Robeson County brings together cultural history, events, and nature experiences. In Lumberton, museums, historic buildings, and performance venues shape the cultural scene; in Pembroke, exhibitions and live events add to it. The Lumber River and the parks complement these themes with time outdoors. Which places you include therefore depends mainly on whether you want to focus your stay on history, event dates, or the landscape.
Nature and regional orientation
Lumber River State Park is located in Columbus, Robeson, Scotland, and Hoke counties. At the Princess Ann access, the park offers a 2-mile hike. In Lumberton, Luther Britt Park offers another option for outdoor activities, with two lakes that have a combined surface area of 35 acres. Fishing is also permitted there. The locations offer different highlights—a designated hike in the state park, and lakes and fishing opportunities in the city park.
Interstate 95 is a useful geographic reference for getting there: it runs directly through Robeson County. The county’s approximate regional location can also help with trip planning. Robeson County is about 1.5 hours from the beaches and three hours from the mountains. These are estimates; actual driving time depends on your destination and traffic.
Museums and architectural history
The Museum of the Southeast American Indian is located in historic Old Main, at the center of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus. It presents authentic artifacts, fine art, and rotating exhibitions about the Indigenous peoples of the Southeast. It offers a specific introduction to the region’s cultural history, while its campus location also makes it a destination in Pembroke.
Visiting hours for the Robeson County History Museum are listed as Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Check these hours before you arrive. In Lumberton, the Proctor Law Office is the oldest surviving building. The single-story brick building consists of one room, has a rectangular floor plan and a gabled roof, and was built around 1840. Its compact design and age make it a distinctive historic landmark during a stay in the city.
Festivals and events
Lumbee Homecoming officially began in 1968. According to the format described for 2026, the weeklong celebration includes a parade, an outdoor gospel concert, food and craft vendors, sporting events, and a car show. Individual events may vary. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates and the program for that year.
Rumba on the Lumber is one of Lumberton’s annual events. The 2026 program combined several running events with a chili cook-off festival in historic downtown Lumberton. Check the event dates for upcoming editions. This lets you plan your visit around the actual program rather than assume the same activities take place every time.
The Southeastern NC Agricultural Events Center in Lumberton is a multi-purpose event venue on a site of more than 84 acres. It includes a 55,000-square-foot pavilion used for horse and dog shows. Since the event schedule varies, it is worth checking the dates before setting your travel days.
Performances and culture in Lumberton and Pembroke
The restored Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater screens films and hosts live theater, concerts, and choral performances. Check the event calendar before your trip if you want to combine your visit with a performance. In Pembroke, the Givens Performing Arts Center presents Broadway musicals and a variety of cultural events. Its schedule also includes live music concerts featuring country, rock, and other genres.
For planning, it is helpful to distinguish between historic places and schedule-dependent offerings: buildings and museum themes give your stay cultural points of interest; performances and festivals depend on their respective dates. Robeson County therefore offers different ways to shape a trip, without requiring every stay to have the same focus.
Discover more destinations: Lumberton, St Pauls, Pembroke, Rowland, Randolph County, Caldwell County, New Hanover, Buncombe.
For the broader travel overview: North Carolina.
