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24 more fun things to do in Greater Raleigh

By visitraleigh
April 18, 2012 //

There was so much interest in our post about “24 Fun Things to Do in Greater Raleigh” that we’ve taken your suggestions and created “24 More Fun Things to Do in Greater Raleigh” in celebration of the 24-hour grand opening of the Nature Research Center on April 20-21. We know there is a lot more to do in our area, so continue to give us your suggestions on Facebook and Twitter.

  1. Get dancing – Take in a performance by the world-renowned Carolina Ballet. Not to miss–their “magical” version of The Nutcracker.
  2. Say hello to history – Mordecai Historic Park has the birthplace of Andrew Johnson and gives visitors a chance to discover what life was like in the early days of Raleigh.
  3. Buy local –It’s that time of year again! Fresh produce rules at one of the area’s many weekly markets. Try the State Farmers Market, the largest in the state and open daily.
  4. Take an iconic picture – Have your picture taken in front of the giant copper acorn in Moore Square. This 1,250-pound sculpture is dropped on New Year’s Eve during First Night celebrations.
  5. Find a food truck – This culinary trend is popping up in unexpected places. Follow local favorites like Klausie’s Pizza on Twitter to find out where to grab the perfect slice.
  6. Take a hike – Falls Lake is the perfect place to get out and enjoy nature on any of the hiking and biking trails.
  7. Get your swing on – The area is home to golf courses like Lonnie Poole, designed by Arnold Palmer, and with seasonal temperatures, it’s the perfect time to hit the links.
  8. Eat pie – Grab a slice, of pie that is, at Piebird in Historic Oakwood. This quaint restaurant serves homemade dessert pies and hand pies.
  9. Discover glorious gardens – The Raleigh area has some of the most beautiful gardens in the state including the J.C. Raulston Arboretum with more than 5,000 plants on display.
  10. Tour a historic neighborhood – The Historic Oakwood neighborhood of downtown Raleigh is a 30-block area of lovingly restored Victorian and early 20th century homes. Take a self-guided walking tour.
  11. Peruse the aisles – The Cotton Company in Wake Forest is an old cotton warehouse that is now home to hundreds of vendors selling unique and handmade arts, crafts, clothing and more.
  12. Run fast – Lace up your running shoes for one of the area’s road races. Runner favorites  include the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon or the City of Oaks Marathon.
  13. Have a Scotty sighting – Last year’s American Idol winner still calls Garner home and can be seen out and about.
  14. Scream G-O-A-L – The WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary is home to the NASL Carolina Railhawks professional soccer team, but it also hosts numerous collegiate and amateur soccer championships and tournaments.
  15. Batter up – Take in a game at Zebulon’s Five County Stadium as the Single-A Carolina Mudcats take to the mound against teams like the Wilmington Blue Hens and Lynchburg Hillcats.
  16. Learn line-dancing lingo – Venues like The Longbranch of Raleigh provide the perfect place to learn the boot-scootin’ boogie or to see some of the next big bands in country music.
  17. Have cupcakes – Shhh… we won’t tell that you have a cupcake from The Cupcake Shoppe before dinner.
  18. Find the perfect accessory – Moon and Lola, an Apex-based designer, is currently in the process of opening a store  in downtown Raleigh, and is known for jewelry with feminine charms, as well as bold accent pieces.
  19. Check the visitRaleigh.com calendar – The Raleigh area is known for unique festivals and events no matter what time of year you’re here.
  20. Experience Summerfest – Summerfest, held at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre, is a favorite for visitors and locals and provides incredible music from the N.C. Symphony in a stunning outdoor environment.
  21. Dine and Shop – Restaurants and specialty stores like NoFo at the Pig and Zest Café & Home Art come together under one roof to provide the perfect marriage of dining and shopping.
  22. Have a wine tasting – Yes, you heard correctly, the Raleigh area is home to three wineries. Take a tour and stay for a tasting to discover why everyone’s talking about North Carolina wines.
  23. Glide on water – Triangle Glides is the only Raleigh area company to offer Stand Up Paddleboarding lessons on Lake Wheeler and Lake Johnson.
  24. Be a part of “Raleigh’s New World” – Take advantage of deals and savings surrounding the opening of the Nature Research Center.
Categories Adrenaline Junkie, Creative Genius, Fashionista, Featured, Foodie, Free Spirit, Lifelong Learner, Music Maniac, New World

Introducing the visit Raleigh iPhone App

By visitraleigh
July 26, 2011 //

When you’re on the go in Greater Raleigh, it’s convenient and helpful to have visitor information only a tap of your iPhone away. Introducing the completely free visit Raleigh iPhone application, a resource you can use to guide you on the go during your stay.

