How To Have A Christmassy Day Out in Johnston County!

The busy Holiday season can get overwhelming, so if you’re looking for a day out where you can experience the joy of the season without the crowds, why not head for a Christmassy day trip in Johnston County (JoCo)?

Johnson County brings an element of fun to the shopping mundane with some Christmas bargains, unique stores, delicious food, and Christmas lights! In Johnston County, you’ll find more space, less chaos, better deals, and a warm, friendly Southern personality.

Our regular readers will know we love JoCo and often return on day trips from Raleigh. Why not? It’s only 20-50 minutes away, depending on where you are coming from and going to! In this guide, we’ll share how you can have a Christmas-themed day trip to Johnston County to experience the holiday magic!

A Christmas Day Trip to Johnson County

Since you’ll be driving from Raleigh, we suggest you start your day in Selma – a 40-minute drive from downtown Raleigh. Then, you can head towards Benson and loop your way back to Raleigh.

Early lunch at the Old North State Food Hall, Selma 

The Old North State Food Hall is a food Hall in Johnston County. It opened in August 2022, in the former JR Cigars Outlet building.

As you walk in the door, you’re greeted with intoxicating aromas inviting you to take a trip from Jamaica to Cuba via India and Italy. 

Families will love eating here as it’s absent from the usual fast-food options, instead offering a mix of international cuisines from North Carolina businesses, several of which have moved from food trucks to an affordable brick and mortar co-op space.

There is a cuisine to suit all taste buds. All of us ordered lunch from different vendors: a gluten free pizza for Savannah from Luna Pizza Cafe; a spicy fried chicken sandwich from White Swan; a pulled pork sandwich with from Mr Outrageous; and a hearty curry for me from Spice Me Up. And of course, the girls rounded it off with a soft serve ice cream and Craig a beer at Longleaf Tavern.

With its location just off the I-95, this food hall is a popular eating area for those visiting Johnston County and those passing through on a road trip north or south. Another cool place to eat with kids is the incredible Waffee Station, which we visited on our day trip to Pine Level and Princeton areas.

Go shopping in Downtown Selma 

Selma was born as a “Railroad Town” in the late 1800s and still has Amtrak trains running through the renovated Historic Selma Union Depot. 

Downtown Selma is on the move and much of its rebirth can be attributed to Activate Selma, a grassroots group of residents, volunteers, and business owners who gather each week to creatively problem solve and promote Selma. Their motto is, “We don’t complain, we take action.”

I’m looking forward to seeing how Selma evolves as it has so much potential for a charming small town Main Street.  <– 2025 update. I’m leaving this last sentence in this recently updated post to showcase that my prediction was correct. Selma has already evolved into an awesome small town and will continue to do so. See what we got up to on our recent Selma day trip from Raleigh by train!

Selma has been a mecca for antique shopping for years and along its main streets you’ll find several antique stores as well as quant shops. Don’t miss Retrograde Vintage (new in 2025) and toy lovers will want to head straight to Hidden Temple Toys.

In between perusing the stores, you can grab a coffee at Coffee on Raiford – or even take a break to enjoy drinking it on their cute patio with a couple of colorful mandala murals on the wall – or a homemade ice cream for the kids at the Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop.

Here are some of our favorite stores in Selma…

The Southern Bostonian 

There is so much to love about this vintage antique store with a modern touch in Downtown Selma. The Southern Bostonian’s uplifting energy starts as soon as you walk in the door and are greeted by friendly attendants.

It continues as you browse the independent stores that make up the 4,000 sq ft space with fun up-tempo music that makes you want to dance. On our visit it was jazz vibes straight from Princess Tiana’s bayou adventures.

I’m sure you’ll easily find something for almost everyone on your Christmas list. A variety of items include home decor, graphic tees, jewelry, candles, antiques and vintage and pantry items. We walked out with jewelry gifts for school friends and calming crystals for our own spirits.

What really struck me chatting to Kristina, the owner of The Southern Bostonian, was her enthusiasm for sharing life in Selma and its downtown revitalization and encouraging us to visit fellow shop owners on the street. It’s that attitude we find so often in Raleigh – “a rising tide lifts all boats.” 

Because of her suggestions, we discovered a few other unique gems on Raiford Street – downtown Selma’s main street. Since visiting on this Joco trip, the Southern Bostonian has a new Hahvahd Yahd Café inside. The food reflects Boston flavors – think clam chowder, and is absolutely delicious. They have a gluten free flatbread there that is better than the real thing! Read more in our day in Selma post.

• Address: 202 N. Raiford St., Selma, NC 27576 

Hanky E Panky Soap Shop 

Nothing spells thoughtful gifts more than handmade soaps and lotions made from goats’ milk from a local goat farm. Owners of the Hanky E Panky Soap Shop have created an inviting space full of the smells of cleanliness and serenity, also enhanced with the bathtub over brimming with greenery as you walk in.

Not only do they have a wide variety of handmade soaps and lotions made from goats’ milk and simple, natural ingredients, but soy and beeswax candles, raw honey made from their own beehives, and a few other products from local suppliers, like tea from Wendell and coffee from Clayton.

Again, we walked out with a bag full of gifts with the intention to become a regular customer. Hanky E Panky can also be found at various pop-up markets in Raleigh! Spring is another great time to visit as they bring their kids (as in goat babies) to the store. OR you can help feed them at the farm.

