Arts in Nash

Tours

Nash County, NC

From a restored industrial building turned arts center to a farm-to-table meal that is perfectly cooked and plated, art in Nash County is everywhere. This two-day tour will help you open your mind and enjoy Nash’s Southern arts scene that combines the quirky, the rare, the gorgeously crafted, and the contemporary at every turn. Have fun and be on the lookout for your next conversation starter.

Medium Activity

2 days

Day 1

STOP 1: Pinspiration

If you are looking for a unique and fun experience in arts and crafts, Pinspiration is the place to be. The studio's inviting atmosphere is designed to inspire creativity, and the staff is always available to help customers with their projects and provide guidance where needed. One of the best things about Pinspiration is the variety of creative options available to customers. You can either bring your idea and work on it at the studio or choose from an array of ever-changing monthly project menus based on the most popular social media projects and current craft trends.

STOP 2: Imperial Centre

The art gallery wing at the Imperial Center for Arts and Sciences is a spectacular space to explore. Housed in a former tobacco factory, the revamped and restored 130,000 square-foot space is itself something to marvel at. Tall ceilings, wide plank floors, and massive windows give the museum an industrial feel, while the exhibits bring life and warmth to the warehouse space. Thought-provoking works from local and national artists are displayed, and there’s a lot of history surrounding textiles, baseball in Nash County, plus engaging activity stations for kids.

STOP 3: Nashville Exchange

If you're a lover of comfort food that has been serving it up for 20+ years, welcome to the Nashville Exchange. Take a bite and forget your troubles as you're transported through the flavor of handcrafted burgers, a ribeye plate piled high with homemade chips, or an ala carte breakfast. Fabulous food, reasonable prices, and great customer service will leave you full, happy, and ready to face the rest of your day.

STOP 4: Larema Coffee House

Get an afternoon pick-me-up with fresh-brewed, single origin coffee prepared by hand right here in Rocky Mount. The Larema menu includes all your favorites from easy-going drip coffees to rocket-charged espressos to calm-me-down herbal teas. You can even order up some homemade toast topped with local jams, butter, chick peas or avocado.

STOP 5: City Lake Park

Get ready for the perfect duck face. Because this one will include an actual duck. Hundreds of your fine feathered friends are waiting to pose at City Lake Park. The half-mile paved loop around the lake doubles as an art trail with some unique industrial sculptures. Venture across the arched wooden bridge to the park island for a chance to visit hundreds of ducks and geese. Snag them some bird feed from one of the vending machines and you’ll have some very willing participants for your photo shoot.

STOP 6: Sunset Park Carousel

Life’s a carnival. Now’s your chance to hop on the ride. Bob up and down on a century-old county fair carousel. Sunset Park is a 25-acre oasis in the middle of Rocky Mount. The $5-entry fee to the Amusement Center--open between Memorial Day and Labor Day--is well-spent. Beyond the carousel, there’s an antique miniature train and a spray ground. Year-round hit the rest of the park for tennis, volleyball, basketball, and a shaded 18-hole disc golf course. FORE!

STOP 7: Bin & Barrell

Grab a glass and let the girl chat commence. It’s time to wine down. Bin and Barrel specializes in the area's best selection of exclusive wines. Order up a glass of a full-bodied German Red. Or perhaps an Italian Pinot Grigio is your preference. Either way, you’ll find a variety of wine to taste daily and hundreds of bottles for purchase. So prepare to raise a glass to your next weekend adventure.

STOP 8: Lou Reda's An American Table

Craft bourbon cocktails. Fried Kung Pao brussel sprouts. Brisket and short rib burgers. Everything is made in-house on the daily at this modern American restaurant. The menu is constantly changing depending on the inventive, inspired whims of owner Lou Reda and Chef Justin Gaines. When the plate hits the table you know that the food is the star of this show. The finest and freshest local ingredients make your plate a pretty picture.

Day 2

STOP 9: Michael's Showside Grill

The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap. EAT DESSERT. That’s the feeling here at Michael’s Showside Grill. Take their advice. Though it’s a full service grill, you’ll be tempted to skip the meal and go straight to dessert. Chocolate mousse pie, oreo cheesecake, blackberry cobbler. . . drooling yet? Before entering a sugar coma, load up on their fresh seafood or burger of the day. Think hard about coming back Friday and Saturday nights. You can say it’s for the live music, though we all know it’s for the coconut creme pie.

STOP 10: Country Doctor Museum

Long before waiting rooms and insurance forms and co-pays, the country Doctor was the highest form of medical care. He would travel by buggy to your farm to fix what ails you. Broken bones, aches and pains, random rashes ---they were all diagnosed and treated in the comfort of your home. What did all of this cost? There were no surprise emergency room bills with zeros to infinity. Most transactions were settled with a bushel of apples, a few pounds of ham and a little cash. Whatever was available. The job of a country doctor was to care for the people first and worry about payment later. Imagine that.

STOP 11: Goat Island Bottle Shop

Trying new beers is not a baaaad way to spend the afternoon. Terrible puns aside, this beer and specialty wine shop always has something new to try. It also has a great bar with 11 rotating taps. Like the name? It’s inspired by the island in the Tar River just beyond Rocky Mount Mills. So take your taste buds on an adventure at Goat Island Bottle Shop, and don’t forget to grab something from the shelves to take home.

STOP 12: The Prime Smokehouse

There’s no debate of Eastern-style or Lexington-style BBQ here: This is Texas-style brought to Rocky Mount by owner and chef, Ed Wiley. The key to great BBQ is patience. Here, Ed uses a dry rub and vinegar sauce on his brisket and cooks it low and slow over indirect heat. The result is a plate of Barbecue that will make you believe in a higher power.