College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 2 days, 4 campuses

Wake Forest, High Point, UNCG and UNC Charlotte in 2 Days: A North Carolina Piedmont College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing Wake Forest, High Point University, UNC Greensboro and UNC Charlotte in two days from one hotel in downtown Greensboro: Wake Forest and High Point on day 1, then UNCG and Charlotte on day 2. Official tour sign-ups, parking at all four schools, Reynolda Gardens and the Greensboro Science Center for siblings, and Piedmont weather by season.

Roberts Hall's clock tower and columned brick facade at High Point University, with a flowering tree in front
Roberts Hall, High Point University (Apr 2007). Photo: Exwhysee at English Wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem) · High Point University (High Point) · UNC Greensboro (Greensboro) · UNC Charlotte (Charlotte)
Days
2: Wake Forest and High Point on day 1, then UNCG and UNC Charlotte on day 2. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Piedmont Triad International (GSO), about 17 minutes from downtown Greensboro with no traffic. Fly home from Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 31 minutes from UNC Charlotte.
Best base
Hyatt Place Greensboro/Downtown, about 5 minutes by car from UNCG's tour parking deck and the hotel UNCG itself names as 1 mile from campus.
Car or transit
You'll need a car. Greensboro to Wake Forest is about 44 minutes, Wake Forest to High Point about 36 minutes, and UNCG to UNC Charlotte about 1 hour 36 minutes, all with no traffic.
Registration
All four schools take visit sign-ups online. High Point asks you to allow at least two and a half hours, and Wake Forest holds your seat only until the session begins.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare four very different North Carolina schools: Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, High Point University, UNC Greensboro and UNC Charlotte.

Greensboro sits in the middle of the Piedmont Triad, so one hotel covers both days: about 44 minutes to Wake Forest, 25 minutes to High Point and 5 minutes to UNCG with no traffic.

Why this order

  • Day 1: Wake Forest's student-led walking tour lasts about 90 minutes, and High Point recommends at least two and a half hours on campus for its personalized visit.
  • Day 2: UNCG asks you to allow an hour and a half, and UNC Charlotte's first-year visit adds a residence hall tour to the admissions presentation and campus walk.
  • UNC Charlotte is about 31 minutes from Charlotte Douglas airport with no traffic, so day 2 ends close to your flight home.
Each campus parks you differently
  • Wake Forest: sessions meet at the Porter Byrum Welcome Center, 1580 Wake Forest Road, which has ample parking with electric-vehicle charging.
  • High Point: security officers at the Welcome Center direct visitors to parking. Set your GPS to One University Parkway, High Point.
  • UNCG: tour guests park free in the Walker Avenue Parking Deck (506 Stirling St.) and get parking validation at the end of the tour.
  • UNC Charlotte: limited free visitor parking in the Admissions Lot next to the Gage Undergraduate Admissions Center; overflow goes to the first floor of the South Village Deck. Bring your ticket inside for validation.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Summers are hot: July averages about 89°F highs at Piedmont Triad airport. Wake Forest moves to an indoor alternative in extreme heat or other severe weather.
  • Most of Wake Forest's tour is outdoors, so check the forecast and dress for the weather. If severe weather suspends tours, guides hold a Q&A in the Welcome Center auditorium instead.
  • Winters are mild but can bring snow: January averages about 49°F highs and 30°F lows, with about 2.9 inches of snow.
  • Wake Forest's self-guided tour books sit in boxes outside the Welcome Center on weekends, and UNCG runs tours each weekday plus select Saturdays.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. I-40 and I-85 around Greensboro and Charlotte back up at rush hour, so leave extra time.

Arrival evening: fly into Piedmont Triad and drive to downtown Greensboro

  1. Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) → Hyatt Place Greensboro/Downtown (300 N. Eugene St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~17 min, 10.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • Wake Forest asks families flying in to hold off on plane reservations until its confirmation email arrives, so book the tours first.

