Shining a light on the area's best-kept secrets

Our fair city and the surrounding counties and countryside contain more riches and delights than we can name. Some are free, some are pricey and others are priceless.

In addition to the annual Readers' Choice section that's in today's paper, we did an in-house poll, asking Journal newsroom staff to share some of the things they consider to be the best -- and sometimes the best-kept secrets -- of Winston-Salem and Northwest North Carolina.

You can add your comments and your favorite hidden gems at www.journalnow.com.

Best Downtown Smell: Curing tobacco. Not as ubiquitous as it once was, but occasionally when the wind is just right and the air is clear, Winston-Salem can smell like a rose-scented humidor.

Best View, Repurposed: The overlook in front of Reynolds Auditorium is a great place for an impromptu party (when not in use, of course). Break out the chips and your boom box -- iPod, whatever -- and enjoy the view of our well-treed city with your friends and family.

Best View of the City: Driving from the south side toward town from the peak of Broad or South Main streets.

Best Spring Color Explosion: Runnymeade Park on Runnymeade Road, mostly azaleas.

Best Fall Foliage: 1) The giant ginkgo tree in God's Acre, Old Salem. 2) Along Reynolda and North Stratford roads.

Best Country Drive: Conrad Road (west of Lewisville), which is lined with attractive maple trees, pastures and horses.

Best Place for a Run in Fresh Snow: Wake Forest University campus and Reynolda Gardens, especially if it's during winter break.

Best Bike Ride: The Greenway from Central Park (near Old Salem) connects to the trail around Salem Lake. Loop the lake and ride back to your starting point -- there's pretty scenery and no need to deal with the dangers of crazy drivers.

Best Morning Run: Down the greenway trail, from Salem College to Salem Lake.

Best Hike With Your Dog: Pilot Mountain.

Best Walk With Your Dog: Through Washington Park to Swaim's Grocery for a beer -- for you -- and peanuts -- for the pup.

Best Little-Known County Park: C.G. Hill Park, 5600 Balsom Road, a few miles beyond Reagan High School, features two paved jogging trails, picnic tables, a charming gazebo tucked into the woods, and a stocked fishing pond. An added bonus is a centuries-old, hollowed-out, giant poplar tree, said to have been used to hide small livestock from the British. The pond is a quiet place to stroll along a shady path, watch the ducks and geese frolic in the cool water, and perhaps toss a baited line from the bank and pretend to fish.

Best Micro-Parks: Clark-Mikens, 1230 E. 17th St. (1 acre); Harambee Park, 14th St. (1 acre); Lockland, 401 Lockland Ave. (1.86 acres); Fairview, 1690 E. 19th St. (2.1 acres); Hanestown, 411 Olive St. (2.4 acres); Ardmore, 1021 Melrose St. (4 acres); and Brushy Fork, 1860 E. First St. (4.3 acres).

Best Serene Place for a Walk: The lake and manicured trees and lawns of the medical park between Hanes Mall Boulevard and Burke Mill Road.

Best Walking or Running Track in Town: The nice and squishy one in Kentner Stadium at WFU. This attracts a nice group of folks who walk there at 6 a.m.

Prettiest Cemetery: Salem Cemetery because of its mausoleums and fancy markers.

Most-Historic Tree: The 500-year-old poplar at C.G. Hill Memorial Park.

Most-Impressive Industrial Site: The world's largest open-face granite quarry, 151 Granite Quarry Trail, Mount Airy. Signs will direct you to an observation area.

Best Swimming Hole: Hanging Rock.

Best Free Date: Picnic lunch at Reynolda Gardens.

Best Place to Watch Birds During a Picnic Breakfast: The grass at Reynolda House by Lake Katharine.

Best Place for Playing Outside: The horseshoe pits at Miller Park.

Most Peaceful Location: Salem Lake.

Best Job for a 13-Year-Old: Refereeing for Optimist soccer games on Saturdays in the spring and fall. This job pays about $10 to $12 an hour, depending on the ages of the players involved. It teaches the teen how to manage crazy parents -- which can include ejecting them from the field by issuing a red card. Unfortunately, that technique may not work at home.

Best Place to Learn to Drive: Hanes Mall parking lot on Sunday mornings. It has stop signs -- "You just went through a stop sign" -- and curbs that suddenly appear. And there are plenty of opportunities to practice parking.

Best Place to Teach a Small Child to Play Soccer or Field Hockey: The artificial surface at Kentner Stadium -- where there is never a bad hop.

Best Place For Wi-Fi: Panera Bread Company, 2209 Cloverdale Ave. in the Cloverdale Shopping Center, has free Wi-Fi and a casual atmosphere. It can get busy at such peak times as lunch hour. Otherwise you can sit down, have a cool drink, and surf to your heart's content.