The Campbell House, a handsome Georgian former family residence on East Connecticut Avenue, now houses the Arts Council of Moore County, and its galleries display the work of local artists.

Shaw House, at Southwest Broad Street and Morganton Road (tel. 910/692-2051 or 692-4885; www.moorehistory.com), is a stylish antebellum house with unusual carved-cypress mantels. It's the oldest structure in town, dating from the 1770s, and serves as headquarters of the Moore County Historical Association. It's open Wednesday to Sunday from 1 to 4pm, and admission is free. It's closed during the summer, but tours are available. For information on tour times and operators, call the Shaw House.

On the Fort Bragg-Aberdeen road, 1 mile southeast of Southern Pines, you'll come to Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve (tel. 910/692-2167; www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wewo/main.php), a nature spot with foot and bridle paths and about 600 acres of pine-covered "sand ridges." The natural history museum is open daily 9am to 6pm (until 7pm Apr-Oct); admission is free. It's closed on Christmas Day.

You'll find a lot of fine horse farms in the Sandhills. Steeplechasers trained here show up regularly at tracks around the country, and trotters and pacers are also trained in the area. The late Del Cameron, renowned three-time winner of the Hambletonian, kept a winter training stable here for more than 30 years.

Seek out Downtown Southern Pines, U.S. 1 in the Broad Street area, for a collection of shops and restaurants in the Historic District.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.