Located in central-east North Carolina, Raleigh is one of the fastest booming metropolises in the country. Raleigh offers a huge city feel with Southern charm and is a modern-meets-historic destination. With an abundance of sporting events, breweries and restaurants, parks, museums and galleries, and music venues, the city of oaks have something for everyone.
Picnic at Lake Crabtree County Park:
Lake Crabtree County Park is the first county park established in the Raleigh area. The 520-acre Lake Crabtree and the surrounding scenic area are perfect for hikers, kayakers, and mountain bikers. If you want to take a picnic with your family, look no further. With its seasonal boat rentals, nature trails, playgrounds, and picnic facilities, there are many recreational activities to enjoy with your family at little to no cost.
Biking on Neuse River Greenway Trail:
The Neuse River Greenway Trail is a 28-mile paved uninterrupted trail that stretches from Falls Lake in North Raleigh to the Wake County line in southeast Raleigh. This trail is a year-round haven for outdoor recreation with its scenic beauty. The course offers winding boardwalks and suspension bridges crossing wetlands and is open to walking and biking.
Take a Stroll in the Gardens of JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University:
This internationally renowned garden is located just 2 miles west of North Carolina State University’s main campus and has one of the largest collections of landscape plants. This garden contains more than 6,000 species of domestic and international plants and also features a kid-friendly butterfly garden and a Japanese garden. This arboretum is free to visit and also offers free guided tours on Sundays at 2 p.m. from March through October.
Visit the North Carolina Museum of Art:
The North Carolina Museum of Art is the first state-funded museum in the country and was founded in 1947. The permanent collection of this museum boasts Italian Baroque paintings, ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, contemporary African art, and essential Mayan and Judaic pastoral works. The museum also features a garden that houses thirty Rodin sculptures and is the most extensive collection in the Southeast. The museum also has three miles of walking trails, an outdoor amphitheater that hosts movies and concerts, and permanent art exhibits.
Try Local Food at Morgan Street Food Hall:
The trend to build massive venues that hold many smaller restaurants is also popular in Raleigh, with Morgan Street Food Hall being the go-to food hall for tourists. Morgan Street Food Hall is located in the Warehouse District and offers more than twenty local and globally-inspired snacks and food under one roof. In this food hall, you can try Argentinian empanadas, Boba teas, macarons, tacos, and katsu sandwiches. This food hall also offers a patio space for a lovely evening with the family.
