4 or 5 hours in Lexington, NC.... what to do?

[Papa Deuce]

I plan to go there for an afternoon next month for some BBQ. As longa s we are there I may as well check the city out.

With just a few hours, what would you recemmend?

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

You could visit Hayes Jewelers. www.hayesjewelers.com He sells to people in the NASCAR industry. You may run into someone famous.

I hope you know that the BBQ in Lexington is vinegar based. It may be different from what you are use to eating.

The artist Bob Timberlake has a nice store and gallery. He also has a furniture and clothing line. My husband's uncle made all of the punched tin lighting in his store. www.bobtimberlake.com

I've only gone to Lexington to eat Q, never to sightsee. I have 4 great aunts that live there. Sorry that I'm not much help.

Lori

 

[Papa Deuce]

I hope you know that the BBQ in Lexington is vinegar based. It may be different from what you are used to eating.

Lori

Fine by me..... vinegar based is GREAT!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Be sure to ask for extra DIP. That's what the locals call sauce.

Lori

 

[ilovepcot]

Stuck in Lexington you say? Got a map???

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Don't blink or you may be out of town!

 

[bcvgal]

There are the Childress Vineyards and the Richard Childress Racing Museum too.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Don't blink or you may be out of town!

So.... there isn't 4 - 5 hours of stuff to see and do, if an hour is used for lunch?

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

You could come 20 minutes further up I-85 and see me!

I like the Timberlake Studio idea; haven't ever been to Childress Vineyards

Need furniture? High Point is just a hop, skip, and a jump up the road?

 

[2BigKIdz]

I'm going to Lexington, NC too! I even get to spend the night. My husband is playing in a paintball tournament on April 22. Never heard of Lexington until this week and then I see this thread. Good to know they have a great BBQ, vinegar based is my absolute favorite. (My favorite is Pigman's at the Outer Banks)

 

[Straitlover]

I thought Lexington style barbecue was tomato based? I've never been there, but that's what I've already heard. Eastern NC barbecue (where I grew up and live) is vinegar based.

Hmmm, I need to do some research!

EDIT: OK, theirs does have vinegar, but it also has ketchup. That's the difference between eastern and western. Eastern does not have ketchup. Don't know if this is the case in Lexington, but the barbecue sandwiches I have had in the Hickory, NC area have dill pickle chips on them. Gross!!!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

"western" barbecue is a little sweeter. As you said, it includes ketchup in the dip. I am pretty luck because I live sort of between the 'east' and the 'west'. This means I get to enjoy either style on a regular basis.

At I say I am lucky; a cardiologist may disagree

 

[NCRedding]

That is ALOT of time to kill in Lexington. i used to struggle to find something to do in Lexington for the 1 hour my DD had gymnastics class. If you have 4-5 hours, and a car, you ought to drive on down to Asheboro (about 20-25 minutes down 64) and visit the North Carolina Zoo.

One thing in Lexington that is kinda cool are the pig scultures downtown--they're decorated to reflect businesses, etc. So they have a barrister pig in wig and gown; a pig in pjs, a sports bar pig--can't think of all of them, but that is pretty good to kill about 15 minutes. Further obsure interests in the area include Thomasville with the "world's largest chair" and High Point with the "world's largest chest of drawers" There is also a doll museum in HP, but all those dolls looking at me creeps me out, so I only visited once.

as to the barbeque: it is tomato based with ketchup. The most famous place to eat it is Lexington Barbeque on business 85; but most locals go to Speedys which is on 52 towards Winston (much larger portions). There will be sliced dill pickles on the trays and plates, not sure about on the sandwiches.

 

[tar heel]

We don't do anything in Lexington except eat barbecue, usually at Lexington #1 although DH has been known to hit Speedy's.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

We like Speedy's too.

 

[NCRedding]

DH reminded me that in Spencer, near Lexington, there is the NC Transportation Museum which has lots of train stuff, and a roundhouse. It can be fun for a few hours if you are into trains.

 

[lecach]

Lexington NC is my hometown! There are some neat stores downtown like the candy factory. Bob Timberlakes studio is cool, I have heard Childress vineyards is really nice, and High Rock lake is just down highway 8 - about 20 minutes.

 

[Papa Deuce]

We don't do anything in Lexington except eat barbecue, usually at Lexington #1 although DH has been known to hit Speedy's.

How close is Speedy's to Lexington? I'm actually just going to Lexington from Charlotte for BBQ, as Lexington is supposed to be "legendary". I'm going just to see how my BBQ stacks up against what is supposed to be some of the best.

 

[NCRedding]

Speedy's is less than 1 mile from Lexington bbq 1. Coming from Charlotte, you would take BUSINESS 85 (getting off of the actual interstate 85). You'll actually pass the original Lexington BBQ on the left of Business 85; you'll then take the next exit which is Highway 52, towards Winston, and then go about 1/2 mile--it will be on your right.

Maybe you could pace yourself and have a small sampling at each place, and then let us know how they compare. I've always thought about doing that, but I would have to lay-off the hush puppies and sweet tea to do a double dip though, and I just couldn't do that!