So #SuperHubs and I were looking for a new place to walk today and decided to try this little trail…read moreoff of Summit Ave. To be honest, I was a little skeptical of it since it's tucked away a bit from the road, but it was a really cute and short trail (only about 1/2 mile if you walk it once) It was peaceful and quiet except for the glorious sounds of nature The only complaint I have is that the trailhead isn't cleared well enough. We had a hard time finding out where to actually start. Also, it has grown over in some places, so try to dodge the briars along the way. Also, there are a couple of entrances, so take a look at the pics with this review and check them out ahead of time! All in all, though, we had a good time just enjoying the fresh air and shade!

We took our boys fishing here for the first time and had a blast! They have live bait (worms) to…read morepurchase and we brought our own fishing gear. You can even rent boats to fish out on the lake! Plus there are walking trails surrounding the lake - it's a beautiful place to spend a day. Bring a picnic and plan to make it an experience!

This marina is a quaint and relaxing "jumping off point" for getting out on the pristine Lake…read moreBrandt. For just $6 you can bring your own kayak, SUP, or canoe to launch on their sandy little beach. Or you can rent one of their kayaks. Even on weekends with decent weather I've seen them mostly available on the spot. There are also options for an annual pass, fishing, and even a paved ramp to put in motorized boats. You could also very easily just sit and relax here by the waterside or stroll around. But if you want to get on the lake, this is the prime spot. Bird watching along the shoreline is great from the vantage point of the kayak. With a vast array of birdsong to ID, you can even see kingfishers ducking, diving, and doing anything to ruin your chances of proving they exist with a photograph. But at least you can enjoy a quiet and relaxing float to ease the soul.

This beautiful paved trail in the northwest corridor of Greensboro/Guilford County provides a great…read moreopportunity for anyone to easily commune with nature. The Greenway has a long history of being converted from and old railway line to a pedestrian friendly space. It takes you on walks, runs, bike rides, and more through sparsely populated greenery and lakes. If you're looking to put down a lot of miles, this connects for quite some distance down into Greensboro, not to mention numerous offshoot trails in places like Burr Mill Park and around Lake Brandt. An easy and accessible retreat!

Check out this great video bicycle tour of the A&Y Greenway!…read more https://youtu.be/QIOzVp8dva4

About every other month, my daughter and I enjoy the Downtown Greenway! We meet a group of friends,…read moreclean the area up of garbage, and get some fresh air and exercise! If you are close to the Downtown Greenway, make this beautiful trail part of your exercise routine! Families, Furbabies, and Friends can all be seen enjoying this space! Join us for some R&R on the Greenway! MOST SINCERELY, Dayla

Went on the greenway on my bike on Saturday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed every but of it. I got…read moreon the loop at W Fisher and N elm and went counter clockwise. To begin with i was riding pretty much through the side of the road. Then after a while it turns into the undone part of the trail, which even in broad daylight made me a bit uneasy and had spidey senses working over time. Once you get off the undone part though, it was gorgeous. The paved road is perfect to bike on, with great sculptures all along the pathway to keep you looking for more. The road itself was super smooth and it offered a nice mix of inclines and declined which made for a great workout Sadly I got a flat at E Bragg and Arlington so i had to walk back to my car after that, but I will definitely be back next time (will skip the undone part this time though) to finish this beautiful loop!

A fun roadside attraction! It's much bigger than I expected…read moreit to be but also don't expect a full-blown village. Lots of structures to look at with significant detail. Take your time and enjoy this special roadside attraction. Don't forget to sign the guest book in the mailbox.

