48 Hours in Raleigh (Itinerary): Where to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay

As one of the South’s most vibrant and eclectic cities, Raleigh is the ideal place to spend two days. The city draws you in with its oak-lined streets, over your craft beer brewed in a brewery. We have often thought of Raleigh as one of the South’s best-kept secrets, which is one of the reasons why we moved here. There is a lot of depth to Raleigh, which slowly reveals itself over a 48 hour period – if, you plan your itinerary right.

This is what Raleigh is all about – grounded but still forward-looking, historic but also youthful, and easily discovered within just two days.

Which is why we’ve created this 48 hour itinerary for Raleigh, so everyone can experience the best of Raleigh within 2 days. We’ll share where you can wake up to some of the best craft coffee in the city, where you can discover leafy parks or browse indie shops, and spend the last hours of sunlight watching the sun set over a slow-cooked barbecue and pint of NC-brewed craft beer.

NOTE: This is a follow up to our 24 hours in Raleigh guide. Of course, we suggest your trip to Raleigh is longer as there are plenty of fun things to do – join our free VIP email tribe so you don’t miss our weekly e-newsletter sharing our insights. Now, let us show you around…

Key takeaways

Unmissable stops

• Pullen Park if you have kids. Historic Pullen Park, which dates back to 1887, was the first public park in North Carolina and is the fifth oldest operating amusement park in the US. Young kids will love to play here in the afternoon, ride a historic carousel and miniature train, rent pedal boats, or run free on the playgrounds.
• Dorothea Dix Park is another park that is well worth exploring. It has an 18.5 acre playpark, Gipson Play Park, which is the largest in the Southeast. As well as this, it has sprawling lawns, a sunflower field in the summer, and the latest addition is the troll trek, an art installation of giant trolls tucked beneath the canopies of oaks.

Restaurants and Bars

• The Mecca Restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in Raleigh, founded by Greek immigrants in 1930. Historic setting oozing nostalgia with red stools along a long counter, a black and white checkered floor, and heavy wooden booths. Serving unpretentious and comforting meals, this is one of the few true diners left in Raleigh.
• The Morning Times, a popular coffee shop in downtown Raleigh with the locals and visitors alike. A great place to pick up a croissant or baked good, with a decent cup of coffee, it’s a great place to pick up a smaller breakfast.
• Heirloom Brewshop, one of our favorite coffee spots in the Warehouse District. A specialty coffee shop, premium tea house, sake bar and kitchen all rolled into one with an Asian-inspired menu and aesthetics – a unique concept for Raleigh! Read our full review of Heirloom.
• The Raleigh Times is a timeless watering hole in a 100-year-old building serving up quality American pub grub. Nice inside seating, or on the sidewalk or cool rooftop!
• A Place at the Table is Raleigh’s unique pay-what-you-can-afford cafe. Amazing concept and staff where they serve chef-prepared food where all menu items have suggested price. Be sure to try Chef Andrew’s homemade black beans, eggs, crema, avocado, homemade salsa, and brown butter cornbread.
• Brewery Bhavana is a stylish and unique four-in-one concept of Beer + Dim Sum + Flowers + Bookstore. 

Where to stay in Raleigh

• The Casso is a boutique hotel convenient to downtown, especially the Glenwood South and Warehouse Districts. Here is our review of the Casso Hotel.
• Residence Inn offers cozy all-suite accommodation good for families. Excellent central downtown location, walk to everything! Here is our review of the Residence Inn.
• Marriott Raleigh City Center is in the middle of it all in downtown Raleigh on Fayetteville Street. Good for leisure or business travel. 
• StateView Hotel is located on NC State University’s Centennial campus, you feel like you’re a million miles away in the forest by a lake, but you’re just a 3-mile drive from downtown! Here is our review of the State View Hotel.
• Heights House Hotel is a boutique hotel in historic Boylan Heights on the edge of downtown. This historic landmark dates to the 1860s.
• See full list of downtown hotels.
• Check out vacation rentals in the Warehouse District here.
• Here are upscale hotels near Raleigh.

Getting around

Raleigh is essentially a driving city, and if you only have 48 hours, we recommend you bring your own car or rent a car. Here is our guide to parking. Public transport is limited, but there is the bus network called GoRaleigh that spans 10 major routes and covers 117 miles of service. The good news is there is free on-street parking in downtown on weekends. Alternatively, you can rent e-bikes and e-scooters with Lime or Spin.

