Considering moving to Greensboro? With its affordable living, booming arts scene, Southern hospitality, and incredible local restaurants, this North Carolina city offers something for everyone. Here are 14 things you need to know about living in Greensboro!
Enter the Gate to North Carolina
Greensboro earned its Gate City nickname in the late 1800s, when it was one of the main railway hubs and transportation centers in the South. Though trains may no longer be the primary means of transportation, the name still applies in many ways. Greensboro lies in the middle of North Carolina, allowing quick access to the rest of the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem and High Point), the Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), and major metros like Charlotte. It’s also home to Piedmont Triad International Airport, so many visitors’ introduction to the Tar Heel State is in Greensboro!
Find Affordable Living in the South
If you’re looking for a place to experience classic Southern charm without breaking the bank, Greensboro might be perfect for you! With both the real estate prices and cost of living in Greensboro being below the national average, it’s no surprise as to why this North Carolina city is one of the best places to live in the U.S. Of course, less expensive living doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing quality in Greensboro. In fact, it’s recognized as one of the best-run cities in America! The city prioritizes the environment and has even earned a LEED Silver certification for its sustainability efforts—with hopes to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2040. Not to mention, Greensboro’s temperate weather and abundance of free outdoor parks, trails, and lakes make it a great place for budget-friendly fun.
Land Top Jobs in Greensboro
Moving to Greensboro in search of a new career? Fortunately, the city’s continued job growth means there are plenty of job opportunities to go around, spanning key industries like manufacturing, aerospace, life sciences, and more. The Gate City is the headquarters of several nationally known companies, most notably Wrangler, Mack Trucks, Volvo Group North America, and The Fresh Market. Further your career in health care at The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital—one of the best hospitals in North Carolina! Browse career opportunities in aerospace at Honda Aircraft Company and Qorvo—or find jobs with other top employers in Greensboro like Guilford County Schools, apparel-focused VF Corporation, and agricultural tech company Syngenta.
Further Your Education at Greensboro Universities
If you want to attend college in Greensboro, you have all kinds of options to choose from—including seven colleges and universities in Gate City and others in close proximity! Become a Spartan and explore more than 100 undergraduate programs, including art, social work, speech pathology and audiology, and more at UNC Greensboro. Get your degree in electrical engineering, agricultural education, or accounting at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Study liberal arts at Bennett College, one of America’s two historically all-Black women’s colleges. Receive your master’s degree in business administration, international sport management, or criminal justice at Guilford College. Enroll in a faith-centered curriculum of public health, theater, chemistry, and more at Greensboro College. Or apply to a larger school nearby like Duke University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest University—all within an hour’s drive of Gate City.
Head Outdoors & Enjoy the Greensboro Weather
With warm summers and mild winters, you can enjoy Greensboro’s outdoor recreation year-round! There are over 244 Greensboro parks scattered throughout the city, resulting in 63% of residents living within a ten-minute walk from a park. Whether you want to spend some time outside to socialize, exercise, or just relax, Greensboro has a park, lake, trail, or outdoor event for you! Attend a live concert, play ping pong and foosball, dance in the interactive fountains, and more at LeBauer Park & Center City Park. Fish for largemouth bass, rent a stand-up paddleboard, or go kayaking at Lake Brandt. Refresh your mind with a stroll through the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden or admire the Serenity Falls waterfall at Greensboro Arboretum. Weave through forests and parks as you go for a jog or bike ride along the 14.5-mile Bicentennial Greenway. Try for a birdie on the 9-hole golf course, take a dip in the swimming pool, and go fishing at Bur-Mil Park. Or peruse the booths and support local vendors selling plants, crafts, food, and more at the year-round Greensboro Farmers Curb Market!
Visit a Major Civil Rights Landmark
On February 1, 1960, four Black students from North Carolina A&T State College sat down at a “whites only” counter in the Woolworth restaurant, where they were denied service but remained until closing. This sit-in by the A&T Four sparked a movement in the city and the nation, as peaceful demonstrations occurred in more than 250 cities across America. These actions led to the passing of the 1960 Civil Rights Bill and represented a significant turning point in American history. You can visit the birthplace of the Greensboro sit-in at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, which features a preserved section of the Woolworth counter along with exhibits depicting what life was like for Black Americans at the time and the significance of the A&T Four’s actions.
Spend a Day at Greensboro Science Center
Part zoo, part museum, and part aquarium, the Greensboro Science Center is a Greensboro attraction that’ll have you coming back time and time again! Meet animals from meerkats and lemurs to tortoises at Zoo Trek. Traverse challenging treetop obstacle courses and zipline through the trees at SKYWILD. Feed the cownose stingrays or touch a jellyfish at Aquarium Adventure. Get up close and personal with adorable African penguins at Penguin Encounters. Meet hundreds of butterflies and moths as you walk around the Cole Family Monarch Conservation Center & Butterfly House. Or attend annual events like Winter Wonderlights and See To Believe Gala.
Check Out the Vibrant Greensboro Art Scene
The people of Greensboro seriously appreciate the arts. In fact, several of the best things to do in Gate City involve the stage or artwork! Check out a curated collection of Contemporary and modern art with rotating exhibits like Making Connections: Art, Place, and Relationships at Weatherspoon Art Museum. Browse through public art galleries, become a resident artist, or stop in for concerts under the candlelight in the Van Dyke Performance Space at Greensboro Cultural Center. Check out the Summer Film Festival, attend dance competitions, and more at Carolina Theatre of Greensboro. Get season tickets to Broadway shows and musicals such as Mamma Mia!, Hamilton, and ELF The Musical at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. Have a budget-friendly date night and wander around town to marvel at dozens of massive, eye-catching Greensboro murals. Or enjoy live music performed by locals while exploring Downtown Greensboro’s art galleries, studios, and shops each month during First Friday—including Elsewhere Greensboro, Greensboro Project Space, and Design Archives Emporium.
