Explore Davidson through two clear focal points: the college’s history and activities along trails and the lake. The local historic district covers two to three blocks of downtown, parts of the historic campus, and extends to North Main Street. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. History enthusiasts will find an area that brings together both downtown and campus history.
Campus History and Culture
The Historic Quad at Davidson College includes Eumenean Hall, Philanthropic Hall, Elm Row, and Oak Row. Oak Row was converted into a permanent exhibition space presenting the college’s institutional history. The Davidson College historic campus tour is an adapted version of a tour created by Anaya Patel and Lauren Collver in 2023; it connects primary and secondary sources. The college hosts more than 100 performances and exhibitions every year. Alongside the historic buildings, recurring cultural events are therefore also part of Davidson College.
Trails, Park, and Lake
Fisher Farm offers a different focus: The 200-acre park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, insects, and plant species. Its four miles of mountain biking trails offer challenges for everyone from beginners to advanced riders. The combination of nature and trails with varying levels of difficulty makes Fisher Farm especially appealing if you want to include cycling in your stay.
For walking, the City of Davidson’s greenways provide more than six miles of walkable trails in total. One specific figure is the length of the Randall R. Kincaid Trail: It measures 2.8 miles. These figures offer different points of reference—the greenways as the total length of walkable trails and the Randall R. Kincaid Trail as a named route.
The Sterling Martin Trail at Lake Davidson Nature Preserve is a 0.5-mile loop along the lakeshore. The preserve also provides public access to the lake, where private watercraft can be launched. The short loop and access for your own watercraft appeal to different interests; each is a separate way to include the lake in your trip planning.
Events and Seasonal Activities
First Fridays is a gallery crawl in downtown Davidson and along South Main Street. The event takes place on the first Friday of every month from May through October, bringing together local art, music, and shopping. Since the City of Davidson’s event schedule may change, it’s worth checking the dates before your trip. Christmas in Davidson is the city’s annual weekend-long Christmas celebration.
Guided kayak tours on Lake Davidson are also offered only during certain seasons: The Lake Access & Watercrafts program offers them exclusively in spring and fall; program details may change. Advance registration is required for the Davidson Archery Range. It is open to community members of all experience levels during operating hours; hours and programs depend on staff availability and may change.
Discover more destinations: Charlotte, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, Cornelius, Pineville
View the overview of the wider region: Mecklenburg.
