Top Things To Do In Raleigh in Spring: Top Events and Attractions

Time to fold up those sweaters and trade beanies for sun hats, because it’s warming up and daffodils are blooming, which can only mean getting out to explore all the wonderful things to do in Raleigh in the Spring!

Spring is one of the best times to get outdoors and enjoy the vibrant Raleigh lifestyle. The weather is warm, and yet it’s still far from the overwhelming summer humidity (personally I quite like the humidity, but I’ve learned most people in the South don’t).

Just like Fall, Spring becomes a colorful palette of pinks, yellows, and whites as life starts to return to our plants. Just driving around and seeing them bloom and pop is a treat. Spring officially begins on March 20th. Spring Break varies depending on the school – NC State University breaks March 16th-20th, which is a little early, whereas Wake County Public Schools break from March 30th – April 3rd.

Side note: if you’re looking for spring break getaway ideas, we have a separate guide on this here. We’ve also recorded a podcast episode about spring in Raleigh, which you can listen to at the bottom of the post. For now, keep reading to discover the top events, festivals, and attractions to visit in Raleigh this Spring!

Spring Festivals in Raleigh

We love how Spring is one of the best seasons in Raleigh for outdoor festivals and events. These events really start ramping up in early April. And we share even more events in our monthly events posts and weekly event guide for Raleigh.

Art In Bloom, March 18–22, 2026

• Where: NC Museum of Art, West Building
• Time: Various
• Cost: $40 for members, $50 for nonmembers
• Website: NCArtMuseum.org

There is no better way to kickstart the Spring with this family event – the legendary Art in Bloom exhibit at the NC Museum of Art. It’s definitely an event to add to your Raleigh bucket list! What is all the fuss about? Flowers making art, that’s what! For five days you can enjoy 43 installations of floral arrangements from world-class designers. Some are more than 10 feet tall. 

This year’s theme is called “Written in the Stars” and is inspired by the zodiac, as well as the permanent collection at the museum. There will be installations inspired by works of art in the gallery’s permanent exhibit.

Read our guide to the 2026 Art in Bloom Festival (see video below) and discover what other events are on in March.

Logan’s Garden Shop Spring Festival, (March 26 & 27, 2026)

• Where: Logan’s Garden Shop
• Time: 9am – 6pm
• Cost: Free
• Website

Raleigh’s favorite garden shop is having a two-day Spring Festival which will include doorbusters, raffles, free plants, live music, food trucks, demos, face painting and more! First 200 guests on both days receive a free 4″ plant.

Historic Oakwood 35th Annual Garden Tour (April 11 & 12, 2026)

• Where: Historic Oakwood
• Cost: $25+ fees
  • Tickets: HistoricOakwood.org (must be purchased in advance)

We experienced this lovely spring event in 2024. We love their Christmas Candlelight Tour, so knew this would be equally fascinating and offer a different perspective, this time from the outside of the homes. On this tour you visit six hand-selected private gardens on a self-guided 1.5-2 mile walking tour. And guests will be treated to a curated tea selection to complement the beauty of springtime yards in bloom. See more photos and tips in our guide to the Historic Oakwood Garden Tour.

Reach, Rally & Run at Wake Tech (April 18, 2026)

• Where: Scott North Wake Campus (6600 Louisburg Rd C, Raleigh, NC 27616)
• Time: 7am – 10:30am
• Cost: $25 – $55 | $5 kids in strollers
• Website

Reach, Rally & Run is an annual run/walk fundraiser benefiting Wake Tech Community College, with all proceeds supporting emergency aid for Wake Tech students — a vital resource that helps students stay enrolled and on track during unexpected financial hardship.

Held on Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus, the event brings together runners, walkers, families, students, and community members for a meaningful day of movement and connection. We’ll be attending this year and hope to gather a team to run or walk together, making it a great opportunity to support a cause that directly impacts Raleigh’s future workforce while enjoying a feel-good community event. Read our full guide there.

We have created a team for this event for the 5K run/walk. Come join a happy, supportive group to enjoy the experience – move at your own pace. There’ll be someone alongside of you. When registering choose THIS IS RALEIGH team and you’ll be placed with us!

