24 Hours in Greensboro: Music, Eats, and Downtown Vibes

Your favorite artist playing in Greensboro? I know you may be disappointed that it’s not just down the road at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, but sometimes you’ve just got to put fuel in the car and drive an hour for the music you love. My youngest daughter, Savannah, and I packed our bags for an unforgettable overnight trip to Greensboro to see the one and only Zach Bryan live in concert!

Savannah had been begging me for weeks to take her and produced a foolproof plan to make it work, including buying the tickets with money that she worked hard to earn. It was an offer hard to say no to, especially since I love him myself. We’re a music concert loving family, and I’d prefer my children spend their money on these kinds of priceless moments rather than pricey possessions.

She’s now trying to convince me (with a plan in hand) to see him in Atlanta in a couple of weeks!!

From the electrifying performance to the charming streets of downtown Greensboro, our adventure was filled with fantastic music, delightful eats, and hidden gems.

Join us as we share the highlights of our quick escape, exploring this vibrant town and soaking up every moment of our stay. We want to help make your trip to Greensboro for a concert from Raleigh effortless with tips on where to eat and stay and how to navigate Greensboro Coliseum.

Note for this trip to Greensboro, Savannah gave me strict orders that we were NOT to visit any museums or attractions. She just wanted it to be about the concert and having fun in Greensboro. As we have been professional travel bloggers for over 15 years, and are now teenagers, my daughters are completely done with museums … and hiking!! She did request that we go to Wet ‘n Wild in Greensboro, which I politely denied since we spent the day there only three weeks before!

Coffee in Greensboro: Northern Roots Coffeehouse

I know you want to find the best coffee in Greensboro. I didn’t try them all, but my research kept drawing me to Northern Roots Coffeehouse. The bright and airy space, adorned with modern decor and cozy egg chairs, created a welcoming and stylish atmosphere perfect for relaxing.

This Greensboro coffee shop is renowned for its deliciously roasted coffee, and my flat white did not disappoint, offering a rich, smooth flavor that hit the spot. Savannah was happy with her strawberry smoothie and double chocolate muffin.

Shopping & Street Art on S Elm St

After fueling up we were ready to explore S Elm St, Downtown Greensboro’s popular hangout spot.

I was quite jealous that our Downtown doesn’t have a similar vibing place. It really reminded me of downtown Asheville in spirit.

The street buzzed with a lively, eclectic vibe, where vibrant street art adorned walls and alleyways, infusing the area with creativity and color.

S Elm St is a wonderful place for shopping. We discovered an array of vintage and boutique stores, each offering unique finds and stylish treasures. From quirky antiques to chic fashion pieces, every shop had its own distinct personality, making our shopping adventure both fun and memorable.

Some shops not to miss:

• Just Be for their beautiful gifts and local products
• Design Archive Emporium for their vintage clothing, gifts, and quirky décor.
• Terra Blue for items specific to alternative belief systems and magickal practices.
• Vintage to Vogue has a gorgeous selection of consignment at reasonable prices. What you’ll really love is the quirky beer and wine bar down the back!
•  I also heard Elsewhere is a great museum and artist residency transforming a former second-hand store and its 60-year collection of material surplus. but it was closed on Sunday.

S Elm St truly captured the essence of Greensboro’s artistic spirit and welcoming community.

Burbon Bowl

When we walked past Bourbon Bowl and Savannah said, “Can we please go bowling, I love bowling.” I inwardly groaned. I hate bowling. But only because gutter balls are my standard and I feel so deflated. But this weekend was about her, so inside we went to knock ‘em down.  

And that we had! I played some of the best bowling of my life starting with two spares and a strike!! I’m not sure what happened there, but there were lots of celebratory dances from both of us. Savannah bowled just as well – she always does.

What was fun about Bourbon and Bowl – aside from its glamorous light filled interior (so much better than typical dark dingy bowling alleys – was the variety of games on offer. As you rent the lane for an hour, we had plenty of time to alternate between normal bowls, and fun games like knocking each other’s castles down and building your own monster/ characters.

As the name suggests, you can play with bourbon in hand, or $5 Sunday mimosas. They also have a full menu for you to enjoy either at the lane or in the restaurant. We shared a snack of mango habanero checking wings which were great.

This Greensboro restaurant also has a lovely outside patio. This was a highlight of our trip to Greensboro and matched well with the upbeat energy of a concert in Greensboro Coliseum.

Lunch at Natty Greene’s Brewery

When we walked past and saw the mist spraying over the lovely outdoor patio of Natty Greene’s Brewery, we decided it was the perfect place for a late lunch, blending great food and a relaxed atmosphere. We also had a few people on our Facebook community recommend this as a place to eat in Greensboro.

The menu offered something for everyone, and we decided on a juicy burger and a fresh Cobb salad. The burger was cooked to perfection, with all the classic fixings, while the Cobb salad was crisp and loaded with flavorful ingredients. I loved their homemade lemon vinaigrette. Beer lovers will enjoy pairing lunch with one of their signature craft beers.

Natty Greene’s made our list of best breweries in NC!

Getting to Greensboro Coliseum

There are public buses to get you to the Coliseum, but there were none coming back late at night once the concert was over. You can also get Ubers back and forth to the Coliseum

Or you can drive. There are plenty of parking spaces at the Coliseum and parking decks surrounding it outside. The average price seemed to be $30, which is wat we played to park at the venue.

Since we arrived early for the pre-show activities, we had little traffic getting there. We were held up for about15 minutes after the concert, leaving the Coliseum. Since there are many exit roads, once you clear that traffic we had a clear run back to our hotel, 9 minutes away.

