Girlfriend Getaways

Looking for a unique experience? Take a ride on one of the Sandhills Trolley‘s many diverse trolley experiences from brews cruises to history tours, comedy and everything in between you are sure to find something you and your gal pals will love! The Coffee Cruise is a popular and highly caffeinated treat sure to get you going and going. Who can resist a cup of joe or two or three or…

Cheers! Enjoy our Sandhills Wine Trail or Pour Tour Passport Programs. Both offer a unique experience to visit our local wine and brewery establishments. visit all places in the passports and you receive a prize or two! Not into drinking? That’s ok you can buy anything at the establishments even a pack of gum to get a stamp. Pick up your free passport at any of the locations or at the CVB in downtown Southern Pines.

Hit the Trails! Enjoy time outdoors with friends by hiking one (or two!) of our beautiful Moore County Trails. Find a list of all trails here.

Stop at one of the local Farmers Markets to find the best in local beef, pork and ostrich meat. Indulge in homemade sweets, veggies and other delicacy. You can usually find a wide variety of homemade jams, soaps, candles and more with scents unique to the area.

Moore County Farmers’ Markets Year around in Southern Pines on Thursday & Mid April- October in Downtown Southern Pines Park. Sandhills Farmers Market in Pinehurst Wednesday’s and Saturdays from Spring- Autumn. Carthage Farmer’s Market 2-6pm on Fridays from April-October

For a more mainline animal experience bring your camera out to the Pinehurst Harness Track in the wintertime to watch the Standardbred horses run. The Spring Matinee races are a big draw the first Saturday in April. There are two tracks, and when temps drop into the 30s, the steam pours out of the horses as they majestically move around the tracks. Perfect Insta moments.

The Dunrovin Experience along Highway 1 in Vass sells a compendium of homemade Amish foods, hoop cheese, old fashioned candy, local honey, and even snake oils to fix what ails you. Be sure to wander out back of the store where the owners have created a home to more than 200 rescued tropical birds and exotic animals in a buy donation only zoo. That will give you something to squawk about.

R. Riveter is another Southern Pines original. Co-founder Cameron Cruze, started out with a Masters degree in architecture, but turned instead to hiring military families to craft elegant and durable handbags. Inspired by Rosie the Riveter, Cruze believes the World War II icon stands for women working to make a better world. Each part and piece of the satchels and backpacks are made by military spouse “riveters” across the US, and then put together in Southern Pines.

Another local found his calling too. When local builder Heath Trigg was working on the construction of the bar at Pinehurst Brewery, he was thinking about how those owners are veterans brewing beer and aging it in whiskey barrels. His epiphany came when he decided to make them a version of Old Glory out of the wood from the barrels. Soon, everyone who saw the wooden flag had to have one, and his business, Heritage Flag Company, was born. The flags come in all sizes—small enough to stash in your suitcase, or large enough to hang over your fireplace.

Literary types will want to tip their hats to the Weymouth Center for The Arts & Humanities, part of a famous writer’s estate. Once home to James Boyd (best known for his Revolutionary War novel Drums), his home was a regular salon for the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe. Today it’s home to the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame.

Just because you’re in Pinehurst, you don’t have to play golf, but why not? You have a couple of appealing options whether you’re a seasoned golfer or a newbie. Thistle Dhu is an 18-hole putting course at Pinehurst Resort. Don’t confuse it with miniature golf, but do plan to test your greens-reading abilities on this challenging layout for the putter. Meanwhile The Cradle may be played in an hour. It’s a par 3 course with 9 short holes adjacent to Thistle Dhu. You only need 3 or 4 clubs to tackle this little beauty.

After all those explorations, you’ll need some relaxing down time. Book early for a treatment at the elegant Pinehurst Spa. Always arrive at least an hour before your appointment so you can take a dip in the heated whirlpool in your locker room, as well as the huge indoor pool. Don’t want to splurge for an appointment? For $50, you may purchase an all-day pass on weekdays with access to the wet areas of the spa. Plenty of room to hang out by the pool with your travel buddies and talk over the day’s discoveries in the peaceful retreat.

Kick off your day with a breakfast, Sandhills style. You can grab a cuppa joe and a scone over at the Village Roast Office, which occupies the old post office in the Village of Pinehurst along with a book store. Or try out the more traditional breakfast at the Villager Deli nearby. Or Indulge in a delicious croissant made in store at Agora bakery, take with you some macaroons for later. In Southern Pines, locals congregate at Betsy’s Crepes on Broad Street, a casual brunch spot that features sweet and savory crepes from a huge menu that ranges from simple to tantalizing different (think ham with pineapple, asparagus, and mozzarella).

Of course, you could build an entire day around food here too. Southern Whey in Southern Pines is a unique cheese shop offering sandwiches and personal cheese trays made to order. C Cups CupCakery, with shops in Southern Pines and the Village of Pinehurst, will tempt you with delicious, gourmet cupcakes in flavors like Orange Creamsicle and Nutter Butter. Too sweet? Then stop by the Pinehurst Olive Oil Company and taste some of their hand-selected olive oils and balsamic vinegars from across the globe. Just around the corner, The Corner Store (aptly named) has individual servings of Ben’s Ice Cream, a local favorite, and bags of Yum-Yums to take home, if they last that long.

If an Irish pub is to your liking, try Dugans. The full pub menu includes the requisite fish and hand-cut chips, shepherd’s pie, and bangers and champs, as well as some of the tastiest onion soup on this side of the Atlantic.

Hidden among the tall pines of Pinehurst is a storied authentic American tavern – Drum & Quill welcomes you with juicy pub faire, cocktails to delight, and history to boot. Try the  Monte Cristo sandwich or any of the famous tacos options pair it with Lavender French 75 or one of their other specialty drinks.

Of course, these towns are going to excel at smoked, pulled pork, Carolina style. In Pinehurst, the crowds head to the Pinehurst Brewing Company where you can sample their house-made brews alongside barbecue on the pizza and salads. For a destination pork palace, head up to Carthage to the Pik N Pig. This old-style barbecue joint adjacent to an air field packs in everyone here . You’ll know it’s good by the Cadillacs, beat up pickups, service vans, and family SUVs that pack the parking lot. It brings in everyone. Don’t skip the banana pudding!

Some of the most sophisticated flavors are dished up at Ashten’s in Southern Pines. This chef-driven restaurant is the love child of Ashley Van Camp, a local girl who cut her culinary chops in sophisticated NYC kitchens. She returned home to take that knowledge and lay it atop the foodways of her North Carolina grandmother. Then she casts her net for local food, serving the finest from the nearby community. The result is Southern takes on international dishes.