WHERE TO STAY

With more than 5,500 hotel rooms in town, you’ll find plenty of lodging options between both stadiums and downtown. If you aren’t sure where to start, downtown is always a safe bet. You’ll be in the heart of the city’s dining and nightlife scene and only a few miles from either stadium, and you’ll have more than a dozen options to choose from — everything from cozy B&Bs to historic inns to luxury hotel brands. 

For a detailed look at lodging, check out Where to Stay for Gameday

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WHERE TO GRAB BREAKFAST

For comfort food: Cagney’s Kitchen: This local diner serves all-day breakfast at all its area locations, including its flagship on Cloverdale Avenue, less than 10 minutes from both venues.

Pancake perfect: Midtown Café: Breakfast is served anytime at this venerable diner in the Five Points area. Go for the French Toast, Irish Oatmeal, Big Buckaroo special, or one of Midtown’s 10+ pancake specialties. (And ask about their mimosa flights.)

Grab-and-go pastries: Bobby Boy Bakeshop or Louie & Honey. Modeled after a French-style bistro, Bobby Boy pairs Instagram-worthy scenery with fresh-baked perfection. Favorites include chocolate croissants, morning buns, cinnamon rolls — and everything else. It’s less than 2 miles from Wake Forest and 5 miles from WSSU. 

Caffeine to go: Coffee Park Airstream. The drive-up coffee shop sits in Silver Bullet Airstream on Reynolda Road, halfway between downtown and Allegacy Stadium. Just pull up to the window, place an order, and you’ll be merrily on your way.

Settle in for Sunday Brunch: The best thing about staying in Winston-Salem on Saturdays? Waking up for brunch on Sundays! You’ll find plenty of places downtown to kickstart your Sunday Funday, including standbys such as Krankies, Young Cardinal Cafe, Mozelle’s, and the Fourth Street Filling Station. Outside of downtown, you can’t go wrong with 1703, The Porch, the original Village Tavern in Reynolda Village — all of which offer amazing food, ample patio space, and boozy beverages.

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WHERE TO STOCK UP

In need of tailgate provisions? Check out these go-to local options.

One-stop tailgate shop: Lowes Foods
With six locations in town, this Winston-Salem-based grocery chain has all your gameday needs. Pick up a big box of fried chicken in the Chicken Kitchen, stock up on local brews in the Beer Den, and choose from a dozen different party platters and trays (veggie trays, sandwich trays, charcuterie, you name it.) If you’re in a rush, place your order online and pick it up curbside. 

Take & bake meals: Buie’s Market  
Tucked in Buena Vista, two miles from WFU, Buie’s Market offers a rotating selection of grab-and-go foods perfect for tailgating. Reliable options like white chicken chili, buffalo chicken casserole, fresh-made pizzas, and enchiladas complement local favorites like chicken pie and pimento cheese. You’ll also find plenty of sides, dips, craft beer, and locally made snacks. Another easy option, Salem Kitchen, offers tasty meals to-go, tailgate-friendly apps, and over two dozen party trays.

Wings to-go: East Coast Wings 
Pick up an order of 50 boneless or bone-in wings at this Winston-Salem-based franchise and get up to three free flavor selections. You’ll find locations throughout town. Another legendary wing stop, Mountain Fried Chicken, sits only minutes from Allegacy Stadium, and offers their famed “Winston Wings” in quantities of 50 ($59) and 100 ($117).

Best Bet for BBQ: Little Richard’s
Fans wanting to sample local Lexington-style barbecue need look no further than local BBQ legend Little Richard’s. You can pre-order tailgating packages online—complete with wings, sliders, and Southern sides—for pickup right at Allegacy Stadium, making for a tasty, hassle-free pregame meal. 

In downtown, Camel City BBQ Factory also sells Lexington-style ’cue by the pound along with various sides and smoked meats (brisket, ribs, smoked sausage, and more).

GRAB A DRINK

Win or lose, downtown is an easy place to extend gameday. Here are a few casual spots with local beer, good food, and enough TVs or games to keep the football theme going. 

Foothills Brewpub. A downtown favorite since 2005, Foothills pairs house-brewed beer with burgers, wings, and other gameday essentials. The Fourth Street pub features plenty of TVs and a rotating lineup of seasonal releases each fall. For a more old-school nightcap, longtime dive bar Recreation Billiards is just down the block.

