Things To Do in Raleigh

Raleigh has a reputation as a great food city, and it deserves that. But there is a lot more going on here than restaurants. The activities scene has grown alongside the food scene and there are now some genuinely great options for anyone looking to be more active or entertained.

Triangle Rock Club

Triangle Rock Club is one of the best climbing gyms in the Southeast. The Raleigh location is large, well maintained, and has routes for every skill level from beginner to advanced. If you have never climbed before, they offer excellent intro courses. If you are already a climber, this is a gym you will enjoy.

The facility has top rope, lead, and bouldering walls, plus a solid fitness area. It is a great option for a rainy day activity or an evening workout that does not feel like a typical gym. The climbing community in Raleigh is active and welcoming.

Live Music in Raleigh

Raleigh has a strong live music scene. Red Hat Amphitheater is one of the best outdoor venues in the state. Sitting right in downtown Raleigh, it hosts major touring acts from spring through fall and the setting makes every show feel special. Lincoln Theatre and The Pour House are two of the best mid size indoor venues in the city. Local acts play throughout the week at bars and venues across Glenwood South and the Warehouse District.

The North Carolina Museum of Art

The NCMA is one of the best free museums in the state and deserves more attention than it gets. The main gallery has an impressive permanent collection spanning thousands of years of art history. The outdoor park is free and open daily with large scale sculptures, walking trails, and a really pleasant atmosphere any time of year.

Paddling and Water Activities

Raleigh has some good options for paddling. Shelley Lake rents kayaks and canoes seasonally. The Neuse River Greenway Trail follows the river and has spots for launching kayaks if you bring your own. For a more adventurous trip, the rivers north of Raleigh offer Class II whitewater within an hour of the city.

Dorothea Dix Park

Dorothea Dix Park is one of the best places to spend an afternoon in Raleigh. The 308 acre park sits on a hill right outside of downtown and has some of the best views of the Raleigh skyline you will find anywhere. There are open fields, wildflower meadows, shaded walking paths, and a dog friendly atmosphere that makes it feel like a neighborhood gathering place on any nice weekend. It is completely free and open daily.

The park also hosts events throughout the year including outdoor movie nights, food truck rallies, and seasonal festivals. If you are visiting Raleigh and want to understand why people love living here, spend an hour at Dix Park on a sunny afternoon.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences

Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences is one of the most visited museums in the Southeast and it is completely free. The museum covers everything from prehistoric life to current climate science and does it in a way that is genuinely engaging for adults and kids alike. The Nature Research Center connected to the main building has live animal exhibits, a globe theater, and working science labs you can observe through floor to ceiling windows.

If you are planning a day in downtown Raleigh, this museum is an easy half day stop. Pair it with lunch nearby and a walk through Moore Square and you have a full afternoon without spending much.

William B. Umstead State Park

Umstead State Park is remarkable simply because of where it is. Over 5,000 acres of forest sitting inside the city limits of Raleigh, between downtown and the airport. The park has 22 miles of hiking trails, mountain biking trails, fishing ponds stocked with bass and crappie, and some of the quietest wooded paths you will find this close to a major city. It never feels crowded on the trails even when the parking lot is full.

The most popular hike is the Sal's Branch Trail, an easy 3.5 mile loop that passes through mixed hardwood forest along a creek. Big Lake is worth walking out to as well. Admission to the park is free.

Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center

If you are visiting Raleigh during hockey season, catching a Carolina Hurricanes game at Lenovo Center is one of the most fun things you can do in the city. The Canes have one of the loudest and most enthusiastic fan bases in the NHL and the arena experience is genuinely electric. Even if you are not a hockey fan, a Hurricanes game is worth going to for the atmosphere alone. Tickets are widely available and relatively affordable compared to other major professional sports.

Pullen Park

Pullen Park is one of the oldest municipal parks in the country and it is a Raleigh institution. Located right next to NC State's campus, the park has a historic carousel, a miniature train ride, pedal boats on the lake, a big aquatic center, and open green space that fills up with locals on weekends. It is one of the most family friendly spots in the city and a great low key option if you are looking for something to do outside.

The park is free to enter with small fees for rides and the pool. It has been a gathering place for Raleigh families for over 100 years and still has a lot of charm.

Marbles Kids Museum

Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh is one of the best children's museums in North Carolina. It has multiple floors of hands on exhibits covering science, art, building, and imaginative play along with a full IMAX theater that shows both feature films and educational programming. It is an easy downtown stop for families and is located right on Moore Square near several good lunch spots.

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