Wendell Falls NC: Amenities, Trails, Dining & Home Options

Where is Wendell Falls and what makes it different?

Wendell Falls is a master-planned community in Wendell, North Carolina, about 14–15 miles from downtown Raleigh. It’s designed around the idea of “creatively crafted community” with new homes, neighborhood amenities, and a growing town center that blends suburban living with walkable retail and dining. 

Residents have access to:

• Resort-style pools and fitness

• 10+ miles of trails and 273+ acres of parks and open space 

• An on-site elementary school

• A growing town center, Treelight Square, with restaurants, coffee, services and Publix

Here’s a closer look at what living in Wendell Falls actually offers day to day.

Amenities overview: The Farmhouse, pools, parks and more

The Farmhouse & Farmhouse Café

The Farmhouse is the hub of Wendell Falls. It functions as:

• A fitness center with cardio and strength equipment

• A community gathering space with indoor and outdoor seating, fireplaces and meeting areas

• An information center for learning about the community 

Inside, the Farmhouse Café serves a locally-sourced, rotating menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, smoothies and sweets, giving residents a built-in spot for coffee, meals or laptop time without leaving the neighborhood. 

Pools and water features

Wendell Falls has multiple pool areas:

• Farmhouse Pool – a large, family-friendly, gated zero-entry saltwater pool with a water slide and splash features, located beside the Farmhouse.

• Perch Pool + Playground – another pool and play area designed as a place to “make a splash, fire up the grill, and have it made in the shade.” 

• Encore 55+ Clubhouse pool – a private pool at the Encore age-restricted section with its own clubhouse, fitness area, pickleball and fire pits overlooking Lake Oliver. 

These give residents options whether they want a lively pool day or a quieter setting.

Parks, playgrounds, dog park and open space

Wendell Falls was planned with 273 acres of parks and open space and 10+ miles of walking and biking trails connecting homes to amenities. 

Highlights include:

• Rocky Falls Park & “The Falls” overlook – a park and overlook honoring the community’s namesake, popular after a good rain. 

• Multiple themed parks & playgrounds like Asheville Playground, Three Points Park (with a zipline), Starry Meadow Park (hammocks and stargazing), Peak Playground, Pathway Park and more. 

• Dedicated dog park so four-legged residents have their own place to run.

For anyone who likes to stay active close to home, the mix of trails, parks and play spaces is a big draw.

Schools within the community

Lake Myra Elementary School, a well-regarded Wake County school, is located right inside Wendell Falls, giving many residents the option to attend an on-site public elementary school (subject to WCPSS assignment policies).

Housing options: townhomes, single-family and 55+

What kinds of homes are in Wendell Falls?

Wendell Falls includes:

• Townhomes

• Single-family homes in a range of sizes

• A 55+ section (Encore at Wendell Falls) with its own private clubhouse and amenities 

Several builders are active here (as of late 2025), including Brookfield Residential, Garman Homes, Homes by Dickerson and others, each with their own floor plans and pricing. Current marketing from the developer and builders notes:

• Townhomes starting from the low $300,000s

• Single-family homes starting from the mid $300,000s to mid $400,000s, with larger and more customized homes going into the higher price ranges, including products marketed up to around the $900,000+ range 

All pricing is builder-controlled and can change quickly, so it’s smart to treat these as ballpark ranges and confirm current options and incentives directly with the on-site sales teams. 

You’ll find:

• Smaller and low-maintenance homes

• Larger single-family homes with open plans, covered outdoor spaces and flex rooms

• 55+ homes in Encore designed with main-level living and private access to Encore amenities

Trails and outdoor lifestyle

How many miles of trails are in Wendell Falls?

The community advertises 10+ miles of trails that connect the neighborhoods to parks, playgrounds, the Farmhouse, the lake, and Treelight Square. 

These paths are used for:

• Walking and running

• Biking around the neighborhood

• Getting to parks and playgrounds without hopping in the car

With large green spaces, lakeside areas and gathering lawns, the community leans heavily into outdoor living and informal neighborhood events. 

Dining, coffee and drinks: Farmhouse Café & Treelight Square

Farmhouse Café

Right next to the main pool and fitness center, Farmhouse Café offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, smoothies and desserts with a local focus. It doubles as a third space for remote work, casual meetings and community events. 

Treelight Square: neighborhood town center

Treelight Square is Wendell Falls’ town center and retail hub. The community describes it as a place to “shop, dine, bank, grab coffee, learn and even wash your dog,” with many tenants already open and more on the way. 

According to recent site plans and marketing, Treelight Square and the immediate area around Wendell Falls Parkway include a mix of:

• Dining & coffee

  • Parkside Restaurant – a chef-driven American restaurant with scratch-made comfort food, weekend brunch and a full bar, located at 2251 Treelight Way. 

  • Don Beto’s Tacos & Tequila – a Mexican restaurant concept with street-style tacos and a tequila-focused bar in a lively, indoor-outdoor space. 

  • Sonder Coffee – a specialty coffee shop listed on the Treelight Square tenant map. 

  • National and regional brands including Starbucks, Duck Donuts (coming soon), Tropical Smoothie Café, Wingstop, Chipotle, City Barbeque, Culver’s, Bojangles, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Jersey Mike’s and others, as shown on the most recent Treelight Square commercial map. 

• Groceries & essentials

  • Publix at Wendell Falls – a full-service grocery store with in-store bakery, deli and pharmacy, anchored directly in the community’s commercial area. 

• Services

  • AFC Urgent Care, pet-related services, apartments (Brea Apartments), financial services and other everyday conveniences are located in or around Treelight Square per the community’s shop-and-dine directory. 

For many residents, this means the weekly routine of coffee, dinner, groceries, quick medical visits and errands can be handled without leaving the overall Wendell Falls area.

Services and community extras

Beyond the “big” amenities, Wendell Falls offers:

• Community events and clubs organized around interests, holidays and seasonal activities

• Dog-friendly spaces (parks, trails and some patios) 

• Future commercial growth with The Collective, a planned commercial and mixed-use area intended to complement Treelight Square and bring additional office, retail and hospitality uses to the community. 

As the commercial side builds out, the community is positioned to function more and more like a self-contained village just outside Raleigh.