North Carolina's 'City In A Park' Is A Lush Oasis With Urban Charm And A Thriving Art Scene

Thanks to its several nearby universities, the Research Triangle Park, and its relatively mild seasons, many websites mention Raleigh as a great place to settle down. However, less has been said about the region's potential as a vacation spot. I grew up thirty minutes from downtown Raleigh, frequently visiting the City of Oaks for concerts, conventions, and thrift shopping. Today, I'll show you around this fine city's underrated attractions and explain why you should consider it for your next long weekend.

At first glance, Raleigh isn't all that different than anywhere else. If you walk through some streets of the central business district, you'd be forgiven for getting it mixed up with Tulsa,  Richmond, or Savannah. But if you get your bearings, turn down the right street at the right time, or catch a perfect fall afternoon, you'll realize that nothing beats North Carolina's lush "city in a park" on a good day. Even on a rainy day, this inviting second city can feel more interesting than the business-first city of Charlotte nearby. Both towns have plenty of breweries, but the other folks drinking beers with you in Raleigh will have more tattoos than suits.

Many of North Carolina's best artists have settled in Raleigh, taking day jobs at breweries, local bike shops, and tattoo parlors to keep their dreams alive. You'll tip great artists every time you dine out and hear from talented comedians every time you hop on a walking tour of the city. Fly through RDU or drive in to see their mark on the city and discover what Bob Dylan meant when he wrote, "If I die in Raleigh, at least I will die free."

Start off your day at the Raleigh Denim Workshop, where Raleigh's artistic side and North Carolina's textile history meet with a bang. North Carolina is home to nearly a quarter of all textile manufacturing employees in the country. Raleigh Denim Workshop has worked with the best of them. Pick up a pair of handmade Carolina blue jeans and head towards the city center to learn more about North Carolina's colorful history — and what's in store for the future.

Three museums in downtown Raleigh will provide something for folks of all ages. Take dads to the North Carolina History Museum, learn something new at the Museum of Natural Sciences, and finish off with the Marbles Museum before nap time, a fascinating playground considered one of the best children's museums in America. All these world-class attractions are within a 15-minute walk of each other in the thick of Raleigh's central district. 

After a long day of sightseeing, cocktail enthusiasts and fine diners have plenty of options to round out their days downtown. The Raleigh-Times is a standard downtown meeting point to enjoy truly great french fries and local craft beers amidst walls marked with clippings documenting the building's 100-year history. For a classy eve, you can't beat Watts and Ward, a massive Prohibition-style speakeasy with indoor and outdoor spaces. If you're looking for live entertainment, great local acts will be playing somewhere around Neptunes, Ruby Deluxe, or Kings every night of the week. Keep an eye out for any Kate Rhudy concerts that align with your stay. Kate is a local legend carrying on Carolina's bluegrass and country history through every dive bar and large concert venue in the 919 area code.

Raleigh has been a rough victim of urban sprawl — low-density expansion that heightens the need for vehicular transport. The large intersections and space between hotspots will make the least walkable cities in Europe feel like pedestrian villages in comparison. Time magazine once even nicknamed it "Sprawleigh." You can look at this two different ways: On the downside, you'll probably (read: definitely) want a car when you travel to Raleigh. But on the positive, you have the benefits of hip, refurbished Durham and collegiate Chapel Hill within easy drives.

Any good trip to Raleigh should involve forays into downtown Durham, either going to Durham Bulls baseball games or checking out the Durham Performance Art Center. Downtown Durham can feel more walkable than Raleigh, so after the game, wander through the American Tobacco Campus into the greater downtown area, where you can enjoy magnificent burgers at Bull City Burger and Brewery before getting back in your car and heading home to Raleigh.

If you're looking to get out of the city and into the woods, Raleigh has plenty of great options. Two main bodies of water near the Raleigh-Durham area are focal points for outdoor recreation: Jordan Lake Recreation Area and the Eno River State Park. Each location has picnic spots, hiking trails, classic Carolina tree lines to provide shade, and plenty of great spots to dip your toes in the water. Raleigh is also within striking distance of the beach if you want to add a day trip to your vacation. Just head east on I-40, and you'll hit one of the cheapest family-friendly beach towns in the USA in just over 2 hours.