Day 1: Wake Forest in the morning, High Point in the afternoon

  1. Hyatt Place → Wake Forest's Porter Byrum Welcome Center (1580 Wake Forest Rd., Winston-Salem)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~44 min, 32.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  2. Welcome Center → Reynolda House Museum of American Art (2250 Reynolda Rd.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Walk
    Driving
    ~22 min walk, 1.0 mi

  3. Wake Forest → High Point University (One University Parkway, High Point)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~36 min, 24.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  4. High Point University → Hyatt Place

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~26 min, 16.2 mi
    Driving
    Drive
  • Book a morning Wake Forest visit on its campus tours page. Information sessions precede the walking tour on select dates, and if you arrive after it starts, you'll get a self-guided tour book instead.
  • Reserve an afternoon personalized visit at High Point. If your date is full or unavailable, call the Campus Visit team at 336-841-9216 or email campusvisits@highpoint.edu.
  • From Winston-Salem, HPU's directions take I-40 East to Highway 311 South (Exit 196) and on to Panther Drive, which may appear as Montlieu Avenue in your GPS.

Day 2: UNCG and UNC Charlotte, then fly home from Charlotte

  1. Hyatt Place → UNCG's Walker Avenue Parking Deck (506 Stirling St., Greensboro)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 1.8 mi
    Driving
    ~41 min walk, 1.9 mi

  2. Walker Avenue Deck → Elliott University Center, Maple Room (507 Stirling St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Walk
    Driving
    ~5 min walk, 0.2 mi

  3. UNCG → UNC Charlotte's Gage Undergraduate Admissions Center (Johnson Alumni Way, Charlotte)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 36 min, 83.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  4. UNC Charlotte → Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~31 min, 16.3 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • Register for a morning UNCG campus tour. Each in-person tour is limited to four people: one student and three family members.
  • Book an afternoon First-Year Info Session and Tour at UNC Charlotte; advance registration is required. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to check in at the Gage Undergraduate Admissions Center.
  • At UNC Charlotte, enter at the main entrance on Broadrick Boulevard and take the third right in the traffic circle onto Johnson Alumni Way.

3. Campus by campus

Wait Chapel's white steeple above Hearn Plaza, its trees draped in toilet paper after a Wake Forest win
"Rolling the Quad" at Wake Forest after the 2006 ACC championship (Dec 2006). Photo: JHMM13 at English Wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem)

Where visits start
  • Student-led walking tours last about 90 minutes, and a one-hour information session comes first on select dates. You may bring up to four guests.
  • Your reserved seat is guaranteed only until the session begins. Walk-ins join only if space allows, on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Need accessibility help? Submit the request form from your confirmation email at least three working days before the visit.
Visitor parking
  • Park at the Porter Byrum Welcome Center, 1580 Wake Forest Road, which has ample parking with electric-vehicle charging.
Getting there
  • About 44 minutes from downtown Greensboro and 39 minutes from Piedmont Triad airport with no traffic. Wake Downtown, the STEM campus, needs a separate tour registration.
What to know
  • Wake Forest's 340-acre campus is home to about 5,600 undergraduates. Reynolda House, Reynolda Gardens and Reynolda Village are part of the university and sit next to campus.
Contact
Wake Forest Undergraduate Admissions, Porter Byrum Welcome Center, 1580 Wake Forest Rd., Winston-Salem, NC; 336-758-5201.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Wake Forest: Campus visit and tour · Wake Forest: Maps and addresses · Wake Forest: Hotels

Roberts Hall's clock tower and columned brick facade at High Point University, with a flowering tree in front
Roberts Hall, High Point University (Apr 2007). Photo: Exwhysee at English Wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

High Point University (High Point)

Where visits start
  • Visits include a student-guided campus tour and conversations with the admissions team. HPU recommends allowing at least two and a half hours on campus.
  • Space is limited and many visit options fill quickly. If you can't confirm online, call 336-841-9216 or email campusvisits@highpoint.edu.
  • Want to meet a coach? HPU's NCAA Division I programs schedule those meetings directly through each team, in advance.
Visitor parking
  • Security officers at the Welcome Center direct you to visitor parking.
Getting there
  • From Piedmont Triad airport, take NC 68 South to Oak Hollow Mall, turn left on N. University Parkway, then take the third right onto Panther Drive (about 24 minutes with no traffic). Amtrak also serves High Point.
What to know
  • The HPU Panthers compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports in the Big South Conference.
Contact
High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, NC 27268; campus visits 336-841-9216, campusvisits@highpoint.edu.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: HPU: Tour High Point University · HPU: Directions · HPU: Visitor information

