Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and home to a number of universities. Named after Sir Walter Raleigh, it has a handsome Downtown and a great food and music scene. The city is home to some excellent museums and galleries and the large student population helps to create an exciting nightlife.
Raleigh is home to some great museums, such as the City of Raleigh Museum and the North Carolina Museum of History.
Pullen Park is an excellent nature park, complete with boat rental, hiking trails, fairground rides, and a lovely miniature railway.
The city boasts many fascinating historic sites, such as Yates Mill County Park, Mordecai Historic Park, and Historic Oakwood.
Raleigh has a number of good performing arts venues and organizations, such as Theatre in the Park and North Carolina Opera.
The city has a great selection of bars and clubs, such as Noir and Goodnight's Comedy Club.
Raleigh has a humid subtropical climate with cool winters and hot, humid summers. Spring is warm and dry and an ideal time to visit.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) has good domestic and some international connections. The 100 bus will take you downtown for $2.25. A taxi costs around $33.
Amtrak runs services to Raleigh from New York; Washington, D.C.; and Florida. Fares from New York are around $97.
The I-40 connects Raleigh from the west and I-85 and 95 give access from the East Coast. U.S. 1 runs through Raleigh on its way from New York to Florida.
Greyhound offers services to Raleigh. Fares from New York start at $54.
Best Western Raleigh North-Downtown has rooms from $56, while Sheraton Raleigh has a very central location and rooms from $139.
Cameron Park - this is a historic area just to the west of downtown. It has a variety of Colonial Revival and Queen Anne architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Capitol Area Historic District - this is another historic area. In the heart of downtown, it has a number of examples of Classical Revival and Late Gothic Revival buildings.
Historic Oakwood - this area is full of splendid mansions and the Oakwood Cemetery. It is renowned for its gardens and Christmas Candlelight Tour.
Capital Area Transit and the Triangle Transit Authority provide bus services in and around Raleigh. Fares are from $2.25.
Raleigh has plenty of reliable taxi firms. Fares are an initial $2.45 and then $2.50 per mile.
Raleigh has a simple grid road system, with the U.S. 401 being the main route through the city. Car rental is from $35.
Seaboard Station in downtown is the place for local independent stores, while the Crabtree Valley Mall on Glenwood Avenue is the largest mall in the region.
A quart of milk in Raleigh is priced at $0.92 and a dozen eggs costs $2.77.
The Armadillo Grill on Glenwood Avenue is excellent for Mexican, while the Falls River Smokehouse on Litchford Road is a great place for BBQ. You'll pay around $12 for dinner in a budget restaurant and $30 in a more upscale establishment.