Top 15 Things To Do In Salisbury, North Carolina

1. Grab a rod and go fishing in Tamarac Marina

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Make your way to the second largest lake in North Carolina for some great boating and fishing opportunity while staying in Salisbury. Launch your boat from this marina and take advantage of its convenient access to High Rock Lake to get a quick bite to eat, pick up a few staples, or perhaps some fuel for your boat before sailing. Nicely spread with a restaurant, picnic tables, and music on weekends, enjoy dining in Tamarac Marina’s restaurant that serves great steak options, prime rib, barbeque, and seafood dishes while grabbing a bottle of beer and waiting for the sunset over the lake.

Tamarac Marina

Address: 9120 Bringle Ferry Rd., Salisbury, NC 28146

Website: Tamarac Marina

Opening hours: Open 24 hours (daily)

Price: Free

2. Take a stroll in Eagle Point Nature Preserve

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Wear your most comfortable footwear and go hiking at the Eagle Point Nature Preserve that is a remote part of High Rock Lake where visitors can hike up to 3 miles (4.83 kilometers) of loop trail amidst vistas of the lake and wildlife observation points. Lose some weight after feasting on delectable dishes while in Salisbury and walk your furry pets as you discover the natural habitat for fauna and flora native to the area, including bald eagles, raccoons, and white-tailed deer. Don’t forget to prepare for ticks and mosquitoes swarming around some of the areas depending on the season of your visit.

Eagle Point Nature Preserve

Address: 665 Black Road, Salisbury, NC 28146

Website: Eagle Point Nature Preserve

Opening hours: Fri - Sun: 8am - 5pm (closed from Mon - Thu)

Price: Free

3. Pick homegrown blueberries at Talia Farms

Drive your way just outside of Salisbury to pick and eat a basket of fresh blueberries from over 2,000 bushes in this family-owned and operated farm. Hand-picked, sorted, and packed with health and goodness in mind, savor the freshest blueberries and enjoy their homemade products that you can purchase in the farm, including the lemon pancake mix and refreshments like blueberry shake, perfect after a day of strolling around the farm. Blueberry season runs from the second week of June until mid to late July but don’t forget to contact the family before dropping by to make sure that they can accommodate you during your visit.

Talia Farms

Address: 4445 Goodman Lake Rd, Salisbury, NC 28146, USA

Website: Talia Farms

Opening hours: Wed & Fri: 12pm - 6pm; Sat: 8am - 12pm

Price: 3 USD

4. Relieve your stresses at Grievous Gallery

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Relieve some stress and throw bottles, dishes, and glassware while spending a night in this therapeutic establishment and North Carolina’s only rage and anger room ideal for people who are going through a rough time. Let go of your stress in the most unusual, but healthy way after having a sumptuous dinner, by smashing stuff in a destruction room where not only bottles but also buried emotions that you had bottled up will surely fly. If you have the time, catch the Open Mic Night or Talent Shows after visiting the gallery filled with awesome artwork made from the broken glass and pottery.

Grievous Gallery

Address: 111 W Bank St, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA

Website: Grievous Gallery

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 6pm - 10pm (closed from Sun - Mon)

Price: 25 USD (Package special)

5. Take a walk and discover the beauty of Downtown Salisbury

Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Downtown Salisbury, and discover multiple pieces of sculptures on your walk as you visit a wide array of attractions ranging from museums and galleries, bars and breweries, and antique shops. Bring your camera for a historical walk around every nook and cranny and learn some of its past lives from the stories of the owners and what they have left behind. If you are looking for more fun and an interesting night, go on an evening ghost walking tour that is more than just ghost stories but an opportunity to learn the history of Salisbury.

