The greenest hotel in the U.S., Greensboro's Proximity. (Photo: Proximity Hotel)
There’s been a lot of hype recently about the so-called greenest hotel in the nation, the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C. I’ve been there. It’s nice enough -- actually, it’s really nice. But I’m a little disturbed by the fact that the city and state are attempting to parlay the hotel’s credentials into a tourism boom for Greensboro. I have several friends who either live in or are from Greensboro. And they have nice enough things to say about their hometown. But let’s be honest, Greensboro doesn’t have the same allure as, say, Asheville -- or even Charlotte. Take for instance North Carolina Tourism’s new “Going Green in Greensboro” contest. The contest winner gets a weekend for four in Greensboro, with a stay at the Proximity, which has been awarded the nation’s first LEED Platinum status for emphasis on green construction and operations. (I wasn’t kidding -- it’s a cool hotel!) But the rest of the prize package seems sort of lackluster: a golf outing, tickets to an event at the city’s coliseum, a trip to the Natural Science Center. Other than the bicycle rental to enjoy nearby Greensboro Greenway, I’m not really feeling it.
Now, I realize that I probably have not given Greensboro enough of a chance. My only trip to the city was for a wedding last spring. I was inside the city limits for a grand total of about 24 hours -- most of that spent at wedding festivities. That’s why I’ve entered the contest. I know, I’m all about the contests these days. What? They're free!
But perhaps Greensboro truly is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. What do you think? Is Greensboro worth the five-hour trek from the District? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email at katie@katiejhowell.com.
Comments
It's a great place to catch up on your sleep. Just stay west of Elm Street and north of Lee st, and away from High Point Road and you'll be fine.
Greensboro surprises many with lots of great things to do. For cultural events, our colleges and universities host many great theatre, art and other events. Plus more professional and community theatre. Plenty of live music - from clubs downtown (like Green St) to major concerts in our 23,000-seat coliseum. Dance on the rooftop at Heaven. Lots of local food and great farmers markets. For the outdoors person, there are 80 miles of hiking and biking trails in the city - including great mountain biking around several lakes (great for kayaking too). The amazing NC Zoo is nearby. And there is plenty of shopping, including art galleries, the best deals on furniture in the country and "see it to believe it" Replacements. Ltd.
If you haven't been to Greensboro lately you definitely need to come and visit. Being very up front, I work at the Visitors Bureau and help promote the city to meeting planners, leisure travelers and business travelers. You'd be surprised at all there is to do here. You're located right in the middle of the best part of North Carolina when you're in Greensboro. We host the ACC Women's Basketball tournament and NCAA Men's Regional 1st & 2nd rounds in March, and the PGA's Wyndham Championship in the summer. If you like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, The Dead, Mamma Mia - then you'll like the Greensboro Coliseum where they all are appearing. Plenty of great things to see and do. Give Greensboro a try - I bet you'll be surprised.
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