Pinehurst Lifestyle Options

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CULTURE

The Sandhills of North Carolina is a wonderland of cultural and historic activities and sites. Symphonies, museums, theaters, antique fairs, and arts & crafts festivals are abundant throughout the area.

The Arts Council of Moore County is at the forefront of a flourishing community of visual, literary and performing arts in this area. The council provides a variety of programs for its 2,500 members, including an annual Fine Arts Festival. Their office, located in the Campbell House, is a Georgian mansion on 14 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. An on site art gallery displays local works of art.

Southern Small Town Charm and Contemporary Ambience

Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen offer intriguing heritage sites, gardens, museums, libraries, entertainment locations, boutique shopping.  In the past the area was a destination for vacationers seeking golf vacations, or stopping off on their way to or back from Florida in the winter months, so the area is well prepared for offering fine dining, entertainment, and family activities.  For those who are lucky enough to live in Moore County year-round the small town charm offers opportunities for residents to adequately accommodate their everyday shopping requirements as well as their entertainment needs.

You will be in the heart of nature and historic sites.  You will know you are in the South but it has all kinds of element of city/urban life.  Yet you will enjoy many farmers markets, roadside produce stands, peach orchards, strawberry patches and pumpkin patches abound but Harris Teeter, Belk’s department store, and Wal-Mart, and Best Buy provide the necessary everyday living retail stores.

Careful planing by the municipalities has allowed the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen to absorb growth while retaining the small town feel and image.  You will find the area visually appealing where natural and historic sites offer a glimpse of the area’s rich past.  Rolling hillls, abundance of color provided by pine trees, year round flowers and shrubs, and the “Carolina Blue” skies created by the clean air without smog pollution and the abundance of sunny days with cloudless skies will be your daily treat. 

GREAT RESTAURANTS  

There is a wide array of restaurant choices and dining experiences to suit your tastes, appetite and budget in Pinehurst and surrounding areas. Whether you are looking for a casual family eatery or a sophisticated dining room, you’ll have many options from which to choose.

Most of the national chains are represented, along with a good selection of steakhouses, seafood restaurants and international cuisines, including Mexican, Italian, French, Chinese and Thai, and the majority are a just short drive away. For elegant dining at a leisurely pace, look to area resorts and inns, many of which boast internationally recognized chefs known for their delectable specialties.

You can enjoy breakfast while watching thoroughbreds train. Or you can choose to "do lunch" at a deli, pub or quaint tea room, many of which are located in or near shopping areas.

EQUESTRIAN

Although Pinehurst most often receives accolades for its golf facilities, there is another dimension that is part of the diverse lifestyle for area residents. The Southern Pines and Pinehurst areas have long been home to horse owners of all breeds and disciplines. Each autumn, trainers and owners from throughout the country bring their horses here to train in the mild winter climate and great sand footing. Thanksgiving Day traditionally marks the "Opening Day" of hunt season for the Moore County Hounds, which culminates with the Hunter Trials in March. The Sandhills is also an ideal residence of Hunters and Jumpers as well as Dressage horses. The Five Points Equestrian Center, an exciting horse park, hosts many world class events.

Activities related to horses cover a wide spectrum. One might choose to purchase a horse farm to raise and train your own horses, perhaps participating in competitive events or just riding for pleasure. Obviously not everyone need go that far in order to enjoy the "horse scene." You may choose to own a horse and board it, or you may choose to rent a mount for occasional recreational purposes.

Do you prefer to be a spectator at equestrian events instead of a participant?
You will find many opportunities to do so throughout the year. The activities are wide ranging: steeplechase racing, dressage, sulky racing, horse trials, polo matches and training for the US Olympic team. The Pinehurst Harness Track is the primary venue for much of those activities. The facility has been the winter home of champions since 1915 and many of the spectator events are scheduled for this venue.

SPORTS & RECREATION

Is Golf Your Bag?

Moore County boasts more than 40 golf courses within a 25-mile radius; twenty-three of them were rated 4-stars or better in the 2008 Golf Digest Best Places To Play report. The climate, dry air and sandy soil enable the golfer to play year-round. There are numerous opportunities to work on your game at practice facilities or through private lessons or golf schools.

The exciting Tour de Moore, an international 100-mile bicycle race , is held here annually and draws cyclists and spectators from all over the world. This event is the centerpiece for Springfest, an arts and crafts festival held in downtown Southern Pines. For more information on cycling in the Sandhills area, contact the Sandhills Cycling Club.