DETAILS
On a journey conceived and led by Study Leader John Meffert, National Trust Tours invites you to Winston-Salem—a premier destination for preservation enthusiasts—brought to you as only the National Trust can. The tour is thoughtfully scheduled in early December, when locals celebrate Moravian holiday traditions and the city comes alive with festive winter cheer. Discover historic Moravian sites, including Bethabara and Old Salem, on expert-led tours that showcase their preservation triumphs. Enjoy a curator-led visit to the Reynolda Museum of American Art, admiring
art masterpieces as well as the extraordinary 1910s Reynolds family mansion. Sample rare heritage apples and award-winning wines on a scenic outing into the Yadkin Valley.
- Pricing from
- $3,995
- Trip Type
- Closer to Home, Group Travel Tour
- Departure Dates
-
Dec 1, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026
ITINERARY
-
day 1
Arrival into Charlotte
A Warm Welcome Arrive at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in the late afternoon and take a group transfer to The Historic Brookstown Inn, a one-of-a-kind hotel set within a repurposed 1837 textile mill. After settling into your spacious room, meet your fellow travelers and enjoy a welcome dinner at a top-rated restaurant just a short walk from the hotel.
-
day 2
Old Salem: An 18th- Century Gem
Begin your day with the first of five hearty Southern breakfasts, enhanced by a series of engaging talks from Study Leader John Meffert. Then walk to Old Salem’s remarkable historic district, spanning nearly 100 acres and featuring close to 100 meticulously restored buildings—many more than 200 years old. At the Old Salem Visitor Center, gain insight into this community founded in 1766 by Moravian settlers and view the 18th century Tannenberg organ, the last surviving two-manual organ built by the renowned American organ maker David Tannenberg. From there, explore the town’s restored buildings, admiring distinctive Germanic architectural details
such as half-timbering, herringbone doors, central chimneys, and steeply pitched roofs. Along the way, interpretive guides and skilled tradespeople share stories of the Moravian, African American, and Indigenous communities who shaped Old Salem, as well as the commercial trades that made Salem an important regional hub. Following a casual lunch together, enjoy a guided visit to the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), home to an exceptional collection of furniture, ceramics, metalwork, and other decorative arts created and used in the early American South. During Candle Tea at the Single Brothers’ House, a National Historic Landmark, listen to traditional carols while smelling handmade beeswax candles, savoring sugarcake and coffee, and admiring finely crafted nativity scenes. This iconic building historically housed unmarried men who lived, worshipped, and apprenticed within. Dinner and the evening are at your leisure. -
day 3
Colonial Simplicity to Tobacco Grandiosity
Drive to Bethabara Park, a National Historic Landmark, for a guided tour focusing on preservation and history, with early access arranged exclusively for the National Trust. Founded in 1753 by German-speaking Moravians, Bethabara was the first Moravian settlement in the North Carolina piedmont. See the restored 1788 Gemeinhaus (meeting house in German), the only German colonial church with attached minister’s living quarters remaining in the United States. Also visit the recently restored 1834 log house and the Medicinal Garden first planted in 1756—the first such garden ever planted in America. Continue to the 170-acre historic R.J. Reynolds Estate, now Reynolda Village, featuring boutiques and restaurants within the estate’s repurposed farm buildings. At the Reynolda House Museum of American Art—once the Reynolds family’s 64-room mansion—view American art masterpieces with a Reynolda Museum curator. Explore the orchid room, orangery, and striking plant displays within the beautifully restored 1913 greenhouse, one of the estate’s most distinctive architectural features. Drive through Buena Vista, a prestigious historic neighborhood known for its tree-lined streets and impressive early 20th-century homes in Tudor, Colonial Revival, and Georgian styles. After a short break at the hotel, get into the holiday spirit on an enchanting evening drive through miles of dazzling light displays at the Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights.
