Charlotteans can sometimes dismiss Salisbury as sleepy and old-fashioned. I did until about two years ago, when I needed to renew my driver’s license. Absurd wait times at Mecklenburg County DMVs drove me the 40 miles to Salisbury, just less than halfway to Greensboro. Their DMV’s efficiency would’ve been enough to convert me, but as I grabbed some lunch downtown, I realized: Hold the phone, Salisbury is actually cool.
I’m not the first person to figure that out. The city’s grown: Since 2000, the population has increased by 18% to more than 36,000 people. Salisbury’s director of communications, Linda McElroy, attributes much of that growth to the state Department of Transportation’s widening of Interstate 85, which eased the traffic bottleneck between Charlotte and Greensboro.
As Charlotte’s rising congestion and cost of living push people to suburbs, those closest to us—like Pineville, Matthews, and Huntersville—are becoming crowded and expensive, too. But Salisbury is a sweet spot where a dollar goes a lot further, says McElroy. Businesses are moving there, too, and Charlotteans are commuting in for jobs. Then there are those of us who visit for an escape from city bustle.
You might think of Salisbury as an outer-ring suburb, but it feels light-years away, and it has its own distinctive history. Founded in 1755, Salisbury is the oldest continually populated town in the western half of the state. It’s known as the home of Cheerwine, and for Catawba College, agriculture, its now-shuttered textile industry, and as the site of a large Confederate prison during the Civil War. Where Charlotte often tears down its historic buildings, Salisbury preserves them. It’s the second stop on the Amtrak Piedmont route out of Charlotte, and its train station is one of more than 20 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. It also has 10 nationally and five locally designated historic districts within its 22 square miles.
Cheerwine Festival, Courtesy
But it’s not stuck in the past. Salisbury has an abundance of independent restaurants and bars, three performing arts theaters, its own symphony, four museums, three art galleries, and 29 city parks. Heck, it’s even one of only two North Carolina cities with fiber internet access available in all homes and businesses.
If you haven’t visited in a while—go.
EAT
You can’t visit without stopping at the iconic Hap’s Grill, a tiny ’dog and burger spot wedged between downtown buildings. Don’t let the line down the block deter you: Hap’s has done this since the ’80s, so it moves quickly. The cash-only lunch spot has just a few counter and outdoor seats, so order your dog “all the way” (homemade chili, onions, and mustard) with a glass-bottled Cheerwine, and walk four minutes to the Bell Tower Green.
Residents argue about which old-school barbecue joint is best: Hendrix, College, or Checkered Flag. Others prefer the more modern Smoke Pit. Massimo’s Artisan Sandwich Shoppe makes phenomenal hot and cold sandwiches; you can’t go wrong with any of them as long as you order a side of potato salad. Sweet Meadow Cafe is an eclectic farm-to-fork bistro that makes a bangin’ pork chop but is also super vegan-friendly.
Courtesy, Rowan County Tourism
If you’re feeling snazzy, go to Carpe Vinum 121 for wine, craft cocktails, and tapas, like charcuterie boards, escargot, and fried Brussels sprouts. Or dine under stained-glass windows at La Cava Restaurant, a white-tablecloth restaurant that’s served “Italian and Continental” food in a 19th-century church since 1994. (You’ll need a reservation.) If you’re a giant-slab-of-meat kind of person, order the 16-ounce New York Strip, seared tableside and served with an au poivre sauce.
Tita’s Cake House has every dessert you crave—cakes, cheesecakes, tarts, pies, brownies, cookies, gelato. But the owners are from Chile, so try the traditional dessert pastries or Chilena cake, made with eight(-ish) layers of flaky pastry and dulce de leche.
DRINK
Salisbury has two craft breweries less than a quarter-mile apart. Try the Hurley Park Blood Orange Wheat at New Sarum Brewing, order from whatever food truck is out front, and relax under the string lights on the patio. Railwalk Brewery & Eatery serves decent pub grub alongside its beer. It’s from the team behind Morgan Ridge Vineyards in neighboring Gold Hill, so Railwalk also serves its European-style wines. For a full vino experience, visit Cauble Creek Vineyard, about 7 miles from downtown. It makes both muscadine and European-style wines from grapes grown on the property, and the staff have the Southern hospitality thing down pat.
Look for a mint-green house on South Lee Street downtown. That’s Shug’s at Brooklyn South Square. The inside is cozy and dim, with a full bar and kitchen, local art, and frequent live music. A true community hangout, you’re likely to run into local business owners having a drink after work.
For a caffeine fix, stop into Koco Java or Mean Mug Coffee Company.
SHOP
South Main Book Company is a huge downtown independent book shop with all the usual sections, plus rotating displays like banned books, local authors, and Black authors. You’ll have to search a bit to find Lost & Found, an edgy oddities shop tucked into an alleyway off North Lee Street. Once your eyes adjust to the dim light, you’ll behold a room brimming with records, VHS tapes, smoking paraphernalia, vintage goods, gifts, and more. Peep the small stage in the back, where owner Iain Rocco often holds open mic nights. Roots Plant Exchange feels like it could be in Charlotte: Sip a boozy slushie while you browse house plants and trendy gifts and accessories. Lora Belle is a baby and children’s boutique with an enormous selection of clothing, toys, accessories, gear, and more, including popular brands like Bibs, JellyCat, and Magnetic Me. Comic Monstore carries all the comic books, toys, and games your nerdy heart could desire. Before you head back to Charlotte, stop by Bottle & Can to build your own four- or six-pack of regional craft beer and cider.
PLAY
Salisbury has more than 500 acres of public parkland. Try to spot a rainbow trout in the lake or play a game of tennis or pickleball at City Park near downtown. Neighboring Hurley Park is especially peaceful, with picturesque trails and bridges that connect 18 acres of woods and manicured gardens. Dan Nicholas Park is a 10-minute drive from downtown and has enough activities to keep you (and your kids) busy all day, like a carousel, train, gem mine, splash pad, aquarium, nature center, mini golf, wildlife habitats, and paddle boats.
A $12 million project completed in 2021, Bell Tower Green is an entire city block downtown with green space, an amphitheater for community events, outdoor dining spaces, a water feature, a playground, and more. A historic bell tower on the park’s north corner still chimes on the hour; built in 1892, it was originally part of the First Presbyterian Church and the Salisbury Female Academy. (There’s genuine history at every turn in Salisbury, but Rowan Museum is a great place to start.)
When you’ve had your fill of sun, head to the Waterworks Visual Arts Center, a contemporary art museum with quarterly exhibitions by established and emerging regional and local artists, or Rail Walk Studios and Gallery, independent artist studios inside an early-1800s grocery warehouse.
Plan your trip so that you can catch a show at one of the city’s performing arts theaters. Piedmont Players Theatre operates both the historic Meroney Theater and the newer Norvell Theater.
If your idea of a perfect day is flinging yourself out of an airplane, Piedmont Skydiving’s got you. It’s the closest skydiving center to Charlotte, but it also has a five-star rating from more than a thousand Google reviews—the kind of reassurance you want before you put your life in their hands.
Last year’s Cheerwine Festival drew a record-breaking crowd of 100,000. Courtesy
Cheerwine Festival
Carolina Beverage Corporation in Salisbury created Cheerwine in 1917. While the cherry soda is beloved all over the South, Salisbury’s fizzy pride runs deep. This year, its annual Cheerwine Festival is on Saturday, May 18. Expect food, craft, and service vendors; a beer garden; live music; kids’ activities; and lots of Cheerwine.
TESS ALLEN is the associate editor.