The Pit’s ‘Cuegrass Festival, April 18, 2026

• Where: Fayetteville St & Hargett St
• Time: 12pm-6pm
• Website: CueGrass.com

Are there two better words to describe North Carolina than barbecue festival? The annual ‘Cuegrass festival hosted by The Pit Authentic BBQ (in the Warehouse District) is a celebration of those two things with two stages of bluegrass music and Eastern Carolina style BBQ. And beer!

Raleigh Earth Day 2025, April 24

• Where: Flower Field, Dorothea Dix Park
• Time: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Cost: FREE
• Website

Let’s nurture our shared community mission focused on safeguarding and revitalizing the natural world. Discover environmentally conscious vendors and organizations, alongside live music, games, and activities suitable for everyone. The event will culminate with a family-friendly movie screening. Come and find out about the efforts of the City of Raleigh, We Plant it Forward, and other local partners dedicated to fostering a sustainable future for Raleigh.

Brewgaloo, April 24-25, 2026

• Where: Fayetteville St
• Time: Fri: 6-10pm, Sat 2-10pm
• Cost: see below
• Website: ShopRaleigh.org/brewgaloo

One of our favorite spring festivals is the annual Brewgaloo Craft Beer Festival in downtown Raleigh. Kick-off the season with a frothy head and backed with live music from one of the many Raleigh breweries plus taste beer from around 110 brewers in North Carolina, at the 2nd biggest beer fest in the USA.

There is a Friday night ticketed event with samples included, and the Saturday festival is free to walk around, but you need to buy drink tickets to sampole the brews.

Spring Daze Arts And Crafts Festival, April 25, 2026

• Where: Bond Park, Cary
• Time: 9am – 5pm
• Cost: Free
• Website: TownOfCary.org

This has to be one of my favorite spring festivals in the Triangle area for its beautiful location in the forest beside Bond Lake, and celebration of local artists. Grab a local brew and wander around browsing the stalls of more than 170 local artists from across North Carolina. You’ll find art-paintings, jewelry, sculptures and more. There are 20+ food vendors, activities for the kids and a stage with local music all day. 

READ MORE: Guide to Bond Park and Lake in Cary and our guide to the Spring Daze Fest in Cary.

Apex Peakfest,  May 2, 2026

• Where: Salem St, Downtown Apex
• Cost: Free
• Website

We’re not going to leave our Apex friends off the list of spring festivals in the Triangle, because they KNOW what the Peak of Good Living is all about. This event draws hundreds of vendors and over 22,000 people to Salem St in downtown Apex. There is live music all day, artisan stores, entertainment for the kids, food and so much more. Read more: A Guide to Downtown Apex (eat, play, shop).

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, May 7-10, 2026

• Where: 1439 Henderson Tanyard Road Pittsboro, NC 27312
• Time: Various
• Cost: Start at $52+ fees for adults, start at $27 for Youth Admission, and go up from there. Kids 12 and under are FREE
• Tickets

Festival lovers may want to take a trip out to Pittsboro for their annual 4-day Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance held on a 75-acre farmstead. There is a huge line up of NC bands across a wide variety of genres including Donna the Buffalo, Rising Appalachia, Lila Ike, and more. Plus, there is family fun, food, crafts, yoga, a sustainability fair, specific teen activities, and camping! See more top festivals and events in North Carolina.

Meet The Street, May 2, 2026

• Where: White Street, Downtown Wake Forest
• Time: 10am-4pm
• Cost: Free
• Website

Hey, Wake Forest, we see your vibrant way of living there on White Street! This premier arts & crafts, music and food festival in downtown Wake Forest includes more than 100 artisan booths featuring handmade items for sale, dozens of food trucks, live music throughout the day, a children’s village filled with activities for kids, and more.

Raleigh Spring Festival, May 9

• Where: Moore Square, Downtown Raleigh
• When: May 9th, 11:00am – 7:00pm
• Website

Celebrate spring and mom at this vibrant, free day festival in Moore Square. There will be good trucks, live music, performers, a vendors market, desserts, beer and wine. For the kids, there will be face painting, games, and prizes. This is a fun event to celebrate local businesses and welcome in the Spring season.

Artsplosure (Raleigh Arts Festival), May 16 & 17

• Where: Downtown Raleigh
• When: May 16 & 17, 2026
• Website: RaleighArtsFestival.com

Let’s go back to Art, as Raleigh is so good at it! So good that we get two premier art and community events in Raleigh during the spring. Like Spring Daze in Cary, Artsplosure is another of the annual Raleigh events and features over 175 visual artists showcasing their original works in ceramics, glass, fiber art, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, wood and more. There are also live music performances on the main stage, free arts and crafts for kids in the Kidsplosure section, and collaborative art installations throughout Fayetteville St.

