. Their burgers are made with certified Angus Beef, and they are hand-pressed and grilled to perfection, while the sandwiches and salads are made with crisp, locally sourced and sustainable ingredients.

Burgers are accompanied by a choice of golden fries, sweet potato chips, vegetables, or salads, and can be served on your choice of rolls, buttery brioche, or buns. Hops also has an inviting bar that serves a range of craft beer, wines by the glass and bottle, and cocktails.

2419 Spring Garden St, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-235-2178 Photo: Hops Burger Bar

Blandwood Mansion is the restored home of North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead, who served two terms from 1841-1844. The mansion is open to the public to explore and to learn more about his life. Dating back to 1795, the house was originally built as a Federal style farmhouse and is believed to be the oldest example of the Italian Villa Style of architecture in the United States.

Currently owned by Preservation Greensboro Incorporated, the house is surrounded by four acres of beautifully maintained gardens and features architectural gems such as an octagonal Carriage House that was restored to its former glory in 1970 and now acts as a special events facility. Blandwood Mansion offers guided tours around the manor house and gardens and hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including weddings, musical performances, historical events, and school related activities.

447 W Washington St, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-272-5003 Photo: Blandwood Mansion

The Cherry Pit Cafe & Pie Shop is a classic diner that serves a delicious selection of traditional American cuisine, homemade pies, and a variety of sweet treats and confectionaries. The menu includes all-time favorites such as slow-roasted pot roast, meatloaf, handmade burgers and fries, chicken pot pie, sandwiches, and garden-fresh salads, while sweet delicacies include apple pie, lemon meringue pie, brownies, fresh baked cookies, and muffins.

Located on 411B Pisgah Chuch Rd, the Cherry Pit Café & Pie Shop is open all day from Monday through Sunday and offers a range of specials throughout the week.

411B Pisgah Church Rd, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-617-3249 Photo: Cherry Pit Cafe & Pie Shop

Overseen by proprietors Nick Wyatt and George Neal, the award-winning 1618 Seafood Grille offers a creative, flavor-driven menu with Asian, Latin American, and Southern influences. Ingredients are locally sourced and always fresh; the fish is delivered on a daily basis, and innovative dishes include creations such as pan-seared scallops, potato-crusted mahi-mahi, and honey-glazed chicken breast.

An elegant wine lounge boasts contemporary décor and a tranquil atmosphere, with an impressive selection of boutique wines, craft beers, and signature cocktails.

1618 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-235-0898 Photo: 1618 Seafood Grille

Greenhill was founded in 1974 to celebrate the visual arts and artists of North Carolina and is one of the best visual arts centers in the country today. Featuring a 7,000 foot-square exhibition space that boasts an extensive program of rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, an immersive and interactive art gallery for both children and adults to explore the nature of art, and a broad range of community outreach programs. The center plays a vital role in the cultural community of Greensboro.

The on-site gift shop sells a variety of arts, crafts, paintings, and gifts, including original works in pottery, glass, and wood. Admission is free.

200 N Davie St, Greensboro, NC, Phone: 336-333-7460 Photo: Greenhill