This easy-to-use application has a huge, comprehensive guide that you can search by categories, such as Art Galleries, Free Things to Do, Hotels, Historic Sites, Museums and Nightlife, to name a few. Once you select a category, you can then break down your search by your GPS location, find directions, contact information and links for more information.

In addition to the visitors guide, you can also search the application’s packed events calendar, watch interesting HD videos highlighting local attractions, and find awesome deals that suit your interests. The app saves your favorites so you can easily find the information you’re interested in again with just one tap.

Download this free app now and learn just how easy it can be to have a great time in Greater Raleigh!

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Categories Featured, Free Spirit

Leading the Way in Sustainable Tourism

By visitraleigh
March 8, 2011 //

If you buy products made of recycled materials, bike to work when possible and carry your own reusable grocery bag to the store, then sustainable living is probably important to you.  Taking the lifestyle a step further, why not engage in sustainable tourism on your next vacation?  There are plenty of cities out there making strides towards true sustainability, but Raleigh is a pioneer, establishing itself as the first LED City in the entire world, among other advancements.

If you’ve got a hybrid or electric vehicle, then feel free to drive it over to Raleigh.  Selected for Project Get Ready in 2009, the city is now installing plug-in stations across the board to prepare for those who choose to travel more fuel-efficiently. 

Love fresh air?  Although packed full of big-city amenities, Raleigh has managed to keep the air clean, and has maintained more than 152 miles of greenway and hiking trails for you to get back in touch with nature.  Raleigh was one of the first cities to endorse the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement’s plan for reducing greenhouse emissions, and the city is serious about protecting our air.

For large-scale meetings, the Raleigh Convention Center is USGBC Silver LEED Certified, and this is just one of more than 20 LEED-Certified buildings and projects in the area. 

Every day, Greater Raleigh is taking bigger strides towards sustainability, improving the quality of life of its inhabitants, and the quality of stay for visitors like you.

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Categories Featured, Free Spirit

Explore Raleigh Historic Neighborhoods

By visitraleigh
February 8, 2011 //

Greater Raleigh is always alive with events, festivals, a great dining and nightlife scene, and many newer attractions.  To a lover of streets and squares, buildings and trees, landscape and architecture, Raleigh’s historic neighborhoods can be attractions in and of themselves.

When the city was first established in 1792, the first buildings and homes grew up around the state capitol and square.  As Raleigh boomed, neighborhoods popped up to the north and south, east and west. Today each neighborhood is a distinctive historic area worthy of a walking or driving tour.

Explore the North Blount Street neighborhood, which first began developing in the 1870s and was the most fashionable neighborhood in the area until the First World War.  Here, you’ll find beautiful and classic homes such as the North Carolina Executive Mansion.

For a wonderful array of 19th century Victorian inspired dwellings and the richest diversity of architectural styles in the area, take a tour of the charming Oakwood neighborhood.  Or, to see more history from Raleigh’s historically black neighborhoods from the 1860s to 1940s, go further into the East Raleigh and South Park neighborhoods. 

In Glenwood-Brooklyn and Cameron Park neighborhoods on the north and west side of downtown Raleigh, you’ll see Queen Anne, Georgian, Tudor and Mission colonial revivals.  These walkable neighborhoods also display some Spanish architectural influences.

With history spanning two centuries and a bright future that has no limits, Raleigh has beautiful and fascinating neighborhoods to explore. On your next visit, take a few neighborhood tours to see why the area has been ranked the best place to live in the country.

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Categories Featured, Lifelong Learner

Local Restaurants with Vegetarian Options

By visitraleigh
February 8, 2011 //

Meat lovers never seem to have a hard time finding delicious entrée options, but what about those who are strictly vegetarian?  While some places may seem devoid of tasty vegetarian options, Greater Raleigh is sprinkled with plenty of restaurants that have set aside a part of their menu for those who don’t eat meat.

