Pinehurst is a small North Carolina town with a HUGE golfing reputation. While a round of golf here is a bucket list item for many golfers, there is much more to enjoy in the area.
I don’t golf. And, let’s be honest, have no interest in the game. Yet I really enjoyed a day trip to Pinehurst!
Even if you aren’t into golfing, a visit to Pinehurst can be enjoyable and fun. Our detailed guide gives you the best things to do in Pinehurst, as well as plenty of restaurant suggestions in the town and places to stay.
For Floridians, here’s a helpful comparison: We thought that Pinehurst is somewhat similar to downtown Winter Park, Florida.
Where is Pinehurst?
Pinehurst is a town located next to Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Carthage in North Carolina.
Located in the Piedmont, it is a very easy drive from many of the state’s major cities and population centers, which makes the area a great day trip or weekend destination.
Approximate drive times:
- Durham to Pinehurst: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Raleigh to Pinehurst: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Charlotte to Pinehurst: 2 hours
- Asheboro to Pinehurst: 50 minutes
- Winston-Salem to Pinehurst: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Greensboro to Pinehurst: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Wilmington to Pinehurst: 2 hours, 20 minutes
- Asheville to Pinehurst: 3 hours, 30 minutes
History of Pinehurst
James Walker Tufts, from Massachusetts, bought 6,000 acres of land in what is now known as Pinehurst back in 1895. He envisioned creating a health and wellness retreat in the Sandhills of North Carolina.
Tufts wanted to create a New England-style village from the ground up. He hired Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed the gardens at Biltmore Estate, to design a village from scratch to complement the natural surroundings.
While the wellness resort didn’t succeed, golf did!
In 1898, a very basic golf course was created in Pinehurst. The next year, the first golf professional was hired.
In 1900, Tufts hired Donald Ross to be in charge of the golf program at Pinehurst. At that time, Ross was hired as a very young man, yet he would stay at Pinehurst for 48 years until he died.
During Ross’ time at Pinehurst, he became known as one of the most notable golf course architects in the United States, working on more than 400 courses in the U.S.
Best Things to Do In Pinehurst
During a stroll in the Pinehurst Arboretum, we started talking to a very nice man. After a while, we discovered that he was the Mayor of Pinehurst, John Strickland!
I asked Mr. Strickland what was on his must-see list for visitors to the Village. In no order of preference, this is what he told me:
- The Given Library and Tufts Archives
- The Arboretum including its various landscape venues, and the Pinehurst Greenway trail system.
- The Pinehurst Harness Track
- “Old Town” historic district which includes the core Village shopping area and adjoining residential neighborhoods
Not only was it a pleasure to talk with the Mayor of Pinehurst, but we were happy that we had everything on his list already on our list of things to do!
We have included those destinations, along with a few others, in our list of what to do in Pinehurst.
Historic Downtown Walking Tour
One of the easiest ways to see all of the most popular sites in the Village of Pinehurst is to do a self-guided historic walking tour.
Get a pamphlet from the Tufts Archives library (see below) and follow the suggested routes to walk through downtown and learn about the buildings and architecture. Pinehurst is a National Historic Landmark, so there are lots of unique places to see.
Along the way you will see almost every major attraction in the town, along with homes that have historical significance, such as a house owned by Donald Ross.
The guide gives a great historical background of each location, along with photos.
Tufts Archives
The Tufts Archives are on every must-do list for Pinehurst, and with good reason. The archives tell the story and history of how the Village of Pinehurst was created from nothing but acres of sand and longleaf pine trees.
In addition to the village history, you will also find an extensive historical collection of Donald Ross memorabilia and archives.
Golfers or architecture buffs will be delighted by seeing the original plans for Donald Ross’ golf courses. Just pull out a binder and flip through the golf course designs, many of them hand drawn.
Around the room you will find over 200 flags from Donald Ross golf courses around the country. The Tufts Archives has more, they just don’t have room to display them!
The Tufts Archives are located in the back of the community library. When you enter, you can request a copy of the historic walking tour guide (as mentioned above) from the librarian. Then proceed to the back of the building to enter the Tufts Archives.