Downtown Salisbury

Address: 217 S Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA

Website: Downtown Salisbury

Opening hours: Open 24 hours (daily)

Price: Free

6. Enjoy a glass of uniquely infused craft beer at New Sarum Brewing

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

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Quench your thirst with this satisfying infused beer bursting with bold flavors with a classic touch and handcrafted only in Salisbury, North Carolina. Enjoy a beer in the middle of a working brewery for you can visit their taproom featuring all of their flagship beers plus seasonal and specialty beers or enjoy Salisbury’s best food trucks that come along with events like Live Music and Pint Night. Feel welcome to bring your own food such as delivery, take-outs, and birthday cakes so you can still continue celebrating any special moment with friends and family in this family-friendly and dog-friendly environment.

New Sarum Brewing

Address: 109 N Lee St, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA

Website: New Sarum Brewing

Opening hours: Tue - Thu: 4pm - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 2pm - 10pm; Sun: 12pm - 7pm (closed on Mon)

7. Treat your taste buds to a delicious meal at Chef Santos by Goodfellas

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Satiate your taste buds and celebrate romance in this intimate eatery offering pasta dishes and other classic Italian meals in an old-fashioned dining room setting. Take delight in the cozy ambiance complemented by thoughtful decors and dig into some unreasonably great dishes at reasonable prices, including a serving of Caesar salad, rigatoni Sicilian, and a special dish of pasta topped with marinara sauce. You will never go wrong ordering dishes from the great selection on the menu that is fresh and flavorful, and from a small wine selection.

Chef Santos by Goodfellas

Address: 123 E Fisher St, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA

Website: Chef Santos by Goodfellas

Opening hours: 5pm - 9pm (daily)

Price: 11 - 30 USD

8. Go hiking in Dunn's Mountain Park

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Fill your day with bird watching, hiking, and picnic activities in this 83-acre (33.59-hectare) protected land that is considered as the newest park in Rowan County. Reward yourself with views of songbirds along the fenced trail and raptors from the observation deck at the peak which is best during migration periods. Make use of the shuttle that runs up and down the mountain on the weekends or hike for about 0.25 miles (0.40 kilometers) up to the summit and take advantage of the long-range binoculars to fully enjoy the incredible vistas of Salisbury, which includes two retired rock quarries, downtown Salisbury, and portions of southwestern Piedmont.

Dunn's Mountain Park

Address: 1740 Dunn’s Mountain Road, Salisbury, NC 28146

Website: Dunn’s Mountain Park

Opening hours: Thu - Sat: 11am - 8pm; Sun: 12:30pm - 8pm (closed from Mon - Wed)

Price: Free

9. Go on a shopping spree for great finds

Go on a shopping spree at the Salisbury Marketplace Shopping Center, that is home to some of the great boutique shop and grocery stores including Family Dollar, Food Lion, and Cititrends. Enjoy the convenience and take delight in its spacious parking area and helpful friendly staff and shop till you drop inside their stores that are all well-stocked offering a great variety of products at wonderful prices. Whether you are looking for some quick bites, pharmacy drugs, home decor, or apparels needed for your next day’s OOTD for touring around Rowan County, this shopping center is definitely the best place to be.

Salisbury Marketplace Shopping Center

Address: 2106 Statesville Blvd, Salisbury, NC 28147, USA

Opening hours: 7am - 11pm (daily)

10. Attend a pottery class

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Drop by in this pottery gallery located in historic downtown Salisbury and indulge in the diversity of style and quality of the pottery items that you can purchase for self-use or gifts for friends. Admire the impeccable taste of the owner who personally curates the collections of clay pots, vases, and kitchenware complementing the stylish interior of the whole gallery, visible even from the storefront through the oversized windows. Take up pottery classes and learn the basics of pottery to perfect your artistic skills in the teaching studio beneath the store, led by the owner herself, the talented potter, Cheryl Goins.

