25 Best Things to Do in Salisbury, North Carolina

By VacationIdea Staff on July 26, 2022 - Updated

City of Salisbury, North Carolina - Government

Located about halfway between the metropolises of Greensboro and Charlotte, the city of Salisbury, North Carolina is the seat of the state’s Rowan County and is often noted for its preservation of history. Not only a treasure for history buffs, Salisbury is also a great destination for anyone looking for natural parks, lakes, and rolling landscapes. One side of the city boasts numerous historical and natural sites throughout the countryside, while the other features a more urban life, complete with local dives, theater, sports, museums, and shops.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1.Salisbury National Cemetery

Established in 1874, the Salisbury National Cemetery serves as a final resting place for numerous veterans from all wars. Buried throughout eighteen trench graves, the cemetery is also the burial site of more than eleven thousand unknown soldiers who lost their lives during the Civil War at the Salisbury Confederate Prison. One of the veterans buried at the Salisbury National Cemetery is Lorenzo Deming, a recipient of the Medal of Honor who had served on the United States Picket Boat Number 1 and had been incarcerated at twenty years of age at the Salisbury Confederate Prison.

202 Government Rd, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-636-2661

2.Rowan Museum, Salisbury, North Carolina

The Rowan Museum in the historic city of Salisbury, North Carolina is housed inside of the 1854 Courthouse that managed to survive the raid by General Stoneman during the Civil War. As such, the building is considered to be one of the best examples in the state of North Carolina of pre-Civil War architecture. The museum’s collection of artifacts and other historical items are showcased throughout the building’s grand old rooms, which include the beautiful second floor public gathering space and court. Visitors can explore the history and life of Rowan County through the Rowan Museum’s many interpretive exhibits and displays.

202 N Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-633-5946

3.Dr. Josephus Hall House, Salisbury, North Carolina

The Dr. Josephus Hall House was originally built back in the year 1820 to be used as classrooms for the town’s Salisbury Female Academy. The building was purchased in 1825 by Maxwell Chambers, a local businessman, and Rebecca Troy, his half-sister, turning it into a private residence. Dr. Josephus Hall bought the house in 1859 and from then the house began its transformation into the grand Southern residence it is today. Visitors can now tour the Dr. Josephus Hall House on certain days.

226 S Jackson St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-636-1502

4.Piedmont Players Theatre, Salisbury, NC

The Piedmont Players Theatre has been an important institution in Salisbury, North Carolina for over fifty years, attracting performers, volunteers, and audiences from throughout the state to part of the city’s theater. Recognized as “The Outstanding Community Theatre in North Carolina” by the North Carolina Theatre Conference and the “Best Theater in Rowan County” by Salisbury Post’s Readers Choice Awards, the Piedmont Players Theatre operated two different theatre spaces: the Norvell Theater and the historic Meroney Theater. The theatre group has been providing Salisbury and the surrounding area with quality theatrical productions since 1961 and is still going strong.

213 S Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-633-5471

5.Lee Street Theatre, Salisbury, North Carolina

The Lee Street Theatre is the Off-Broadway theater of Salisbury, North Carolina. Consisting of a theater space, a props manufacturing room, dressing rooms, rehearsal space, a beautiful lobby area, and a bar, the theater provides an excellent venue for plays, special events, concerts, and more. The main entrance of the Lee Street Theatre faces the city’s Rail Walk and features a wonderfully inviting atmosphere. Shows and events at the theater include original plays, improvisational comedy, live music, Off-Broadway-style revues and musicals, 10-minute original play festivals, one-act play festivals, variety shows, dance performances, and reader’s theatre.

329 N Lee St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-310-5507

6.Shuford Stadium, Salisbury, North Carolina

The home stadium of the Catawba Indians football team since Catawba College was relocated 1925 to Salisbury, Shuford Stadium continues to provide the local community with plenty of football fun and excitement today. The football stadium has been renovated over the years, including transforming the 1970’s Hurley Press Box into a four-level facility. New concession areas and restroom facilities have been added to Shuford Stadium as well. As many as four thousand spectators can find a seat in the stadium to watch one of the Catawba Indian games, with space for an additional one thousand beyond the seating capacity.