A brick UNCG residence hall behind a large leafy tree
Warren Ashby Residential College at Mary Foust, UNC Greensboro. Photo: Dan White, Drumrollz at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)

Where visits start
  • Tours begin in the Maple Room of the Elliott University Center with a 30-minute presentation, then a Spartan Guide walks you past residence halls, dining, the library, the student union and academic buildings. Allow about 1.5 hours.
  • Reservations are required, and each tour group is limited to one student and three family members.
Visitor parking
  • Tour guests park free in the Walker Avenue Parking Deck (506 Stirling St.) and get a parking pass at the end of the tour.
  • Without a tour reservation, the Oakland Avenue, Walker Avenue and McIver Street decks cost $2 for the first hour and $1 for each hour after, up to $10 a day.
Getting there
  • The Walker Avenue Deck is about 5 minutes by car from the Hyatt Place and 5 minutes on foot from the Elliott University Center.
What to know
  • UNCG suggests Old Town Draught House and Bojangles on Spring Garden Street and Taco Mama on Lawndale Drive for a meal near campus.
Contact
UNCG Undergraduate Admissions, 1400 Spring Garden St., Greensboro, NC 27412; 336-334-5243, admissions@uncg.edu.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: UNCG: Visit

A curved brick-and-glass building on the UNC Charlotte campus with a campus bus out front
UNC Charlotte campus (Apr 2013). Photo: chucka_nc · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte)

Where visits start
  • The First-Year Info Session and Tour is offered daily and includes an admissions presentation, a guided walking tour and a guided residence hall tour. Advance registration is required.
  • Tours begin and end at the Gage Undergraduate Admissions Center in South Village; arrive at least 15 minutes early. The self-guided tour also starts at Gage.
  • ADA accommodation requests go to visitcampus@charlotte.edu at least one week before your registered visit.
Visitor parking
  • Limited free visitor parking is in the Admissions Lot next to Gage; if it's full, use the first floor of the South Village Deck, a 3- to 5-minute walk. Registered tour guests get parking validated.
  • Visiting without a tour? Take a ticket in the Admissions Lot and pay at the indoor kiosk.
Getting there
  • About 31 minutes from Charlotte Douglas airport with no traffic. Enter at Broadrick Boulevard and take the third right in the traffic circle onto Johnson Alumni Way.
What to know
  • The UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, with three garden sites and the McMillan Greenhouse, are free to visit on campus.
Contact
UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Admissions, Gage Undergraduate Admissions Center, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223; visitcampus@charlotte.edu.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: UNC Charlotte: Visit · UNC Charlotte: Plan your visit · UNC Charlotte: Self-guided tour map (PDF)

4. Where to stay: two nights in Greensboro

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Hyatt Place Greensboro/Downtown

300 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC

Why here

  • UNCG names this hotel as 1 mile from campus among the hotels offering discounts to UNCG visitors, so ask about the current discount.
  • It's about 5 minutes from UNCG's tour deck, 25 minutes from High Point and 44 minutes from Wake Forest with no traffic, so one hotel covers both days.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Parking and amenities change, so confirm them on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn & Suites Greensboro/Coliseum Area

3033 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 6 minutes from UNCG's Walker Avenue Deck and 38 minutes from Wake Forest with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Amenities and room types change, so confirm them on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Proximity Hotel

704 Green Valley Rd., Greensboro, NC

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 6 minutes from UNCG's Walker Avenue Deck and 43 minutes from Wake Forest with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Two nights in Greensboro keep three of the four schools within about 45 minutes. Only the UNC Charlotte leg is long, and it points you toward the Charlotte airport for the flight home.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

Greensboro (UNCG)

Eat

Old Town Draught House

1205 Spring Garden St., Greensboro, NC

One of the places UNCG suggests for visitors, about a 6-minute walk from the Walker Avenue Deck.

Details →

Eat

Taco Mama

2168 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, NC

Also on UNCG's list of places to eat, about 6 minutes by car from the Walker Avenue Deck.

Details →

Winston-Salem (Wake Forest)

Eat

Reynolda Village

2201 Reynolda Rd., Winston-Salem, NC

Shops and restaurants on the Reynolda estate next to Wake Forest; hours vary by merchant, so check the directory first.