Attend Popular Greensboro Festivals & Events
Greensboro hosts several festivals and events throughout the year to keep your schedule jam-packed. Sing and dance along to global artists and local performers at the free three-day NC Folk Festival. Sample food from over 50 food trucks, browse craft vendor booths, and listen to live music at the Greensboro Food Truck Festival. Laugh along to sketch comedy shows, improv performances, stand-up acts, and more at The North Carolina Comedy Festival. Enjoy the longest day of the year with a drum circle, ice cream, dance performances, fire spinners, beer, and more at the Greensboro Summer Solstice Festival. Celebrate the winter season by lacing up your skates and gliding across the ice rink during Piedmont Winterfest. Or participate in sing-alongs and gather for the community tree lighting at the Greensboro Festival of Lights—a city tradition for nearly 40 years!
Celebrate Greensboro’s Gay Pride
Greensboro is a welcoming city with a thriving LGBTQ community! Organizations like PFLAG Greensboro and Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center provide a wide range of resources for Greensboro’s LGBTQ residents—including monthly meetings, a no-cost transgender clothing closet, queer library, and more. Additionally, thousands of locals and visitors look forward to celebrating diversity each year with food vendors, live performances, and more at the Greensboro Pride Festival—which continues to draw in record attendees year after year! But the city’s LGBTQ scene doesn’t stop there. Join an inclusive kickball, volleyball, or bocce sports league through Stonewall Sports – Greensboro—or have a blast performing karaoke with friends, attending drag shows, and dancing the night away at gay bars in Greensboro like Chemistry Nightclub and Twist Lounge.
Find Fun for the Kids
Have little ones to entertain? No problem—there are all kinds of fun things to do with kids in The Gate City! Whirl around in bumper cars, ride the zipline, bounce through inflatable obstacle courses, and play arcade games at Safari Nation. Climb through the suspended rope tunnel, play with toys, or enroll the kiddos in summer camps at Greensboro Children’s Museum. Race around the go-kart track, putt a round of mini golf, or hit the batting cages at Celebration Station Greensboro. Learn about the city’s history with rotating exhibits like Dolley Madison and the Museum and Elegant in Any Scale: Otto Zenke and His Miniature Rooms at Greensboro History Museum. Catch the latest blockbuster hit or watch classic indie films with a Blue Raspberry Slushy to drink at upscale movie theater RED Cinemas. Marvel at colorful outdoor sculptures as you wander through the Edible Garden, Rain Garden, and Michel Family Children’s Garden at Gateway Gardens. Or cool off in the Thunder Bay Wave Pool, slide down the Bermuda Triangle, and hop on a raft for Dr. Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror at Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe, one of the most well-loved Greensboro water parks.
Support Greensboro’s Sports Scene
You might not immediately think of Greensboro as a sports town, but there are plenty of events throughout the year to keep your inner sports fan satisfied! Known as “Tournament Town,” Greensboro is one of the best sports cities without a major team. Root for the top golfers in the world as they compete during the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club. Watch as athletes swim and dive for first place during the AAU Junior Olympic Games at Greensboro Aquatic Center—one of the nation’s top swimming facilities. Tour the ACC Hall of Champions to learn about college basketball history, or sit back for ACC Basketball games and NCAA Basketball tournaments at Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Get a first look at future NBA stars while attending a Greensboro Swarm (NBA G League) game or watch with awe as the Greensboro Roller Derby team races around the arena at Novant Health Fieldhouse. Or appreciate America’s favorite pastime and cheer on the Greensboro Grasshoppers (MiLB) as they strike out their opponents at First National Bank Field.
Get Your Fill at Top Greensboro Restaurants
Greensboro’s restaurants are diverse and able to satiate any craving! Enjoy brunch in Greensboro with savory menu items like the Merguez Sausage Omelet, Smoked Salmon Benedict, and Beef Short Rib Hash at Print Works Bistro. Share a Stuffed Avocado before tasting unique tacos like the Fedora, Big Truck, and Cuban Link at Crafted. Try the weekly specialty burgers or wash down classics like the College Hill Blues and Cuban Cow Burger with a cold brew at Hops Burger Bar. Order fresh seafood dishes like the Cioppino, Fresh Gulf Oysters, Drunken Shrimp, and more at Fishbones. Chow down Italian specialties like Veal Parmesan, Manicotti, Arty Chick, and more at Pastabilities. Or satisfy your sweet tooth with a scoop of Coconut, Blueberry, or Banana Chocolate Chip ice cream at Yum Yum Better Ice Cream and Hot Dogs—which has been serving up some of the best ice cream in Greensboro for more than 100 years.
Enjoy a Night Out in The Boro
With bars, lounges, and clubs in downtown BORO Social District and beyond, Greensboro’s nightlife is sure to keep you entertained! Dance the night away with live DJs and upbeat R&B music at Boston’s House of Jazz. Play air hockey, pinball, and classic arcade games like Centipede and Donkey Kong while sipping drinks like Sycamore Mountain Candy at Boxcar Bar + Arcade. Sample craft cocktails featuring whiskeys from around the world like Birds & The Bees, Respect The Punch, and the D&D Old Fashioned at Dram & Draught. Laugh out loud during improv shows or try your hand at stand-up comedy by attending workshops at The Idiot Box Comedy Club. Take a turn on the mechanical bull while enjoying country music and line dancing at Arizona Pete’s. Or grab a pint of craft beer at local Greensboro breweries such as Little Brother Brewing, The Abbey Taphouse, and Natty Greene’s Brewing Company.
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