2295 Yost St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-637-4474

7.Keppel Auditorium, Salisbury, North Carolina

The Keppel Auditorium is located on the grounds of the College-Community Center in Salisbury, North Carolina. Named in honor of Dr. A.R. Keppel, Catawba College’s 14th president, this 1,500-seat proscenium theatre features a balcony, mezzanine, and orchestra area. Special features of the Keppel Auditorium include removable floor traps and the removable orchestra pit. There is also a single-purchase fly system featuring thirty-one battens. Along with being used for dance concerts and mainstage productions, the auditorium is also often used by touring companies and local groups. Students from Catawba College are also often given opportunities to work with many groups.

2300 W Innes St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-637-4481

8.Go Burrito, Salisbury, North Carolina

Go Burrito is a popular place in Salisbury among the local community, a laidback place where people can hang out with friends and delight in some refreshing drinks and delicious food. The restaurant specializes in California-style burritos and offers customers more than twenty fresh ingredients to choose from. In addition to several Signature Burritos and custom burritos, the menu at Go Burrito also includes chicken tortilla soup, tacos, salads, quesadillas, and nachos. This is all topped off with the RumBar and the complimentary salsa bar made up of at least eight award-winning salsas that are all made in-house.

115 W Fisher St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-754-4755

9.Il Colosseo Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, Salisbury, NC

The Il Colosseo Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria is a family-owned and operated restaurant in Salisbury, North Carolina. Run by the Scotto Family, the restaurant serves authentic Italian fare that includes a great selection of Italian sauces, salads, pizzas, pastas, breads, and desserts originating from their small hometown of Monte di Procida near the outskirts of Naples in Italy. Boasting many years of experience and refined skills, the Il Colosseo Italian Restaurant is a great place to visit.

716 Jake Alexander Blvd W, Salisbury, NC 28147, Phone: 704-633-1888

10.Morgan Ridge Railwalk, Salisbury, North Carolina

The Morgan Ridge Railwalk Brewery and Eatery is a fifteen-barrel brewhouse that offers several different handcrafted beers on tap, including the brewery’s flagship and original brews and various seasonal beers. Visitors can join a tour of the brewery for a fee, which includes a souvenir glass and a pint of one of the brews. Tours are offered every Saturday at 2:00pm and again at 4:00pm, reservations required. Situated in downtown Salisbury in North Carolina, the Morgan Ridge Railwalk also includes a restaurant serving a varied menu designed to provide something for everyone and a private room for events.

421 N Lee St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-754-8379

11.Beacon Hall

For visitors with an affinity for all things music, a visit to Bacon Hall is definitely in order. Beacon Hall is practically an institution in Salisbury’s music scene and is best known for hosting various concerts of diverse musical genres. When there are no concerts or musical events at Beacon Hall, visitors can participate in all kinds of workshops and classes that are great for any skill level. For example, Beacon Hall has hosted a free concert and master class guitar workshop with Scott Ainslie in the past and is sure to have similar events for musicians and music lovers in the future.

121 Ridge Avenue, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144, Phone: 704-754-7454

12.Center for Faith and the Arts

At the Center for Faith and the Arts, there is a simple goal and mission: to cultivate the relationship between art and spirit within individuals and to offer an experience that accomplishes the mission. As such, the Center, which was founded in 1995 by Dr. J. Daniel Brown, has several programs and classes that visitors and locals alike can participate in such as painting classes and other mixed medium workshops. The Center for Faith and the Arts is also home to an art gallery that showcases the work and collections of their artists in residence and often calls out for submissions from local artists in the area and surrounding counties.

207 W. Harrison Street, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144, Phone: 704-647-0999

13.F&M Bank Trolley System

No trip to Salisbury is complete without a ride on the F&M Bank Trolley System. Owned and operated by the Historic Salisbury Trolley Tours, the F&M Bank will take passengers on a steam through Salisbury’s iconic and historic downtown area. Guests will be able to enjoy the sites and sounds of important sites like the one and only Civil War prison in the state, the Salisbury National Cemetry, and even various movie and TV show shooting locations. As guests chug by these sites, knowledgeable guides will share stories and tidbits about the sites and even share a ghost story or two. Tours on the trolley operate every Saturday between the months of April and October and begin at the Rowan County Visitors Center.

