No Putter, No Problem

Tagging Along with a Golfer: 14 Things to Do in Pinehurst Area that Don’t Involve a Putter

By Vanessa Infanzon

In a moment of weakness, you agreed to a long weekend in Pinehurst with someone special who loves to golf. Now you’re not sure what to do with your free time if it doesn’t involve tee times, golf pro shops, and discussions about handicaps and strokes.

Luckily, Pinehurst and its surrounding towns are destinations with distinct qualities unrelated to golf – and all within a short drive. From walking along tree-lined streets, browsing antique shops, or visiting potters’ studios, the golf-resistant tourist will find plenty to see and do in Moore County.

CARTHAGE

• Kitten Around Cat Lounge offers a selection of coffee, teas, juices, seltzers, and hot chocolate in a cat-themed environment. Charles Bakery in Aberdeen supplies the pine scones (see what they did there?) and other pastries. Enjoy your treats in the front seating area without cats or in the separate play area with cats. Guests pay an additional fee to hang with eight to 10 rescued feline friends, all ready to be adopted through an application process.
  
• Wishflower Lane combines the need to refuel and shop by serving homemade ice cream from a farm in Greensboro and carrying locally made handmade jewelry, soaps, freeze dried candy, and photography. Ice cream includes lactose free, sugar free, and dairy free options. Gluten free cones are available too.

• Watering Can Wines hosts wine tastings in the lobby of the Tyson-Sinclair Building, a mansion built in 1905 and repurposed for small businesses. This hidden gem stocks a variety of wines from all over the world, organic wines, and nonalcoholic wines. Look for live music on Friday evenings. The Carthage Wine Academy opens in June – sign up for a class and learn about the different wine regions.

PINEHURST

• Sandhills Horticultural Gardens features sculptures, trails, and opportunities to enjoy more than a dozen gardens. Depending on the season, watch the bees and butterflies buzz around the pollinator garden, or let the kids run freely throughout the children’s garden with its playhouse, musical area, blackboards, and gazebo.
• Lisi’s Italian’s outdoor patio is the respite needed after a day of hiking, shopping, or even, dare I say, golfing. Start with the fried meatballs or the Brussel sprouts with pancetta, cream, and provolone before one of the house favorites: gnocchi or the square, thin, and crispy pizzas. Save room for the gelato.
• Pinehurst Brewing Company, a brewery and restaurant, is housed in a restored power plant. The history of the building is incorporated in the décor: exposed brick and pipes, and tables made with original gears. All styles of beer are brewed, and the menu includes ciders, cocktails, and wine.

SEAGROVE

• Seagrove Creations Pottery Gallery showcases work by 75% of the potters in Seagrove, known as the handmade pottery capital of the United States. Walk through aisles of functional ceramic pieces such as bowls, mugs, plates, and vases – made in an array of colors, shapes, and styles. Sculptures and other specialty work show off various techniques used by the potters in the area. Find something you like and want to meet the potter? Seagrove Creations has a map of the 50 galleries and studios with information about when they’re open to visitors.
• Cagle’s Diner, a family owned and operated eatery since 2019, is known for its cheeseburgers (the hamburger is ground fresh every day). The menu promises to make everyone in the group happy: barbecue, hotdogs, Philly cheesesteak, salads, seafood, and more. The scratch made desserts rotate every week. Get there early when they serve the strawberry crunch cake.

SOUTHERN PINES

• Belvedere Courtyard is just one of the shopping areas in downtown Southern Pines. It boasts several shops bordering a seating area with a fountain in downtown Southern Pines including Daisy Daydream, a vintage and secondhand shop; Rooted Café and Market, a plant based restaurant, and Love Rose Boutique, a women’s clothing boutique.
• Christian Book Store’s Antique Tools and Taxidermy Museum provides a unique look at hammers, mallets, pliers, and saws, some from the 1800s, in a mazelike gallery. Christian-themed displays, including bibles written in many languages, are intermingled with a wild collection of mounted and stuffed animals such as elk, moose, mountain lion, peacock, and an albino deer. The homemade fudge, made in the shop, is worth the stop.
• Reservoir Loop at Reservoir Park is part of a 12-mile greenway system in Southern Pines. Follow the two-mile loop around the lake or play disc golf. Benches along the paths offer places to stop and enjoy the view.
• Swank Coffee Shop’s eclectic seating arrangements – cozy nooks for one and theater seats and couches for groups – are welcoming enough without the baked goods and variety of espresso and coffee options. Art and others gift items by local artists line the shelves, keeping you browsing while you enjoy your beverage.
• Sunrise Theater’s First Friday series from May through November brings live music to its outdoor stage adjacent to the downtown building. Watch the schedule for plays, blockbuster movies, and outdoor movie nights.
• Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve is a 915-acre state park with hiking trails through longleaf pine forests and picnic areas. Look for beaver activity along the edge of ponds. Kids will enjoy the Discovery Center, an indoor area with books, a microscope, puppet theater, and puzzles. Find the corn snakes curled up in their habitats and read through the educational displays. Sit in the rocking chairs and watch the birds eat from the feeders while squirrels work a labyrinth puzzle to get a treat.

Vanessa Infanzon moved from New York to North Carolina for college and never left. When she’s not writing, she’s paddle boarding on a river. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.