Cartoon family car on a winding road, pumpkin-patch road trip scene

Next 6 weekends · Oct 30–Nov 1 to Dec 4–6

Weekend getaways from Greensboro–Winston-Salem with kids

The best trip within about five hours of Greensboro–Winston-Salem for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on. Some weekends only have something farther out, and those are marked as a long drive.

6 weekends

4 cities

Closest: 1h 45m

Last checked Oct 29, 2026 against official pages. How we choose

Departures

From Triad

Oct 30–Nov 1GreenvilleBoo in the Zoo · 3h 45mGreenville ZooOvernight Nov 6–8CharlotteTricks and Treats at Carowinds · 1h 45mCarolina Renaissance FestivalEasy drive Nov 13–15CharlotteCarolina Renaissance Festival · 1h 45m16445 Poplar Tent Road, HuntersvilleEasy drive Nov 20–22RaleighNC Chinese Lantern Festival · 2hKoka Booth Amphitheatre, CaryBest at dusk Nov 27–29GreenvilleDisney On Ice · 3h 45mBon Secours Wellness ArenaOvernight Dec 4–6Virginia Beach–NorfolkDominion Energy Garden of Lights · 5h 30mNorfolk Botanical GardenOvernight

How far is fun?

Everything within 5 hours

Each ring is one hour of driving from Greensboro–Winston-Salem. Under two hours is an easy day trip; past three, pack the pajamas.

Cities we cover (weekly updates)Other family getaways (no event listings)

Charlotte1h 45m

Raleigh2h

Columbia3h 30m

Greenville3h 45m

Richmond4h 15m

Augusta4h 45m

Orange dots are picks on this page. Drive times are normal driving times without traffic.

Other family getaways within 5 hours

We don't post event listings for these places, so check the official page for hours and what's on. The numbers match the map.

Grandfather Mountain Linville, NC · about 3 hr from Greensboro–Winston-Salem
The Mile-High Swinging Bridge is the big draw, and the park also has wildlife habitats and a nature center.
Biltmore Asheville, NC · about 3 hr 15 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem
George Vanderbilt built Biltmore, billed as America's largest home, on an 8,000-acre estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Battleship North Carolina Wilmington, NC · about 4 hr 15 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem
Visitors explore nine levels of this World War II battleship, climbing inside gun turrets and seeing where the crew slept.
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach, SC · about 4 hr 15 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem
Myrtle Beach sits on the Grand Strand, 60 miles of sandy coastline shared by 14 beach communities.
Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg, VA · about 4 hr 45 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem
Kids can meet 18th-century people across 301 acres of Colonial Williamsburg, once the capital of Virginia.
Luray Caverns Luray, VA · about 5 hr from Greensboro–Winston-Salem
Luray Caverns are the largest caverns in the eastern United States.

WEEKEND 1

Oct 30–Nov 1

3h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Oct 30–Nov 1: Greenville

about 3 hr 45 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem

Boo in the Zoo has its last evening on Friday, and new this year is a Halloween afternoon session from 1 to 4, which works well for little kids.

Past three hours, make it an overnight: drive Friday, go Saturday.

Boo in the Zoo

Timed tickets. Bring your own treat bag. New this year: a Halloween afternoon session.

Fri Oct 30, Sat Oct 31 · 3–8 p.m. entry; Oct. 31 session 1–4 p.m.

Greenville Zoo

$15; members $12; $3 trick-or-treat add-on

Official page

Greenville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Greenville

Also within reach

Charlotte~1h 45m

Renaissance Festival weekend and Tricks and Treats at Carowinds.

WEEKEND 2

Nov 6–8

1h 45m

Destination · 2 picksWeekend of Nov 6–8: Charlotte

about 1 hr 45 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem

Pirates' Christmas Weekend at the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, plus the last day of Tricks and Treats at Carowinds on Saturday, 11 to 5:30.

Tricks and Treats at Carowinds

The park's daytime, no-scares Halloween, with a costume contest, candy and family rides before the evening haunt takes over.

Sat Nov 7 · 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Nov. 7 closes at 5:30 p.m.

Carowinds

Included with park admission

Official page

Carolina Renaissance Festival

Jousting, 16 stages of music, comedy and circus acts, and more than 1,000 costumed villagers. Nov. 7–8 is Pirates' Christmas Weekend and Nov. 14–15 is Time Travelers' Weekend. Free parking, rain or shine; last weekend is Nov. 21–22.

Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8 · Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville

4 and under always free; kids 5–12 free with a school-supply donation Nov. 14–15; see the festival for ticket prices

Official page

Charlotte city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Charlotte

WEEKEND 3

Nov 13–15

1h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Nov 13–15: Charlotte

about 1 hr 45 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem

Time Travelers' Weekend at the Carolina Renaissance Festival: kids 5 to 12 get in free with a school-supply donation, and 4 and under are always free. Parking is free too.