204 E. Innes Street, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144

14.Fine Frame Gallery

If you need something framed, the Fine Frame Gallery has got you covered. Operating out of a gorgeous building in Salisbury’s Historic Downtown, the Fine Frame Gallery has been catering to art collectors and artists in neighboring cities for over forty years. They’re known for their excellent quality and outstanding customer service as they offer over three thousand combinations of frames and mats to their patrons while also offering custom mirror framing, shadowbox framing, and even photo restoration services. Beyond their framing services, the Fine Frame Gallery is also home to a small collection of art created by local Salisbury artists as well as regional artists. Some artists showcased at the gallery include the oil paintings of Robert R. Toth, the watercolor paintings of Mark Brincefield, and the air paintings of Phyllis Steimel.

105 South Main Street, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144, Phone: 704-647-0340

15.New Sarum Brewing Company

The New Sarum Brewing Company is all about taking the old-fashioned way of beer brewing and marrying it with new style ingredients, and boy do they do it well. At the brewery, there is an impressive system of brewing that begins with a deep dive through history for brewing methods that have stood the test of time and flavor. After that, the magic happens in the 30-barrel production facility, which utilizes a 4-barrel pilot system and has 660 barrels of fermentation space, and even a dedicated canning line. At the taproom, guests can sample all of the crafts created at the brewery along with the great eats at the bar and the food truck parked out front. New Sarum currently produces six different craft beers including the Blood Orange Wheat, the India Pale Ale, and the Milkshake Berliner Weisse.

109 N Lee Street, Salisbury, North Carolina, Phone: 704-310-5048

16.Blue Waters Pool

Enjoy a quintessential Rowan County summer at the Blue Waters Pool. A favorite summer hang-out spot for locals, the Blue Waters Pool boasts a 20,000 square foot swimming pool with multiple depths across its expanse to suit swimmers of all ages. In the center of the Blue Waters Pool sits a coupe of tube slides and two jump boards. There are also kiddie slides for the younger children to enjoy in between splashing around at the shallower portions of the pool. The best way to enjoy the Blue Waters Pool is to make a full day of it. Refreshments and coolers are available at the pool’s snack bar and grill, and some amazing snow cones are up for grabs at the snow shack.

6930 Faith Road, Salisbury, North Carolina 28146, Phone: 704-279-1015

17.Ellis Park

Explore 26 glorious acres of both indoor and outdoor recreational space at Ellis Park, a beloved Rowan County park. Perfect for a full day of activities, Ellis Park features a full playground complete with several swings, fun slides, and even a merry-go-round. Also at the playground are several musical instruments which children can try out. Also available for use at the park are several trails and a riding arena. Sports enthusiasts can make full use of the park’s two ball fields, tennis courts, and one volleyball court. Meanwhile, for more recreational gamers, there is a bocce court, a disc golf course, horseshoe pits, and even a game room to enjoy.

3451 Old Mocksville Road, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144, Phone: 704-216-7783

18.Eagle Point Nature Preserve

There are a lot of beautiful outdoor spaces to explore in Salisbury, and the Eagle Point Nature Preserve is just one of your many options. Eagle Point is situated on a remote section of High Rock Lake and has 200-acres of land for visitors to explore. Hikers can set off on three miles worth of trails that offer great views of the lake and have several wildlife observation points to stop at. While walking trails like the Plant Loop Trail and the Goldeneye Cove Trail, guests can potentially spot the local wildlife such as bald eagles, barred owls, egrets, kingfishers, wild turkeys, and more. Nature trails are also available to visitors who wish to take a more leisurely walk through the preserve, while water activities like canoeing and fishing can also be enjoyed on a seasonal basis.

665 Black Road, Salisbury, North Carolina 28146, Phone: 704-216-7819

19.Dan Nichols Park and Campground

Have a great day out with family and friends at the 425-acre Dan Nichols Park and Campground. Located to the southeast of Salisbury, the park is home to the Rowan Wildlife Adventures Nature Center, which is loaded with tons of exciting activities all on its own. The Hurley Family Water Plaza can also be found within the Dan Nichols Park, along with a 70-site campground that doubles as an outdoor theater on many nights. Other activities to be enjoyed at the park include a visit to a freshwater aquarium, an enjoyable miniature train ride, gem mining activities, and mini-golf. Several sports fields are also available for use at the park.

6800 Bringle Ferry Road, Salisbury, North Carolina 28146, Phone: 704-216-7803

20.Millbridge Speedway

If you’ve got a need for speed, you’ll find that need fulfilled at the Millbridge Speedway, a premiere outlaw kart track in Salisbury that has been featured many times on national television throughout the past several years. Many drivers from all over the country, and even from Canada, come to Millbridge Speedway to race, but that doesn’t mean that the tracks are only reserved for high-level races. Cadets and beginner karters have also tested their mettle on and left everything on the tracks in regular races that draw quite the crowd of locals. Visitors are welcome to drop by and watch a race for themselves to cheer on local and national racers alike.

