Raleigh, North Carolina: The City of Oaks

Raleigh, North Carolina was nothing foreign to me before taking this travel assignment. I have been here countless times before. But my perspective of Raleigh has changed. I have always seen it through the eyes of another. The one thing I knew for sure is that you could experience a great meal and a great brewery in the Raleigh area, but seeing it through my own eyes and my own personal taste preferences and interests has helped me to have a much greater appreciation for this area, leading me to realize that Raleigh has so much more to offer than originally believed.

Raleigh is nicknamed the “The City of Oaks”, due to its abundance of oak trees throughout the city. It is the capitol city of North Carolina, and together with nearby Durham and Chapel Hill, comprise what is known as the Research Triangle (an area coined as such due to three reputable research universities in this area – that being Duke, UNC, and NC State, attracting people from all over the country to move here for their education, as well as for employment in technology and medical fields). Additionally, Raleigh appears to be a city where both notable and aspiring culinary talents choose to open their restaurants. This is apparent in the number of dining establishments in the area that offer such creativity on their menus, and as a result, it is hard to find a place where you would leave feeling disappointed. The Triangle boasts several James Beard Award winners, which recognizes culinary talent at one of the highest levels. So it should not be understated that experiencing a great meal and a great brewery in the Raleigh area really is a big part of it’s appeal – Raleigh clearly is a “foodie” city; that would be my number one best way to decribe it to an outsider. As such, a really great way to experience the culinary side of Raleigh in about 3 hours is to sign up online for one of the foodie tours in the area. Taste of Carolina and Triangle Food Tours are the two that are offered in the area. Both businesses have their own charm. Taste of Carolina offers tours in both Raleigh and Durham, one with drink pairings and one without. They have planned ahead the establishments they plan to visit on your tour and the wait staff are ready and waiting for you, often with a table set nicely to accommodate your group. I have even experienced a speakeasy on this tour! Very cool. And you don’t have to worry if you have done the tour with them in the same city before, because even if you try it multiple times, it is never ‘exactly the same’ tour twice. You will visit 5-6 places and see part of Raleigh in the process of walking the streets to get to the next place. Come hungry and leave feeling satisfied. In contrast, Triangle Food Tours offers a Boylan Heights tour and an Historic Oakwood Tour. I tried the Boylan Heights tour and what I enjoyed about this tour besides the food, was that it seemed to offer an intentional and informative walking tour aspect to it. I learned more about that area of Raleigh by taking this tour. The culinary contrast between the Taste of Carolina vs Triangle Food Tours was a bit more of an upscale and sit down experience with the Taste of Carolina tours, and a more casual “light bite” tasting with the Triangle Food Tours. However, I had a more informative walking tour experience with my Triangle Food Tour, than the Taste of Carolina tours. I highly recommend both, but these are things to keep in mind when deciding which tour you want to experience on a given day. It should also be noted, that by planning ahead with the tour company, accommodations can usually be made for those with food allergies.

But Raleigh is so much more than just food. It is festivals (almost weekly it seems during the months of April well into the Fall) … walking and biking trails are in abundance throughout the Raleigh-Durham area…lakes for kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, canoeing, and pedal boating … shopping … live music … breweries and wine bars … walking tours (both city & ghost tours) … a Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day parade … pretty much anything and everything you want to experience can be found in the Triangle area. And when you consider that Raleigh is just 2 hours from the ocean and 4 hours from the western mountains, has world class healthcare, and warm southern charm, what’s not to love? Whether you are just passing through for a short stay, a person living here on a temporary job assignment like myself, or you call this place your permanent home, Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill, aka The Research Triangle of NC, is a great place to be.

I have countless ideas for fun things to do in Raleigh and will release more of those in the weeks ahead. But for now, let me close this week’s blog with just a few ideas to get you started on your next weekend adventure in Raleigh:

Food scene: Try one of the Foodie Tours mentioned above. These seem to fill up quickly, so it is wise to think ahead and book a few weeks in advance to reserve your spot.

Drink scene: One of my absolute favorites is the Flying Saucer. This place has a ton of drafts on tap – both beer and hard cider – and specials throughout the week. My favorite day to go is on a Monday, when every draft on tap is just $4! Talk about a blast from the past – your lucky to get an iced coffee for that price these days. Their pretzels are hard to pass up – the best I have ever tasted – hot, fresh, and soft with just the right amount of salt and excellent dipping sauces (try the queso and cream cheese & chive). And you’ll notice plates (aka saucers) with names and sayings on them all over the wall and ceiling. These are awarded to those who have tried every draft on tap.

Coffee scene: Jubala. I was introduced to this great coffee and breakfast spot and am passing on this recommendation to you. Not only great coffee but also great breakfast biscuit sandwiches, blueberry compote, waffles and even a lunch menu. I specifically experienced the Lafayette Village location (very cool European architectural exterior to this shopping and dining complex), however they do appear to have a couple other locations in Raleigh as well.

Family Friendly Activity: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Several museums in Raleigh are free of charge and this is one of them. This museum is a great activity for individuals or families alike and really showcases what the state of North Carolina is known for ecologically, historically and everything in between. (Fun Fact: This is where I learned that North Carolina is the state where the most sweet potatoes are grown!) But this museum offers way more than just learning the facts on this fabulous state, it also has a great dinosaur exhibit, 3D movies and temporary exhibits that change periodically. It is the largest museum in the southeast and one of the top attractions in the entire state. And again, it’s free … what’s not to love about that?

Outdoor time: Dorothea Dix Park has become one of my favorite outdoor spots on a hot Raleigh summer day. Why? Because I can find a little peace of tranquility in one of the numerous hammocks within the park, located by the Sunflower Field. These hammocks are tied to the many pine trees which offer some shade and are the perfect place to lounge back with a good book or to take a comfy little nap in the open air. Dorothea Dix Park is the location of some fun family events as well throughout the year, including some food truck and music events, and an evening Christmas-time light display, just to mention a few. This park also has been the location for some of Raleigh’s fireworks displays.

Biking / Walking Trails: Recently I experienced an incredible day renting bikes from a place called Going My Way Greenway Bike Rentals. Owner, Lori, was amazing! She met my party in the parking lot of a park in nearby Apex, NC. You can access the White Oak Creek Greenway Trail across the street from this lot and connect to the American Tobacco Trail. The White Oak trail was recommended by Lori for it’s scenic beauty and abundance of boardwalk sections that traverse over much of the wetlands along this route (one was so long it took nearly 3 entire minutes to cross). Just off a little path from the White Oak is a place called Bottle Theory where we were able to enjoy a pint of beer after our long ride was nearly completed (they also have wine and food trucks). The ATT offers a different feel riding through a long “tunnel of trees” or so it feels – I can only imagine this trail would be very cool in the fall. This is just one of many trails to enjoy (the ATT will take you into Durham when turning right off of the White Oak trail). I highly recommend Lori for your bike rental. She will meet you anywhere in the area and deliver the bikes to you. We tried the e-bikes which made our ride that much better. Her quality of bikes were excellent, customer service was excellent, and prices were reasonable. No need as a traveling healthcare professional, or tourist for that matter, to feel like you have to be excluded from enjoying the greenways since your bike is not with you, when you have someone like Lori to provide one for you. What a great day!!!

After a long week of work as a travel sonographer, I love being able to get out and enjoy my time in this area. With these ideas to get you started, I hope you will too. Love to hear your thoughts on these places if you have tried them.