Thinking About Moving to Raleigh? Here’s How to Get a Taste of the City Before You Commit

Thinking about moving to Raleigh and are coming to visit for the first time to test it out? This guide gives you suggestions on how to explore the city like a future local so you can see if it’s the right fit for you. Relocating to any new city is a big move. We have done it many times in five different countries and have personally relocated to Raleigh from Australia three times since 2004, so we understand the thought process!

Now that we are permanent Raleigh residents, over the years we have gotten to know this city well. So, what are the most local things to do in Raleigh? What experiences and places would I suggest for an out of towner who is considering moving to Raleigh? Below are suggestions on activities that give you a true taste of Raleigh’s culture, food, and outdoor scene before you commit to your move. Choose based on your personal interest and priority.

Explore Raleigh’s Food Scene

Breakfast at:

• Big Ed’s City Market – has been serving up classic Southern style breakfast and hospitality since 1958. Big Ed’s serves food like what grandma used to make, in a place like grandpa would like to hang.
• State Farmers Market Restaurant – another of the most popular breakfast restaurants in Raleigh and another top choice to get a country breakfast and Southern dining experience. 
• The Mecca – take a step back in time to the oldest restaurant in Raleigh (since 1930). Historic setting oozing nostalgia. Unpretentious and comforting meals, this is one of the few true diners left in the Raleigh area.
• Boulted Bread – If you love bakeries, this chic, local neighborhood bakery is our favorite featuring pastries and artisan bread made with local and organic grains.
• NY Bagels & Deli – if you’re relocating from NY, we know you love and miss your bagels. Former New Yorkers living in Raleigh suggest this bagel shop is the best in Wake County.
• See our full list of breakfast suggestions.

Brunch at:

• Irregardless Cafe – A staple since 1975 and one of the longest-running Raleigh restaurants. A true farm-to-table experience offering not only excellent vegetarian and vegan food in Raleigh, but also meat and seafood dishes.
• Press Coffee & Crepes – We take all our out-of-town visitors here. Excellent coffee, and amazing savory and sweet crepes plus other brunch classic like avocado on toast. GF crepes made with buckwheat flower.
• NoFo @ the Pig – unique and iconic Raleigh restaurant located inside a former Piggly Wiggly store, offering a blend of Southern comfort food and a quirky shopping experience.
• Taverna Agora – Greek restaurant with the best rooftop patio in Raleigh. Taverna Agora has been serving happy locals for more than 20 years.
• Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing – the best outdoor patio in Raleigh. Wye Hill has amazing views of the downtown skyline combined with unique and creative food options.
• See our full list of brunch suggestions

Lunch at:

• Sam Jones BBQ – NC is a bbq state and in Raleigh they eat the Eastern Carolina way (vinegar base sauce). Sam Jones is one of the best bqq spots in Raleigh with a focus on authentic pit-smoked meats and a place we took both our sets of parents from Australia for this southern classic.
• Parkside Restaurant – from its unmissable neon sign to its traditional American comfort food, Parkside is a popular downtown Raleigh lunch restaurant spot with the locals. 
• Trophy Brewing & Pizza – some of my favorite beers in Raleigh, and pizza! What’s not to love at this neighborhood joint.
• Char-Grill (Hillsborough St location) – it doesn’t get more old school Raleigh than Char-Grill, a local landmark which has been serving fast charcoal-grilled burgers and shakes since 1959.
• Whiskey Kitchen – A modern urban bar and restaurant offering a diverse whiskey selection and exceptional chef-driven dishes. Industrial chic interior with a great outdoor patio.
• The Players Retreat – (PR) a tradition with NC State students and alumni for over 70 years. The walls are adorned with sports memorabilia and the vibe is always friendly. Especially well known for their burgers. 
• Mitch’s Tavern – Established in 1974 and located in the heart of Hillsborough St across from NC State’s main campus. Well-known as the tavern in the 1988 Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon movie “Bull Durham.” Excellent sandwiches and chili.
• The Roast Grill – A no-frills, hole-in-the-wall known for its legendary hot dogs in a tiny nondescript house. Or, Snoopy’s Hot Dogs, another local landmark.
• Morgan Street Food Hall – home to 20 different local food concepts. There’s something for everyone!
• See all lunch spots.