Itinerary

Day 1

8am: Fuel up with a traditional North Carolina breakfast

Start your day with a hearty Southern breakfast, so you are well fueled up and full of energy, ready to explore the city! There’s no better introduction to Raleigh and its welcoming community than Big Ed’s in historic City Market, the best Southern style breakfast since 1958. Expect generous portions of Southern comfort food, a laid-back vibe with a collection of funky antiques hanging from the ceiling, warm Southern hospitality, and food like what grandma used to make.

Especially popular for their GIANT pancakes, local country ham, fried chicken, aged ribeye steak and eggs, sliced pork loin, fried catfish, fluffy biscuits, and double-brewed sweet tea. Read our full review.

9 a.m. Explore the museums

There are excellent museums in Raleigh to suit all interests, and because of the quality and number of free museums in the city. Raleigh is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the South”. If you really love museums, don’t miss the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, it’s one of the top attractions in Raleigh. It’s free to enter and North Carolina’s most visited museum with 4 floors of exhibits related to our natural world.

Art lover? Head to the NC Museum of Art instead, home to more than a dozen beautiful indoor gallery spaces showcasing art from around the world. You can self-explore, take an engaging tour, see performing arts, and participate in family workshops. Be sure to take a stroll through the Ann & Jim Goodnight Museum Park, this 164-acre park and trail system features more than a dozen commissioned works of art. 

If you’re visiting Raleigh with kids, then the Marbles Kids Museum is a fun children’s museum for families with young kids (up until the age of about 12). There are two levels of kid-focused museum activities with dozens of hands-on exhibits and the state’s only 3D-capable IMAX theater. Read our guide to the top museums in Raleigh and our guide to Marbles Kids Museum.

12pm: Lunch at a sports bar

The Player’s Retreat is an iconic sports bar in Raleigh. It’s a staple with NC State students and has been for over 70 years. It has some of the best burgers in Raleigh, as well as sandwiches and typical pub fare. Enjoy lunch in a booth, at the bar, or a table on the sidewalk.

For even more places and categories of food including food halls, see our complete guide to spots to eat lunch in Raleigh.

2pm: Hike in Umstead State Park

Time to walk off lunch. A short 15-minute drive from downtown is one of the most popular places to visit in Raleigh, and one of North Carolina’s most visited state parks, William B. Umstead State Park. This natural oasis surrounds three man-made lakes and has over 22 miles of trails ranging from easy to moderate. A great introductory trail in Umstead Park is the 2.8-mile Sal’s Branch Trail. If you’re up for a woodland walk, the Sycamore Trail is a 7.2-mile loop and the longest trail. Another popular trail is the 6-mile loop, Company Mill Trail and my favorite is the Loblolly Trail.

4pm: Check-in to your hotel

Explore the Warehouse District

Raleigh has an industrious spirit and is always changing and evolving. A place where you can see Raleigh’s forward-thinking attitude is in the six-block Warehouse District, an area that was transformed from its former red-brick industrial buildings into a vibrant mix of restaurants, cafes, bars, a brewery, a food hall, boutique shopping, art museums, studios and technology firms.

As you walk around this neighborhood, be sure to go to Black & White Coffee, a great little coffee shop inside the Videri Chocolate Factory, a boutique chocolatier where you can sample yummy chocolates, and get soft serve ice cream. Head to Father & Son Antiques for modern furnishings, vintage clothing and accessories, records and books. Raleigh Denim Workshop are also located in this district, and they have become quite famous for their well-crafted jeans!

5:30pm Pre-dinner drinks

There are plenty of great bars and breweries in Raleigh that should not be skipped on any visit to the city. North Carolina has a booming craft beer scene, thanks to Asheville for pioneering it! In Raleigh, it’s flourishing with more breweries opening up each year.

Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing is one of our favorites, we take all first-time visitors here for that wow moment. The best view of the Raleigh skyline from their outstanding outdoor patio is paired with excellent craft beer and unique cocktails. Crank Arm Brewing is another unique brewery we love. The guys at Crank Arm are passionate about beer and bikes. Relaxed and friendly vibe in the Warehouse District and fun events.

Raleigh Beer Garden is not a brewery so to speak, but with 380+ beers on tap, at time of opening they became the Guinness world record-holder for world’s largest selection of draft beer! Trophy Brewing Company is another great brewery with excellent pizzas, a beer garden, bottle shop, and often has events throughout the week.

