Visitor Information

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About the Area

"Beauty, Tradition, History and Quality of Life. It's so hard to find one place that has it all."

Welcome visitors! From the late 1800’s to today, the towns and villages of Moore County, especially Southern Pines, Pinehurst, and Aberdeen have hosted guests coming by horse, train, auto, and plane. We hope you enjoy your visit and welcome you back again in the future. A little background for you -- the area was developed to attract northerners fleeing harsh winters and not having to travel all the way to Florida. Today, visitors come from all over the globe for some southern hospitality, championship golf, and a relaxing retreat from daily routines. Interestingly, the founding father, James Walker Tufts, desired to create a vacation location for the middle class – something they could afford. We continue that tradition today. Southern Pines and Pinehurst were famous for fresh pine-scented air that was good for respiratory ailments and it is still good for what ails you today. No one thought of a golf course in the beginning.

Low and behold, in the early 1900s, the guests in the self-sustaining village of Pinehurst, started hitting little white balls in the pasture of the dairy farm so much so that it was beginning to affect milk production. The farmers brought this to the attention of Mr. Tufts and asked him to do something about it. Turns out the folks were hitting golf balls, so Mr. Tufts had a nine-hole golf course built to keep the peace and milk flowing. Over the next few years, a golf course architect by the name of Donald Ross created an 18-hole course as well as several other courses in the area, and the rest is history. Today there are over 40 courses within a 15-mile radius.

Parallel to this development, equestrians from the north and mid-west found the sandy soil in Southern Pines to be a great place to winter and train horses. The sandy soil was good for horses’ hooves and drained easily when it rained, so weather delays weren’t as long as other muddier locales. Dozens of horse farms dot Moore County and equestrian events run throughout the year – dressage, steeplechase, polo, cross country. There is even a 3,000 acre riding park, provided by the Moss Foundation for anyone with a horse to ride.

Other recreation for visitors includes hiking trails, cycling paths, birding, croquet, tennis, lawn bowling and water sports. Historic home tours, wine tastings, and plenty of gourmet dining can be found throughout the various towns. Most are independent, family-owned businesses.

In addition, quaint boutiques, antique shops, day spas, book shops, art galleries, potteries, and gourmet gift shops are sprinkled throughout Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, and Cameron.

So while you’re here for the Palustris Festival, include some time to enjoy the other happenings and places of interest in between the festival’s concerts, exhibits, and demonstrations. Look for other activities on www.homeofgolf.com.