Dinner at:

• Stanbury – a trendy restaurant with a quirky ambiance offering fresh, seasonal dishes in a hip setting. Possibly one of the most unique restaurants in Raleigh with exceptional food to match.
• Poole’s Diner – a retro, 1945 diner with a classic American comfort food with a gourmet twist. Their Mac n’ Cheese dish (Macaroni Au Gratin) is famous locally!
• Bida Manda – a Southeast Asian restaurant serving authentic Laotian cuisine in a beautifully designed downtown space.
• Angus Barn – a Raleigh institution since 1960 offering hearty steaks in a rustic and charming atmosphere. Their holiday lights decorations are legendary and reservations around Thanksgiving and Christmas sell out way in advance!
• Second Empire Restaurant – an exquisite fine dining experience in a restored historic home offering an elegant atmosphere and impeccable service.

International Food:

• Bida Manda – another mention because it’s so good! As authentic Laotian food as it gets, by far our favorite of the Asian restaurants in Raleigh!
• Taverna Agora – as mentioned above. Excellent Greek food and rooftop patio.
• Vic’s Italian – one of our favorite family-friendly restaurants for authentic Italian and New York style pizzas. Wide variety of pastas and entrees in healthy portions. Other Italian suggestions include Mulino’s, and Vivace in North Hills.
• Coquette Brasserie – we’ve been to Paris and love French food and the French way of dining. Coquette is our go-to spot without the 8-hour flight.
• Gringo A Go Go – former gas station turned restaurant on the edge of Historic Oakwood. Whether it’s brunch, lunch or dinner, this is a popular local Mexican restaurant.
• J. Betski’s – popular for German & Polish dishes. Elegant restaurant that uses local ingredients.
• Ajja – Mediterranean, the Middle East and beyond tucked away in a neighborhood street by famed local chef, Cheetie Kumar.
• City Market Sushi – if you’re seeking a slightly upscale Sushi restaurant in the heart of the city, put City Market Sushi on your itinerary.
• Hibernian Irish Pub – for typical Irish pub grub, a pint of Guinness and the best Irish coffee in Raleigh you can’t beat the Hibernian in the Glenwood South District.
• See our full list here.

Sip on a Cup A Joe at Raleigh’s Best Coffee Shops

Jubala Coffee

• Jubala Coffee – prime location on Hillsborough Street and being directly across from NC State University makes it a popular choice for Wolfpack students to grab coffee, a waffle or breakfast biscuit. 
• Heirloom Brewshop – located in the Warehouse District, Heirloom is a specialty coffee shop, premium tea house, and sake bar with an Asian-inspired menu and aesthetics.
• Little Natives Coffee – Housed in a historic building on S. Person Street and merely steps from the heart of downtown. It may be small in size, but it’s big on coziness and character, and great coffee.
• Idle Hour Coffee roasters – located on Oberlin Road not far from the fantastic Five Points neighborhood. Adorable coffee shop with excellent coffee and baked goods.
• Iris Coffee Lab – positioned in the Glenwood South District of downtown. A modern, clean and stylish space with fantastic coffee and NY style bagels.
• The Morning Times – in the heart of downtown. Sit on the sidewalk and watch the Raleigh life go by, or the cozy upstairs has a laid-back atmosphere and functions as a mini art gallery. 
• PRESS Coffee + Crepes – not just amazing sweet and savory crepes here, but excellent lattes and flat whites in this European style cafe. Sit in or grab and go!
• 20 top coffee shops in Raleigh

Experience Raleigh’s Craft Beer Scene

Crank Arm Brewing

• Crank Arm Brewing – a downtown favorite with bike-themed brews. Crank Arm also serves liquor, seltzer, wine, a non-alcoholic slushie, a non-alcoholic beer, and kombucha.
• Lynwood Brewing Concern – award-winning beers, kid-friendly with a sizeable outdoor beer garden, and you can also bring your pooch! 
• The Raleigh Times – not a brewery, but a timeless watering hole named after the former newspaper that occupied this 100 year old building. Large selection of Belgium beers.
• Brewery Bhavana – a unique combination of a brewery, dim sum restaurant, and flower shop, featuring creative brews and artistic cocktails. More of an upscale vibe.
• Raleigh Beer Garden – Home to the world’s largest beer selection (it’s in the Guinness Book of Records).  350+ beers on tap, three levels, and mini-golf course out back.
• Hibernian Irish Pub (Glenwood Ave) – also not a brewery, but the best pint of Guinness and Irish coffee in Raleigh for those looking!
• Full list of breweries here.

