When the U.S. Department of Commerce released its “Climatic Summaries of Resort Areas” in 1966, the findings were no surprise to Southern Pines visitors who’d flocked to the area’s natural springs for years. The “salubrious climate of the Sandhills” — lower relative humidity in the summer paired with winter days warmer than surrounding areas — made it the perfect place to relax and refresh. Fast-forward more than a half-century, and Southern Pines continues to serve as a tourist’s playground.
In the downtown historic district, the same railroad tracks that helped put this area on the map now define a stretch of specialty boutiques, galleries, and restaurants filled with shoppers and visitors dallying in full-on vacation mode. Nearby, the pine forests of Weymouth Woods hide natural treasures like the insectivorous purple pitcher plant, red-cockaded woodpecker, and the fox squirrel. Whether you’re hiking through shaded pine forests, gallivanting downtown, or golfing the day away, this town offers a restorative getaway that has withstood the test of time.