Horizon Cellars - Things To Do

* * Thanks to Rosemary House B&B for their list of 66 things to do * *

Chatham County is in the center of the heart of North Carolina, equidistant from the mountains and the beaches.   It is centrally located with respect to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Burlington, Sanford, Southern Pines, Seagrove, and Asheboro. When you visit our winery, you are within an half an hour's (or so) drive of many, many things to do!

Siler City area:
In Siler City the North Carolina Arts Incubator, renovated historic buildings providing space for artists studios, a gallery, and shop.
The Southern Supreme showroom in Bear Creek is a great place to visit. Largest fruitcake producer in North Carolina. Famous for their fruitcake, they also sell gift baskets of nuts, jellies, chocolates, cookies.
Attend the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival April and October. Four days of music and dance, 4 stages, 40 bands.
Nearby Snow Camp was founded by Quakers in 1749. Each summer the Historical Drama Society performs theater portraying the Quakers' struggles in the Revolutionary War and their efforts to transport fugitive slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
Take a short ride to the Devil's Stompin' Ground Road on 902. This byway takes its colorful name from a local legend attached to a clearing, in which is a circular path said to have been worn down by the devil's pacing as he plotted new forms of mischief.
Try authentic Mexican food at these Siler City restaurants: Tienda Gabriel, Tienda Romera, or La Palma.
Juicy steaks more your liken', try Haley-Bale steakhouse located on Hwy 64 in Siler City.
Keep going a little further west on 64 and you'll reach the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, where exotic animals live in natural, open settings.
Head south-west to Seagrove and visit the NC Pottery Museum, housing a sampling of Seagrove-area potters' work. Then visit your favorites in their nearby studios.
Golf! An excellent nearby course is Siler City Country Club, about 5 miles away. We've always hear good things about the Tobacco Road Club in Sanford. Plus, we're less than an hour from the marvelous courses at Pinehurst and Southern Pines.
Pittsboro area: About 20 minutes from Siler City, east on Hwy 64.
Browse the numerous downtown Pittsboro antique & craft shops.
First Sunday of each month: Pittsboro merchants sponsor art, music, crafts during their sidewalk sale.
On the first two weekends of December, the studios of more than 50 Chatham County artists will be open to the public. Visit the Chatham County Arts Council website for details.
You can easily while away an entire afternoon at McIntyre's bookstore in Fearrington Village. Also at Fearrington- get your picture taken with those funny cows, black and white Belted Galloways. Then pick up a sandwich at the Market Place deli, and eat under the wisteria-covered pergola. Browse through the Fearrington shops: the Potting Shed (plants), the Dovecote (home and garden gifts), Stone's Throw (unique interesting jewelry).
Have an old-fashioned ice cream soda at the beautifully restored S&T's Soda Shoppe in Pittsboro.
Within walking distance is the Pitt Stop Cafe & Race Shop of Pittsboro, where you can dine and shop while observing NASCAR mechanics on the job. The two-way mirror spanning the back wall of the café allows visitors to watch what's going on inside Premiere's Busch Grand National race shop!
Buy fresh organic produce at the local Farmer's Markets - in Pittsboro (Thursdays), Carrboro (Saturdays), and Fearrington (Tuesdays).
Tour Piedmont Biofuels, where used vegetable oil is turned into clean diesel fuel. Fewer emissions to pollute the air, and no dependence on foreign oil.
Visit the 1881 Chatham County Courthouse and Historical Museum in Pittsboro. A 1907 monument to the Confederate soldier stands guard. The museum is inside the courthouse.
Tour the Carnivore Preservation Trust, at 10 am and 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Carnivore Preservation Trust's 55-acre compound is home to approximately 140 animals representing 11 species of threatened and endangered carnivores from around the world. These include tigers, spotted leopards, snow leopards, jaguars, ocelots, servals, caracals, binturongs, and more.
An alternative to barbeque is the General Store Cafe, where everyone in Pittsboro eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thursday is live jazz, while Friday and Saturday feature other fine musical artists. The second Sunday of each month, 3-7 PM, is an open Irish jam session with dulcimers, fiddles, whistles, flutes, and banjos.
A premium spot away from the hustle and bustle, which includes horse, buggies and healing. Rejuvenation at the Pines is the place for groups, individuals, corporations, charities, parties, special events, and retreats. Spend a day or many with your dream team. Session building, relaxation, creativity and leadership group skills. Facials, manicures, massages, or hot tub treatment. Self growth and empowerment, a peaceful mountain like feeling close to home, but full of nature.
Enjoy a quiet mindful day at Windsong Retreat Center, which offers yoga, retreat days, tai chi, and workshops on a regular basis.
Pack a picnic and go swimming at Jordan Lake. A 3,900-acre reservoir in Wake and Chatham County, Jordan Lake offers boating, camping, fishing, swimming and a full-service commercial marina. It is the largest summertime home of the bald eagle in the Eastern United States.
Something the whole family will enjoy - panning for gold! At The Rocks, in nearby Moncure, you can mine for gemstones.
A few miles north of Pittsboro, turn right and drive a mile or so to Bynum, an old mill town where folks are living in and fixing up the mill workers' houses. Turn left on Thompson Rec Road, go around the corner, and you'll see the home of Clyde Jones, a folk artist, famous for his "critters" made out of stuff that he finds.
Central Pittsboro is registered on the National Register of Historic Places, with over 100 contributing properties ranging in date from 1780s to 1949.   Historical architecture buffs will enjoy seeing these buildings, which reflect the town's evolution from a back-country village to a bustling Piedmont town.
Sanford area: About 20 minutes from Siler City, south on Hwy 421.
Interested in historical plantations? The House in the Horseshoe, in Sanford, features a Revolutionary War re-enactment. The house (ca. 1770) was owned by Philip Alston, whose band of Whigs was attacked in 1781 by Tories. Later, four-term governor Benjamin Williams lived in the house, which now contains antiques of the colonial and Revolutionary War eras.
Sanford, south of Siler City on 421, has a walking tour of its historic district.
If you're interested in railroads, visit Sanford's Railroad House Museum.
Attend a performance at the charming little Temple Theatre in Sanford.
New Hill / Bonsal area: About 40 minutes from Siler City
Looking for a fun and unique activity? Take a group ride on the New Hope Valley Railway. The trains that are run on the New Hope Valley Railway are operated by volunteers who have been trained to operate the equipment in a professional manner. The equipment on display at the museum is available for viewing during normal daylight hours, however the museum is only staffed on Wednesday's, Work Days, Train Ride Days, and Group Ride Days. Regular Schedule Train Ride Days are the first Sunday of each month from May through November.