Cheer on Your Team at Sports Bars

The Players Retreat

Sports in Raleigh is a big part of the city’s identity, especially college sports. We’ve got NC State University in Raleigh, then 30-minutes away is Duke University and 40-minutes is UNC-Chapel Hill. Raleigh is also home to the NHL Carolina Hurricanes.

• The Players Retreat – the PR is a tradition with NC State students. One of the storied sports bars in Raleigh and a true landmark. Established in 1951, this is an old school sports bar with booths and bar stools, tables on the sidewalk, pool tables and lots of TV screens for sports. 
• Sammy’s Tap & Grill – West Raleigh’s premier sports bar for over 20 years. For college sports, this is another NC State hangout being close to Centennial Campus (plus Bama fans), and on NFL Sunday this is a Steelers bar!
• Brickhouse – A west Raleigh favorite located off Hillsborough Street (across from Meredith College) and relatively close to NC State and Lenovo Center. During college footbal season this is Ohio State Buckeye’s headquarters, and New England Patriot’s on Sunday’s.
• Tobacco Road Sports Cafe – located in the historic Powerhouse building in Glenwood South, this is more of an upscale sports bar! With a row of TVs lining the bar and above the dining area, plus screens in their large games room, you can watch all the sports including major league baseball, cricket, you name it. 
• My Way Tavern – The main focal point of the tavern is their horseshoe style bar from which you can enjoy 22 draft beers on tap. Good bar food, plenty of TVs to watch the games, inside and outside tables, and home to the Chelsea FC supporters club. 
• Full list of Raleigh sports bars.
• Where to watch college football in Raleigh
• Where to watch your NFL team in Raleigh

Stroll Through Historic Neighborhoods

• Historic Oakwood – a historic district that dates all the way back to the 1800’s. Home to magnificent oak trees and a combination of restored Grand Victorians to modest bungalows of the 1920s. 1 mile northeast of downtown Raleigh and one of the premiere Raleigh neighborhoods.
• Mordecai – Located a bit north of Oakwood, Mordecai is Raleigh’s oldest neighborhood dating back to the late 18th century. The Mordecai House, which dates from 1785, is the oldest house in Raleigh on its original foundation.
• Boylan Heights – one of Raleigh’s first planned suburbs on the edge of downtown and 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. Read our full guide.
• Five Points – 2 miles north of downtown, the quirky and exuberant Five Points area is so named because it’s where five historic neighborhoods converge. Great restaurants, cafes, bars, and boutique stores.

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Visit the Museums

NC Museum of Art

Raleigh is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the South” due to its quality and quantity of excellent museums, and most of them free!

• NC Museum of Art – our favorite of the museums in Raleigh. The NC Art Museum boasts a permanent collection of 4,353 objects, plus a fantastic outdoor art sculpture park. Several excellent events year-round. Free entry!
• Museum of Natural Sciences – also free and in the heart of downtown, this museum is North Carolina’s most visited. 4 floors of exhibits featuring live animals, fossils of dinosaurs, whale skeletons, research centers, walk-through dioramas, 3D movies and much more.
• Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) – another excellent free museum in downtown. CAM Raleigh is a non-collecting art museum that provides cultural experiences, and bold, non-traditional exhibitions by living artists. Here is our guide to CAM Raleigh.
• City of Raleigh Museum – an important place to learn about the history and culture of Black Americans in Raleigh. Located in the 1874 historic Briggs Building, the museum is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of the capital city while envisioning its future. 
• Mordecai Historic Park – once the site of the largest plantation in Wake County and home to Mordecai House, the oldest house in Raleigh in its original location ca. 1785 and the Birthplace of Andrew Johnson.
• See full list of museums.

Walk or Bike Ride on the Greenway Trails

• Lake Johnson Loop Trail – our favorite of the trails in Raleigh. 3-mile loop in West Raleigh close to NC State University’s Centennial Campus. There’s a boathouse and 700 ft long boardwalk.
• Umstead State Park – just 15-minutes from downtown Raleigh is the incredible Umstead Park. Lots of excellent trails for hiking and biking through serene pine forests. The park provides the perfect sanctuary for nature lovers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. 
• Art to Heart Trail – One of our favorite biking trails in Raleigh is the Art to Heart trail, which runs from the North Carolina Museum of Art to downtown Raleigh. 6 miles each way, fully paved.
• Lake Lynn Trail – a man-made lake in North Raleigh that offers one of the most scenic walking and biking trails and is a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
• Bond Lake Trail – lovely lake trail not far from downtown Cary. 3-mile loop, a mix of paved and natural surface terrain.
• See our list of 25 trails in Raleigh.