I’d recommend parking close to the exit gates, so you have less cars to battle with when leaving. Many people arrive early and tailgate in the parking lot. Instead, we attended the …

Pre-Show Tailgate Fest Greensboro Coliseum

I was so impressed with the pre-show tailgate fest the Greensboro Coliseum puts at their White Oak Amphitheatre area outside the main arena.

On the grassy area, there were food trucks, bars, and a cool band, Gipsy Dangers who took popular rock sings and gave them a folksy bluegrass vibe. It was a great way to kick off a concert and available for free to the public, even if you do not have concert tickets.

Zach Bryan Concert at the Greensboro Coliseum

Our concert was attended by 21,393 people – the atmosphere was electric, especially during his final “Revival” where he introduced all members of his band to do a solo (there are a lot!) followed by the crowd singing the chorus and jumping up and down. Everyone went wild, and the stadium was shaking so much, I was worried it would collapse!! It was so awesome! (PNC Arena can hold around the same amount)

We had nosebleed seats, and unfortunately, our view of the big screen was blocked by the show’s lighting and sound rigging. It was really disappointing, and I think many people would have experienced similar blocked views around the stadium. Greensboro Coliseum has told me that was fault of Zach Bryan, not their stadium. So, it may not be the same issue for you when you attend a concert at Greensboro Coliseum.

It did not dampen our experience of the concert though. We had two support bands, with Matt Maeson an absolute standout. It was just him and his acoustic guitar and piano, and he absolutely filled the stadium with his magnetically powerful choice.

Then Zach Brayn absolutely rocked it playing all my favorite songs except Something in the Orange. His stage was set in the middle of the stadium, and he moved to all four sides of the stage with every song so he could include everyone. It was really well done. And with is huge band filled with several guitarists, bassist, drummer, and violin, he rocked the energy.

You can see the highlights from our Zach Bryan concert here.

To Know about Greensboro Stadium

• Inside the stadium you’ll find the typical overpriced drinks, classic stadium food with local brands dishing up BBQ, burgers and more.
• Inside were several merch stands – go straight for them instead of lining up outside with hundreds of people in the sun. We walked around the arena inside to find the shortest line, which took us only 10 minutes.
• You can take in a small clutch bag or slightly larger clear bag.
• I had an empty plastic water bottle, they let me take inside, but I’m not sure if that is normal. There are water filling stations. Otherwise, you may have to buy one in there and keep refilling it. See bag policy here.
• Weirdest rule ever – if you buy a soda or water bottle inside, they make you throw out the lid. Apparently, so people don’t throw them.
• I found everything to run smoothly in the area, and for staff to be friendly and helpful! Crowds were also happy, well behaved, and friendly!

Breakfast: Chez Genèse

The next morning, you’ll be looking for a good breakfast spot in Greensboro to reminisce about the concert. The French inspired Chez Genèse came highly recommended.

It’s a beautiful light filled interior with greenery filling shelves, nooks, and crannies. It’s an environment that fosters conversations over delicious French food like fruit crepes, lemon-ricotta pancakes, brie and honey eggs, Croque-Monsieur and so many more French breakfast dishes.

Two more reasons to eat here:

1. They employ adults with intellectual and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
2. In keeping with true French (and many other countries) style, they compensate their workers for their value, accordingly, recognizing they are responsible for this, not their diners, so they have a no-tipping policy. And they are legit with it, not even offering you the opportunity to add a tip on via the credit card terminal.

Where to stay in Greensboro: Marriott Downtown Greensboro

After a lot of research on whether to stay near the Colosseum or in Downtown Greensboro, I decided on the latter. Since we were staying overnight, I wanted to make our stay more than just the concert, which meant exploring Greensboro’s downtown. It was only a ten-minute drive to the arena, with surprisingly little traffic, and easy parking at the venue.

I had a lot of Marriott points, which I used for our stay at the Marriott Downtown Greensboro! This Greensboro hotel was filled with concert goers. How did we know? Oh, the cowgirl boots are a dead giveaway!

It’s location in the heart of the city made it easy to explore Downtown. The hotel combines modern luxury with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Our room was spacious and elegantly decorated, offering all the comforts we needed for a relaxing stay.

We didn’t use any of their on-site amenities, but they do have a state-of-the-art fitness center and a chic restaurant, and a bar – popular after the concert!

You did have to pay extra for parking, which I think should be included. But with most hotels in the USA now, you’re overpaying and receiving much less in return. See rates and availability here.

Use the map below to find other accommodation near the Greensboro Coliseum or you can browse vacation rentals in Greensboro on Airbnb here.

Here are a few more tips from our community on things to do in Greensboro on a quick overnight getaway.

Final thoughts on Greensboro for a concert

While I’ll always prefer going to a concert at PNC Arena due to the ease of a 15-minute drive from my house, having the Greensboro Coliseum just over an hour away is a fantastic option to see some artists who might not make it to a Raleigh music venue.

I thought the Coliseum was a great venue and I really enjoyed the pre-show activities outside. I felt it was an uplifting, vibrant crowd who were warm and friendly.

While we could have driven home after the concert, I was happy for the opportunity to explore Greensboro. I was captivated by the edgy vibe of S Elm St, which inspired me to return and explore the city more in depth.

Raleighites also have the option of catching the Amtrak train to Greensboro and back again if you did not want to drive. We’ll definitely be back to Greensboro, whether for another concert experience, or just to experience more things to do in Greensboro.

Greensboro is included in our road trip itinerary from Raleigh to the Great Smoky Mountains. Don’t be shy now, leave a comment with suggestions on what we do in Greensboro next, or share stories of your concert experiences in Greensboro.