What to Do This Fall in Carolina Core, North Carolina

 You’ve maybe never heard of North Carolina’s Carolina Core, but you’ve definitely heard of some of the cities within it, including Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point. If you’re headed to the region this fall, whether to see the foliage or for any other reason, you’ll have plenty to do and enjoy.

For leaf peeping in particular, visit Salem Lake Park, one of the most popular green spaces in Winston-Salem. Here, you can find 7 miles of shaded trails, all along the waterfront. You can also take a kayak out onto the water, if you’d rather see the leaves from that vantage point. For a more intense outdoor excursion, go hiking at Hanging Rock State Park, which offers 20 miles of trails, dramatic scenic vistas, waterfalls and more.

If you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss the new Qubein Children’s Museum, which just opened in April. Now one of the world’s largest children’s museums, it offers two floors of exhibits filled with hands-on activities.

When you’re hungry, try one of the region’s food halls. Fords Food Hall in Winston-Salem brings together a handful of vendors serving a range of cuisine, all in a 1920s-inspired setting with live music on the weekends. In High Point, Stock & Grain offers eight vendors serving everything from hot dogs to sushi, mini doughnuts to brisket biscuits.