-
day 4
Apples, Wine, Mountains, & Moravian Music
Head to Horne Creek Living Historical Farm for a glimpse of farm life in North Carolina’s northwestern Piedmont circa 1900. Be treated to a special tour of the farm and a delicious apple tasting at the Southern Heritage Apple Orchard. Once the Hauser family farm, the property includes the original farmhouse, a tobacco curing barn, a corn crib, cultivated fields, and one of the world’s most significant heritage apple orchards, preserving more than 425 varieties of historic Southern apples—many on the brink of extinction. These rare varieties have been carefully tracked down and collected across the South by dedicated “apple hunters,” helping safeguard a unique and flavorful piece of America’s agricultural heritage. Next take a scenic drive to Pilot Mountain State Park, known for its dramatic quartzite knob rising above the surrounding landscape. Over lunch at a renowned Yadkin Valley vineyard, sample award-winning local wines in a picturesque setting. Conclude the day with a stop at the Moravian Music Foundation for a short presentation exploring the rich traditions of Moravian sacred music.
-
day 5
Shotgun Houses & Skyscrapers
Embark on a meaningful journey organized by Triad Cultural Arts, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to honoring the rich and vibrant heritage of Winston-Salem’s African American community. During a guided tour of Happy Hill, the city’s oldest Black neighborhood, dating back to 1872, visit the Shotgun House Legacy Site, a preservation project that safeguards these distinctive homes and preserves the powerful stories of the residents who lived in them. Continue into downtown Winston-Salem to witness its remarkable evolution from an industrial tobacco district to today’s thriving Innovation Quarter, where former warehouses have been thoughtfully transformed into sleek offices, stylish apartments, and cutting-edge research labs. A special focus will be the iconic R.J. Reynolds Building, a 314-foot Art Deco landmark completed in 1929 and widely recognized as a design inspiration for New York City’s Empire State Building. Conclude your morning in the Downtown Arts District, where beautifully renovated buildings, once part of the city’s tobacco market, now house galleries, studios, and creative businesses. Linger downtown for lunch and shopping or return to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon. This evening, gather with your fellow travelers for a memorable farewell dinner at one of Winston-Salem’s finest restaurants, located in the only remaining mansion from the city’s historic “Millionaires’ Row.”
-
day 6
Farewell North Carolina
Join a morning group airport transfer to Charlotte International Airport (CLT) to meet your return flight home.
Everything you need to know about the tour
Save this information for later by downloading the full tour brochure.
Be surrounded by the enduring charm of nineteenth century pine floors, hand-made brick walls, and exposed wood beams during your five-night stay at the Historic Brookstown Inn. Built in 1837, this distinctive boutique hotel blends historic character with modern comforts, complemented by the exemplary Southern hospitality of its knowledgeable staff. Spacious guest rooms are appointed with eighteenth- and nineteenth-century antiques and quality reproductions. Poster-style beds with handstitched quilts along with soaring ceilings are typical features, creating an elegant and inviting atmosphere. The inn is ideally located within easy walking distance of Old Salem and several outstanding restaurants, making it a perfect home base for your stay.
-
John Meffert
John Meffert, consultant on Heritage Conservation Services, has a long tradition with the National Trust. He has served as the Director for our Southern Office and was the director of the Preservation Society of Charleston, the oldest nonprofit organization in the United States, responsible for preserving the historic resources of Charleston, S.C. John has delighted many study tour groups with his lectures and insights on preservation, and receives rave reviews as study leader.
Terms and Conditions: Upon receipt of registration, ISDI will send registrant a Participant Tour Agreement detailing the full terms and conditions for this tour. This document must be signed and returned to ISDI before participant’s registration is considered complete and any arrangements can be confirmed. ISDI will send all documents pertaining to the tour by email unless specifically requested otherwise. Cancellation by participant must be made in writing to ISDI and is effective only upon acknowledged receipt by ISDI. There is a non-refundable registration and planning fee of $500 per person regardless of cancellation date. Written cancellation received by ISDI on or before August 20, 2026: full refund minus $500 per person registration and planning fee. Written cancellation received by ISDI between August 21 and October 15, 2026: full refund minus $2,000 per person cancellation fee (includes registration and planning fee). Written cancellation received by ISDI on or after October 16, 2026: no refund. Tour registration is non-transferable. In the case of cancellation, substitutions are not allowed. After the tour has commenced, no refunds will be issued for any reason including, but not limited to, unused portions of tour. If the tour is cancelled by ISDI or National Trust Tours due to low enrollment, active registrants will receive a full refund of all tour payments.
Be prepared with the National Trust Travel Plan
Since 1973, USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services has served travelers just like you, to help protect their travel plans