The Carolina Hotel
It might be impossible to say that you have visited Pinehurst without visiting The Carolina Hotel. It is that integral to the town.
The “Queen of the South” opened on January 1, 1901. Just six years after Tufts made his original land purchase. At that time, it was the largest wood-frame hotel in the state.
The Carolina Hotel is located just a block or so off of the main town square. It is easy walking distance and definitely should be on your list of things to do (it is also on the historic walking tour).
Wander the halls of the The Carolina Hotel and read about the fascinating history of the area, along with historical photos.
Fun Fact! Annie Oakley was the head of the Pinehurst Gun Club and gave exhibitions at The Carolina Hotel twice a week through the mid-1920s!
Take time to rock in a rocking chair on the wide porches!
Women’s Exchange
The longest running women’s volunteer organization in the United States is the Federation of Woman’s Exchanges, which was started in the 1830s. The Sandhills Woman’s Exchange was started in 1923 to help the women and families of the then-rural area earn an income.
Now one of only 15 remaining members of the Federation of Woman’s Exchanges, the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange sells handmade crafts in a log cabin that was moved to Pinehurst by James Tufts, the developer of the village.
Inside, you will find several rooms filled with crafts made by women in the area. I was especially impressed with the pine needle souvenirs, which are a great gift idea from the area.
In addition to the handicrafts, lunch is served during the week in the historic cabin.
Village Arboretum
This 35-acre retreat is the perfect spot to walk along nature trails through different garden settings.
Longleaf pines tower overhead on the wooded walkways. Or explore the wildflower garden with bees happily buzzing in the colorful menagerie of pollinator-friendly plants.
During your stroll, be on the lookout for flowering trees, such as Dogwoods, cherry trees, peach trees, and witch hazel.
It is a short walk from the Village of Pinehurst to the Arboretum. Or you can make the short drive and park in the parking lot.
This is one of the fun trails in Pinehurst that you can see in our YouTube video below:
Shopping Downtown Pinehurst
There is a boutique selection of stores in the village center, scattered among real estate offices.
Among the shops you will find local souvenirs, upscale clothing shops, an olive oil store and shops with vintage finds.
Parking is free in Pinehurst which is awesome for visitors.
Pinehurst Harness Track
From November to May, you can enjoy events at Pinehurst Harness Track, the leading harness horse training facility, which is part of the area’s rich equestrian heritage. The 111-acre track has been training Standardbred horses since 1915.
It is the oldest continuously operating equine facility in North Carolina.
While winter and spring have the most events, be sure to check for activities all year long.
Is There Electric Vehicle Charging in Pinehurst?
Yes, the downtown Village of Pinehurst has electric vehicle (EV) charging in its public parking lot.
Restaurants in Pinehurst
Tavern at the Holly Inn
The Tavern at the Holly Inn was one of the best meals we had in Pinehurst!
Located in the historic inn, the dining room was cozy. Or you can sit outside and watch people walk through the village.
We loved the basket of chips that was served before our meal, much better than bread service at other restaurants and the chips were so good they were addictive!
The Southern hushpuppies appetizer was delicious. I would just skip the ghost chili honey butter (it had no taste or heat in my opinion) and apricot chutney that are served with the hushpuppies. They did nothing to add to the flavor and in fact detracted from the cornmeal goodness.
The fish and chips were among some of the best we have ever had anywhere!
And you can’t skip the blueberry peach cobbler for dessert! It is one of their signature dishes and is on the menu almost year round. It was seriously good!
Drum & Quill Public House
You will find a lot of pubs throughout Pinehurst. One of the most popular, and with good reason, is the Drum & Quill Public House.
The atmosphere inside this pub is spot on with an old-fashioned Irish pub.
The bar is housed in a 130-year old magistrate judge’s chamber.
Drum is the name of the golf writer Bob Drum, whose son Kevin now owns the pub. Quill represents the pen that Drum used to write about Arnold Palmer. Drum recognized Palmer’s talent when he was a 14-year old junior golfer.