Azitra Indian Restaurant in Brier Creek serves up delicious authentic Indian fare with an authentic flair.  The restaurant uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its vegetarian entrees, some of which are also vegan.  Dine on flavorful minced vegetable dumplings simmered in Makhni sauce, chickpeas and diced potatoes cooked in Punjabi style, or creamed style spinach with homemade Indian cheese, to name a few.

Irregardless Café of downtown Raleigh changes its menu daily, but it always has a full page of vegetarian and vegan options on its dinner menu.  Enjoy meat-free versions of Shepherd’s Pie, Lasagna and Grilled BBQ (made with Tofu). 

Serving organic, local ingredients, Café Harmony offers an ample selection of vegetarian dishes every day.  Enjoy dishes such as a delicious tofu scramble for breakfast, a fresh edamame artichoke hummus wrap for lunch, and a tasty Portobello burger for dinner, all in the same café.

Just a small sampling of the many restaurants with vegetarian options, these places are definitely worth checking out.  For more vegetarian options in the Raleigh area, search the restaurant finder.

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Categories Featured, Foodie

African-American Cultural Sites

By visitraleigh
July 21, 2010 //

North Carolina’s capital city area is home to more than 50 African-American historical and heritage sites plus an array of events and celebrations of African-American culture.  These landmarks make for an adventurous day rich with educational tours, exhibits and stops throughout greater Raleigh.

Here, you’ll find the South’s oldest black university, the nation’s first institute for blind African Americans, and the first four-year medical school for African Americans, all of which you can stop at and learn more.  For a comprehensive list of heritage sites, visit this website.

Depending on what time of year you visit Raleigh, there will probably be an African-American heritage event going on such as the MLK Holiday Celebration in January, the “Amistad” outdoor drama in late July and the Cary Kwanzaa celebration in late December.

Whether you’re visiting greater Raleigh for business or pleasure, or specifically for the purpose of exploring the African-American heritage, you’ll find plenty of multicultural sites and events to enjoy while you’re here.

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Categories Featured, Lifelong Learner

Enjoy a Visit to the Metro with the Highest Quality of Life

By visitraleigh
May 26, 2010 //

What better city to visit than one where the residents enjoy a quality of life just as great as the visitors’ pleasant glimpse of it.  Raleigh and Cary have been ranked number one in the nation for quality of life among large U.S. metros by Portfolio.com, so you better believe the residents get to enjoy daily what you get to come enjoy on vacations.

The Raleigh area was ranked at the top because of reasons like its rapid growth rate, outstanding availability of high-level jobs, well-educated workforce and extensive listing of new homes, just to name a few.  Here, the people are smart, the workforce is booming and innovation has taken the reins.

A visit here could leave you inspired and refreshed, and you won’t break the bank while having a good time in a flourishing city with a moderate cost of living.  Raleigh residents have built this booming metropolitan area into their own high-quality haven, which now you the visitor can come and enjoy any time that you please.  How’s that for a great deal?

Whether you come to explore The Research Triangle Park on a high-tech job search, the booming downtown Raleigh scene for its lively nightlife and restaurants or the expansive and dynamic attractions everywhere in between, you’re sure to be charmed by the quality people, quality places and quality visit that you will experience during your stay.

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Categories Featured, Uncategorized

Free Fun in the Triangle

By visitraleigh
June 12, 2009 //

Free Fun in the Triangle

These days, families and singles alike are looking for fun things to enjoy in the Triangle that won’t break the bank.  Unfortunately, it’s sometimes difficult to discover what’s out there.  It’s a good thing we’ve already tracked down some great examples of free entertainment just for you!

Do you enjoy walking around the mall but don’t have a lot of dough to blow?  Well, Crabtree Valley Mall has recently introduced live music entertainment every Wednesday on their patio outside of Fleming’s Steakhouse for your enjoyment.  Take a break from the window shopping and enjoy a mix of music with the pleasant weather.

During the summer months, Raleigh hosts Downtown Live in Moore Square Park.  Downtown Live is a series of free concerts that draws over 70,000 fans every other Saturday.  Featured artists include Filter, Joan Jett and Better than Ezra.

If you’re interested in the museums, art and culture of Raleigh then visitRaleigh.com has an entire list of Free Things To Do that are great for family day trips or enriching random outings with friends.

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Categories Featured, Free Spirit
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