Downtown Greensboro guide: Elm Street, LeBauer and Center City parks, the Civil Rights Museum, the Tanger Center, free trolley, BORO social district and parking.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts are from Downtown Greensboro Inc., the City of Greensboro and each venue’s own site, linked below. Downtown parking questions: City of Greensboro Parking, 336-373-4786.

Downtown Greensboro runs along Elm Street, from the restaurants and bars of South Elm and the Southside neighborhood north past the International Civil Rights Center & Museum to LeBauer Park and Center City Park, ringed by the 4-mile Downtown Greenway. Downtown Greensboro Inc. counts cuisines from 10 countries and more than 21 locally owned small-batch breweries and tap houses within walking distance.

What this means for you

  • Park free: surface lots and street parking after 5 p.m. weekdays and all weekend; all decks free Sundays.
  • Drinks to go: the BORO social district, noon to 9 p.m., in the official cup.
  • Free monthly party: First Saturday Stroll on Elm, April to November except July.

What to see

  • International Civil Rights Center & Museum, 134 S. Elm St.: in the former F. W. Woolworth store where the Feb. 1, 1960, sit-ins began (see our history and landmarks page). Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and closed Sunday; visits are staff-guided tours of the permanent collection, which families and small groups book online, according to the museum.
  • Greensboro History Museum, entrance at Summit Avenue and East Lindsay Street: free, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, with free parking in two adjacent lots, according to the museum.
  • Mary Lynn Richardson Park, beside the museum: walkways around the McNairy House, Isley House and Hockett workshops, showing Guilford County life in the late 1700s and early 1800s, according to Downtown Greensboro Inc.
  • Public art: downtown’s murals, sculptures and greenway pieces are mapped in DGI’s public art directory.

The parks

From the city and Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc., which runs both parks and hosts more than 350 free programs a year. Both parks are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

  • Center City Park, 200 N. Elm St.: sculpture fountains, a great lawn and the Oval Lawn Pavilion, home of the summer City Sunsets concert series.
  • LeBauer Park, 208 N. Davie St.: the UNCG Great Lawn, Janet Echelman’s aerial sculpture “Where We Met,” a playground, the Lincoln Financial Children’s Garden, a splash pad from May to September, a dog park, Carolyn’s Garden with the state’s only Women’s Holocaust Memorial, and food from Cafe Europa and two kiosks.
  • Downtown Greenway: a 4-mile paved loop around downtown with public art, open 24 hours; see our trails guide.

Shows and games

  • Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, One Abe Brenner Place, 300 N. Elm St.: Broadway tours, concerts and the Greensboro Symphony; see the event calendar.
  • Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St.: films, concerts and the Greensboro Ballet’s Nutcracker; box office 336-333-2605, noon to 3 p.m. weekdays; see its calendar.
  • First National Bank Field: home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ affiliate; 2027 dates are on the team’s schedule.

Eat and drink

Downtown Greensboro Inc. keeps a full dining and drinks directory with addresses, from coffee houses to fine dining. Our guides pick out brunch, date night and live music and nightlife.

The BORO social district

Under the city’s Border of Refreshments Outdoors (BORO) program, you can stroll inside the district with an alcoholic drink from noon to 9 p.m., according to Downtown Greensboro Inc.:

  • Buy it at a participating business, in the official BORO cup, 16 ounces or less.
  • Look for the BORO sticker before carrying a drink into a store.
  • Don’t carry it into another bar or restaurant that serves alcohol.
  • Throw the cup away in downtown trash cans.

First Saturday Stroll on Elm

Every first Saturday from April to November, except July, the 300 block of South Elm Street, between McGee and Washington streets, fills with local vendors, small businesses, live music, dancing and family activities from noon on. It is free, according to Downtown Greensboro Inc. The next Strolls are Nov. 7, 2026, then April 3, 2027.

Getting there and parking

From the city’s parking page:

  • About 4,400 public spaces downtown in decks, lots and on the street.
  • Free: surface lots and street parking after 5 p.m. weekdays and all weekend; the first hour in city decks, weekdays until 6 p.m.; and all decks on Sundays.
  • Pay with the ParkMobile app or by calling 877-727-5301; meters are being phased out.
  • City decks include the Church Street Deck, 215 N. Church St., the Greene Street Deck, 211 S. Greene St., the Eugene Street Deck, 215 N. Eugene St., and the February One Deck, 110 S. Davie St., according to DGI.

Hopper Trolley: GTA’s free, seasonal downtown trolley runs noon to midnight Thursday to Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, plus Wednesday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon to the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, according to the city’s GTA routes page.

Big downtown dates

Frequently asked questions

Where can I park in downtown Greensboro?

Downtown has about 4,400 public spaces. Surface lots and street parking are free after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend, city decks give the first hour free on weekdays until 6 p.m., and all decks are free on Sundays.

Can you walk around with a drink in downtown Greensboro?

Yes, inside the BORO social district from noon to 9 p.m., in the official BORO cup of up to 16 ounces bought from a participating business. Don’t carry it into another bar or restaurant that serves alcohol.

What is First Saturday Stroll on Elm?

A free monthly street event on the 300 block of South Elm Street, between McGee and Washington streets, from noon on the first Saturday of each month, April to November except July, with vendors, live music and family activities.

Is there a free trolley in downtown Greensboro?

Yes. GTA’s seasonal Hopper Trolley is free and runs noon to midnight Thursday to Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, with Wednesday morning service to the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market.