Looking for small-town Southern charm with rich history? Head to Salisbury, North Carolina! Home to Civil War heritage, historic architecture, vibrant arts, and a growing food scene, Salisbury is a hidden gem in the Piedmont region. Whether you're exploring historic districts or catching a live show, Salisbury blends tradition and creativity in a walkable downtown setting.
Salisbury, NC Highlights:
- For History Buffs: Tour the Confederate Prison Site and National Cemetery – Explore one of the most significant Civil War landmarks in the region.
- For Art Lovers: Visit the Waterworks Visual Arts Center – Contemporary exhibitions and hands-on workshops in a dynamic creative space.
- For Architecture Fans: Walk the West Square Historic District – Stroll tree-lined streets with stunning Victorian and Colonial Revival homes.
- For Families: Take a ride on the Historic Salisbury Trolley Tour – Learn the town’s stories on a fun and informative ride through its key sites.
- For Nature Seekers: Hike and relax at Dan Nicholas Park – Family-friendly park with trails, paddle boats, a nature center, and mini zoo.
Best Time to Visit Salisbury, NC
The best time to visit Salisbury is during the spring and fall (April–June and September–October). These months bring comfortable temperatures, colorful scenery, and plenty of outdoor events. Summers are warm and lively, while winters are mild and less crowded.
How to Get to Salisbury, NC
- By Car: Salisbury is conveniently located off I-85, about 45 minutes from Charlotte and 1 hour from Greensboro or Winston-Salem.
- By Train: Amtrak’s Crescent and Carolinian lines serve Salisbury with a historic downtown depot.
- By Plane: Fly into Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and drive or take a train to Salisbury.
Where to Stay in Salisbury, NC
- Recommended for History Lovers: The Historic Salisbury Inn – Stay in a lovingly restored historic property near downtown landmarks.
- For Comfort and Value: Hampton Inn Salisbury – Modern accommodations with free breakfast and easy access to I-85.
- For a Boutique Experience: Across the Pond Bed and Breakfast – Quaint B&B in a charming colonial-style home with gardens and personal service.
Best Things to Do in Salisbury, NC
1. Pay your respects at the Salisbury National Cemetery
Rating: ★★★★★
I decided to take a 45-minute trip from Charlotte to Salisbury. My first stop was the Salisbury National Cemetery which serves as a final resting place for numerous veterans from all wars. It's a wonderful place to pay your respects and learn about history so I took my kid there.
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.
Please note that the cemetery is closed on weekends, but you can visit for free from 7:30 am to 4pm on weekdays.
Address: 202 Government Rd, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-636-2661
2. Visit the Rowan Museum
If you are a history buff like me, don't miss the the Rowan Museum 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 and you should definitely stop here. You will find it in the heart of downtown Salisbury on North Main Street.
The museum’s collection of artifacts and other historical items are showcased throughout the building’s grand old rooms. My favorite were the beautiful second floor public gathering space and court.
You can explore the history and life of Rowan County through the Rowan Museum’s many interpretive exhibits and displays.
Unfortunately The Old Stone House is only open on weekends so you can either see the Salisbury National Cemetery (on a weekday) or the The Old Stone House (on weekends), or you need to make a second trip back to Salisbury.
202 N Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-633-5946
Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:
3. See the Historic Dr. Josephus Hall House
Another affordable historic building in town is the Dr. Josephus Hall House, originally built back in the year 1820 to be used as classrooms for the town’s Salisbury Female Academy. Admission only cost us $5 per person (for adults).
Dr. Josephus Hall bought the house in 1859 and from then the house began its transformation into the grand Southern residence it is today. You 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
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. You can purchase tickets online.
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
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
Recommended Activities for Families
6. Shuford Stadium
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
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
Where to Eat:
8. Go Burrito
Now for some places to eat! I'm including some of my favorites at the end of the post so that you can fit them into your own schedule. Go Burrito is a popular place in Salisbury among the local community, a laidback place where you 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 offers you 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 (be sure to ask which ones are spicy!).
115 W Fisher St, Salisbury, NC 28144, Phone: 704-754-4755
9. Il Colosseo Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
If you are in the mood for pizza and pasta, the Il Colosseo Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria is a great family-owned and operated choice.
Dine on 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.
716 Jake Alexander Blvd W, Salisbury, NC 28147, Phone: 704-633-1888
10. Morgan Ridge Railwalk
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.
You 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
I enjoy writing about day trips from Charlotte, NC coast, and about North Carolina in general.
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