Though Jay and I have both lived in Mount Airy, NC for many years, neither of us had every visited Fayetteville. However, we changed that a few weeks ago. Today we are sharing with you our 3 day Fayetteville itinerary so that you can see how many super cool things there are to do in this area for couples, adventurists, foodies and more.
Our 3 Day Fayetteville Itinerary
On the first day, we arrived in Fayetteville in the afternoon. So, we had a quick lunch and then we started checking out everything that Fayetteville has to offer.
Fayetteville Itinerary: Day 1
Airborne & Special Operations Museum – We really enjoyed the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. If you are interested in military history, this is definitely for you. There are life size exhibits and a very cool simulator that Jay rode on. What I loved most was “Constant Vigilance,” hich is the world’s first memorial to special operations K9s killed in combat. As a dog lover, this really moved me.
NC Veterans Park – NC Veterans Park honors members from all branches of service in the military. There is also a display that has dogs tags from every military member from NC that was killed in action since WWII. We didn’t get to check the inside out as it was closed when we visited but there are still lots of things to see outside.
Jay just had this Seafood Risotto with the biggest scallops we have ever seen. 😀#VisitFayNC #AmericaAtEveryTurn #travel [sponsored] pic.twitter.com/JUaruQtmqx
— Dawn McAlexander (@TheNewClassy) March 28, 2017
Sherefé – I have to say, Sherefé was really stellar. I had the Super Food Salad that featured grilled chicken, strawberries and all kinds of other yumminess. We highly recommend trying the Turkish coffee, too. They servedd it in a French Press and we promptly came home and bought one for ourselves. 😉 Jay had the Seafood Ristto. It had shrimp and the biggest scallops we have ever seen. Melody {our lovely host from the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau} had the Alexander which is “thinly sliced gyro meat served over fried pita, topped with spicy tomato and tzatziki.” We also ordered the Mediterranean Delight appetizer for the table. You can check out Sherefé’s full lunch menu here.
Fayetteville FireAntz – Neither Jay nor I had ever attended a hockey game before. I have to say, attending the Fayetteville FireAntz game quickly moved to the top of my list of things I was excited about checking out when Melody sent us our itinerary. It had never even occurred to me that I might go to a hockey game. It was ridiculously fun. My favorite part was the mascots. Ha! They got out in the crowd and interacted with like everyone. The game was really intense and exciting to watch. 😀 I am definitely a new fan. I also bought myself a signed stick and puck to take home. That will make a neat addition to the game room. 😀
Fayetteville Itinerary: Day 2
Cape Fear Botanical Garden – I really enjoy botanical gardens. And Cape Fear Botanical Garden was no exception. They offer over 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants and several specialty gardens. There is also a gazebo and lots of benches where you can sit and just take it all in. Cape Fear Botanical Garden also has a great gift shop with many unique items to choose from and, though we visited in the morning, they appeared to also offer food on site for lunch. You really could make a day of it.
Jay ziplining for the guest time today. 🙂#VisitFayNC #AmericaAtEveryTurn #ZipQuest #adventuretravel #ttot #travel [sponsored] pic.twitter.com/O5QlySkN3m
— Dawn McAlexander (@TheNewClassy) March 29, 2017
ZipQuest Waterfall & Treetop Adventure – Admittedly, I was too scared to zipline but Jay was all about it. 😀 I think that was his absolute favorite thing that we did while in Fayetteville. ZipQuest Waterfall & Treetop Adventure is one of the Top 10 ziplines in the entire United States and offers a 2.5 canopy tour. So, Jay was literally in the air for over 2 hours, checking out the beautiful forest canopy. I even got to stand on a cliff and watch him zipline over a waterfall! The area is beautiful and they can host group events and team building activities. We highly recommend you make reservations, though.
