Right on Track

When our editor, Lauren Morris, first suggested that we ride Amtrak from Cary to Charlotte as a team and document our experience, I was equal parts excited and skeptical. Up until that point, my only experience riding trains had been in Europe, and I was unsure how the trip would compare. Would we be waiting for hours on the train platform? How many stops would there be, and how long would they take? Would our 7-foot-tall photographer comfortably fit in his seat? I wasn’t entirely sure (especially about the latter), but I was willing to find out for the sake of travel journalism — and an all-expense-paid night in downtown Charlotte couldn’t hurt!

Once the trip officially made the run sheet for March (fancy magazine talk), we still had to decide where we would go off the rails. North Carolina currently has 16 Amtrak stations going in just about every direction, so it seemed the state was our oyster. Given we were leaving from Cary, we had the option to travel the Piedmont Regional, which journeys from Raleigh to Charlotte; the Silver Star, which heads toward Florida; or the Carolinian, which could take us all the way to New York — with plenty of stops along the way.

Six Piedmont trains offer daily service to Charlotte, Kannapolis, Salisbury, High Point, Greensboro, Burlington, Durham, Cary, and Raleigh.

As much as sunny Florida beckoned in the dead of winter, we thought it would be best to show our readers some fun and easy day trip/weekend options from the Triangle that could be enjoyed year-round.

All ABOARD to Greensboro

Let me start by saying that when we left the Amtrak station in Cary, my experience with Greensboro had been limited to rolling past it on I-85, so I really didn’t know what to expect. All four of us — the editor, photographer, writer, and social media coordinator — had little to no experience with Amtrak, so we arrived 50 minutes early to get our bearings. Our train left just before 7 a.m. on a Wednesday, so the station was basically a ghost town, and the wait was nonexistent. Once we boarded, I was shocked by 1) how quick and seamless our departure was and 2) how none of our coworkers showed up to run alongside the train to say goodbye. Rude.

Hi Dena! Photographed by Lauren Morris.

I was excited to see that our photographer fit in his seat, and of course I had to try the train bathroom for the sake of our readers (you’re welcome). Honestly, it wasn’t much different than an airplane toilet — in the sense that the sound of the flush will make your soul leave your body.

On our way to Greensboro, we had brief stops (and I mean brief) in Durham and Burlington before we arrived at our destination, right on schedule. The train station in Greensboro is much bigger and fancier than the one in Cary, so we grabbed a few pictures before calling an Uber to take us to Enterprise. Bear in mind, you do NOT need to rent a car upon arrival — for a day trip, an Uber or public transit would do just fine!

There were plenty of options for breakfast, but we decided on The Sage Mule, a locally owned gem that has been serving up all-day breakfast, lunch, and a delicious Sunday brunch menu since 2019. I’m no food writer, but three out of four of us opted for the corned beef hash — a dish featuring shredded corned beef served with home fries and eggs over a bed of beer cheese — and it has absolutely ruined traditional canned corned beef for me, so consider this article a strongly worded letter.

After breakfast, we headed to the Greensboro Science Center (GSC). Home to 2,852 individual animals, GSC is NC’s only dually accredited AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and AAM (American Alliance of Museums) science attraction, an honor only 14 attractions in the nation can claim.

Arlem getting the hands-on experience! Photographed by Lauren Morris.

“We have lots to do, like exploring our aquarium, museum, and zoo. Guests can also check out our high ropes course, SKYWILD, soar over Country Park on our FLYWAY zipline, and take a ride on the Rotary Club of Greensboro Carousel,” said PR & Digital Marketing Coordinator Bekah Robinson.

“I’d highly recommend catching a morning or afternoon penguin talk, a Shark Reef dive show, visiting SKYWILD, and taking a ride on our Carousel. I’d also recommend Revolution Ridge, our zoo expansion, which opened in 2021 and includes an okapi, southern cassowaries, and pygmy hippos!”

As part of our visit, we enjoyed two VIP Experiences, or custom private animal encounters that are available upon request. Don’t worry, we didn’t score these because of our sweet magazine connections — these are available to all visitors at the zoo, with prices starting at $125/person for a 45- to 90-minute experience.

During our Cat House VIP Experience we met four species of small cats: fishing cats, servals, a sand cat, and a black-footed cat. Yes, they are all adorable, but before you stuff Layla the sandcat in your purse to be your cuddle buddy (which I may or may not have considered), think again.

“These guys do not make good pets,” said Megan Hankins, GSC’s primary keeper for lemurs and small cats. “I know they’re in captivity and they seem nice and chill and pretty and sweet, but they are still wild animals with wild behaviors and wild tendencies.”

Our next VIP Experience was with two African penguins in particular: Newt and Raven. The penguins are one of GSC’s most popular attractions, and interested visitors can opt for a Penguin Encounter like ours or a Penguin Feeding Experience. Either way, you’re sure to fall in love and learn all about the penguin colony drama — like how Deacon left Raven for a younger penguin, despite being a bonded pair. #JusticeforRaven

greensboroscience.org

Antiquing

If shopping is more your scene, Greensboro is also sitting on the mecca of fine antiques and collectibles: Antique Market Place is a 45,000-square-foot facility with over 150 dealers of Civil War relics, glassware, coins, furniture, Native artifacts, and much more. Serious antiquers won’t want to miss this treasure trove of relics, so prepare to spend all day exploring every nook and cranny of this vintage paradise.