7pm: NC State BBQ for dinner

If you’re wondering what food Raleigh is famous for, the answer is NC State BBQ. It’s a staple dish across the state, and made differently depending on whether you visit East or West NC. Since Raleigh is in the middle, we’re blessed to have restaurants that serve it both ways. North Carolina is a big barbecue state and enjoying a plate of bbq in Raleigh is something they take seriously in the state capital and one of those “welcome to the South” moments you should try at least once.

Sam Jones BBQ is kind of famous in NC. They smoke whole hogs on site and are popular for their chopped BBQ, fried chicken, ribs, and baked flat cornbread. They also serve one of my favorite sandwiches in Raleigh, the smoked turkey!

The Pit Authentic BBQ is one of the most popular BBQ spots in Raleigh. They serve whole-hog, pit-cooked Eastern-style bbq and are well known for Baby Back Ribs and Chopped bbq, plus their Brunswick Stew, Heirloom Cabbage Collards, and Fried Green Tomatoes.

10 p.m. Enjoy the nightlife in Glenwood South

If you prefer to drink after dinner, or you want to explore the nightlife scene, the nightlife area of Raleigh is the Glenwood South Entertainment District. It’s lined with bars, breweries and restaurants. If you visit on a Friday night, check our guide on First Fridays to see if there are special events on. And if you love jazz, you will want to head to the Moon Room, hidden behind the red curtain in Smoky Hollow.

Some of our favorite bars are Watts & Ward, and underground craft cocktail bar founded upon the underground spirit of the 1920s. Leather seating, rustic tables, dim lighting and bookshelves full of history. plus an inventive cocktail menu and low-key jazz events. Dram & Draught is another one that has a cool vibe. It has an excellent range of whiskeys from around the world, plus seasonal cocktails, wines, and draught beer from Raleigh and beyond. Perfect spot for a nightcap.

You can also see a show at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, formerly Duke Energy Performing Arts Center (home to the Carolina Ballet and the NC Symphony), or a concert at Red Hat Amphitheater or live music at The Lincoln Theater.

Day 2

8 a.m. A hearty breakfast at the NC State Farmers’ Market Restaurant

Another classic Raleigh breakfast spot to get a Southern dining experience is the Farmers’ Market Restaurant. They start each breakfast with their highly acclaimed hand-made biscuits, and they are gigantic! Popular dishes include their Granny Cone’s Sampler (a little of everything), country ham, omelets, and of course their biscuits. Get there early on a weekend as this place gets busy! 

If you want a more modern breakfast experience in Raleigh – one that infuses the south with Europe – then you will want to enjoy breakfast at my favorite spot in the city, Press Coffee & Crepes. They have the most delcious and interesting crepes, twists on some of the owners favorite dishes discovered in his travels, and they have the best coffee in the sweet. You’ll find savory and sweet crepes on the menu, including seasonal, AND GLUTEN FREE!!

9. a.m. Go boutique shopping or thrifting

Raleigh has quite a cool shopping scene, and has many great neighborhoods where you can shop for name-brand items or boutiques. There’s a bit of a thrift store scene booming in North Raleigh and downtown, but if you want more name-brand products, we prefer shopping in North Hills.

North Hills, also known as Midtown Raleigh, has become one of North Carolina’s most upscale locations and one of the most popular neighborhoods in Raleigh. With 130+ local shops, high-end boutiques, restaurants, bars, salons and spas, cinemas, a bowling alley, Farmers’ Market, indie bookstore, outdoor concerts, greenspaces, apartment living, and premier hotels there is something here for everyone. Read our guide to North Hills.

North Person Street borders historic Oakwood and is my favorite street in Raleigh for vintage and boutique shopping. Here you shop at local boutique stores, a bookstore, and grab a bite to eat or drink at many of my favorite spots in the city. Some of my favorite shops are Edge of Urge, a boutique store specializing in clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, and So & So Books, an independent local bookstore.

12 p.m. Lunch at Whiskey Kitchen

Whiskey Kitchen is one of our favorite bars in Raleigh that also does excellent and inventive Southern food in a beautiful open space and hip venue. I love their lamb burger, pork chop, and fried brussell sprouts. It has a beautiful open space and hip vibe with a repurposed industrial feel. Over 300 whiskies plus craft cocktails, beer and wine options you can’t go wrong.

1 p.m. Explore Historic Oakwood

Historic Oakwood is one of our favorite neighborhoods to explore and dates back to the 1800’s. It rose after the Civil War and is home to magnificent oak trees, Grand Victorians and modest bungalows. Check out this free walking tour and don’t miss the magnificent Oakwood Cemetery.

