1. Davidson Day School
City: Davidson, NC
Category: Education
Telephone: (704) 896-3585
Address: 412 Armour St.
Description: A private school in the quaint town surrounding Davidson College, Davidson Day was founded in 1999. The school with prekindergarten through grade 9 stresses academic and personal success through small classes, cutting-edge instructional methods, and individual learning plans. In 2004 the school completed a new library, soccer field, playground, high school expansion, and environmental studies path to Lake Davidson. Davidson Day also has a technology center. Students may participate in soccer, basketball, baseball, swimming, golf, and tennis, as well as dance, theater, drama, art, and music. All students from prekindergarten and up take foreign language classes. After-school programs are varied and interesting, with activities such as horseback riding.
2. Brickhouse Tavern
City: Davidson, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (704) 987-2022
Address: 209 Delburg St.
Description: Surprisingly enough, a happening time can be had at this refurbished cotton mill in Davidson. Yep, conservative and low-key Davidson now has an “it” place for non-students. A typical evening at Brickhouse Tavern reveals a nicely dressed crowd of 30- and 40-somethings enjoying a selection of 50 beers on tap, with live music to boot. Weekends are great, as well as any night of a Davidson College home basketball game. The restaurant is good, too.
3. The Pines At Davidson
City: Davidson, NC
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (704) 896-1100
Address: 400 Avinger Lane
Description: This nonprofit retirement community offers detached cottages and apartments for independent living, assisted-living apartments, and nursing-care rooms in a quaint college community at Lake Norman. Amenities include a central and private dining room, game room, billiards, laundry facilities, library, chapel, beauty parlor and barber shop, resident storage, a bank branch, a post office, and a wellness clinic with an exercise room, whirlpool, and warm therapy pool. Residents are close to Davidson College, allowing them to audit classes and attend a multitude of cultural events. Residents also receive membership at nearby River Run Country Club.
4. Davidson Community Players
City: Davidson, NC
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (704) 892-7953
Address: 107 North Main St.
Description: Founded in 1965, this community theater for the North Mecklenburg area presents two major summer productions, a winter children’s play, “fireside” readings, dinner theater productions, and receptions.
5. Our Town Cinemas
City: Davidson, NC
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (704) 237-3235
Address: 227 Griffith St.
Description: Davidson received a cool present Christmas day 2009 with the opening of Our Town Cinemas. This “movie theater” is more an old-school cinema. Two 90-seat theaters and two 40-seat theaters show first-run movies in a comfortable setting. The seats are oversized office chairs, complete with rollers, and clustered around small tables. Concession stand items include hamburgers from White Castle and hotdogs from Nathan’s, plus pizzas from nearby Brick House Tavern. Say “no” to big-box mega-theaters and “yes” to this hometown movie house. Tickets are $9 adults, $8 students, and $7 seniors and kids 3 to 12. Matinees are $7 for everybody.