Incendiary Brewing. Set inside the historic Bailey Power Plant, Incendiary combines an industrial setting with award-winning beer and one of downtown’s best outdoor gathering spaces. Grab a pint inside near the TVs or settle into the Coal Pit beneath the towering smokestacks. If hunger hits, Cugino Forno serves Neapolitan-style pizzas right next door.

Downtown Arts District:  If your group prefers playing games while also watching them, head to the Arts District. Camel City BBQ Factory offers barbecue, drinks, arcade games, and a patio, while nearby ROAR features a large arcade, interactive mini golf, and boutique bowling. A few blocks north, downtown's Industry Hill is home to casual taprooms including — including Fiddlin’ Fish and Wise Man breweries— with Broad Branch Distillery also nearby. 

• For more options, check out the Best Places to Watch Sports 

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SEE & DO

The game may be the reason you’re here, but it doesn’t have to fill the entire weekend. If you have a few hours before kickoff—or a full day to spare—here are five easy ways to explore Winston-Salem and the surrounding area.

Time travel in Old Salem
Just south of downtown, Old Salem preserves the Moravian town founded in 1766. The historic district is free to explore, so you can stroll along Main Street, cross the Heritage Bridge, and stop at Winkler Bakery for Moravian sugar cake and cookies. For a deeper look, purchase an All-in-One ticket for access to the interpreted buildings, museums, and gardens.. 

Explore Reynolda
Adjacent to Wake Forest, Reynolda is an especially easy addition to a football weekend. Tour Reynolda House, the former R.J. Reynolds estate now home to one of the country’s finest collections of American art. Afterward, wander the free gardens and walking trails or grab a meal in Reynolda Village, just steps away from the gardens. 
 
Escape to the Mountains (kind of)
Winston-Salem has no shortage of scenic trails within the city itself. But the best views sit just north of town, where two state parks deliver something closer to a mountain getaway that you might expect. Pilot Mountain, about 30 minutes away, offers short trails and sweeping views around its signature knob. Farther north, Hanging Rock adds waterfalls, rocky overlooks, and hikes ranging from quick walks to more challenging climbs. For trip-planning tips, see our State Parks Guide.

Make a Wine Country Detour 
Winston-Salem serves as the gateway to the Yadkin Valley, one of the South's most rewarding wine destinations. Pick one or two nearby tasting rooms for a relaxed Friday afternoon, or make wine country your scenic Sunday route home. Our Yadkin Valley page can help you choose where to start.

Stroll Around Downtown 
The heart of the  city is home to more than 120 shops, bars, and restaurants. Looking for some retail therapy? Check out unique shops such as Mast General Store, Bookmarks, Just Be, and Design Archives (all open on Sunday), check out the public art and dining options in the Arts District, or follow part of our Craft Draft Crawl before settling in for dinner. For a quick tour and history lesson of the area, book a 2-hour segway or e-bike tour with Triad Eco Adventures. 

• Whatever you choose, check our events calendar to see what’s happening during your stay.

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Wake Forest Preview

What to Watch on the Field
Head Coach Jake Dickert's debut season raised the bar in a hurry: a 9-4 finish and a win over Mississippi State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Year two brings back a defense that finished among the ACC's best and several players worth showing up early for. DL Langston Hardy led the ACC with 17 tackles for loss, and DB Davaughn Patterson also returns after an All-ACC season. On offense, WR Carlos Hernandez, the team's leading pass-catcher, returns while UNC transfer Gio Lopez is slated to start at QB.

2026 Home Games (six total)

► Thu, Sept. 3 — Akron: Home Opener, 7 p.m.

► Fri, Sept. 18 — Miami: UNRIVALED Weekend, 7 p.m.

► Sat, Oct. 3 — Stanford: Family Weekend

► Sat, Oct. 31 — Virginia: Salute to Service

► Sat, Nov. 7 — Merrimack: Homecoming 

► Sat, Nov. 28 — Duke: Senior Day

• Several kickoff times are TBD. Full the full schedule and tickets, go here.