Pottery 101

Address: 101 S Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA

Website: Pottery 101

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 10am - 6pm; Sat: 10am - 5pm; Sun: 1pm - 5pm (closed on Mon)

11. Explore the city aboard a historic trolley

Take a ride through Downtown Salisbury on a historic trolley that will take you to some of the important landmarks that are part of the history and culture of Salisbury. Let the very knowledgeable and informative narrators enlighten you of each building’s history including the original Cheerwine building, the Salisbury National Cemetery, and the only North Carolina site of Civil War prison. Managed by the F&M Bank Trolley, discover some shopping centers, theaters, and all other hidden gems along with ghost stories, without tiring your feet for you don’t have to walk on the streets under the heat of the sun.

Historic Trolley Tour

Address: 204 E. Innes Street Salisbury 28144

Website: Historic Trolley Tour

Opening hours: Sat: 11 am onwards (Apr - Oct only)

Price: 8 USD

12. Learn a bit of history at Doctor Josephus Hall House

Step back in time and learn the life of Doctor Hall and four generations of his family when you visit and explore this restored house depicting the lives of the people during the Civil War. Take time to listen and hear the stories of the family from the very knowledgeable tour volunteers who wear time period clothing that will guide you around the house for two hours. Be amazed by the artifacts from local collections available on display and spread on the site including in the restored kitchen building, restored slave dwelling, and a cannon once used at Salisbury’s Civil War Prison.

Doctor Josephus Hall House

Address: 226 S Jackson St, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA

Website: Doctor Josephus Hall House

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 1pm - 4pm (closed from Jan - Feb)

Price: 5 USD

13. Camp for a day at Dan Nicholas Park Campground

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Have a blast and play under the sun in this park that’s complete with a wide array of facilities and attractions that kids and the young at heart will surely love. Enjoy a picnic or sleep under the night sky in a rustic clean wooded and spacious camping place, with your group of friends, to totally experience a close encounter with nature in these 300 acres (133.55 hectares) of protected land featuring a lake, a nature center, and a place for a wildlife adventure. Definitely, this is a great and inexpensive way to spend a day with the family when visiting Salisbury, North Carolina.

Dan Nicholas Park Campground

Address: 6800 Bringle Ferry Rd, Salisbury, NC 28146, USA

Website: Dan Nicholas Park Campground

Opening hours: 8am - 9pm (daily)

Price: Free

14. Enjoy the freshest local produce at the Salisbury Farmers Market

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Get some fresh produce at Salisbury Farmers’ Market where you can buy products ranging from locally grown flowers, fruits, vegetables, meats, baked goods, and handmade crafts, perfect for your next meal or for last-minute shopping of souvenirs and gifts for friends. Meet the people who grow, raise, and make products during the summer and fall market months that usually starts in April and would last until late December, happening every Saturday. Don’t forget to bring your recyclable eco-bags and drop by in this place located about two blocks south of Salisbury Square and near the Meroney Theater.

Salisbury Farmers Market

Address: 520 South Main Street in Historic Downtown Salisbury, North Carolina

Website: Salisbury Farmers Market

Opening hours: Sat: 8am - 12pm

Price: Free

15. Explore the African American Heritage Trail

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Travel back in time and learn the past on your own pace, at the African American Heritage Trail self-guided tour that you will get at the Rowan County Visitors Center. Discover the many sites where you can experience the rich and diversified heritage of Salisbury and Rowan County while following a map and details of the historic moments, great leaders, and lives of generations of African-Americans who contributed to what Salisbury is today. Pack some snacks, bottled water, and slip on your shoes to kick start your day for a completely enjoyable visit in Rowan County, with a booklet in hand.

African American Heritage Trail

Address: 204 E. Innes St., Salisbury, NC 28144

Website: African American Heritage Trail

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

Price: Free

Get busy and explore the gems of Salisbury

Maximize your stay and include some of these things to do in Salisbury, North Carolina to fully enjoy your upcoming getaway. Discover the gems of Rowan County with the rest of your crew and expect to go home with unforgettable memories, additional historical knowledge, and pieces of their colorful culture.