Time for lunch. Drunken Mushrooms at Scrub Oaks Restaurant. 🙂 #VisitFayNC #AmericaAtEveryTurn #foodie #travel [sponsored] pic.twitter.com/IMwKzhUEFs
— Dawn McAlexander (@TheNewClassy) March 29, 2017
Scrub Oaks Restaurant – After the busy morning we had, we were so looking forward to a yummy lunch. And Scrub Oaks Restaurant did not disappoint. I think my absolute favorite thing that I ate on the trip was the Drunken Mushrooms appetizer. So good. I ordered the Parmesan Peppercorn Chicken Breast with French Onion Bacon Risotto and Seared Asparagus. I highly recommend this dish. The French Onion Bacon Risotto was fabulous. I have had risotto before, which I did not care for, but I like to try new things on trips, so that I can share my experience. I mean, how many hamburgers do you guys want to see? 😉 After this experience, I will definitely ordering risotto again. Jay had the Fish and Chips w/ Steamed Broccoli. His meal was very good, too, but mine was really something special and he finished it when I was done with it. 😉
Historic Carriage Ride – This was a very cool experience, too. It’s not really what I would call a “carriage” but more like what you would ride on during a hayride, I guess, so it fits a lot more than two people. It’s long and has benches on the back, if that makes more sense. I just didn’t want anyone to be confused. This is the perfect way to see the city for those of you who like non-walking tours like me. We had very knowledgeable tour guide who told us all about the local history, architecture, cool facts and such. I think it lasted about 45 minutes and was a great way to relax and just take the area in after our busy morning.
Luigi’s Italian Restaurant – Who’s jealous of all of the good eating that we did on this trip? Well, brace yourselves, people. It’s about to get even tastier. 😀 The lovely Melody joined us for a meal at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant where she had the Seafood Primavera. I totally just typed Prijmavery when trying to type that. Well, I heard that it was Prima-very good, so… 😉 I had the She Crab Soup. My friend Avery got me on a She Crab Soup when we vacationed in the Outer Banks last year and I can’t get enough now. Yum. I also had a Greek Salad and Jay had the New York Strip {I tried it and it was terrific, by the way} with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. This restaurant has a darker, mood lighting so the pictures aren’t fantastic but I did post all of the pictures from our Fayetteville visit {including these} on Flickr should you like to peruse them.
Fayetteville Itinerary: Day 3
Shopping In Downtown – We love buying local when we vacation. So, we made sure to check out the shops in downtown Fayetteville before we left. They have some really cool shops that have vintage look signs and fronts. We recommend buying a cup of coffee at Rude Awakening and walking around town. You will get some exercise and there is a lot of fun stuff to look at. We also bought a bag or two of coffee to bring home to enjoy. 🙂
Museum Of The Cape Fear Historical Complex – At the Museum Of The Cape Fear Historical Complex you will find a cool museum that offers exhibits pertaining to the local area. They also have a nice gift shop where I was able to purchase some more pins for my pinboard and a beautiful coffee mug. They also had this map that I considered purchasing while in the Outer Banks and didn’t due to the price. It was only like $2 or $3 here. Sweet! While on premises, you can also visit the tun of the century EA Poe House {not the author} and the Arsenal Park, which was General Sherman’s first target during the US Civil War.
Hilltop House Restaurant – Our loss is your gain, people. We spent so much time shopping that we didn’t get to make it to this restaurant. Sniff. So, the gift card that we had is part of the giveaway that you can win! Hilltop House Restaurant is triple-diamond rated by AAA and is one of the Top 100 brunches in the USA, according to Open Table Dining. Yum.
Want to see more? We took a ton of pictures in Fayetteville! Check them all out on Flickr.
Get Social With Visit Fayetteville, NC
Win A Romantic Trip For 2 To Fayetteville, NC
One lucky Cheap Is The New Classy reader will win a romantic overnight stay in Fayetteville, NC. This includes the following…
* A gift certificate for a FREE 1 night stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Fayetteville, NC in a standard 2 Queen or King size room. This includes breakfast for two.
* Two FREE passes to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
* $50 Gift Card to Hilltop House Restaurant.
* 2 FREE Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation Simulator ride passes.
Entry is easy via the rafflecopter below. Only the first entry is mandatory as I have to be able to contact you if you win. 😉 Do as many or as few of the remaining entries as you like but be sure to come back often as many of the entries can be done daily. Naturally, the more entries you do, the higher your odds of winning are. I will be sending the gift certificates and gift cards via certified mail upon choosing a winner by Rafflecopter random number generator. Transportation is not included. Good luck!
