Winston-Salem Earns 2026 Travel Award from Good Housekeeping

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (Nov. 18, 2025) – Good Housekeeping, one of America’s leading lifestyle magazines, announced today that Winston-Salem has been named a winner in the publication’s 2026 Travel Awards.

To identify this year’s honorees, the magazine's editorial team enlisted more than 125 travel testers—including staff, travel experts, culinary pros, and trained consumer evaluators—to assess hundreds of travel destinations and experiences across five continents. Winston-Salem emerged from a rigorous evaluation that began with dozens of cities across North America, ultimately becoming one of only a handful of U.S. cities selected for the honor. 

You can view the full list of winners on the magazine's website.

The Testing Process

During the evaluation phase, a "tester" from Good Housekeeping visited Winston-Salem in July, staying three nights at downtown’s Summit Street Inns. The customized itinerary highlighted some of the city’s signature cultural attractions, including Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Sawtooth School for Visual Arts, and the Downtown Arts District.

The tester also explored the city’s culinary scene with visits to Bernardin’s Restaurant, Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro, Village Tavern, and EasyTalk Coffee & Cocktails. Additional experiences included an eBike tour with Triad ECO Adventures and a day trip to the nearby Yadkin Valley Wine Region, featuring stops at Shelton, JOLO, and Raffaldini vineyards.

Following their visit, testers completed detailed surveys and submitted photos and videos documenting their experience. Evaluations considered attraction appeal, accessibility, lodging variety, value, and safety. A direct comment from the tester noted:

“Winston-Salem has all the attractions and amenities of a big city on a more snackable scale. Dining out and drinking offered great value. I was surprised by how little the tabs were, considering that I have spent much more in other cities.”

According to the evaluation, Winston-Salem offers a compelling blend of historic significance and modern creativity. The walkable downtown features nationally recognized arts institutions, distinctive retail, and a dynamic dining scene shaped by innovative chefs and craft producers. Landmark institutions such as Old Salem, Reynolda, and NCMA Winston-Salem showcase the city’s historic roots and artistic evolution. Surrounded by gardens, state parks, and outdoor amenities, Winston-Salem also serves as the gateway to North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley Wine Region, home to more than 45 wineries.

“We’re thrilled to see Winston-Salem honored among the 2026 Travel Award winners,” said Visit Winston-Salem President Stephanie Pace Brown. “This recognition affirms what so many travelers discover once they visit: Winston-Salem is a place of genuine creativity, welcoming spirit, and unexpected sophistication that continues to surprise and delight guests from around the country.”

About:

Good Housekeeping is an iconic brand with a history dating back to 1885 and more than 1,200 published editions. The magazine has built its reputation on decades of meticulous testing performed by the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI). GHI’s team of editors, engineers, scientists, and product analysts delivers trusted advice and identifies the best-tested products, places, and recipes before they are recommended to consumers. While supported in part by ads, all content is produced independently and held to rigorous standards of quality, integrity, and accuracy. 

Visit Winston-Salem is the official destination management organization for Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Operating under the Forsyth County Tourism Development Authority, the organization’s mission is to attract visitors and create economic impact that benefits local businesses and residents. Through strategic sales and marketing initiatives, VWS showcases the area for leisure travelers, group tours, meetings and conventions, and sporting events. Each year, visitors to Forsyth County spend more than $1 billion at local businesses, supporting 6,700 jobs and generating $72 million in state and local tax revenue.