The Best of Raleigh and Beyond: Where to take Visitors to Raleigh 

When my parents flew in from Australia for a three-week visit, we set out to explore the best that Raleigh and the surrounding regions have to offer. This was their fourth visit to Raleigh, and they’ve always really liked it. But on previous visits, we’ve spent most of our time exploring other areas in the US, including a dream 6-week road trip from Dallas to Boston.

On this visit, they requested to spend more time getting to know Raleigh, including other areas in Wake County and the Triangle. Well, we know the best local guides to help you do that. In case you don’t know us, it’s our job to explore the Raleigh area in-depth, plus we’re professional travel bloggers (recognized by the White House as being the top of the industry) so have a well-trained eye for what makes an experience good. 

As their guides, we chose to show them what we think are outstanding experiences in our area. Good news for you – you can just copy what we did and know you’re headed to the right places!

As they were here for three weeks, we did mostly one big activity/attraction a day, with a local coffee/lunch experience that we love. From cultural experiences to outdoor adventures, our journey was packed with diverse activities and delightful surprises. After weeks of exploration, I asked them to list their favorites in Raleigh and nearby. Here’s a roundup of their top picks in no order:

NC Executive Mansion Tour in Raleigh

Did you know that you can tour the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh? The North Carolina Executive Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of North Carolina and their family, which currently is Governor Roy Cooper, the thirtieth governor to live in the Mansion. On the tour, you’ll explore the history of the 1883 Victorian style mansion, learn about past and present Governors, including Roy Cooper, and tour the beautifully furnished downstairs rooms.

Discover the purpose of each room, notable décor such as the Joan of Arc Inkwell gifted by France during World War II, and personal items like Governor Cooper’s photographs. They have an annual Holiday Open House in December (TBD for 2024) where you can tour the home, take in the decorations, and enjoy seasonal musical entertainment by local performing groups. It usually coincides with the Historic Oakwood Candlelight tour. It’s on our Christmas bucket list for this year!

To schedule a tour, it’s best to reach out directly to: [email protected]. Information is not overly clear on their website. It just lists spring tours, but they told me they also do Fall tours. They don’t do tours during the summer.

NC Museum of Art

Like me, an art gallery wouldn’t be high on my parent’s list when exploring a destination! But, as I told them, the NC Museum of Art is special. We think it’s Raleigh’s best attraction – and it’s free! We love the light-filled West Gallery and its interesting collections of art, including Picasso and Monet. Plus, they have interesting modern art pieces, indulging this fun “capturing a mosaic selfie.” The camera translates the various shades it sees in the Lines that Link Humanity piece beside it into your image.

The outdoor sculpture park is also fantastic to walk around to see the giant sculptures and art installations. My parents also thought the outdoor theater was an asset for the community.

You can read our guide to the NC Art Museum, and if your Raleigh visitors are here in March, consider the Art in Bloom Festival, it’s one of our favorite annual events in Raleigh.

Dorothea Dix Park Walking Tour

We absolutely love the free guided walking tour of Dorothea Dix Park for not just its fascinating history, but its pathway forward to a very exciting community gathering space for locals. It’s without a doubt a Best of Raleigh attraction. My parents really loved the tour, especially learning about how forward-thinking Dorothea Dix was in her philosophy of treating mentally unwell patients; and the small piece of Civil War History the park has.

On this visit, we were able to see the newly restored Stone Houses and art installation, Attun. It was so beautiful. You can read our full guide to the Dix Park walking tour here.

We had brunch at Irregardless Cafe on Morgan St before our tour. It’s always a favorite brunch of ours in Raleigh for its large gluten free menu. Strangely, they did not have gluten free toast though but were able to put together a delicious avocado plate for Mum, who also has other dietary considerations and couldn’t make anything else on the menu. Dad loved his pancakes here and it made his favorite list! After the tour, we had a refreshing cold drink at Rebus Works and then drove around the Boylan Heights neighborhood. 

North Carolina Courage Soccer Match

I come from a sporting family, so any live sporting event on the itinerary will be a hit. One of the best things to do in Wake County is watching our professional men’s and women’s soccer team at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

Attending an NC Courage game was a highlight, highlighting the energy and skill of top-tier women’s soccer. They were impressed with the game, the stadium, meeting Roary, and the fan fest beforehand. Of course, they picked up some Courage merch to take home with them! Get tickets here to the NC Courage or NCFC.

Sarah P Duke Gardens, Duke Chapel & Durham Bulls Baseball

On their last visit, we took my parents to Fenway Park, Boston for a Red Sox Game. It’s a bit hard to beat that iconic cultural experience, but, thanks to the Bull Durham movie, the Durham Bulls are a legendary baseball team in our own Triangle backyard to experience as well.

