Visit Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, offering visitors big city arts, culture and major attractions with a dash of Southern hospitality. From a bustling downtown complete with historic sites, museums and great restaurants, to arts and cultural venues situated around the city such as the North Carolina Museum of Art, there's something for everyone to enjoy on a week or weekend visit to Raleigh, North Carolina.
Instructions
1. The first step in planning a great visit to Raleigh, North Carolina is to gather area information beforehand. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (see Resources) provides a wealth of information including an interactive online visitors guide (see Resources), accommodations, attractions, shopping and dining information, as well as maps and a detailed annual calendar of events. The Convention and Visitors Bureau website also offers a form where you can email questions about Raleigh to their in-house expert. Phone the Visitors Bureau toll-free at (800) 849-8499.
2. Visitors to Raleigh, North Carolina may also consider planning their visit around one of the capital city's major annual events. These include the Raleigh Blues Festival in February, the Rennaissance Faire every March, the World Beer Fest in April held downtown, the Raleigh Antiques Expo every June, the North Carolina State Fair in October and incredible holiday events and homes tours starting every November and lasting through December. Any time of the year, however, visitors can enjoy major events in Raleigh such as big name music concerts, performances by the North Carolina Symphony and major exhibits at the North Carolina Museum of Art.
3. Raleigh is easily accessible by air travel into Raleigh-Durham International Airport (See Resources). RDU offers more than 450 daily departures and arrivals. Numerous shuttles are available at the airport to take visitors into Raleigh. Taxi and rental car service is also available at the airport. By automobile, I-40 is the major interstate coming into and out of Raleigh, North Carolina. The I-440 Beltline provide a more traffic-free route into and around the city. Major interstates I-95 and I-85 run within 25 miles of Raleigh, North Carolina.
4. There is much to see and do in Raleigh. Arts and cultural events top the list with major attractions including the North Carolina Museum of Art (see Resources) with free general admission, the North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Ballet and more. Often called the "Smithsonian of the South" for its numerous free admission attractions, major museums of note in Raleigh include the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the Contemporary Art Museum.
5. A variety of public gardens and historic sites are open for tour. The Marbles Kids Museum and the Wachovia IMAX Theatre are terrific family attractions. But Raleigh is also a hot spot for nightlife and offers martini and cigar bars, jazz, dance and comedy clubs in the downtown City Market, live music venues and much more.
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