Also in this neighborhood is Mordecai Historic Park, once known as the largest plantation in Wake County and home to many interesting pieces of North Carolina history is nearby. Tour the Mordecai Historic House, the oldest residence in Raleigh still on its original foundation, and the birthplace of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President. You may enjoy a candlelight concert in a historic Mordecai home or church.

3 p.m. Walk around Boylan Heights

Historic Boylan Heights is one of the premier neighborhoods in Raleigh on the immediate edge of downtown. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Craftsman bungalows sit along with transitional Queen Anne/Colonial Revivals and Dutch Colonials, while mature trees dominate the streetscapes. We love to walk or drive through this neighborhood and visit the small independent businesses, such as Rebus Works, a coffee shop and gallery run by artists, Bike Library (great coffee & bike repair) and Boulted Bread, a popular local bakery, and new this year, Brightside Books & Wine! (Here are more independent Raleigh bookstores)

5 p.m. Pre-dinner drinks at State of Bend

We love the newish Bend Bar in downtown Raleigh, on the edge of the Warehouse District and Hillsborough St. It’s located in a renovated cottage with a central horseshoe shaped bar and a gorgeous patio overlooking a spacious beer garden. It’s in the city but has a true neighborhood vibe.

Owned by the Trophy Brewing lads, so you’ll find a range of their great beers, as well as wine and cocktails, many also made with their own Youong Hearts Distilling liquor. Next door is their more casual cottage with a tap rooom and food. They also have delicious chicken wings if you are peckish.

7 p.m. Dinner at Trophy Brewing Pizza

If delicious, speciality pizzas (including gluten free), appetizers and salads in a casual beer garden are on your mind for dinner, then walk a couple of steps to the iconic Trophy Brewing & Pizza.

Other recommendations include:

Morgan Street Food Hall is a great place to go to eat as it has 20 or so food vendors of various cuisines, and one large dining space, so every member of your group can find something they enjoy eating and then you can all eat together. It has a lively, community feel and is always popular. We love Crispy Cod, Cowfish Burger, and Raleigh Rolls there, which are unique rolled ice cream with delicious toppings!

If you want something a little more elevated, head to Figulina in the Warehouse District It’s a modern-day restaurant with handmade pasta at its heart – you can even watch them making it. You’ll find other delicious, and beautifully presented, Italian inspired dishes with a Southern influence, as well as other culinary twists. It’s’ one of our favorite elevated dining experiences in Raleigh.

9 p.m. After dinner drinks in a cocktail bar

Raleigh has a lot of unique dive bars, cocktail bars, and subterranean bars to explore. We personally prefer them to night clubs as they have a more intimate vibe. Some of our favorites are Foundation Bar, and underground bar with industrial-chic decor, warm brick walls, great artwork and intimate atmosphere. Super talented bartenders who make great drinks!

The Green Light is a true definition of a hidden bar. Literally tucked away behind a secret bookcase door in what was once an architect’s office. Small, dimly lit room with a 1920s speakeasy feel. Reservations recommended. Aunt betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar – hidden inside Morgan St Food Hall is another favorite. We’ve also heard good things about the new Rosebud Cocktail Lounge, which we believe as it’s the same owners of our favorite, Capulet Cocktail Bar, a Verona-esque bar, is in Midtown Raleigh.

If you want a dive bar with music, look no further than Slim’s Downtown! Here are more Raleigh live music venues.

Final thoughts

If you’re planning to spend 48 hours in Raleigh, we have called this city our home for 10+ years and this two-day itinerary is what we often do with friends and family who are new to the city as it offers a versatile and all-round view of what Raleigh is truly like.

Nature-filled, great food and delicious craft beers, excellent entertainment and nightlife, and unique shopping. As one of the South’s most vibrant and eclectic cities, this itinerary should help you understand what makes Raleigh pulse.

And if you need more ideas on what to do, join our free VIP email tribe so you don’t miss our weekly e-newsletter sharing our insights. If you have any questions, or your own suggestions on things to do, please leave a comment down below!

More ideas for things to do

While you’re planning your 48 hours in Raleigh, here are some other guides that might help you pick out some things to do and map out your itinerary:

• Top attractions in Raleigh
• The ultimate Raleigh bucket list: things to do
• Festivals & events in Raleigh
• Things to do with kids in Raleigh
• Free things to do in Raleigh, NC (or on the cheap)