• Address: 2996 Lizzie Mill Rd., Selma NC 27576

Treasury Antiques 

If you have memories of the smells of Vicks VapoRub helping your chest open up for breathing when you were young, you may want to pop into Treasury Antiques.

It was in Dr. Joshua Vick’s drugstore in 1905 that pharmacist Lunsford Richardson invented the Vicks VapoRub recipe in an effort to treat his son’s croup.

There’s nothing inside that marks that unique history, but inside you’ll find an eclectic mix of antiques with something for everyone including a “treasure chest” of toys that kids can rummage through while you shop. 

• Treasury Antiques: 102 S Raiford Street, Selma, North Carolina. 

Check out the Selma Murals 

There are several beautiful murals in Selma, as well as other towns in JoCo, with the first created in Vick Park in 2019. Walk around downtown and you’ll find loads of them. We loved the mural of the Selma firefighter climbing up the side of the brick building, and this fun illusionary swing. 

Keep an eye out for more murals brightening up Selma as you walk around downtown, they are part of the trail JoCo Mural Art Trail, which has all the mural locations mapped out. On the way to Benson, where we’ll finish our Christmas fun in Johnston County, there are two more incredible Christmas shopping locations.

Shop at DeWayne’s Home and Garden Store (& their Christmas Land)

I’m not sure how I’d never heard of this award-winning, nationally recognized garden center which began as a DeWayne’s Pumpkin Patch in 1991 and has grown to over 40,000 square foot space featuring a whole lot more than pumpkins!

This is a shopping destination with a difference. I did not realize how different DeWayne’s would be until I walked through its many different rooms filled with designer brands like Vera Bradley, Simply Southern and Yeti. There is even a sweet shop here where you can pick up a fudge or an ice cream treat. 

Most enchanting was the Christmas Land, which features 10 themed rooms and over 70 uniquely decorated trees. It was like we had walked into the North Pole. If Christmas is your THING, this is the reason alone for you to visit Johnston County during the Holiday season.

Savannah and I played our own version of Where’s Wally? Can you see where Savannah is in these rooms? You could easily check everything off your Christmas shopping list here alone, and I found the prices quite reasonable.

We picked up a few more Christmas presents from here and almost lost Savannah in the garden center. Our teen also really enjoyed DeWayne’s and wished we had stayed longer.

Dewaynes made our list of places to shop for Christmas gifts in Raleigh and nearby.

• Address: 1575 Outlet Center Dr., Selma, NC 27576 

Shop at Carolina Premium Outlets 

Now for some more bargains for your Christmas shopping. As soon as I walked into Timberland and saw the low prices for such high-quality gear from a brand we love, I regretted not coming here earlier for my Christmas shopping. 

The Carolina Premium Outlets in Smithfield are not new to us. We’ve been coming here since we first moved to Raleigh in 2004 on the hunt for bargains.

We previously bought all our gear for our ski trip to Idaho from the Columbia store here and last time I walked out with my Christmas present: an omni heat thermal jacket and hoodie for $100 – unbeatable prices.

• Address: 1025 Outlet Center Drive, Smithfield 

Dinner at Anthony’s La Piazza in Benson

After almost completing our Christmas shopping, we drove to Benson for an early Italian dinner at Anthony’s La Piazza on main street. Come hungry – the servings were huge. We carried out half of Kalyra’s lasagna for her lunch the next day. You’ll find your typical Italian meals of pizza, pasta, antipasto, and salads. If Anthony’s La Piazza sounds familiar to you, it’s because they now have a location in Glenwood Ave, Raleigh.

• Address: 206 E. Main St., Benson, NC 27504 (they also have four other locations across the Triangle)

Admire the Meadow Lights Christmas Light Show, Benson

What would a Christmas experience be like in Johnston County without ending the day at the oldest and largest Christmas light display in Eastern North Carolina? Meadow Lights is family operated and has been running this Christmas light show for more than 40 years!

Unlike other Holiday light experiences, where you typically drive your car, or walk around, Meadow Lights has a point of difference in that you cruise around in a small train to look at the light displays which are spread out over 10 acres. Light displays are also all along the road as you drive into the property.

There is an old carousel for younger kids to ride and the opportunity to have your photo taken with Santa. Many people come here for the Old Country Store, which is a warehouse full of Christmas candy. It’s one of the largest candy stores in the state specializing in Christmas and old fashion candy, carrying over 300 varieties. But don’t delay in getting here, because once it’s gone, it’s gone!

The earlier you arrive for the Holiday Lights the better, as this is a popular Christmas experience, but since there are four trains running at once and each can seat about 40 people, the lines do move quickly.

The train is for a small cost, but you can come and see the lights in the distance without riding the train. The Christmas lights are open every night from November 21st until December 31st.

• Address: 4546 Godwin Lake Rd., Benson, NC 27504 

Final thoughts

We enjoyed our Christmas day out in Johnston County. We love to find ways to turn the mundane into joyful experiences together.

We checked off our Christmas list with a few bargains and peppered it with fun experiences like silly mural poses, lovely food, and Christmas lights.

If you want to extend your Christmas day out in Johnston County, I’d recommend shopping in Selma first, then heading to the Old North State Food Hall for lunch, then spending more time at Carolina Premium Outlets and DeWayne’s.

Don’t forget to bring your open heart and festive spirit! If you need other ideas for Johnston County, you can read more about the wonderful date experience in JoCo Craig and I had (wine tasting and the coolest cocktail bar!) And our day trip to Selma, including the cool and sophisticated cocktail bar, the Quantum Toad.