5 Things to Know

New Video, New Sound. The stadium's video board got a full rebuild, replacing the 2011 original screen. The new board adds 1,300 square feet of digital display and sharper resolution. The sound system was replaced too. More on the upgrades here.

Tailgating made easy. REVELxp, the official fan experience partner of Wake Forest, can handle the whole setup: tent, tables, chairs, coolers, ice, with TV and catering as upgrades. Find more details and book at revelxp.com, or call 336-404-7161. Little Richard's BBQ, a local legend, is back as Wake's tailgate catering partner, now with two pickup spots on game day. Small packages feed 8-10, large feed 20-25. Details here.

Don't miss DEACTOWN. The DEACTOWN Fan Zone opens a few hours before kickoff and is free and open to everyone, ticket or not. There's a live band, game-day merch vendors, a video wall showing other games, the Lowes Foods Beer Barrel, and food trucks, plus inflatables and face painters to keep younger fans busy. Plenty of seating too, so it works as a place to settle in rather than just pass through.

Parking changes. Game-day lots are open to anyone and all of them are card-only. Rates shift by opponent, and construction at The Grounds keeps changing the traffic routes, so check the lot-by-lot maps before you drive here. Also worth noting: Satellite parking at 2400 Reynolda Road is free, with shuttles running regularly to the stadium (map). 

Premium seating. Deacon Hill Suites are available game by game, coming with 24 tickets, four parking passes, and barstool seating with drink rails. Field Suites put you at ground level; the Helms Room sits on the third floor of Bridger Field House; and the Touchdown Club, East Side Club, and McCreary Tower round out the indoor options. See everything at WFU's Premium Seating page.

For full details on tailgating policies, parking maps, stadium food, clear bag policies, and other stadium FAQs, visit Wake's Gameday hub

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WSSU Preview

What to Watch on the Field
WSSU opens a new era with a familiar face. Tory Woodbury, the quarterback who led the Rams to back-to-back CIAA championships in 1999 and 2000 before an eight-year pro career, is back at his alma mater as head coach. The roster turns over heavily, with senior RB Taron Biles-Walker and WR Jayden Grimes leading the offense. The Rams were picked fifth in the CIAA preseason poll after a 4-6 finish. 

2026 Home Games (five total)

► Sept. 5, 8 p.m. — Mars Hill: Black Out Game

► Sept. 12, 8 p.m. — Johnson C. Smith: White Out 

► Oct. 10, 1 p.m. — Bowie State: Throwback Game

► Oct. 17, 1 p.m. — Bluefield State: Senior Day

► Nov. 7, 1:30 p.m. — Fayetteville State: Homecoming

• All games are on Saturdays. For more details and tickets, go to wssurams.com.

5 Things to Know

Football under the lights. For the first time in decades, the Rams open at home with two 8 p.m. kickoffs. An evening start means a full afternoon of tailgating without having to choose between your setup and your seat, and it skips the September heat. The Johnson C. Smith game, against the defending CIAA champs, should be one of the biggest non-Homecoming crowds in years.

Stadium upgrades. Bowman Gray's scoreboard was replaced in the offseason with a $1 million Samsung LED display that's nearly twice the size. NASCAR covered it in partnership with the city and university, and Rams football gets the benefit. It builds on a new LED lighting system installed last year, and an earlier stadium overhaul that improved seating, restrooms, and concessions.

Homecoming is king. WSSU Homecoming is one of the biggest events on the fall calendar and unfolds over several days. The Parade draws spectators along the route for floats, bands and step teams. The "Lighting of the Sign" serves as the spirit rally, the Community Stage brings live music, and the Livest Step Show is one of the hottest ticketed events of the week. It all builds to the Nov. 7 game against rival Fayetteville State. Bring cash for the vendor fair and plan on shuttles rather than a close parking spot. More details at wssu.edu.

Don't leave at halftime. The Red Sea of Sound is 145 members strong, with credits that include the Honda Battle of the Bands and classics in Indianapolis, Cleveland and New York. For plenty of fans, the band is the reason to buy the ticket.

Iconic setting. Opened in 1937, venerable Bowman Gray Stadium is the largest DII football venue in the state at roughly 17,000 seats. The field sits inside NASCAR's oldest weekly racetrack, so the stands wrap tight around the action and keep the noise level on high.

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