Guide
Newcomers Guide

Welcome to Winston

New to the neighborhood or looking to get plugged into the community? We want to make it easy for you to get to know our favorite city in North Carolina. Explore our favorite restaurants, download our Welcome to Winston checklist, check out local attractions, and more. And don't forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter, curated with the latest events, news, and insight. Find everything you need to make Winston-Salem home here!

Winston-Salem has a population of over 246,000.

General Statistics About Winston-Salem

  • There are 4 Major Colleges + Universities: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, Salem College, UNC School of the Arts
  •  There are 2 Major Hospitals: Novant Health & Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
  • There is 1 Medical School: Wake Forest 
  • There are 3 Major Airports nearby: Piedmont Triad International, Charlotte Douglas International, and Raleigh-Durham
  • There are 3,500 acres of parks & recreation and 25 miles of greenways and trails

Neighborhoods

of Winston-Salem
Ardmore
One of Winston-Salem’s oldest neighborhoods, Ardmore began in the early 1900s as a suburb of the newly-merged cities of Winston...
Neighborhood Guide Best of Ardmore
Buena Vista
Full of stately homes that were built with old tobacco money, Buena Vista is a beautiful, old neighborhood. Buena Vista,...
Neighborhood Guide Best of Buena Vista
Downtown
Winston-Salem's downtown is a large area, full of streets with their own personality. Head to Burke Street for shopping, or...
Best of Downtown
East Winston
Home to the popular Quarry Park, Winston-Salem State University, and more, East Winston is full of personality.
Best of East Winston
Industry Hill
Industry Hill is not a neighborhood – yet – but it has big plans of becoming one. Branded to create...
Best of Industry Hill
Innovation Quarter
The Innovation Quarter is the fastest growing part of town, with huge plans to expand and connect to East Winston...
Neighborhood Guide Best of Innovation Quarter
Old Salem
Talk about charm: Old Salem was originally settled by the Moravians in 1766, and most of the buildings date to...
Neighborhood Guide Best of Old Salem
Reynolda Village
The little buildings that make up Reynolda Village itself were once the outbuildings of the Reynolda House. Now, the entire...
Best of Reynolda Village
Washington Park
Washington Park is a recognized historic district that lies to the south of downtown and contains beautiful, historic homes dating...
Best of Washington Park
West End
The West End is the neighborhood most directly bordering downtown, with houses covering the hills leading away from the main...
Neighborhood Guide Best of West End
West Salem
Originally created with farmsteads for the Old Salem settlement, West Salem now has become a beehive of community growth. With...
Best of West Salem
WFU Vicinity
Though not an entirely distinct neighborhood, the space that surrounds Wake Forest University is highly influenced by its proximity to...
Best of WFU Vicinity

Getting to Know Winston-Salem

Work your way through this check list and you’ll feel at home in the Camel City in no time!

Winston-Salem offers a unique mixture of art, history, & culture along with some of the best restaurants, bars, & breweries in the south.

Hungry? Try one of these spots.
We've pulled together some of our favorite local restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and bars. Scroll through our recommendations below, or download our checklist for a guaranteed tasty time!

Favorite Breakfast Spots

Favorite Coffee Spots

Favorite Lunch Spots

Favorite Happy Hours

Favorite Dinner Spots

Want to know more?

We’re continuing to build out this site to make it as useful as possible, but in the meantime, make sure you sign up for our weekly newsletter! The newsletter highlights events, community resources, local businesses, and more.

What’s happening?

Stay up to date on everything by signing up for our weekly newsletter.

Welcome to Winston-Salem!

We’re so glad that you’re here!

Having lived here for nearly 20 years, it’s exciting to see how the city is growing and changing – and attracting a diverse array of people from all over the country.

What am I hearing from these new locals? Simply put, they love the quality of life our city offers. From historic neighborhoods to city parks and green spaces, to the small local independent businesses and little to no traffic. Our newest residents are some of our most passionate! It’s such a hidden gem, they say. Lucky us, I say.

The energy in Winston is palpable right now.  People are working together to create unique businesses, and there is this feeling that anything is possible. We hope you will join us in this next phase of Winston-Salem’s history!

Other Resources