Carolina Renaissance Festival

Sat Nov 14, Sun Nov 15 · Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville

4 and under always free; kids 5–12 free with a school-supply donation Nov. 14–15; see the festival for ticket prices

Official page

Charlotte city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Charlotte

WEEKEND 4

Nov 20–22

DestinationWeekend of Nov 20–22: Raleigh

about 2 hr from Greensboro–Winston-Salem

The NC Chinese Lantern Festival opens Saturday in Cary. The paths are paved and stroller-friendly, and the 4:30 twilight session is less crowded.

NC Chinese Lantern Festival

Paved, stroller-friendly paths. The 4:30 twilight session has smaller crowds. Most people take 45 to 75 minutes.

Sat Nov 21, Sun Nov 22 · 6–10 p.m.; twilight session gates 4:30 p.m.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary

See Koka Booth for prices; 2 and under free

Official page

Raleigh city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Raleigh

Also within reach

Charlotte~1h 45m

Speedway Christmas lights open, and it's the Renaissance Festival's final weekend.

Columbia~3h 30m

Opening weekend for Fireflies Holiday Lights and Riverbanks Wild Lights.

WEEKEND 5

Nov 27–29

3h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Nov 27–29: Greenville

about 3 hr 45 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem

Disney On Ice is at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena over Thanksgiving weekend.

Past three hours, make it an overnight: drive Friday, go Saturday.

Disney On Ice

In Greenville Nov. 25–29.

Fri Nov 27, Sat Nov 28, Sun Nov 29 · See the tour page for show times

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

See the tour page

Official page

Greenville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Greenville

Also within reach

Charlotte~1h 45m

WinterFest opens at Carowinds, plus Speedway Christmas.

Raleigh~2h

The Chinese Lantern Festival in Cary.

WEEKEND 6

Dec 4–6

5h 30m

DestinationWeekend of Dec 4–6: Virginia Beach–Norfolk

about 5 hr 30 min from Greensboro–Winston-Salem · long drive

Norfolk Botanical Garden's Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is open every evening, and kids under 3 are free.

This is a long drive, so plan on an overnight.

Dominion Energy Garden of Lights

Opens 11/06; runs through 01/03. A one-mile walking loop that works with strollers and wagons; double strollers have to fold to get through Baker Hall. The elves roam on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8, and Nov 12 is holiday-pajama night.

Fri Dec 4, Sat Dec 5, Sun Dec 6 · Every evening, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day; open until 8:15pm on value nights, 9:15pm on popular nights

Norfolk Botanical Garden

Value nights: adults $24, kids 3–12 $15; popular nights: adults $30, kids $18; under 3 free; $5 more at the gate

Official page

Virginia Beach–Norfolk city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Virginia Beach–Norfolk

Little-traveler checklist

Pack it before you go

Car snacksPack more than you think you’ll need.

StrollerZoo paths and light trails are long for little legs.

Time the napLeave right before nap so the drive does double duty.

Overnight bagPast three hours, pajamas beat a 9pm drive home.

Parking cashFree admission days often still charge for parking.

Rain planPick one indoor backup, like a museum, before you leave.

More trips

Every region, every weekend

Carolinas and Virginia weekends

All regions

This week in Greensboro–Winston-Salem

Good questions

Weekend trips from Greensboro–Winston-Salem: the FAQ

Where can we go for a weekend from Greensboro–Winston-Salem with little kids?

Over the next 6 weekends our picks from Greensboro–Winston-Salem are Greenville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Virginia Beach–Norfolk. Each one is chosen for what's on that weekend, with the dates, times and prices checked on the official pages.

Which cities are within an easy drive of Greensboro–Winston-Salem?

Charlotte (about 1 hr 45 min), Raleigh (about 2 hr), Columbia (about 3 hr 30 min), Greenville (about 3 hr 45 min), Richmond (about 4 hr 15 min), Augusta (about 4 hr 45 min). Times are normal driving times without traffic.

What other family getaways are within 5 hours of Greensboro–Winston-Salem?

Grandfather Mountain (about 3 hr), Biltmore (about 3 hr 15 min), Battleship North Carolina (about 4 hr 15 min), Myrtle Beach (about 4 hr 15 min), Colonial Williamsburg (about 4 hr 45 min), Luray Caverns (about 5 hr). We don't post event listings for these, so check the official page for what's open before you go.

Why is the same city picked more than once?

Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety.

Are the times and prices current?

They're what each official page showed on Oct 29, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.