Trains leave at 11:00am, 12:15pm, 1:30pm, 2:45pm, and 4:00 pm. In December they will offer Christmas Train Weekends. You should arrive at least 30 minutes before the train you plan to ride so as to allow time to park and get tickets. The trip to New Hill and return to Bonsal takes about an hour. The railroad reserves the right to substitute equipment or cancel Train Ride Day without notice. You may call to verify trains are operating before coming out. They do have limited handicap facilities, please contact them regarding accommodations.
Chapel Hill / Durham / Burlington area: About 35-45 minutes from Siler City, these cities are north of us off of Hwy 15/501 or Hwy 87.
Garden-lovers love the Coker Arboretum in Chapel Hill and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham.
Everyone must see the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill.
Wandering through the NC Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill makes an ordinary day both special and educational. By the way, the Botanical Gardens houses the largest collection of rosemary specimens in the world!
Shop! Nearby Burlington is outlet heaven, while The Streets at Southpoint is the biggest, newest mall in North Carolina.
Take a sandwich and visit Eno River State Park in Durham. There's a huge festival there every July.
Go to Raven Rock State Park, and hike down the trail to the Cape Fear river.
See what's happening at the Arts Center in Carrboro. In addition to their gallery, writing, pottery, photography, and dance classes are offered.
Each year in early July, a giant festival is held on the banks of the Eno River, to raise funds to take care of the river. Lots of performing artists, crafts, food, displays.
The Chapel Hill Museum is devoted to displaying the history, culture, art, and craft of Chapel Hill. Worth a visit.
Canoe on University Lake or Cane Creek Reservoir. Both are open weekends, and offer canoe rentals. They are west of Chapel Hill, about 30 minutes drive from the B&B.