Video: Raleigh Arts Festival

International Food Festival, June 6, 2026

• Where: Fayetteville St, Downtown Raleigh
• When: June 6th
• Website

Time to celebrate the vibrant cultures that make up Raleigh at the 10th annual International Food Festival. Over 50 food trucks/dessert trucks from around the globe, live performances and cultural festivities, and an outdoor international dance party. Shop local, experience international.

N.C. Hops Festival, June 13th, 2026

• Where: Midtown Park in North Hills
• Time: 12pm – 5pm
• Website: shoplocalraleig.org

We’re closing out our favorite Spring Festivals with more beer tasting! June takes us to the end of the spring season, and what better way to celebrate than with the 6th annual NC Hops Festival featuring NC craft beverages, live music, local makers, and a variety of food trucks! Tickets are yet to go on sale but are priced per session to enjoy unlimited samples of NC beer, ciders, seltzers, and more. Last year, we enjoyed finding a few more local craft brews including Meade from Asheville and non-alcoholic kombucha and soda from Tribucha! There were games set up outside and fun stein holding competitions.

Be sure to read our top festivals and events in Raleigh guide.

Gardens and parks in Raleigh to visit in Spring

There’s nothing that will get you into spring fever more than the sights and smells of a flowering garden. Spring tends to bring both sunshine and rain, which is also a perfect combination for wildflowers. The Triangle has several beautiful parks and gardens to enjoy this Spring. (You may have to dodge that pollen in between but it’s worth it!) Here are a few more spring blooms in Raleigh locations to consider.

Raleigh’s Rose Garden

Tucked away in the Hillsborough St residential area is the stunning Raleigh Rose Garden. Evergreen and deciduous trees encircle sixty rose beds teeming with a diverse array of hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures, and antique roses. The roses are typically in bloom between Mother’s Day and the first hard freeze of the season, normally around mid-November. It’s a popular place for reflection, picnics, proposals and photos. It’s located behind the Raleigh Little Theater, so why not combine your visit with a show OR their movies in the Garden, which air monthly, beginning at the end of April. 

Read our full review of the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden and here are things to do on Hillsborough St and places to eat on Hillsborough St.

The Daffodil Field at Dorothea Dix Park

Have a picnic amongst the field of yellow daffodils in Dorothea Dix Park. The daffodils are planted in the park’s Flowers Field off Umstead Drive near the historic cemetery. They also have a range of springtime events such as yoga in the park, birdwatching, walking tours, fun festivals, and outdoor movies. In summer, the daffodils are swapped with beautiful sunflower fields. 

Read our guide to Dix Park and don’t miss the excellent free guided walking tour of Dix Park.

Pullen Park

As one of the oldest public parks in the world, Pullen Park has a lot of springtime love to share. Take a tranquil stroll past flowering trees, over arched bridges, and gazebos for a rest with a view. There are plenty of beautiful spots for selfies or photos with your loved ones and grassy picnic fields. Amongst the blooming flowers you have carousels, train rides, pedal boats, and lots of other fun things to do. Read our full guide to Pullen Park.

WRAL Azalea Garden

The WRAL Azalea Garden is a sanctuary in the middle of the city. Bursting with southern flowers – dogwoods, magnolia, hydrangeas and, of course, azaleas. The 1.5-acre gardens have expanded in size and plant varieties over the years, and winding paths, shaded benches and manicured lawns are a feature. You can bring a picnic basket with food and drink to enjoy at one of the benches or spread out on the grass. It’s free and open to the public, year-round from dawn until dusk. Read our full guide to the WRAL Azalea Gardens.

Ann & Jim Goodnight Sculpture Park, NC Museum of Art

It’s not just the art that’s blooming in the Spring at the NC Museum of Art, but also the outdoor gardens. Enjoy the hiking trails and wide fields filled with unique and interesting sculptures as well as places for picnics. Watch our video of the NC Museum Sculpture Park:

JC Raulston Arboretum, NC State

One of the prettiest gardens in Raleigh, especially during the spring, is NC State University’s own arboretum. The flowers and plants across more than a dozen landscaped gardens are stunning. Blooms include perennials, shrubs, trees, grasses, bulbs and more. More than a dozen landscaped gardens. Small trails weave in and out of the different types, like the Japanese Garden and Color Trials, Perennial Border and Geophyte Border.

