Bethabara Park
At the site of the Moravian settlement, the park includes a museum and Moravian church on its 175 acres. The park also offers hiking, birdwatching and picnicking. 2147 Bethabara Road, Winston-Salem. 336.924.8191. www.bethabarapark.org.

Castle McCulloch and the Crystal Garden
With an authentic medieval castle and a Victorian pavilion, Castle McCulloch hosts festivals as well as wedding rehearsals, dinners and receptions. 3925 Kivett Drive, Jamestown. 336.887.5413. www.castlemcculloch.com.

Furniture Discovery Center
Appropriately located in High Point, the Furniture Discovery Center is the nation’s only museum of furniture manufacturing and design. The museum also features Harvey Hardwood, a 500-pound talking red oak tree for children in its forest conservation area. 101 W. Green Drive, High Point. 336.887.3876.

Greensboro Children’s Museum
Through various exhibits, the Greensboro Children’s Museum connects playing and learning. Additionally, it provides educational programs and workshops and welcomes birthday parties. 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. 336.574.2898. www.gcmuseum.com.

Hanging Rock State Park
About 25 miles north of Winston-Salem, Hanging Rock State Park offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities including 18 miles of hiking trails, 60 picnic sites, an interactive exhibit hall, waterfalls, rock-climbing and a 12-acre lake for fishing and swimming. Rowboats and canoes are also available for rent. Hanging Rock Road, Danbury. 336.593.8480. www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/haro/home.html.

High Point Museum
Costumed tours depict colonial life in the Piedmont. The museum also includes permanent and changing exhibits that trace the history of the region to modern times. 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. 336.885.1859. www.highpointmuseum.org.

Körner’s Folly
For more than 120 years, this home created by Jules Körner has been an attraction like no other. A place of contrasts, this unique home in Kernersville includes 22 rooms spread over three floors and seven levels as well as the nation’s first private theater. The site gets its name from a local farmer who noticed the home’s eccentric design and said, “That will surely be Jules Körner’s folly.” 413 S. Main St., Kernersville. 336.996.7922. www.kornersfolly.org.

Maize Adventure
Appealing to children and adults, the maze offers team-building programs for businesses, a low ropes course and features “Spookywoods” around Halloween. The Gem Dig and Pumpkin Patch are also part of the park. 1615 Kersey Valley Road, High Point. 336.431.1700. www.maizeadventure.com.

Natural Science Center of Greensboro
Featuring a hands-on museum, petting zoo and planetarium, the center also offers workshops and traveling exhibits. 4301 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro. 336.288.3769. www.natsci.org.

North Carolina Zoological Park
Covering 500 acres and displaying animals ranging from polar bears to zebras, the zoo contains the nation’s largest natural-habitat zoo: a 37-acre African plains exhibit. 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro. 800.488.0444. www.nczoo.org.

Old Mill of Guilford
This fully functional grist mill dates back to 1767 and continues to grind cornmeal, grits and a variety of mixes, all which are for sale in the Old Mill Store. The mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mill is open daily and is located in Oak Ridge, on Hwy. 68 North, about four miles north of the Piedmont Triad International Airport. 336.643.4783. www.oldmillofguilford.com.

Old Salem
Restoring the 1753 Moravian settlement in Salem, Old Salem features costumed reenactments and self-guided tours. The site also includes the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, a children’s museum and a toy museum. 900 Old Salem Road, Winston-Salem. 888.653.7253. www.oldsalem.org.

Piedmont Environmental Center
Educating children about nature and the environment, the center includes 11 miles of trails and offers field trips to areas including the Outer Banks and the Galapagos Islands. 1220 Penny Road, High Point. 336.883.8531. www.piedmontenvironmental.com.

Pilot Mountain State Park
Designated as a National Natural Landmark, Pilot Mountain is a unique land formation that rises 1,400 feet. The state park that surrounds it includes 49 campsites, hiking and equestrian trails, picnic areas and rock climbing. The 165-mile Yadkin River Canoe Trail passes through the park, making it popular with canoeists and kayakers who often camp on the river’s two islands located in the park. 1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle. 336.325.2355. www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/pimo/home.html.

SciWorks
The Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County is an educational museum with interactive exhibits, a 15-acre environmental park, nature trails and a 120-seat planetarium. 400 W. Hanes Mill Road, Winston-Salem. 336.767.6730. www.sciworks.org.

Seagrove
With a 300-year-old tradition of pottery in Seagrove, the community now features more than 90 potteries and is quickly becoming the pottery capital of the world. www.discoverseagrove.com.

Tanglewood Park
In addition to its golf courses, Tanglewood Park also offers hiking trails, horseback riding, tennis, paddleboats, playing fields and a swimming pool. 4061 Clemmons Road, Winston-Salem. 336.778.6300. www.tanglewoodpark.org.

Tannenbaum Historic Park
This historic park was built around the 7.5-acre site of an 18th-century farmstead. The park also includes picnic tables, a colonial museum and a gift shop. 2200 New Garden Road, Greensboro. 336.545.5315. www.greensboro-nc.gov.

Uwharrie National Forest
Covering 50,000 acres in Montgomery, Randolph and Davidson counties, the Uwharrie National Forest is located on one of the oldest mountain chains in North America. Popular for camping and fishing, the forest includes the 20-mile Uwharrie National Recreation Trail which winds through the park along with dozens of other hiking, equestrian and mountain biking trails. 910.576.6391. www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/index.htm.

Yadkin Valley Wine Trail
Becoming well-known for its vineyards, the Yadkin Valley offers nearly 20 wineries along I-77 and U.S. 421 for tours and tastings. 888-YV-WINES. www.yadkinwines.com.


PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREENSBORO CVB