Tammy Clarson says
I would love to explore the town n get to see their landmarks n entertainments.
Angelic Sinova says
I’ve never been to Fayetteville before but boy does it look amazing! I would absolutely love to win a trip there, thanks for the opportunity.
Jaime Nicole says
I would love to take a carriage ride! These are always such a nice, relaxing way to see a new place. I’ve never been to North Carolina and I would LOVE to go!
candy says
North Carolina looks like a pretty good place to visit with the family. Tons of great stuff to visit, do and see. Plus all the great food to enjoy.
melody foote says
Dawn:
Thanks so much for sharing about your visit to Fayetteville. Once again, your pictures made me hungry. Have a great Wednesday!
Melody
Amber Myers says
Thank you for this list! We’ll actually be in this area in August so we’ll try some of these places. I’d love that historic carriage ride.
Mars says
Fayetteville seems like a wonderful place to visit. Anyone who will win the romantic trip will be grateful for that unique experience. I will difinetely try my luck on this one.
mimsel r says
You’ve made me go in search of restaurants now! …and that cute little mug 🙂
Jeanette says
I would love to win a trip there! Fayetteville seems like awesome place to check out, and I love checking out places that have fun mom-and-pop shops.
lisa says
I have only been to Charlotte, North Carolina. I would love to check out all of these places in Fayetteville. They sound fantastic.
Kenya F says
I would love to visit the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. I love going to garden. Also, I’m a foodie and I love food from the south. So I will definitely make sure to pig out somewhere. 🙂
Cheryl Chervitz says
I would like to go to the 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM. My sister and nieces and nephew live there, so it would be great to go.
Shannon says
I’d love to visit Fayetteville! It seems like a great place, small town feel with many family-friendly activities and attractions. The Treetop Adventures would be the place for me! I love thrill rides and after trying on in the Caribbean, I’ve hopped on every zipline I can find. So FUN!!
Katie Kinsley says
I would LOVE to win a trip! I have never been to Fayetteville before so it would be a new experience all around.
Marysa says
I haven’t been to North Carolina, but it looks like Fayetteville has plenty to do. Sounds like you had a great time visiting all those places. This would make a fun road trip.
Pam says
It sounds like there is a lot to do in Fayetteville, NC. I would love to go ziplining or check out he botanical garden.
TIm B says
FIRE ANTZ is a great mascot and team name for a hockey team! From your trip it seems like Fayetteville NC is a great spot for a weekend adventure.
David Elliott says
Thanks for all of the great ideas when going there. I really do need to take my daughter to an east coast trip sometime in the near future. This would have to be one of our stops now. 🙂
Sari says
One of this days I’d love to have a chance to visit Fayetteville
. Seems lots of great places and restaurants to check out. As an adventure seeker like me would love to try the ZipQuest Waterfall & Treetop Adventure.
Annemarie LeBlanc says
Wow. These are all awesome places to visit in Fayetteville NC. I always make it a point to visit the museums first because I get to know more about the place and its history. Then I go on sampling the delicious food! 🙂
chubskulit says
We have never been to North Carolina and this would be a great thing to win. Fayetteville looks like a wonderful place to visit and explore.
Sherry Compton says
I like the water and would love to be around the lake. The CAPE FEAR RIVER BOAT RIDES really interests me. I would like to see some of the historical houses, too.
My Teen Guide says
I have never been to Fayetteville or any place for that matter in NC. It does look like the place has a lot to offer its first time visitors. If I would get the chance to visit, I’d go to their museums first.
Susan Taylor says
Museum of the Cape Fear looks interesting. Husband lived in Fayeteville for a few years as a teenager. I would love for him to be able to show me around places he remembers.
Agnes says
I just entered! Haven’t been to Fayetteville so this would be an awesome experience!
Kiwi says
I have never been to Fayetteville but I would love a getaway. Great recap of what its like out there!
Lisa Queen says
I live right here in South Carolina and have to say that I have never been to Fayettville before.The Greater Fayetteville GPS Trail Trek looks like alot of fun. We would enjoy doing this as a family. Thanks!