Carolina Day Trips and Weekend Getaways from The Forever Inn, North Carolina Bed and Breakfast

Day Trips 2 - 4

2. Pottery Treasure Hunt

You can start your search right here in Wadesboro and right across the street at Granny Hollow Pottery. Continue at Price's Place before you head out of town. Continue on to Seagrove where you'll discover small pottery studios and galleries in the beautiful rolling hills. The Pottery Highway is dotted with signs listing pottery studios and galleries for you to explore. There are about 100 potters in the area, some tucked away on the winding side roads off Hwy 705. Some galleries offer a collection of works from local potters. Some are studios featuring the works of one potter. (Directions from Wadesboro: North on Hwy 109 to 24/27 and east into Troy. Continue through Troy to Biscoe. At RR tracks, turn left (north) on Alt. 220; go through Star and continue on into Seagrove at intersection of Alt. 220 and 705.)

Start at the North Carolina Pottery Center (www.ncpotterycenter.com) and you'll get an interesting introduction to North Carolina pottery. They'll have a special collection of pottery on display as well as their regular exhibits that bring to life (with words, photos and actual equipment) the world and history of North Carolina pottery in the Seagrove area. Gift shop. Admission fee of $2 (and well worth it). Free maps are available in the Pottery Center lobby. (North Carolina Pottery Center, 250 East Avenue, Seagrove, (336) 873-8430. Tuesdays through Saturday 10 am - 4 pm.)

There are a number of pottery shops at the main intersection of Alt. 220 and 705. You can park and walk to them.  From this location, you can drive down the Pottery Highway (705) to discover more potters.

Another "must see" place is Ben Owen Pottery at 2199 Highway 705 South (www.benowenpottery.com), a few miles east of the main intersection of Alternate 220 and 705. This is an "art gallery" of extraordinary pieces.  There is also a small museum of the Ben Owen legacy. Open Tues. - Sat. 10-5. Closed January.

Recommended shops: NC Pottery Center, Blue Moon Gallery, Ben Owen Pottery, Jugtown Pottery, Seagrove Pottery.

For dinner or lunch, try the Westmoore Family Restaurant, on Hwy 705, on the right, several miles from the intersection of Alt. 220 and 705. Very nice nautical decor. Seafood is their specialty.

3. Antique Shops Line the Streets

Cameron, North Carolina is a quaint little town that still retains its turn-of-the-century character. You can spend the day here discovering the dozen or so antique shops lining the main street. From Wadesboro, take Hwy 74 east to Rockingham, then Hwy 1 North to Cameron. Don't miss the exit for Cameron. Sixty-one buildings on Carthage Street, from US 1 to the railroad tracks, are on the National Register of Historic Places. Cameron's architectural styles range from late Victorian to Craftsman/Bungalow. For more information on Cameron and its antique shops, check out http://www.antiquesofcameron.com. Have lunch at The Dewberry Deli, an old-fashioned soda fountain & cafe underneath The Old Hardware Antiques shop on Carthage Street. Cameron hosts a huge Antique Festival twice a year, the 1st Saturday in May and October (rain or shine).

While you're in this area, check out Railside Antiques in Aberdeen. It's a great antique store, specializing in architectural antiques, open Wed. thru Sat. 11 - 5. Aberdeen is a small town but worth a visit. There are small shops, restaurants and the Sandhills Artists League gallery. There's also an antique mall right on Hwy 1 called Town & Country Antiques.

There are many restaurants and pubs to choose from for lunch or dinner in Pinehurst Village, Southern Pines or Aberdeen.

Railside Antiques, 123 Exchange Street, Aberdeen, NC 28315, 910-690-3089. Open Wed. - Sat. 11-5.
Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange Street, Aberdeen, NC 28315, 910-944-3979. Open Mon.-Sat. 12:00-3:00 pm.
Town & Country Antiques, 206 N. Sandhills Blvd., Aberdeen, NC 28315, 910-944-3359

4. Wineries, Antiques and Fabulous Mountain Views

Wineries are a growing business in North Carolina and you can visit three North Carolina wineries near Albemarle, just 30 miles north of Wadesboro - Dennis Vineyards (www.dennisvineyards.com), Stony Mountain Vineyards (www.stonymountainvineyards.com) and Uwharrie Vineyards (www.uwharrievineyards.com). (See our next page "More Day Trips" for a more in-depth description of the winery tour.) Drive up to the top of the mountain at Morrow Mountain State Park to enjoy a panoramic view of the area and the Pee Dee River. There are hiking trails of varying skill levels. During the season, you can rent a canoe at Morrow Mountain State Park for a picturesque outing on the lake.

There are restaurants in Albemarle for a delicious lunch or dinner (Yadkin Valley Steakhouse or Off the Square). Or you might want to continue west on Hwy 24/27 to Locust and enjoy at The Fresh House, a unique country store/restaurant. On the way back to Wadesboro, pick up Hwy 205 into Oakboro for a little antique and old hardware store shopping in downtown Oakboro. From Oakboro on Hwy 742, it's a short trip through rolling hills and picturesque countryside back to Wadesboro.

Summertime at The Forever Inn with the Hydrangeas in Bloom

Contact: The Forever Inn, 214 S. Green Street, Wadesboro, NC 28170
704-695-1304

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