Shangri-La Stone Village is in Prospect Hill, NC. It is near the volunteer fire department, so if…read moreyou can find that, you will see Shangri-La. Admission is free and there was not anywhere to leave a donation but they do have a notebook that you can sign in and share your thoughts. The notebook in the box was from April and there have been many visitors since then. The Village was created with stone from a local quarry. He quarried the stone himself. Henry Warren created this village when he was 72 back in 1968. He was battling cancer at the time. He was a retired tobacco farmer and created 27 buildings that are pretty tall, I'd guess 4-6 feet tall, out of stone. He selected each piece and constructed it all himself. He used white flint rock, quartz, brick, and cement to create this masterpiece. I like that he used other items in his work like door knobs, table legs, ceramic and glass. The art in the designs is remarkable. His workmanship needs to be applauded as his work is still standing after decades. The Village has a mill with water wheel, a school, a church, a theater, a water tower, a farmhouse, a doghouse, an outhouse, a motel, a general store, a jail, a library, a liquor store, and City Hall. He was working on the hospital when he died and his family completed that for him. He finished in 1972 and put up a plaque in the front that says, "Let me live in the house by the side of the road and be a friend to man." Visitors are welcome to tour his creation at any time and for free. Children who came to visit would leave toys to enjoy the village so it was fun to see who was living in the village. Warren died at 84 years old back in 1977 but left behind his work of love for all of us to still enjoy. So if you get a chance, stop by and enjoy his work and take in the whimsy and feel the magic.

Adorable and detailed miniature train set up. Much more expansive than we anticipated. My daughter…read moreand I stopped by on a day in the pouring rain and still enjoyed looking it over.

Lovely collection of model trains, G sized. I learned the G can stand for Garden size-suitable for…read moreoutdoor use.Tons to see and enjoy. Friendly "conductors" answer all the questions I had, never lost a smile. Interesting stories posted around, brings the city to life. Loved the experience, I will share, I had planned to enjoy the trains, and find a breakfast. Sans croissants. not much to pick from. Note to city planners?? lol

Stumbled upon this little gem when I had a work lunch! This is lofty, industrial style food hall…read morewith tons of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and outdoor seating. There's also a few shops with clothing, jewelry, and household items. If you live near by, this would make a cute little family outing experience. There's various types of food and drinks so the whole family could find something to enjoy. And there's enough seating outdoors for the kids to run around and play.

I was here to try a few of the restaurants located here! Parking was easy and free. I didn't expect…read morethis place to be so big so I parked on the wrong side and had to ask for directions. It's so clean inside and there are a ton of small bushinesses! Everyone I encountered was friendly and welcoming.

Across from what is now the Burlington Amtrak station, this marker points out some of the earliest…read morehistory of trains in North Carolina. The marker is high on the post but in excellent condition. The marker reads, "Company Shops built here in 1857 for maintenance and repair of the North Carolina Railroad. Closed in 1866." Online, there is more information. "Progressive leaders of North Carolina led by former Governor John Motley Morehead organized the North Carolina Railroad in July 1850. The first rails were laid in Greensboro in 1851 and by 1856 the railway was open for traffic between Goldsboro and Charlotte, passing through many of the state's prominent piedmont towns along its 223 miles of track. The new railway opened a new era of transportation in the state and created new markets for goods and products throughout the region. The railway served as the backbone of future railroad growth and led to the expansion of towns along its corridor. "One town that grew out of the railroad boom was Company Shops, now Burlington. Soon after construction was complete on the new railway and trains began their east-west travels, officials realized that centralized repair and maintenance operations were needed. After some deliberation, they decided that the offices and shops should be placed along the railroad corridor in an area roughly at the center of the laid track, in Alamance, a rural county. The North Carolina Railroad Company contracted with local families to purchase almost 632 acres of land for repair shops, offices and railroad employee homes. The company intended to control the growth of their new town, called Company Shops, by owning all land associated with the track repair shops. Brick buildings were constructed to house repair operations including two repair shops, a carpentry shop and a blacksmith shop. Company Shops grew into a bustling town until the start of the Civil War and, during the war, the town was a hub of activity as North Carolina's railroads were vital to the Confederate war effort. At the end of the war the shops were targets of both retreating Confederates and advancing Union forces. "The railroad industry struggled through Reconstruction and slowly rebuilt its network to meet the growing needs of the state. Despite post-war financial troubles, the shops and the town that grew up around them and Company Shops flourished until the 1880's. In 1886, after changes in the management of the railroad industry, officials moved the maintenance and repair operations to Manchester, Virginia, effectively cutting off the town's major source of employment and local business (NOTE: the marker incorrectly indicates the year of the closure as 1866). Following the devastation of losing the shops to Virginia, the townspeople changed the name of the town to Burlington in 1887." This is marker number G-89 and it was erected in 1972 by the Office Of Archives And History. [Review 58 of 2025 - 4033 in North Carolina - 23626 overall]