Shop the Best Markets, Malls, and Boutiques

• State Farmers’ Market – the biggest farmer’s market in North Carolina. Open seven days a week, all year round, this huge 75-acre farmers market is the place to go for fresh produce, plants, and seasonal goods.
• North Hills – the premier shopping district in Raleigh. North Hills is home to 130+ local shops, mostly made of high-end boutiques, as well as restaurants, bars, salons, cinemas, a bowling alley, and a farmers’ market.
• Village District – when it opened in 1949, it was the first shopping district between Washington D.C. and Atlanta. Located 2-miles from NC State University, Village District is an open-air shopping mall with 65 stores, as well as entertainment offerings such as a movie theater and comedy club. 
• Crabtree Valley Mall – huge shopping mall with 200 stores, including three large department stores (Belk, Belk Men’s Store, and Macy’s). Crabtree is the place to go when you’re stuck for options.
• Full guide to shopping in Raleigh

Attend a Sporting Event

Hurricanes hockey / Wolfpack football

• Carolina Hurricanes hockey – locals go all out for their NHL Canes hockey team, Stanley Cup Champions in 2006. They play at the Lenovo Center, and pre-game tailgating is fun, too!
• NC State Football – for a fun college sports experience, you can’t beat a football game at Carter-Finley stadium on a Saturday during the fall.
• NC State Women’s Basketball – we love going to a wolfpack women’s basketball game at the iconic Reynold’s Coliseum. Great atmosphere and team!
• NC Courage Women’s Soccer – women’s soccer is a big deal in NC, and the popular and successful NC courage play at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. 

Take Short Drive Trip to a Nearby Town

Downtown Cary

Within a short 20–40 minute drive, we have some excellent small towns and small cities close to Raleigh to explore, including:

• Downtown Cary – The town of Cary has become one of the most desirable places to live, , and a 15 minute drive from downtown Raleigh brings you to downtown Cary. The downtown district has seen a boom in incredible places to eat, drink, boutique stores, quaint coffee shops, and innovative art galleries.
• Downtown Apex  – just a 20-minute drive from Raleigh downtown and you arrive in historic downtown Apex. The town is centered around charming Salem Street, where you’ll find restaurants and cafes, boutique stores, and historic colorful architecture.
• Downtown Wake Forest – a short 35-minute drive north of downtown Raleigh brings you to the charming town of Wake Forest. The heart of Wake Forest is White Street which features local retailers, restaurants, cafes, bars and boutique stores. 
• Wendell falls (and downtown) – If you’re considering moving to Wendell (20 minutes east from Raleigh), you’re likely looking for a place with small-town charm, a sense of community, and proximity to larger cities. Downtown Wendell is on the up, and Wendell Falls is quickly becoming one of the most popular places to live in Raleigh. 
• Durham  – Southern Living magazine calls it “the South’s tastiest town”. This is a vibrant city, offering sports (Durham Bulls), Duke University, history, the arts and a community of over 300 restaurants and 40+ annual festivals. All in about a 30-minute drive.
• Chapel Hill – famous university town of UNC, known as one of the top 10 best college towns in the USA. The heart of Chapel Hill is historic Franklin Street, home to more than 200 restaurants, bars, and retail stores. You can spend 1/2 a day to a full day here and see all the highlights.
• 15 more day trips from Raleigh

Don’t Navigate Your Move Alone

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More Helpful Moving to Raleigh Advice

Here are more helpful tips and advice on all things moving to and living in Raleigh:

• 45 essential things to know before moving to Raleigh
• 33 reasons we love living in Raleigh
• Getting around Raleigh; guide to public transport
• How to meet people as a newcomer
• Complete guide to Raleigh Durham Airport
• How to navigate the Wake County Public Schools System

You can also take their short neighborhood quiz to help find the Raleigh neighborhood best suited to you. Click image below 👇

Where to Stay in Raleigh

Looking for a place to stay while you visit Raleigh? Here are our personal suggested hotels in Raleigh:

• The CASSO Hotel: boutique hotel in downtown
• Residence Inn, downtown Raleigh
• StateView Hotel (Nc State Campus)
• 10 best hotels near NC State University
• 12 hotels near RDU Airpport