Have a good breakfast (complete with a cookie or two – I won’t tell!). Then head out to White Pines Nature Preserve for a late morning hike to the confluence of the Deep and Rocky Rivers. Keep your eye out for birds – White Pines Nature Preserve is part of the North Carolina Birding Trail, and a great place to find Ruby Crowned and Golden Crowned Kinglets, Slate Colored Juncos, Winter Wrens, and Brown Creepers. You might even see a Belted Kingfisher or Great Blue Heron fishing over the Deep and Rocky rivers. And to keep you in the spirit of the season, take time to enjoy all the pines (of course!) and holly along the trail.

View White Pines Studio Finds in a larger map

White Pines is TLC’s flagship nature preserve. It is a nationally significant natural area that is home to the easternmost stands of white pine in the state, along with several other plant species more commonly found in the mountains. The Deep and Rocky rivers here are also home to the endangered Cape Fear shiner, a small fish that lives in only a few other NC rivers. Now over 300 acres, White Pines Nature Preserve is the epicenter of TLC’s successful work to conserve more than 1,800 acres in this area of Chatham and Lee counties traditionally known as “Forks of the River.”

More information about White Pines Nature Preserve, including a preserve guide, can be found here.

When you’re finished, head to Pittsboro for a bite to eat at the S&T Soda Shoppe. Stepping into this local destination is like traveling back in time. The marble countertop, friendly faces and 1920s decor – not to mention the fabulous shakes and sundaes – will have you coming back for more. Be sure to bring your appetite and a few friends to help you polish off the banana split!

While you are at the Soda Shoppe, pick up a map for the Chatham Studio Tour, happening the first two weekends in December. With artists ranging from sculptors to potters to painters to quilters – all selling their wares in addition to sharing their craft – the Chatham Studio Tour offers a great opportunity to finish up some of that holiday shopping.

What better way to end the day than with a train ride in the country – with the jolly old elf himself! The New Hope Valley Railway and Santa Claus team up for special train rides the first two weekends in December. This is your chance to tell Santa how good you’ve been all year! Be sure to buy tickets early, as this is a favorite activity for boys and girls, naughty or nice, throughout the region.

Best time to visit: December to catch the Santa train and Studio Tour. White Pines Nature Preserve is spectacular throughout the year.

Photo by Jennifer Peterson