Antique Market Place features over 150 dealers of antiques and collectibles, so prepare to browse!

“We get people from all over, because you can see our sign from the highway,” said Lori Gray, a showroom designer and seller at the market.

“I’m glad to share the enthusiasm and the love, because I think our young people need an education on how to mix the modern and the old.”

triadantiques.com

More Greensboro Gems

The Sage Mule

Food & Drink

• The Sage Mule
• Stamey’s Barbecue
• Pig Pounder Brewery
• Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing

Nature

• Bog Garden at Benjamin Park
• Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden
• Gateway Gardens
• Greensboro Arboretum

Arts & Culture

• Elsewhere Living Art Museum
• International Civil Rights Center and Museum
• Greensboro History Museum
• The Carolina Theater

Family Fun

• Wet’n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park

All ABOARD to Charlotte

If you want to journey a bit farther, or just add a second leg to your trip, Charlotte is less than two hours away by train from Greensboro. Although I had been to Charlotte plenty of times, it took being without my car to really notice how accessible the city is via public transportation. Although the train station isn’t located directly next to the LYNX Blue Line Light Rail, part of the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), the NoDa station is just a short Uber away. NoDa is Charlotte’s historic arts and entertainment district, and if you’re into public art, check out NoDa’s free public art walk — a short distance from the 36th Street light rail station.

Murals adorn Charlotte’s NoDa district, the perfect place for a public art walk.

While in Charlotte, we decided to visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, located right next to the Convention Center and 3rd Street Station (if you choose to ride light rail). I won’t lie — I know next to nothing about NASCAR, but this place was a blast.

“We have immersive, interactive, hands-on experiences; a 278-seat state-of-the-art theater that provides an exciting overview of NASCAR’s 74-year history; and historical artifacts and exhibits that tell the authentic story of NASCAR’s legends, evolving history, celebrated heritage, and family-oriented traditions,” said Executive Director Winston Kelley.

If you’re afraid you or the kids will be bored, think again. This place is rocking nearly 50 different interactive experiences and kiosks, the most popular being the realistic racing simulators and pit crew challenge. And … our editor and social media coordinator should probably keep their day jobs.

Lauren & Arlem take on the Pit Challenge.

“The NASCAR Hall of Fame is truly a one-of-a-kind attraction that is authentically North Carolina, where roughly 80% of NASCAR’s national series teams are based,” said Kelley.

The Arts

For art enthusiasts, it really doesn’t get better than Uptown Charlotte. For those riding light rail, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Mint Museum Uptown are both easily accessible via Brooklyn Village Station. Although we hadn’t planned on visiting Bechtler, it is quite literally across the street from the Mint Museum, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see works by some of the most influential artists of the mid 20th century.

At the Mint Museum Uptown, we were lucky enough to get a guided tour by Clayton Sealey, the senior director of marketing and communications.

“There are five levels,” said Sealey. “On the fourth floor is a special exhibition space, as well as our permanent collection. The permanent collection goes from European art portraiture all the way into more contemporary art, like works from Salvador Dalí. It’s a fantastic place.”

Foragers by Summer Wheat. Museum purchase: Funds provided by Wells Fargo Foundation Women Artists Fund. On view at Mint Museum Uptown.

A museum of international art and design, the Mint Museum Uptown has plans for a breakthrough year in 2023, featuring major exhibitions like Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds, Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations, Fashion Reimagined, and dozens of community-based featured activities.

“Since Fashion Reimagined started we’ve been getting a steady stream of people, and we’re about 25% up on historic highs for admissions. We broke a record last year, and we’re on pace to break another record this year. People are busting out, looking to create stuff in this city,” said Sealey.

mintmuseum.org

Homeward Bound

When it was time to go home, we piled into an Uber and headed to the Charlotte Amtrak station to catch our 7 p.m. train. There were quite a few people onboard, and we left on time — but there was about a 30-minute delay on the way back due to rail work. Following that, we quickly picked up steam (just call me the Punmaster). With the delay, it took approximately four hours before we arrived in Cary — time I spent working, eating, and shopping on Amazon. You know, all the things I couldn’t do behind the wheel.

QUICK TIP! Unlike a plane, the lights do not get turned off on night rides — so if you want to sleep, bring a sleep mask!

Looking for More?

Geno D’s Pizza at The Market at 7th Street. Photographed by Lauren Morris.

Dining/Shopping

• Camp North End, a 2-minute walk from the light rail station at Graham Street & Keswick Avenue
• The Market at 7th Street, an urban food hall located at 7th Street Station
• Merchant & Trade, rooftop bar

Nature/Adventure

• US National Whitewater Center
• Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
• Crowders Mountain State Park

Arts/Culture

• Levine Center for the Arts
• Public Art Walking Tour

Family Fun

• Carowinds
• Discovery Place

More From Our Mar 2023 Issue

• Garden Adventurer: The Bodacious Crossvine
• Liquid Assets: Cindy Lou Who
• Restaurant Spotlight: Peck & Plume
• Game On
• Erica Chats: Plenty to See in NC
• On Trend: Eco-Friendly Outdoor Gear
• Right on Track
• Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea
• Nonprofit Spotlight: Cary Downtown Farmers Market
• Small Business Spotlight: Going My Way Greenway Bike Rentals
• Things to Do: March 2023