Escape to the English countryside without taking a flight ByElliott Harrell | Published on June 14, 2026
Sometimes it can feel like you need a vacation after getting back from a vacation. With days packed with activities in resorts bustling with people, there isn't always the chance to fully relax.
But other vacations feel like true escapes, where time slows down and you can fully unwind. The Fearrington House Inn always feels like the latter to me. It's just over a 45-minute drive from Raleigh but seems like it's an ocean away in an idyllic English countryside, featuring a small village of curated shops, Michelin-recommended food, and a world-class spa. It's a delightful breath of fresh air and a weekend getaway that will leave you feeling fully refreshed.
An Old Dairy Farm Turned Luxury Hotel
The Fearrington sits on 640 acres of rural farmland. The land was originally purchased in 1786 for a whopping $80. It was passed down to the Fearrington family, who turned it into a dairy farm in the 1920s.
n 1974, R.B. Fitch and his wife Jenny purchased the property. The pair were avid travelers and were fond of the English countryside, which is where the inspiration for much of the Fearrington's aesthetics came from.
Vestiges of the old dairy farm exist across the property. The Fitches restored the property's original homestead and opened the Michelin-recommended and AAA Five Diamond Fearrington House Restaurant in 1980. The Inn opened in 1986, and the property became part of the luxury Relais & Châteaux hotel group in 1988. It's one of only four Relais & Châteaux properties in North Carolina.
Other buildings from the dairy farm have been transformed on the property, too. A former milking barn was converted to an upscale women's clothing store in the village, and an old granary became a gourmet market, café and wine shop.
How To Get There
The Fearrington House Inn is located in Pittsboro, North Carolina, under an hour from Raleigh and just 20 minutes from Chapel Hill. If you're flying, the Raleigh-Durham airport is about 30 minutes away. Unless you feel inclined to wander around Chapel Hill while you're there, renting a car won't be necessary and you can just Uber.
The Fearrington is also only two hours from Charlotte, and just over four hours from Charleston. Plan on giving yourself 48 hours on the property to properly relax and to enjoy all of the culinary experiences available.
You'll use country roads to get to the Fearrington, so by the time you arrive it feels like you're far away from the city, and there's no ambient noise from car horns or alarms, either.
Best Time To Visit
Any time of the year is a good time to visit the Fearrington, but depending on what type of mood you're going for may sway you to warmer or cooler months.
Many of the 32 guest rooms at the inn have a gas fireplace, and there are fireplaces in communal areas as well, which makes the property feel like a cozy respite during fall and winter months.
That said, in warmer months there's a beer garden in the center of the village that often has live music and a great pool to lounge by, so it really just depends on the vibe you want.
Things To Do
Indulge in top-notch food
The food alone is a reason to visit the Fearrington. If you're a guest at the inn, don't skip the complimentary breakfast each morning. This isn't a normal hotel spread; it's a white tablecloth situation where the service is more akin to what you'd expect at a fancy dinner. Opt for the blueberry buttermilk pancakes topped with candied pecans while you linger with a cup of coffee before tackling the day.
Then in the evening, get gussied up to try one of the tasting menus in the main dining room. You can choose between a three- or four-course course prix-fixe menu, or go all in and try the six-course chef's tasting menu. If you're staying more than one night, head to the bar the next evening to enjoy one of the best burgers around.
Whatever option you choose, though, ending the night with one of their signature chocolate soufflés is a must. Your server will present your soufflé, hollow out a portion and drizzle in decadent chocolate sauce in front of you.
Have high tea
After a big breakfast and before a big tasting menu, afternoon tea is the perfect light meal to hold you over. Expect classic English favorites like scones and clotted cream as well as Southern nods like house-made pimento cheese.
Browse the bookstore
In the village, you'll find McIntyre's Books, one of the most charming independent bookstores in the South. It's been around for almost 40 years and has an impressive selection that's always changing. Curl up with your latest pick in the reading nooks and chairs sprinkled throughout the store for a relaxing afternoon.
Do a wine tasting
The Fearrington has three sommeliers on staff. In addition to a cellar boasting 1,500 bottles of wine, there's also a wine shop in the village. Galloway's Wine Bar offers free tastings every Saturday, but for some fun whenever, try the wine flight from the bar. You'll get four mystery pours to test your wine knowledge with, and even if you don't get any right, it's still a fun experience.
Take a walk through the gardens
Co-founder Jenny Fitch loved gardening and the English countryside. Wander through the gardens she created to find over 60 garden beds filled with flowers. There's also a 17-acre park adjacent to Fearrington Village with a walking path, meadow of wildflowers and ponds. You can also borrow a bicycle from the Inn to explore around the property.
Visit the cows and goats
It's fitting that a countryside inn that used to be a dairy farm would have animals. Pop over to one of the pastures to wave to one of the more than thirty Belted Galloway cows on property or the Tennessee Fainting Goats. In the spring, you can often see baby cows and goats for an extra cute visit.