Even though it was probably the worst we’ve ever seen the Bulls play – an easy loss for them, Mum and Dad had a great time and could not believe how good the fireworks were. Here’s our guide on how to enjoy a Durham Bulls baseball game.

Before the game, we walked around the beautiful Sarah P Duke Gardens and Duke University with a stop at the gothic style Duke Chapel. We were quite impressed how it’s a non-denominational church and all faiths are welcome to worship.

We also stopped in at Press near the baseball field for crepes and coffee. Dad took a picture of the crepes, so he could show the local place back home and say, “Now that’s how you make a crepe!”

Afternoon Tea at Fearrington Inn

When we talk about travel with my parents, we usually share our stories of high tea in London! So, I planned for a similar experience at Fearrington House at the Fearrington Village in Pittsboro. Craig and I stayed at Fearrington Inn last year for a summer getaway and loved this quaint village that used to be a dairy farm. I knew an afternoon tea at this lux Relais & Châteaux property would be an elegant and sophisticated experience filled with delicious savory items such as sandwiches and quiches.

Pastries often include French cakes, Southern-inspired tarts, scones with cream and jam, and more. And of course, there is an array of loose leaf and herbal teas – my pick is the raspberry tea – of coffee is available, or an upgrade to cava or champagne!

I was most impressed with the high tea towers, especially given mine was a gluten free version and my mum’s a gluten free AND lactose free version. They did not skimp out with items just as delicious and fancy as the original. Dad was more than happy to help mum finish hers, but I did not leave a single crumb for him. They can also do kid-version towers. This is definitely a BEST thing to do in the Triangle with visitors.

Before our afternoon tea, we wandered around the village stopping to say hi to the belted cows, goats and chickens, look in the village’s stores, and admire the gardens. The Fearrington House Restaurant offers afternoon tea from 12-3pm Thursday through Sunday. Reservations are required. The menu can change daily.

Raleigh Rose Garden for Family Photos

What a way to highlight Raleigh Rose Garden to my parents! My sister gifted us a family portrait photography session with Becca Robinson Photography, so we chose this field of multi-colored roses. There are also other garden areas and beautiful trees to have photos, including the pretty pagoda.

The Raleigh Rose Garden is one of the best gardens in Raleigh to visit, picnic in, take photos, or enjoy the adjacent Raleigh Little Theater, outdoor theater that hosts summer plays and movies.

We had lunch at Taverna Agora Greek Kitchen & Bar after. Mum and I both love Greece, so we enjoyed the trip down memory lane while eating at what we think is the prettiest restaurant patio in Raleigh. The meals weren’t as great as we normally experience here, although the trio of dips was delicious, and Mum and Dad said they had the best fries on their trip!

Historic Oakwood Cemetery

The 72-acre cemetery in Historic Oakwood is a beautiful 72 resting place for locals throughout its over 150-year history. Among the many beautiful monuments and statuary within the cemetery are those of seven governors, five United States Senators, eight Supreme Court Chief Justices of North Carolina, four Civil War generals, two Secretaries of the United States Navy, numerous Raleigh mayors, and thousands of other individuals.

Visitors like to come here for the Confederate Cemetery where 1,388 Confederate and two Union Soldiers are buried in the Soldiers’ Cemetery in Oakwood. Near here is also the impressive House of Memory, which is a lovely stone memorial with plaques on the inside that recognize the many North Carolina servicemen and women who have served in time of conflict.

While here we also walked around the Historic Oakwood neighborhood, looked at the Raleigh City Farm in the North Person St area, and grabbed some Krispy Kreme donuts from its original second location. (Yep, it’s an NC local treat!)

North Hills Beach Music

You can’t have family visiting from Australia and not let them enjoy the cultural experience of North Carolina beach music. I couldn’t quite describe to my parents what it was, but they soon figured it out after a night at the North Hills Beach Music Series. The artist we saw was a little low key and not as exciting as other bands we’ve seen, but my parents enjoyed it and loved the people watching the experience as all folks young and old swarmed the Midtown commons to enjoy this experience.

Dad’s favorite memory was asking for a large ice cream in a waffle cone from Kilwin’s. My favorite memory was seeing his reaction when it was placed it in his hand knowing full well his perception of large was very different to the American reality. And he did not hesitate to order a large again at Kilwin’s in downtown Wilmington. And again, at Howling Cow! But he certainly learned that asking for a large cappuccino in America is an unbelievably bad idea. It’s unbelievably bad that some cafes serve a 24oz cappuccino!

Read our guide to North Hills – breaking down each district and what to expect. Plus, we have a 48-hour North Hills itinerary.