6670 Mooresville Road, Salisbury, North Carolina 28147, Phone: 704-701-1665

21.Bell Tower Green Park

Originally known as the Presbyterian Bell Tower, the Bell Tower Green Park is located across one full city block in Salisbury’s busy and historic downtown area. The park broke ground in 2019 and has since then become been touted as the epicenter of community activity, connection, and engagement. Though there are a few play areas for children to enjoy, the Bell Tower Green Park is best known for wide-open green spaces. Come and have a picnic with friends, enjoy a show at the park’s amphitheater, or spend some time enjoying the gazebo’s shade. Make sure to pay a visit to the Bell Tower which sits across from the First Presbyterian Church.

Corner of W. Innes and S. Jackson, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144. Phone: 704-638-5291

22.Blue Bay Restaurant

Dine on succulent seafood family-style at the Blue Bay Restaurant, a beloved eatery that has been satisfying hungry diners since 1984. The restaurant, which has expanded to four locations across North and South Carolina, specializes in mouthwatering seafood fare. True to its seafood roots, the restaurant is also decorated accordingly with a welcoming nautical feel. Must-try dishes at Blue Bay Restaurant include the Snow Crab Legs, the Whole Stuffed Flounder, and the Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp. The Blue Bay Restaurant also recognizes that different people will like their seafood cooked in different ways. As such, the restaurant offers a great selection of fresh seafood that can be fried or broiled then served in platters according to each diner’s preference.

1007 Innes Street East, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144, Phone: 704-633-9585

23.Bottle and Can

Woman-owned and proud of it, Bottle and Can originated in Asheboro in 2017 as a bottle shop proudly showcasing fantastic beers from several local craft breweries in North Carolina. A few years and a lot of success later, Bottle and Can opened its second location in Salisbury’s Historic District in 2019. No matter how many locations Bottle and Can open though, its goal remains forever the same: to provide all guests with a chill and relaxed environment to discover new flavors and brews and learn about what makes each of them tick. Guests to the taproom are encouraged to try beers that they have never sampled before while conversing with friends and maybe even making new ones. In addition to craft beer, Bottle and Can also carries an assortment of spectacular ciders and some select wines from every corner of the country plus some choice imports to boot.

116 W. Innes Street, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144, Phone: 704-431-6109

24.Correll Farms

The origins of the Correll Farm can be traced back to the late 19th century when the land it sits on was purchased by Martha Correl for her beloved son Franklin Edgar. It was Franklin’s son, Eubert Talon, who began managing the farm, starting with a few dairy cattle and select produce. By 1938, the farm was producing Grade A Milk, and by 1950, the farm began farming tomatoes. It was later in 2005 when the farm transitioned to a full vegetable farming operation, retiring from the dairy trade. As a recognized century farm, Correll Farms is a fantastic place to source fresh produce and eggs. When they’re not on their farm, they can be found at the Salisbury Farmer’s Market selling delicious produce for reasonable prices.

1185 Woodleaf Barber Road, Cleveland, North Carolina 27013, Phone: 704-202-9678

25.Gold Hill Mines Historic Park

Open seven days a week from sunrise to sundown, the Gold Hill Mines Historic Park is a popular 70-acre green space that is owned and operated by the Historic Gold Hill and Mines Foundation. Though the park can be enjoyed for all of the usual park activities like hiking, biking, and even for equestrian trails, it is better known for the many historic sites that can be visited on its grounds. Landmark sites that can be explored at the Gold Hill Mines Historic Park include the Russell-Rufty Memorial Shelter, the Gold Hill Assay Office Museum, the Bernhardt Log Barn, and the Miller Miner Shaft. Along the hiking trail, visitors can also explore the Powder House, an 1845 cavern built into the hillside that was designed to store dynamite and other blasting materials from the mining era. Another gold mining relic to see at the park is the Chilean Ore Mill, which dates back to the early 1840s and is assumed to be the only ore mill of its kind left in the country with all of its original parts still intact.

735 St. Stephens Church Road, Gold Hill, North Carolina, Phone: 704-267-9439