Situated in North Carolina's upper Piedmont region, Greensboro is the largest of the "Triad" cities, which include High Point and Winston-Salem. There are five four-year colleges in Greensboro, which have helped to improve or as some would say "refine" the town after its industrialized years. Greensboro is home to museums, gardens, art galleries and nightlife.
Greensboro's large Quaker population led to the city becoming an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Mendenhall Plantation, a hiding place for escaping slaves, is open for touring. This heritage led in part to a stand for Civil Rights in 1960 Greensboro when four black students were denied service at a Woolworth's lunch counter. Today, the Woolworth is the International Civil Rights Center, complete with the original counter and three floors of culture and history.
Interesting sites in Greensboro include the Bog Garden with over 8,000 trees towering over ferns and wildflowers. Old Greensborough features Victorian-era buildings, Blandwood Mansion, a 19th century Italian villa plus antique shops and bookstores. Greensboro Children's Museum features plenty of hands-on exhibits while the Greensboro Historical Museum features 12 galleries and two restored homes detailing the city's history.
Art galleries abound in Greensboro with at least seven open for touring. A small zoo, planetarium and hands-on museum combine to create Natural Science Center. Tannenbaum Park features a preserved split-log pioneer farmstead. If you know NASCAR and the "king" of racing, you'll want to tour the Richard Petty Museum.
Greensboro has one of the oldest minor league baseball stadiums, home to the Greensboro Bats. Outdoor recreation includes the Wet ?N Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park, the largest in the Carolinas and nearby lakes Brandt and Townsend.
Nightlife in Greensboro ranges from shag dancing and beach music at Montego Bay to a "family-friendly" old-time country hootenanny at the Barn Dance. Barn Dinner Theatre, the oldest in the U.S., present shows year-round. Other options include the Greensboro Ballet or the Carolina Theatre.
Accommodations range from chain hotels/motels to Grandover Resort, with 247 rooms, 1,500 acres of trees and a golf course next door. Dining runs the gamut from fast food to casual dining to fine dining at Trilogy, a Wine Spectator award winner.
Greensboro is located 90 minutes west of Raleigh, NC off I-40 west.
