Pinehurst Weekend

Pinehurst Weekend Getaway

Just a couple weeks ago we enjoyed a wonderful weekend getaway in Pinehurst, NC. Back in the early 2000’s, my parents lived in Pinehurst and we would visit them and spend time in the village. The last time we were in Pinehurst was seven years ago on a hot Saturday afternoon June 14 at the US Open. It was exciting to attend the championship and we always wanted to come back and explore the Pinehurst Resort. So, as you can imagine, I was thrilled to get to partner this January with the Pinehurst Resort for an amazing weekend stay (our first time visiting the resort)!

After a short drive from Raleigh, we arrived Friday afternoon and checked in to the majestic Carolina Hotel.

If you thought Pinehurst was just for golfers, I’m here to tell you otherwise. After checking in to this beautiful hotel, we headed straight to the spa where we both got to enjoy a wonderfully relaxing couples’ massage at the Spa at Pinehurst. It was amazing! I could feel the 2020 stress melting away as we relaxed in the spa, enjoying refreshing smoothies and quiet time by the indoor pool.

Dinner that night was at the Carolina Dining Room. The meal was spectacular. Executive Chef Thierry Debailleul, who oversees the entire resort dining, came by to introduce himself and check in on us. We really enjoyed meeting him. His vast experience, attention to detail and passion for food comes through on every dish! The food and service was fabulous and I highly recommend not holding back on the Mile-High Key Lime Pie! I’ve never seen anything like it!

Saturday we started the day at the Resort Clubhouse. We spent a crisp blue sky day at The Cradle. This is the same area where, Dr. Leroy Culver carved the first nine holes out of the sand in 1898. Over the next century, Pinehurst came to be referred to as the Cradle of American Golf. The Cradle is a lot of fun for all ages, a short nine hole par three course meant to be fun and relaxing, yet still challenges your short game!

We decided to have lunch at the Deuce afterwards which has prime seats indoor/outdoor for watching golfers play their 18th hole on the historic Pinehurst No. 2 course, a bucket list destination for many.

I always enjoy a stroll through Pinehurst Village, checking out a few of the unique shops, pubs and boutiques in town. It’s a quiet picturesque village and an easy walk from the resort. A visit to the Pinehurst Brewery was also on our agenda and we sampled a few of the beers on draft. The brewery is located in a newly renovated 100 year old steam plant building providing lots of character and an easy walk from the Carolina Hotel. We are craft beer fans and we especially liked two of their New England style IPA’s they had on draft (Pivot & Clean Grooves) as well as their Breakfast Ball oatmeal coffee stout. We made sure to grab some cans to take back with us. They also serve up some great BBQ so come hungry AND thirsty!

We got a sneak peek at the newly renovated Manor Inn at the resort. This historical 1923 inn recently got a major renovation and the newly remodeled North & South Bar is stunning (currently the bar is temporarily closed under NC Covid-19 restrictions). For guests looking for a more contemporary hotel experience, the Manor Inn is the place! They are booking rooms starting next week! When you go, be sure to check out the stunning ceilings at the North & South bar that feature the blueprints of the original Pinehurst courses! And speaking of history, you can visit The Tufts Archive close by for lots of fascinating historical items from the founding days of Pinehurst. (note: they are open until noon on Saturday but closed on Sunday. Also free to visit.)

Saturday evening we dined at 1895 Grille. Talk about another incredible dining experience! It felt like we stepped back in time in the historic dining room located in the Holly Inn. To all you local NC foodie people, you will absolutely love these dining options at Pinehurst. We appreciated the attentive servers and the unique dishes being served, making for a truly amazing culinary experience.

Sunday included a nice sleep in and big breakfast downstairs at the Carolina (live piano music too!). We relaxed and savored the last few hours of our wonderful stay in Pinehurst. It is such a great getaway destination for Triangle guests with only an 80 minute drive from North Raleigh! Now is a good time to visit since it’s not quite prime golf season yet and you can take advantage of smaller crowds/off-season. There’s so much to enjoy outdoors, where we have preferred spending most of our time over the last year.

The resort is doing a great job providing a safe stay at Pinehurst. They are following all of the guidelines put forth by the CDC, WHO and NC to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

I do want to give a big shoutout and thank you to the awesome resort staff who made our stay so wonderful. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, checked in on us and went out of their way to make our stay as nice as possible and it was much appreciated.

See you soon, Pinehurst. Back to Raleigh, back to reality! :-)

*Packages include breakfast and dinner at select restaurants including their famous breakfast buffet, Four-diamond 1895 Grille and more!

Pinehurst Resort | 80 Carolina Vista, Pinehurst, NC 28374 | (877) 512-2095