<p>Some more information about Winston-Salem:
There’s a large mall (Hanes Mall) that for many years was the largest mall between Washington and Atlanta (although it may have been surpassed in recent years by Concord Mills, about one hour to the south). There are lots of restaurants and movie theaters. The beach is about 4 hours to the SE; the mountains are an hour or two to the NE, although there are some small mountains and state parks within 30 minutes (e.g. Hanging Rock State Park and Pilot Mtn.) For road trips or to visit friends at other schools, UNC, Duke, Appalachian St., Elon, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Greensboro, Davidson, NC State and many other colleges are all within a 1-2 hour drive.
I hope this information helps. Good luck with your decision!</p>