Exploring Downtown Cary & Park

Mum told me again on the phone the other day just how much she liked Downtown Cary. We visited a couple of times as it’s close to our house. They loved getting an Australian style coffee from Geluna Gelato (half-owned by an Aussie), and how beautiful Downtown Cary Park is. They’re impressed that residents get to enjoy such a beautiful community space. I was disappointed they did not get to experience the amazing CaryLive! monthly music concert at the outdoor amphitheater there (they need to be more regular!)

We had lunch twice at Serendipity Café. Dad really loved his pocket sandwich and Mum and I enjoyed our grilled chicken salads. Their patio is a beautiful place to sit and watch Cary life amble by. They got to meet our good friend, Curt and Mr. A, legendary owner of the iconic Ashworth’s Drugs (recently closed).

Mum and Dad loved shopping at The Perfect Piece. Mum found a cute frog garden ornament for her friend back home and Dad loved his NC shirt he picked up at Good Day Cary. You’ll find such a great collection of Cary, Raleigh, and NC gifts at this store. Read more in our guide to Downtown Cary: Drink, Eat, Play, Stay.

Best of Raleigh Trails

With parents like mine, it’s no wonder I like to walk! They’re usually clocking in 10 kms daily, so it made sense to add in walks to our Raleigh itinerary. We took them to some of our favorite trails in Raleigh – those with a gentle ambling pace.

• Lake Johnson: long-term readers will know that Lake Johnson is our favorite lake in Raleigh. We take all our visitors for a loop walk. Mum and Dad remembered it from their previous two visits and were happy to walk it again!
• Apex Lake: Another easy loop lake trail we added in before shopping in Downtown Apex.

• Bond Lake Cary: A frequent weekly trail of ours is the looped 2.5-mile trail around the lake. I love how there’s a paved section but also a natural trail for a little more adventure. It was nice to also sit by the lake after a replenishing drink from the kiosk.
• Yates Mill Trail: This is an easy one-mile loop around the pond. You get to learn a little about the mill’s history at the interactive visitor center while here. They really loved this trail because across the road you can treat yourself to the famous Howling Cow ice cream at the NC State Dairy Farm. Of course, Dad ordered a large!

Here are more of our favorite trails in Raleigh and a guide to Umstead State Park (which I recommend you take visitors to Raleigh)

Best Raleigh Coffee Shops

We enjoyed visiting many great coffee shops in Raleigh, with Little Native in Oakwood being my dad’s favorite for its cozy atmosphere and excellent brews. (Mum mostly drinks really weak tea or occasionally really weak coffee so didn’t weigh in with a favorite coffee place in Raleigh). Here are the best Raleigh coffee shops we took my parents to:

• Little Native – fantastic coffee and gluten free (and some vegan) treats!
• Geluna Gelato. I’ve only recently discovered that this popular gelato place in Cary also makes exceptional coffee. And of course, they would, they’re Australian!! This is a fair dinkum style Aussie flat white! And of course, they have authentic gelato as well!
• Fount Coffee & Kitchen: our favorite coffee in the Triangle was our stop for cappuccino and coffee cake. This was before visiting Morrisville cricket ground around the corner. My dad is a cricket player, having represented Australia in the over 60s and 70s tea. (You’re never too old to achieve your dreams).
• Jubala – the kids were happy for the chance for Nutella waffles. Dad loved his sandwich from here as well.

• Drift Kitchen: new to Raleigh, but we’ve enjoyed their Wilmington and Ocean Isle Beach locations. This did not let us down with fantastic coffee and lunch! The grain and eggs bowl with haloumi is delicious!
• Brew Coffee in Cary. Mum and Dad loved enjoying a brew to soak up more of downtown Cary.
• Left Hook Coffee. We stopped in here for lattes and cappuccinos a couple of times. Mum and Dad loved chatting to owner, Kristin especially hearing how Left Hook is named after her boxing grandfather. This was also where we randomly met Australian comedian and star of Fisk, Aaron Chen #memories
• Heirloom Brewshop: Always a favorite Raleigh coffee spot for us. Perfect break from shipping in downtown Raleigh!
• Idle Hour Coffee Roasters: Mum and I were sad they had no gluten free bakery items available. But dad loved his donut!

Discover more coffee shops in Raleigh to take visitors! My other favorite at the moment is Parallax Coffee in Downtown Wendell.

Best of Raleigh: Shopping!

We didn’t visit all our favorite Raleigh retail stores in one day. They were interwoven into our daily explorations. When Craig and Dad went to the golf, Mum, the girls, and I visited several of these stores!

Designed for Joy

Of course, we would not miss showing off Designed for Joy to my Mum and Dad. It’s our favorite non-profit in Raleigh, I volunteer on their marketing committee, and they have wonderful handbags and jewelry. Co-founder, Cary Heise took us for a tour around the studio and shared with Mum and Dad all they do. They were so impressed with how they help vulnerable women in the Raleigh community.

