You get city perks while also feeling like you’re in the country amid historic mansions and estates. You’re just a few short hours from the beach and as well as the Smoky Mountains. This is the kind of place that has local stuff to do but still a quiet, laid-back pace.

Winston has some treasures. One is Salem Lake, a large lake with a seven-mile trail around it, surrounded by lots of woods. Another is Reynolda Gardens, the former home of RJ and Katharine Reynolds. There's a large green lawn out front (great for a picnic) and lots of walking trails. The house itself is home to a museum of American art. The downtown transformation has been amazing, including the repurposing of old tobacco factories.

Don't sleep on the pollen and humidity, though; it can be wicked.

City Life / Country Vibe

LookyLOO Review of Winston-Salem

W-S is the kind of town that married people who are starting families like. An easy but fun lifestyle, quiet but has things to do, food-centric with craft brews and pressed juice, and overall, above-par schools. 

Buena Vista is the hot-spot. Homes there can be much larger than they look on tree-lined streets. Also, stately homes dating to the 1920’s and before with very large square footage and very large, meticulously landscaped lawns.
Nearby is an equally stately but somewhat less lofty area called West Highlands. The fringe areas of this neighborhood border on busy highways and retail establishments, so some streets are more desirable than others. This neighborhood is quite hilly, which adds to the character but might be daunting for those who like to walk.
Ardmore is one of the few walkable neighborhoods, a charming vintage neighborhood filled with mostly cottages that are well-designed and well-detailed but more modest than those found in Buena Vista. Several nice small parks, very close proximity to medical facilities.
There are funkier, artsier, eclectic Victorian, gentrified areas that are desirable, including West End,  West Salem, and parts of Washington Park. These areas feature wood-sided Victorian and Craftsman-style homes.
The best burbs tend toward the river to the west. Lewisville, Advance, and Clemmons offer lower taxes and more houses on more land for your money. Good schools, too.

To see what locals do for fun, check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.downtownws.com/event-date-search/): 

Lifestyle 

Avoiding big city life/traffic and having enough to do without having everything possible at your fingertips. And Raleigh and Charlotte a short hop away. 


Fun with the Chaos

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**lau_poel**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

As someone who recently moved here, I have to say it's been a welcome surprise how much there is to do here! I've been impressed by the local running club scene and there's lots of social people who have also recently moved at the run clubs and the bike clubs (Fiddling Fish has a run and bike club Mondays, Wise Man has a run club Tuesdays, there's another run club meeting Thursdays at Bailey Park and Saturdays at Say So and I'm sure there's others too)

For more reviews of what living in Winston-Salem is like from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/winston-salem/reviews).


Hayfever

Reviews of Winston-Salem from Locals

**The Best Thing About Winston-Salem?** 

Some city perks, while also feeling like you’re in the country amid historic mansions and estates.
You’re just a few short hours from the beach and as well as the Smoky Mountains. This is the kind of place that has local stuff to do but still a quiet, laid back pace.
Winston has some treasures. One is Salem Lake, a large lake with a seven mile trail around it, surrounded by lots of woods. Another is Reynolda Gardens, the former home of RJ and Katharine Reynolds. There's a large green lawn out front (great for a picnic) and lots of walking trails. The house itself is a home to a museum of American art. The downtown transformation has been amazing, including repurposing of old tobacco factories.

**The Worst Thing About Winston-Salem?** 

Pollen and humidity can be wicked. 

**How You Living?** 

W-S is the kind of town that married people who are starting families like. An easy but fun lifestyle, quiet but things to do, food-centric with craft brews and pressed juice and overall, above par schools. 

Buena Vista is the hot-spot. Homes there can be much larger than they look on tree-lined streets. Also, stately homes dating to the 1920’s and before with very large square footage and very large, meticulously landscaped lawns.
Nearby is an equally stately but somewhat less lofty area called West Highlands. The fringe areas of this neighborhood border on busy highways and retail establishments so some streets are more desirable than others. This neighborhood is quite hilly which adds to the character but might be daunting for those who like to walk.
Ardmore is one of the few walkable neighborhoods, a charming vintage neighborhood filled with mostly cottages that are well designed and well detailed but more modest than those found in Buena Vista. Several nice small parks, very close proximity to medical facilities.
There are funkier, artsier, eclectic Victorian, gentrified areas that are desirable including West End,  West Salem, parts of Washington Park. These areas feature wood-sided Victorian and Craftsman style homes.
The best burbs tend toward the river to the west. Lewisville, Advance and Clemmons offer lower taxes and more house on more land for your money. Good schools, too. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

Avoiding big city life/traffic and having enough to do without having everything possible at your fingertips. And Raleigh and Charlotte a short hop away. 