Details →

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Reynolda Gardens

100 Reynolda Village Way, Winston-Salem, NC

The gardens and grounds are open during daylight hours year-round, free of charge, with free parking. Reynolda House, the art museum next door, is open Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday afternoons and closed Mondays.

Official page →

With siblings

Greensboro Science Center

4301 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, NC

An aquarium, museum and zoo in one, about 10 minutes from the Hyatt Place with no traffic. A parking lot expansion is underway, so check the site for temporary parking and the day's hours.

Official page →

With siblings

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens

UNC Charlotte campus, Charlotte, NC

Admission to the McMillan Greenhouse and gardens is free; sign the visitors' log just inside the greenhouse. The outdoor gardens are sloped and not wheelchair-accessible, but the greenhouse is.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • At Wake Forest, park at the Porter Byrum Welcome Center. At High Point, follow the security officers at the Welcome Center to visitor parking.
  • At UNCG, park in the Walker Avenue Deck and keep the parking pass you get at the end of the tour.
  • At UNC Charlotte, bring your Admissions Lot ticket inside for validation if you're on a registered tour.

Flying in and out

  • Fly into Piedmont Triad International (GSO), about 17 minutes from downtown Greensboro and 24 minutes from High Point with no traffic.
  • Fly home from Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 31 minutes from UNC Charlotte. A one-way car rental from GSO to CLT saves backtracking.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Piedmont Triad airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 71°F highs and 48°F lows, with about 3.8 inches of precipitation.
  • Summer: July averages about 89°F highs and 69°F lows, with about 4.2 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 71°F highs and 49°F lows, with about 3.1 inches of precipitation.
  • Winter: January averages about 49°F highs and 30°F lows, with about 2.9 inches of snow.

Parent checklist

  • Register for all four visits online: Wake Forest in the morning and High Point in the afternoon on day 1, then UNCG and UNC Charlotte on day 2.
  • Wait for Wake Forest's confirmation email before booking flights, then plan to fly into GSO and home from CLT.
  • Book two nights in Greensboro and a one-way car from GSO to CLT if you can.
  • Leave buffer before Wake Forest: your reserved seat is held only until the session begins.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

4 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Wake Forest University, High Point University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and University of North Carolina at Charlotte): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Wake Forest University
  5. Wake Forest University Athletics (official site)
  6. Wake Forest University Athletics: Prospective Student-Athlete Form
  7. Wake Forest University Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. Wake Forest University Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: High Point University
  10. High Point University Athletics (official site)
  11. High Point University Athletics: Compliance
  12. High Point University Athletics: Staff Directory
  13. High Point University Athletics: schedule of events
  14. NCAA Directory: The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  15. University of North Carolina at Greensboro Athletics (official site)
  16. University of North Carolina at Greensboro Athletics: NCAA Rules Compliance
  17. University of North Carolina at Greensboro Athletics: Staff Directory
  18. University of North Carolina at Greensboro Athletics: schedule of events
  19. NCAA Directory: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  20. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Athletics (official site)
  21. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Athletics: Compliance
  22. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Athletics: Staff Directory
  23. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. UNC Charlotte Admissions: Visit
  2. UNC Charlotte: First-Year Info Session and Tour (official sign-up)
  3. UNC Charlotte Admissions: Plan your visit
  4. UNC Greensboro Admissions: Visit
  5. UNC Greensboro: Campus tours (official sign-up)
  6. High Point University: Tour High Point University
  7. High Point University: Campus visit (official sign-up)
  8. High Point University: Visitor information
  9. High Point University: Directions to HPU
  10. Wake Forest Admissions: Campus visit and tour
  11. Wake Forest: Campus tours (official sign-up)
  12. Wake Forest: Maps and addresses
  13. Reynolda: Hours, directions and admission
  14. Greensboro Science Center
  15. UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens: Visiting the gardens
  16. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  17. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  18. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  19. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Piedmont Triad International Airport, NC (USW00013723)
  20. Expedia listing: Hyatt Place Greensboro/Downtown (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Greensboro-Hotels-Hyatt-Place-GreensboroDowntown.h31708841.Hotel-Information)
  21. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn & Suites Greensboro/Coliseum Area (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Greensboro-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Suites-GreensboroColiseum-Area.h5232877.Hotel-Information)
  22. Expedia listing: Proximity Hotel (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Greensboro-Hotels-Proximity-Hotel.h1725222.Hotel-Information)