From ceramic pumpkins and Highland cows to apple cider, zoo trails, and after-dark scares, Randolph County packs a surprising amount of fall into one North Carolina getaway.
By Dathan Kazsuk
Some places treat fall as little more than changing leaves and a pumpkin-spice latte. Then there’s Randolph County.
On a Randolph County fall getaway, you can walk among elephants in the morning, shop for handmade pottery pumpkins in the afternoon, feed a shaggy Highland cow before dinner, and finish the night running from something considerably less friendly in the woods.
That variety is what makes Randolph County a great fall road trip from the Triangle. Asheboro may be its best-known destination, but venture into Seagrove, Ramseur, Randleman, and the surrounding countryside, and you’ll find enough to turn a day trip into an entire weekend.
See the Zoo When the Weather Cools Down
Start with North Carolina Zoo, where fall may actually be one of the best times of year to visit.
The sprawling Asheboro attraction includes roughly five miles of walking trails, so those cooler October temperatures are welcome. The zoo also notes that animals tend to be more active in cooler weather, giving visitors another reason to trade a steamy summer visit for an autumn one. Be sure to visit the sand cats!
And don’t spend the entire day staring only into the habitats. The zoo grounds themselves are part of the experience, with public art, gardens, and wooded stretches that take on a different look as the leaves begin to change.
Families have another reason to visit Oct. 17–18 and Oct. 24–25, when Boo at the NC Zoo brings daytime Halloween activities to the park.
Take the Pottery Highway
About 20 minutes away, Seagrove offers a completely different kind of wildlife: pumpkins, owls, woodland creatures and the occasional monster — all made from clay.
The community is home to around 50 pottery shops, studios and galleries, with many clustered around N.C. Highway 705, better known as Pottery Highway. A smart first stop is the North Carolina Pottery Center, the only statewide facility in the country devoted solely to pottery.
Related Video: Check out an interview with NC Pottery Center’s Executive Director on what makes Seaboard unique.
Fall makes Seagrove especially fun. The Potters’ Pumpkin Patch Trail continues with special Saturday events through Oct. 17 at five participating studios, where visitors can hunt for handmade ceramic pumpkins, gourds, ghosts, woodland animals, and fall décor.
The best part is that Seagrove isn’t simply a shopping trip. You can meet the people making the pieces, see working studios, and better understand why clay has shaped this part of North Carolina for generations.
Yes, You Can Cuddle a Highland Cow
For one of Randolph County’s more unexpected experiences, book ahead at Cellar Creek Farm in Asheboro.
Michael and Amanda Cox’s family- and veteran-owned farm has built an experience around its photogenic Scottish Highland cattle. Farm tours let small groups get close enough to brush, feed, and cuddle the Highlands, and meet some of the farm’s other animals—you’ll fall in love with Wally the pig!
Fluffy cows in a pasture surrounded by fall countryside? Your camera roll will survive. Barely.
Make Room for Apples, Pumpkins and Cider
No fall trip is complete without something involving apples, and Millstone Creek Orchards in Ramseur checks plenty of seasonal boxes.
The working orchard offers apple and pumpkin picking along with hayrides, cider, baked goods, and those dangerously easy-to-finish cider doughnuts. The Heart of North Carolina also highlights its apple cider slushies, pumpkin-patch photo opportunities, and other seasonal activities.
This is the kind of stop where “we’ll just stay an hour” can quickly turn into “we’ll stay all day.”
Chase Some Color — Then Let Something Chase You
For a quieter side of fall, visit the Historic Pisgah Covered Bridge. Built in 1911, the 54-foot bridge is one of only two remaining historic covered bridges in North Carolina, surrounded by woods that make it particularly photogenic in autumn. Randolph County also offers fall hiking along the Deep River State Trail, the Uwharrie Mountains, and around Randleman Lake.
Then, once the sun goes down, things become considerably less peaceful.
Kersey Valley Attractions turns up the intensity with Spookywoods, its long-running haunted attraction spread across more than 85 acres with elaborate environments, wagon rides, and more than 180 performers.
Don’t treat downtown Asheboro as simply the place you drive through between attractions.
Local restaurants, bakeries, shops, and gathering spots have given downtown enough personality to deserve a spot on the itinerary. Grab breakfast or lunch at The Table, wander the downtown streets, then use Asheboro as your home base for the weekend. For something closer to nature, Postcard Cabins offers 32 small cabins on 31 wooded acres just a few miles from the zoo.
That may ultimately be Randolph County’s biggest fall selling point. You don’t have to choose between a farm trip, an arts weekend, an outdoor getaway, a family vacation, or a Halloween adventure.
You can do a little bit of all of them—and still be home before Monday.
