Downtown Winston-Salem (*credit)
Winston-Salem is a city of approximately 225,000 inhabitants within a region of central North Carolina known as the Piedmont (which means “foothills”). It is about midway between Atlanta and Washington DC, both approximately 320 miles away. The North Carolina coast (with very nice beaches) is about 235 miles east, and the spectacular Blue Ridge mountains (and ski slopes) are about 100 miles west. The climate is mild, with long and colorful spring and fall seasons.
Life in Winston-Salem is extremely convenient. Everything is close by. For instance, student housing at affordable prices is available within walking distance of the medical center.
In spite of its relatively small size, Winston-Salem has a lot to offer. The city is home to Hanes Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in North Carolina. For sports enthusiasts, the city’s parks and YMCAs are a great place for exercise and athletics; excellent locations for fishing, hiking and camping are within an easy one-half day drive; there is a Minor-League baseball team (the Dash; both Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University have outstanding basketball programs; and Wake’s football and soccer teams have been highly successful in recent years too (check them out online).
Winston-Salem is known statewide as the “City of the Arts”. It had the first arts council in the United States, founded in 1949, and is home to highly recognized art schools, most notably the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Winston-Salem’s downtown has become quite a vibrant area in recent years: it has many galleries and workshops in its art district, it runs various annual theater and film festivals, and hosts one of the largest indie music and art scenes in the state. Smitty’s Notes provides an excellent and up-to-date compilation of events, restaurants and things to do in and around Winston-Salem.
The city’s website also has lots of useful information about living in Winston-Salem.