Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Locust & Stanly County, North Carolina

The lavender farms

• Running Creek LavenderLavender farm · Locust

  Ticketed u-pick on select June Saturdays, 9 am-2 pm (June 6 and 13, 2026); photography sessions by booking; gift shop.

Best time to visit

Running Creek Lavender's u-pick falls on reserved Saturdays in June (June 6 and 13 in 2026, 9 am to 2 pm), and reservations opened in April. Reed Gold Mine and Town Creek Indian Mound are open Tuesday through Saturday all year, but gold panning stops in moderate to heavy rain, lightning or a heat index above 103 degrees, so spring and fall are easiest. Morrow Mountain's gates stay open until 10 pm from May through September and its museum is open daily; the swimming pool is closed for the 2026 season. The Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum in Mount Pleasant opens Saturdays from March through mid-December.

Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks

• Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site🏛️ Historic site · Midland · about 5 mi, 15 min drive

  Site of the first documented gold find in the United States; North Carolina led the nation in gold until 1848. Guided underground tours run six times a day, and you can try gold panning.

  Tuesday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm

  Grounds free; mine tours $5 adults, $1 ages 3-17; panning $5 per person (2026)

• Mount Pleasant Historic District🏘️ Town · Mount Pleasant · about 8 mi, 20 min drive

  Cabarrus County's smallest town has a historic district listed on the National Register in 1986. The Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum fills the three-story main building of the former collegiate institute.

  Museum Saturdays 10 am to 3 pm, March through mid-December

  Museum free during regular hours

• Locust Historical Society and Museum🏛️ Museum · Locust · about 4 mi, 10 min drive

  A small local history museum on Officer Jeff Shelton Drive in Locust, close to the lavender farm.

  Sunday afternoons or by appointment

• Stanly County Museum🏛️ Museum · Albemarle · about 11 mi, 25 min drive

  The county history museum at 157 North Second Street in downtown Albemarle; the historic Snuggs House and Marks House are listed on North Third Street nearby.

• Morrow Mountain State Park🌳 State park · Albemarle · about 18 mi, 35 min drive

  Trails climb to the summit of Morrow Mountain among 54 miles of hiking and 33 miles of bridle trails, with weekend boat rentals on Lake Tillery, a Yadkin River fishing pier and stone buildings put up by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

  Gates open 7 am, closing 7 pm in winter to 10 pm May-September; museum daily 10 to 5; pool closed for 2026

  free day use

• Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site🏛️ Historic site · Mt. Gilead · about 26 mi, 50 min drive

  The mound and village of the Pee Dee, a Mississippian culture in the region from as early as 980, on the Little River. The visitor center and gift shop are closed for construction, but the grounds are open for self-guided tours.

  Tuesday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm

  free

• Downtown Concord🏘️ Town · Concord · about 14 mi, 30 min drive

  A historic district along tree-lined Union Street with the 19th-century Cabarrus County Courthouse and the Davis Theatre; evening History & Haunts walking tours run on Fridays and Saturdays.

• Memorial Garden🌷 Garden · Concord · about 14 mi, 30 min drive

  A restored garden dating to 1804 and covering about three acres, at 36 Spring Street SW a block off downtown Concord.

• UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens🌷 Garden · Charlotte · about 20 mi, 35 min drive

  Campus gardens including the wooded Van Landingham Glen, the Susie Harwood Garden and the McMillan Greenhouse; groups of eight or more register ahead.

  Grounds dawn to dusk daily; greenhouse Monday to Friday 9 to 4

Where to stop: farms, food and stays

• The Morehead InnInn or B&B · Charlotte

  A 1917 house in Charlotte's Dilworth neighborhood, renovated in 1995, with 12 guest rooms and a four-bedroom carriage house minutes from Uptown.

• The VanLandingham EstateInn or B&B · Charlotte

  A historic Charlotte house used as an event venue, worth knowing if you are planning a gathering around a lavender-season visit.

A one-day plan

1. 9:00 AM
   Running Creek Lavender

   Only on a reserved June u-pick Saturday: cut your own lavender and browse the farm's distilled goods and honey; about an hour. There are no posted drop-in hours the rest of the year.

2. 10:15 AM
   Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site · about 15 min drive

   Take a guided underground tour and pan for gold; about 1.5 hours.

3. 12:15 PM
   Mount Pleasant Historic District · about 25 min drive

   Lunch at one of the cafes or restaurants in the historic district, then the free Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum (Saturdays 10 to 3); about 1.5 hours.

4. 2:15 PM
   Stanly County Museum · about 35 min drive

   About 35 minutes east. Walk Second Street in downtown Albemarle and visit the county museum; about 45 minutes. Hours are not posted, so call 704-986-3777 first.

5. 3:15 PM
   Morrow Mountain State Park · about 15 min drive

   Drive to the summit, walk a trail and stop in the park museum before it closes at 5; about 2 hours.

6. 6:15 PM
   The Morehead Inn · about 75 min drive

   About an hour and 15 minutes west to Charlotte's Dilworth neighborhood for the night.

🗺️ Plan this trip in the trip planner

Tips

• Running Creek Lavender u-pick needs a reservation, closes in rain and does not allow pets.
• Reed Gold Mine and Town Creek Indian Mound are closed Sundays and Mondays, so plan this area for Tuesday through Saturday.
• Gold panning at Reed stops in bad weather or extreme heat; the site suggests calling ahead at 704-721-4653.
• Morrow Mountain's pool is closed for 2026; dogs are welcome on a 6-foot leash but not at the pool or inside buildings.
• Town Creek's visitor center is closed for construction, but restrooms are available and the mound grounds stay open.