By Downtown Greensboro packs a remarkable amount into a few walkable blocks: a nationally significant civil rights museum, a gleaming new performing arts hall, a 1927 movie palace, two beautifully designed parks, and a food-and-drink scene that keeps locals coming back. Whether you are visiting for a weekend or you have lived in the Gate City for years, the center of town rewards anyone willing to park once and explore on foot. Here are the best things to do in downtown Greensboro, with the practical details you need to plan a visit.
Stand Where History Changed at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum
On February 1, 1960, four North Carolina A&T students sat down at the whites-only lunch counter at the downtown Woolworth and refused to leave. The sit-in movement they sparked rippled across the South. Today that same building houses the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, and the original lunch counter is still there. Guided tours walk you through the events before, during, and after the Greensboro Four took their seats, and the experience is genuinely moving whether you are a first-time visitor or a longtime resident who has driven past it a hundred times.
This is the one downtown attraction worth building a trip around. Tours are docent-led, so allow roughly an hour and a half, and reserving ahead is a good idea on busy days.
- Address: 134 S. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Phone: (336) 274-9199
- Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed Sunday); confirm tour times before you go
- Website: sitinmovement.org
Relax in LeBauer and Center City Parks
The green heart of downtown is actually two connected parks managed by Greensboro Downtown Parks, Inc. in partnership with the City. LeBauer Park opened in 2016 and is the livelier of the two, anchored by the enormous suspended sculpture “Where We Met” by artist Janet Echelman, plus a great lawn, a children’s garden, a dog park, and a summer splash pad that local families swear by. Across the way, the older and more contemplative Center City Park offers fountains, shade, and a quieter spot to sit with a coffee.
Both parks host a packed calendar of free programming, from outdoor yoga and concerts to food-truck gatherings, and in winter LeBauer turns part of its space into an ice rink for Piedmont Winterfest. Check the events calendar before your visit; there is almost always something happening.
- LeBauer Park: 208 N. Davie Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Center City Park: 200 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; splash pad open May through September, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Phone: (336) 373-7533
- Website: greensborodowntownparks.org
Catch a Show at the Tanger Center or the Carolina Theatre
Downtown Greensboro has become one of the strongest live-entertainment destinations in the Piedmont Triad, and two venues anchor it.
Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
Opened in 2021, the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts is a modern hall seating more than 3,000 people. It hosts the First Bank Broadway touring series, the Greensboro Symphony, big-name concerts, and family shows. The building itself is striking, and the surrounding blocks have filled in with restaurants that make it easy to grab dinner before curtain.
- Address: 300 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Box Office: (336) 333-6500
- Website: tangercenter.com
The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro
For something with more history, the Carolina Theatre opened on October 31, 1927, as a lavish movie palace and reportedly the first air-conditioned building in the state. Now a nonprofit community performing arts center, its 1,100-seat auditorium hosts concerts, comedy, classic film screenings, and live performances, while the smaller Crown blackbox space stages more intimate shows. The gilded railings, crystal chandeliers, and classical statues are worth seeing on their own.
- Address: 310 S. Greene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Box Office: (336) 333-2605, open Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.
- Website: carolinatheatre.com
Dig Into Local History at the Greensboro History Museum
A short walk from the parks in the downtown Cultural District, the Greensboro History Museum tells the city’s story through exhibits on the Revolutionary War, the textile era, the civil rights movement, and hometown figures including author O. Henry and First Lady Dolley Madison. Best of all for both visitors and budget-minded locals: admission is free, with a donation box near the entrance. It is an easy, low-commitment hour, ideal for a rainy afternoon or a stop with kids.
- Address: 130 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Phone: (336) 373-2043
- Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Monday)
- Admission: Free
- Website: greensborohistory.org
Eat, Drink, and Play on Elm Street
Downtown’s spine is South Elm Street, and it is where the area shows its personality. Locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, cocktail bars, and boutiques line the historic storefronts, with galleries and antique stores mixed in. It is the kind of district where you can wander without a plan and still eat well.
For something more active, Boxcar Bar + Arcade is a downtown favorite, packing more than 175 console games, dozens of arcade cabinets, and a wall of pinball machines alongside a full bar. It is a reliable rainy-day pick and a fun group outing for both adults and families during daytime hours.
If you would rather browse than play, the First Friday art walk fills the streets, galleries, and shops downtown on the first Friday of each month and is one of the best free ways to see the local creative scene. For the full directory of shops and current happenings, Downtown Greensboro, Inc. keeps an up-to-date guide.
Where to Stay Downtown
If you want to be in the middle of the action, the Greensboro Marriott Downtown (304 N. Greene Street) puts you within walking distance of the Tanger Center, the parks, and the Elm Street restaurants, and it is bookable through major travel sites including Expedia. For a more design-forward stay a short drive from the center, the LEED-certified Proximity Hotel (704 Green Valley Road) and its sister property the O.Henry Hotel (624 Green Valley Road) are both well-regarded boutique options near Friendly Center. Booking a downtown hotel means you can leave the car parked and walk to most of the attractions on this list.
Getting Around and Parking
Downtown Greensboro is compact and very walkable, which is its biggest advantage. Metered street parking is plentiful, and two city decks (the Church Street and February One decks) sit close to the parks and museums, so the smart move is to park once and explore on foot. The Downtown Greenway, a paved loop for walking and biking, rings the district and connects to several of these stops if you would rather move under your own power.
For current event listings, seasonal hours, and a full attraction directory, Visit Greensboro is the most reliable planning resource before you head into town.
Planning tip: Aim for a Saturday if you can. The History Museum and Civil Rights Center are both open, the parks usually have weekend programming, and you can cap the day with dinner on Elm Street and a show at the Tanger Center or Carolina Theatre, all within a few blocks of where you parked.