Downtown Winston-Salem has gone through a huge transformation. Tobacco warehouses and knitting mills have been converted into beautiful urban lofts, art galleries and businesses. Downtown holds the Arts District, many of the music theaters, and plenty of cool restaurants and bars,  which make the day and nightlife jumping around here. Cool loft living within walking distance of all of this fun makes this the starting point for most young professionals. 
- Downtown
- Holly Avenue


Young Professionals

Downtown

Holly Avenue is a cool option for those who want to live within shouting distance of Downtown but get a bit of a break. Just southeast, this neighborhood has seriously fun, colorful bungalows and rejuvenated duplexes for anyone who wants walking access to a social scene but wants it at arm’s-length. 
- Holly Avenue


DINKs/SINKs

Holly Avenue

Sherwood Forrest is a great starting point for a search for families. Classic brick homes fill tree-lined streets with huge lots, great walkable public schools and plenty of parks and sports fields for the little ones to recreate. It also has a great neighborhood pool that acts as a bit of a community center in warmer months.  South Fork/Country Club is a posher spot for families, although the housing mix includes everything from massive to ranch-style and condos. Of course it houses a great Country Club but also includes great public schools,  a Community Center and a beautiful public park. 
- Sherwood Forest
- South Fork/Country Club
- Washington Park 


Families

Sherwood Forest

Winston-Salem is rated one of the nation’s best places to retire by US News. Some of this is mild weather, some is its low cost of living relative to the more popular cities in North Carolina, and some is due to the quality of healthcare, high safety-ranking,  and active foodie and cultural scene. In addition to great neighborhoods, both suburban and city-centric, Winston-Salem has plenty of popular 55+ communities including: Homestead Hills, Arbor Ridge and a Bermuda Village, located just outside the city limits.
- Homestead Hills
- Arbor Ridge
- Bermuda Village 


Retirees

Homestead Hills

Winston-Salem

**OhShitItsSeth**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I was born and raised in Winston-Salem and have lived in Nashville since 2015. I go back to W-S about once or twice a year, and it’s honestly gotten sooooo much better since I moved away. There’s always something to do there, whether it’s live music, trivia night at Incendiary Brewing, a show at Stevens Center, or almost anything else.

The cost of living there and the general infrastructure are also quite good. Overall, a great city and great community.

**lau_poel**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

As someone who recently moved here, I have to say it's been a welcome surprise how much there is to do here! I've been impressed by the local running club scene and there's lots of social people who have also recently moved at the run clubs and the bike clubs (Fiddling Fish has a run and bike club Mondays, Wise Man has a run club Tuesdays, there's another run club meeting Thursdays at Bailey Park and Saturdays at Say So and I'm sure there's others too)

**_Ellebugg_**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Winston Salem is a good place for ppl (like myself) who would rather not pay bigger city living costs (rent, food, gas, etc) but who don't mind driving a bit a few times a month to get to where the fun is.

Greensboro, Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, and Asheville are within 4 hours and the beach is within 5, depending how far up/down the coast you're going.

Edit to add - and WS is growing. It has changed A TON in the 10 years I've been here. So..hopefully it eventually gets even better. Like if we could have our own large Asian market. :')

**roadsaltlover**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I just moved here. 30 year old male, also never married. Single and didn’t know anyone here prior to moving a couple months ago.

It’s pretty quiet downtown (where I live) in the winter from the looks of it. I noticed lots of people posting online about how to meet people so I started a monthly Mixer for people to meet new friends. We just had our first one last week at a local brewery and it went really well with over 25 people showing up. Planning February now!

So, what I’m trying to say is YES, there is overwhelmingly a community of people looking to make new friends, the hard part is getting us all together and socializing; which I’m working to solve ;)

The people who say “no” have valid reasons but a lot of them are just tired of the new folks to town I think.

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Old & Lovely

Looklyloo Score: 86

Reviews

What's it like to live in Winston-Salem?