Honor the Farming Legacy
Holly Springs Farmers Market
Evidence of Southern Wake’s agricultural tradition lingers all over town. Put a bit of distance between yourself and the bustling local downtowns, and you’ll quickly find a small tobacco field or horses grazing in pastures. Keep that rich history from disappearing by supporting the remaining local farms and farmers.
The Scoop at Willow Oak Farms
Shop the produce and seasonal markets at Holland Farms or Needmore Farms. Enjoy the Barnyard indoor play area and ice cream shop at Willow Oak Farms. Naylor Family Farm offers year-round agritourism activities, including an Easter Egg Hunt, autumn Corn Maze, and Christmas on the Farm event. Pick your own strawberries at Porter Farms & Nursery. Visit the Holly Springs Farmers Market, Fuquay-Varina Growers Market, and the State Farmers Market to support local growers and producers weekly.
Become a Regular
Aviator TapHouse
A few more neighborhood spots to quench your thirst.
Abbey Road Tavern
Black Dog Bottle Shop
Bombshell Beer Company
Cellar 55
Mason Jar Lager Company
Moonlight Liquor Lounge
My Way Tavern
Niche Wine Lounge
Wine 100
Nothing quite says hometown like a bartender pouring a pint and ordering up your “usual” before you even sit down. Southern Wake has many-a bar, tavern, or taproom to welcome you like family. Consider The Corner Biergarten’s Thirsty Thursday specials or Saturday night trivia, a round of pool at the Cleveland Draft House, or regular live music nights at Aviator TapHouse or Local Time Brewing.
Prefer dining specials? Wednesday steak and potato night at Nightingale Rooftop begs for repeat visitors. Mamma Mia Italian Bistro’s Thursday Date Night Dinner for Two makes regular date nights a cinch.
Get off the Beaten Path
Raven Rock State Park
Harris Lake State Park
If it’s fishing you’re looking for, Bass Lake in Holly Springs is stocked with catfish and participates in a Tackle Loaner Program through the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.
Ditch the traffic for winding rural roads, peaceful paddling, and rustic hikes. Raven Rock State Park and Harris Lake State Park offer hiking, biking, and outdoor recreation (bass fishing, anyone?). Or pack the family for a waterfront camping adventure at Jordan Lake.
A new park, Beech Bluff County Park, will open in between Fuquay-Varina and Garner on Highway 42 this year with community and demonstration garden plots, playground facilities, and green space.
For those willing to drive farther afield, Robertson Millpond Preserve in Wendell offers a paddling trail through a unique blackwater habitat surrounded by a dense canopy of bald cypress trees.
Meet Your Neighbors
The South is lauded for its friendly people … time to get to know them. Gorgeous neighborhoods, town-wide recreation and social events, and area networking groups foster opportunities to mix and mingle. The Holly Springs Small Business Network meets twice a month to build relationships and spark creativity among business owners. Local chambers of commerce host ribbon cuttings, breakfast meetings, and after-hours socials nearly every week. The faith-centric Restored for Moms community offers a coworking club and speaker-led coffee chats.
Or try painting workshops led by local artist Heather Eck frequently at Bombshell Beer Company — a perfect opportunity to sip and visit with new friends. Active civic clubs like the Holly Springs Rotary Club or the Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club encourage community service and personal relationships. The Fuquay-Varina Jeep Club, aka Duck Duck Jeep, pools a shared love of Jeeps to raise money for community causes.
Serve Your Community
Guardian Angel Thrift
Make a big impact on your small town by giving back through nonprofits or advocacy groups. Many area charity organizations have founders who reside in Southern Wake County and work to ensure that help is given directly to the local community.
Holly Springs Food Cupboard
Volunteer (or shop) at Guardian Angel Thrift stores, assist on construction projects with Military Missions in Action, tend the garden at the Holly Springs Food Cupboard, or build bunk beds for Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Many nonprofit organizations receive generous donations during the holiday season, when giving is high, but need additional support in supplies, financial donations, and service hours during the first quarter of the year.
Advocacy organizations like school parent–teacher associations and town advisory committees offer outlets for impacting the community as well. For example, Oakview Elementary School’s PTA recently unveiled a new outdoor learning environment for students — a collaborative project several years in the making.
Shop Local
Rooted Plant Supply, Holly Springs
For many residents and visitors, the highlight of a small town is a quaint, walkable downtown. We have three such settings to enjoy: downtown Fuquay, downtown Varina, and the Holly Springs Village District — each one populated with delicious eateries and unique retail stores where you will frequently run into the owners onsite. Supporting our local shops and entrepreneurs creates a varied and unique community and keeps those purchasing dollars right here in town.
RC Hobby, downtown Varina
Yellow Bird Comics and Fuq’n Vinyl, two newcomers to downtown Fuquay, showcase unique and vintage finds. Discover a haven for local artisans at Curated Craft Marketplace, or browse high-end resale apparel at Pass It On Thrift, which supports InterAct of Wake County. Peek-A-Boo Grins children’s boutique in Holly Springs will outfit your littles in the sweetest apparel around.
Outside of downtown Holly Springs, visit the curated denim bar at The Wardrobe Boutique. Better still, why not sip and shop a selection of gifts, accessories, and decor at Thanks a Latte Coffee & Gift Boutique or Restored Mission Shoppe.
Sit and Stay Awhile
Bass Lake Park
Front-porch sitting may be the most storied Southern tradition of all. But there’s a plethora of amazing coffee shops and cafés that welcome you to sit a spell with them: Cultivate Coffee, Stick Boy Bread Company, and Brus on Main in Fuquay; or Fera’wyn’s Chocolate Cafe, Asia’s Cakes, or Lovegrass Kitchen in Holly Springs to name a few.
Relax on the patio at Wine 100
The Mill’s got you covered for day or night, with a coffee bar, coworking tables, and a bar for happy hour. Streetside lunch tables fill up fast at Osha Thai Kitchen & Sushi and Vieni Ristobar. Try a relaxing afternoon on the patio at Wine 100, sipping from the tasting bar. Owner Joe Sherrier may even recommend the perfect playlist to complement your sip session.
Visit the Big City
Evanescent Bubbles by artist Atelier Sisu on display during Artsplosure, Raleigh’s longest running arts festival.
Brodeto, Photographed by Jessica Crawford
It’s hard to beat small-town charm, but every once in a while, consider a short drive north for a variety of dining and cultural experiences. Raleigh is bustling with new restaurant openings, entertainment options, and special events.
Check out Raleigh Iron Works, a former industrial district remade into a hub of live-work-play activity. Browse local boutiques such as Flourish Market and Urban Pothos, dine at Scott Crawford’s Brodeto, sing karaoke at Jaguar Bolera, grab a beer at Ponysaurus Brewing Co., and finish it all off with ice cream from Andia’s and a jaunt down the made-for-adults slide.
Or save the date to attend one of Raleigh’s signature annual events that draw thousands of visitors. Art in Bloom in March, Dreamville Festival and Brewgaloo in April, Got to Be NC Festival and Artsplosure in May, The Soccer Tournament in June (this one’s in Cary), and Wide Open Bluegrass Festival in October are popular options.