Together, Drum and Palmer would create the ground work for golf’s Professional Grand Slam, which includes winning the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship at St. Andrews and the PGA Championship.
Agora Bakery
We enjoyed our breakfast at Agora Bakery as much as we enjoyed the atmosphere.
The large towering white building is a former bank. Go inside and see the bank vault open, before heading to the extensive pastry selection.
Outdoor seating is also enjoyable during the cool weather months.
Agora Bakery is located in the heart of the village square. You can’t miss it – and shouldn’t!
Carolina Dining Room
One of the most upscale dining options in Pinehurst is the Carolina Dining Room.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served, as well as lighter fare in between meals and late at night.
While the dress code is more relaxed than it used to be, you’ll still want to check the current policies before arriving at the restaurant.
Women’s Exchange
Only 16 people can fit inside the small log cabin dining room at the historic Women’s Exchange, which makes lunch here a highly-coveted event!
Enjoy a casual lunch of sandwiches, soups or quiches inside the cabin. Your meal helps support the charitable efforts of the Women’s Exchange.
The Roast Office
The former post office has been turned into a coffee bar and library bookstore. Step inside the small cafe to grab a cup of coffee or a light meal, then sit at the tables located in the bookstore.
It’s a great place to grab an inexpensive book, too. We found paperback books for 50 cents. All proceeds help to support the Tufts Given Memorial Library.
Pinehurst Brewing Company
One of the few restaurants on our list that is not located in downtown Pinehurst, the Pinehurst Brewing Company isn’t that far away and is located close to the Village Arboretum.
Be sure to get a passport stamp in a Sandhills Pour Tour passport available at the brewery.
If you are spending time in the area, you can visit all of the locations in the guide. Get all of the stamps and win a prize!
Hotels in Pinehurst
Wondering where to stay in Pinehurst? There are a variety of inns and hotels to choose from.
We found out that booking the historic inns in the village of Pinehurst has some eccentricities. And an extremely high price tag, so be prepared to spend hundreds of dollars a night.
First, there were no ways to book online for some of the properties we were looking at. Weird but true in the year 2023. You can call the inns, or email a request for rates.
Second, we found a lot of reservation policies that had a no-refund policy when cancelling a reservation within a 21-day window for your booking (other properties had a 14-day policy). If you find that you frequently have to change your travel plans, or are worried about being locked into a reservation, keep this in mind.
Personally, we stayed at Tanglewood Farm Bed and Breakfast in Southern Pines (see our video review of the bed and breakfast) during our visit to the area. We did have a chance to visit many of the historic inns in Pinehurst and have included some of our favorites below.
The Carolina Hotel
If you are looking for luxury, this is the place to go. The Four Diamond Hotel has 230 rooms and suites along with a grand lobby. We loved the swimming pool, wide front porches with rocking chairs, lots of places to eat on site, and the Spa.
The Holly Inn
Located across from Tufts Archives, The Holly Inn dates back to 1895, the year that Pinehurst was established.
We loved the Tavern at The Holly Inn for dining. The lobby was dark and cozy, just like you’d expect a country inn to be in an English village.
The Magnolia Inn
Another beautiful inn located in the main village, The Magnolia Inn is just behind the shopping district. Though the inn dates back to 1896, the rooms are newly renovated for modern tastes. An Italian restaurant is located on the main floor.
Driving in Pinehurst
We soon found out that Pinehurst loves roundabouts in the streets.
These are not small roundabouts, either. They are huge roundabouts with trees growing in the middle, so you can’t see all of the exits and it can get a bit confusing while trying to use Google Maps to navigate.
Plus, there are a variety of lanes in the roundabouts, including lanes that bypass much of the circle. When you are not used to this, it can definitely be confusing.
Add in the fact that many of the streets have hard-to see street signs, and it seems like you need to take a side street to get to many of the destinations, and you might get frustrated while trying to drive in this village. I know we did.
In fact, Google Maps was not very helpful in navigating this small town.
Try to look at maps beforehand if you are concerned about getting around. We do wish that Frederick Law Olmstead had planned straight and narrow streets in a grid pattern in this village!