Winston-Salem

Thousands of people gather at Bailey Park in Downtown Winston-Salem.

A city built for bold ideas.

Winston-Salem is known as the City of Arts and Innovation, with a booming arts community and a deep tradition of entrepreneurship.

The City of Arts and Innovation

Winston-Salem is a mid-sized college town with the amenities of a big city. Our downtown district is thriving, and visitors can explore our city’s Moravian roots in historic Old Salem. Winston-Salem’s Camel City nickname pays homage to the tobacco industry that once defined us.

But Winston is also known as the City of Arts and Innovation, with a booming arts community and a deep tradition of entrepreneurship. Some native brands include Krispy Kreme, Hanes and Sara Lee. Our central North Carolina location means you can take a day trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains or reach the Atlantic Coast in four hours.

The Downtown Experience

Winston-Salem is a vibrant, diverse community. Downtown, which is the heart of the city, is just a few minutes by car or shuttle from campus. With so much to offer, you’ll never run out of things to see or do.

Tour the Old Salem Historic District and sample traditional Moravian pastries from the Winkler Bakery.
Have dinner with your friends at a sidewalk cafe downtown and walk to a River Run Film Festival screening at the Stevens Center.
Check out one or several of the many eateries located downtown where you can enjoy local cuisine and make memories with friends.
Enjoy a Friday night gallery hop in the Trade Street Arts District.
And so much more!

Explore Winston-Salem

Wake Forest Downtown hosts the Maya Angelou Garden Party at Bailey Park in Downtown Winston-Salem.

WFU Studying Slavery Conference at the Reynolda House Museum of Art

Historic Reynolda District

The 1917 estate of Katharine and R.J. Reynolds is a recreational and cultural gem connected to Wake Forest’s Reynolda Campus by a short walking trail. The Reynolds family’s sprawling 64-room bungalow is now the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, which displays works by Georgia O’Keeffe and John Singer Sargent.

The grounds include breathtaking gardens with a restored 1913 conservatory and two miles of wooded trails that offer escape and recreation. Many visit the 170-acre estate to shop and dine in Reynolda Village, a collection of unique shops and restaurants in buildings that once supported the Reynolds farm.

Explore the Historic Reynolda District

Beyond Winston-Salem

From the campus, access to the ski areas of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains is a two-hour drive, and travel to the North Carolina and South Carolina beaches takes about four hours.

A number of county and state parks are short distances from campus. You can cycle, run, boat or picnic at Salem Lake, on the city’s eastern edge, or go on a hike on one of Tanglewood Park‘s many trails just west of the city.

Raleigh (two hours) and Charlotte (90 minutes) boast world-class museums, award-winning food options, and professional football, hockey and basketball teams.

Visit North Carolina