Things to Do in Pinehurst, North Carolina

Whether you golf or not, I’ve got a list of things to do and restaurants to try in Pinehurst, North Carolina!

Before my husband and I started dating, I had never even heard of Pinehurst. Now, it’s one of my absolute favorite places to visit for a quick weekend getaway or even for a longer stay. It’s a small town, known for its beautiful golf courses, and I love the slow pace there, especially when I’m feeling a bit burned out and stressed. Here are some things to do in Pinehurst, whether you want to golf as much as possible, stay active in other ways, dine out, shop or hit up breweries.

Things to Do in Pinehurst, North Carolina

Play Golf

Golf is probably what the vast majority of people visiting Pinehurst plan their trip around. And for good reason – they have incredible golf courses! My husband and his family are big golfers, so I asked them for their top picks and why they like each.

• Pinehurst No 2 – This world famous course is obviously on the list. Pinehurst Number 2 is part of Pinehurst Resort. The course has hosted more single golf championships than any other course in America, i.e. it’s a really special place. It’s a Donald Ross design that has hosted multiple U.S. Opens. It’s pricey, but if you like the history of the game, it’s well worth it. This course is on every golfer’s bucket list. Open to the public. (location)
• Tobacco Road Golf Course – A fun but challenging course designed by Mark Strantz, who is known for his unique golf course designs. Open to the public.(location)
• Southern Pines Golf Club – This is a hidden gem that’s not on many people’s radar but it’s still a great course. Another Donald Ross design. Fun fact: The Elks own the course. Open to the public. (location)
• Dormie Club – This is a Core and Crenshaw design and is ranked by Golf Digest as #43 Modern Golf Designs in the country. Open to the public. (location)
• Country Club of North Carolina – Two courses, the Dogwood and the Cardinal, both designed by Ellis Maples. The Dogwood course has hosted many important tournaments, including 1980 U.S. Amateur tournament. I’m newer to golf but functional on the course and I’ve really loved playing at CCNC. This is private course so you’ll need to know someone who is a member and tag along with them! (location)

Workout

While Pinehurst itself is small, there is a lot in the surrounding area. You could hit up a Pure Barre class, take a CrossFit class or do hot yoga. I’ve visited CrossFit 611 and they are all incredibly friendly and I got an awesome workout. I’ve also taken a few classes at Hot Asana Studio, above the historic Sunrise Theatre in downtown Southern Pines, and loved it! Plan for a few extra minutes to shop – they have a great selection of leggings and tanks!

Go for a walk at Reservoir Park

This is a gorgeous spot for an easy stroll, or you can run around the reservoir. There are also a few trails that shoot off from the main trail if you’re feeling more adventurous! If you time it right, you may even see turtles in the water. (Reservoir Park location)

Shop

Downtown Southern Pines is a great place to stroll and shop. Three stores I always hit:

• Monkees – high-end apparel in a charming shop (location)
• Pink of the Pines – get all your Lily Pulitzer needs met (location)
• Marie & Marcele – carries new and vintage and mission-based brands (location)

In the little village of Pinehurst, Coopers & Baileys is a cute women’s clothing and shoe boutique, with on trend to basic items (location).

Downtown Aberdeen also has a couple of great home decor stores! We especially like Charlotte’s Furnishings & Finds. (location)

Oh, and if you are TJ Maxx person, the Aberdeen location has KILLER deals. My mother-in-law finds the most amazing things there! (location)

Visit Breweries or Wineries

There are a number of breweries in Southern Pines and even a winery about 30-40 minutes away if you’re up for an adventure! Make sure you have a DD for the ride back!

• Southern Pines Brewing Company (location)
• Railhouse Brewery & Pub in Aberdeen (location)
• Pinehurst Brewing Company (location)
• Cypress Bend Winery – they have live music on Friday night (location)

Get some culture in!

• Sandhill Horticultural Gardens (location)
• Sunrise Theatre – This renovated ’40s theatre plays indie movies, hosts concerts and serves wine. (location)
• Bethesda Church & Cemetery – it’s a church still standing from the 1790s!! (location)

Restaurants

Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen have lots of great options for eating (and drinking!) out! These are the places we frequent most!

Coffee:

• Java Bean Plantation and Roasting Company – they typically have some locally made gluten-free baked goods if they haven’t sold out! (location)
• The Roast Office – located in an old Post Office. It’s super charming and also has a small breakfast menu. (location)
• Cactus Creek Coffee – they roast all their coffee beans and it’s GOOD. (location)

Breakfast:

• Betsy’s Crepes in Southern Pines. It’s hard to go wrong with crepes for any meal or dessert! (location)
• Nature’s Own – juice bar/smoothies and small fresh menu in the local health food store (location)
• Carolina Resort – their breakfast is legit but on the pricier side (location)
• Pinehurst Track Restaurant – you wouldn’t know this was a restaurant unless someone told you. It’s nothing fancy but has lots of history packed in its small interior. And their biscuits are incredible. (location)

Lunch:

• Pinehurst Brewing (location)
• The Deuce at Pinehurst Golf Club (location)
• Elliott’s Provisions (location)
• 195 American Fusion Cuisine
  • This is in the same building as Nature’s Own which has lots of gluten-free goodies and kombucha on tap! They also have pre-made meals in their fridge; I had an excellent Indian dish from there that was only $8. (location)
• Nosh the Deli  (location)

Dinner:

• Elliotts on Linden (location)
• Ashten’s Restaurant and Pub in Southern Pines (location)
• Curt’s Cucina (location)
• Ironwood Restaurant (location)
• Spice Cafe – I love the Pineapple Curry with Chicken and Homestyle Ginger with Tofu. (location)

Pre & Post Dinner

• Elliotts (location) or Ashtens (location) have the best drinks
• Cups Cupcakery – satisfy your sweet tooth. They even have gluten-free and paleo cupcakes! (location)
• Southern Whey – this is the perfect spot to stop and get a bottle of wine and things for a charcuterie board. Note that it closes at 7pm. (location)
• Wine Cellar in Southern Pines is another great spot to grab wine (location)

Grocery stores

• Harris Teeter – I have NEVER seen a larger Harris Teeter in my life!!!! They have a massive hot bar, sushi bar, fresh pizza and of course regular groceries! (location)
• Lowes Food – this is another large grocery store that was built in the last few years. They’ll have all the same things as Harris Teeter! (location)
• Fresh Market – This is a smaller grocery store with more speciality items as well as regular produce, meat, etc.. It’s quick to run in and find a great bottle of wine, olives, cheese and crackers for a charcuterie board you pull together yourself! (location)
• They also have a number of smaller local grocery stores that are definitely worth checking out, including Nature’s Own (location) and The Corner Store (location).

Note: Skip the Sly Fox for food – It pops up on all “Best restaurants in Pinehurst searches” but I’ve been disappointed all four times. They have a good drink list, but I’ve never been thrilled with the food and I always come away with a bill that feels way too expensive for what I got. (Case in point: my salad from there the last time I ate there had wilted lettuce, flavorless strawberries, burnt caramelized pecans and it cost over $15.)

Bottom Line:

Pinehurst is a great spot to visit for a golf trip, girls’ weekend or even a solo vacation. It’s incredibly relaxing, beautiful and there is aplenty to do without the hustle and chaos of a larger city!

If you’ve been there (or live there!), I would love to hear your favorite spots!