While there, Mum bought a handbag for my sister and one for me. It is by far my favorite handbag. You know when you’ve been trying to find the handbag to check off all the need boxes for years, but can you ever get a good fit? I’ve got a good fit. It’s been my daily accessory ever since. (Don’t miss the upcoming Designed for Joy’s evening of Giving!)

We squeezed in a BBQ lunch at Sam Jones BBQ around the corner before our visit, one of our favorite BBQ spots in Raleigh!

Flourish Market

My other favorite retail store in Raleigh is the Flourish Market. Taking mum there meant I could introduce her to Emily – another Raleigh icon doing wonderful things for the community – but also see their new location in the Iron Works District. It’s temporary while they fit out the new ginormous space in the building opposite – opening soon. Of course, Flourish is full of beautiful clothes, gifts, jewelry and more. Mum bought some jewelry for souvenirs and for the girls.

While here we had lunch at East Cut Sandwiches and were very excited to see they had gluten free bread, as well as delicious gf salads. And then we got the girls an ice cream from Andia’s. I really like the Iron Works District and can’t wait to follow its expansion.

Rose & Lee

Rose & Lee in Apex is another store in Wake County that I frequently visit especially if I need a new outfit or want cute local inspired gifts. From a vibrant clothing range to elegant jewelry and fun gifts, Rose & Lee sells incredible boutique brands that have their own mission of change and empowerment, from sustainability to human rights.  We love how affordable their prices are too. All their staff are fantastic at helping you find what you need.

I always take guests when they visit Raleigh as I think it’s one of the best stores in our Wake County area. You can use our coupon code ThisIsRaleigh for 10% off in store or online!

Downtown Raleigh Shops

I took mum to a few stores in Downtown Raleigh for locally inspired gifts

• Deco Raleigh: love the local items in this store. I often buy gifts here for our real estate clients.
• Curate Raleigh: Cute jewelry, art and locally made items.
• Nashona: Not really for gifts, but just to browse the awesome collection of clothes and Jewlery from Tanzania
• Unorthodox Vintage: this one was more for the girls to enjoy some teen shopping!
• Here are more downtown Raleigh stores to love.

Exploring Chapel Hill

Another request from my mother when putting their Raleigh visit together was that we visit Chapel Hill. We started with a delightful coffee and cake in the tranquil forest at Caffe Driade. There is a greenway trail running off here, which is on my list to return to Chapel Hill and do.

We then walked along Franklin St, searching for Tar Heel memorabilia in its many college merch stores, and making sure to stop in at the 100+ year old Sutton’s Drug Store. Since there are no gluten free options on the menu, we didn’t eat there but fun to see the popular restaurant dressed up in UNC paraphernalia inside the pharmacy.

We then walked through the UNC campus, stopping to admire the beautiful green spaces filled with oak trees, the old buildings (it’s the oldest public university in the country) and getting our photo taken at the Old Well.

They really enjoyed our lunch with a view at the Top of the Hill, a favorite of ours to take visitors!  When I could drink beer, I loved their Old Well White!

Overnight Trip to Wilmington

My parents love Wilmington and so requested another visit. We decided to stay overnight at our favorite Embassy Suites by Hilton on the Wilmington Waterfront. They said this hotel made the trip that much better with their beautiful views overlooking Battleship North Carolina and the Cape Fear River from their suite.

I have a full post sharing our overnight getaway experiencing the Best of Wilmington. So you can see more of what they loved there, including the special Wrightsville Beach. Dad is now attempting a Powerball win to buy a beach house there, as “there is something special about that beach.” We’ve been saying that since love at first sight in 2004!

Pinehurst: PGA USA Open Golf Championship

Their timing for this trip was perfect as the PGA USA Open Golf Championship was on in Pinehurst and Craig and I had tickets for the opening day’s play. Considering I don’t know a birdie from an eagle, and my Dad can actually play a few rounds of golf, I was more than happy to step aside and let him go in my place.

What a day he and Craig had walking the grounds of America’s Home of Golf and seeing golfing greats like Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, Aussie Jason Day, Scottie Scheffler, and the 2024 champion, Bryson DeChambeau.

It’s more than likely now that this golf event will not be on when you have visitors to Raleigh. We still think Pinehurst is a charming village that makes an excellent day trip from Raleigh. 

Final Thoughts on Best of Raleigh to Visitors

It’s obvious we love Raleigh. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just us. A good test of its character, beauty, and attractions is what visitors think when they explore it. Especially international visitors – it’s a global perspective that can carry weight. There was nothing during our three weeks of exploring the best of Raleigh, Wake County, The Triangle, and Wilmington that my parents did not love (and they are currently missing back home in cold, rainy Sydney). It’s easy to see why Raleigh is a place worth visiting.

My parents said several times on this visit, “I think you’ve chosen the best place in the USA to live.” We’re so grateful they love it as much as we do!