It’s an explosive experience for the senses. Plant lovers will enjoy the variety of programs, classes and tours they hold, including activities for kids. On April 25th, they host Raulston Blooms includes an exceptional plant sale, garden talks, demonstrations, food trucks, ice cream and more. Read our guide to JC Raulston Arboretum.

Sarah P Duke Gardens

One of the most beautiful gardens in the Triangle, especially in the Spring, is the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham. Expect to see lilacs, irises, Japanese camellia, gold-edged winter daphne, Japanese apricot and many more. Pack a picnic and enjoy walking the many trails. The colors and smells will get your chakras spinning back into balance. 

Read our full review of Duke Gardens here, and while you are there, here are some of the best things to do in Durham. We recommend enjoying a high tea at the nearby Washington Duke Inn. See more afternoon tea in the Triangle recommendations.

Video: Sarah P Duke Gardens, Durham

Juniper Level Botanic Garden

A stunningly beautiful 28-acre garden if you love plants, from local to the exotic, and from different countries. Even our kids enjoyed this garden, and they are hard to impress sometimes! This is the private garden of Tony and Anita Avent and is only open to the public 8 weekends per year; two weekends each in winter, spring, summer and fall. Read more about the stunning Juniper Level Botanic Garden.

North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill

At the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, 1100 acres of cultivated land showcase unique Piedmont wildflowers and native carnivorous plants in its display gardens. There is an abundance of buzzing bees, birds, and butterflies. The gardens highlight specific regions of North Carolina and their corresponding plant species.

READ MORE: Amazing Parks in Raleigh and Stunning Gardens to explore in the Triangle.

More things to do in Raleigh in the Spring

Now you know where to see Spring flowers and have some events and festivals bookmarked, it’s time to show you some day to day recreation you can do in Raleigh during springtime…

Enjoy Easter Egg Hunts and Events

Of course, Easeter – a time of new life – is always held in the Spring. From traditional egg hunts in scenic parks to unique events featuring live animals and creative crafts, there’s something for everyone to embrace the festive spirit. For 2026, the Easter weekend is April 3rd (Good Friday) to April 5th (Easter Sunday), but celebrations and activities start a few weeks before this.

Here’s a curated list of Easter events happening in and around Raleigh for 2026

Visit Eno State Park in Durham

Eno River State Park is home to a variety of blooming flowers: hepatica and trout lily in March, dutchman’s breeches and yellow lady slipper in April, and rhododendron and mountain laurel in May. Since 1969, they have offered a Spring Wildflower hike series that showcase the wildflowers blooming along the Eno. You can also hike it yourself. One of the best spots to access and view wildflowers include the Pump Station access point and the Blue Indigo Preserve.

Go Strawberry Picking

Spring means sweet strawberry season. You can buy them in abundance from the local Triangle markets or go pick your own at any of the you-pick farms in Wake County.

Check out:

• DJ’s Berry Patch is right near Downtown Apex. Fields are open from late April thru mid-May.
• Page Farms U-Pick normally begins Mid-April and lasts through the first week of June. They also sell seasonal vegetables and pre-picked bundles of flowers. 
• Phillips Farm in Cary has tons of spring events for families, including strawberry picking. In April, they have Shop & Play Saturdays partnering with local farmers and artisans to showcase their offerings via a market. Family fun included! 

Read More: Strawberry Picking farms in Raleigh, Wake County and counties near Raleigh and here’s a wonderful experience we had strawberry picking in Pine Level Johnston County.

Buy your spring produce at the State Farmers Market

Who doesn’t love popping a juicy blueberry in their mouth in the middle of spring? Spring at the State Farmer’s Market is hopping with fresh vegetables. Apart from strawberries and blueberries, other fruits don’t start coming into season until June. That is your raspberries, plums, peaches, and blackberries. So, get those pie recipes ready. While at the farmer’s market, you can pick up other produce like grass fed beef, local honey, handmade candles and soaps and more.

You may also want to stop for one of Raleigh’s best breakfast places, at the State Farmers Market Restaurant or have a fry up lunch at the NC Seafood Restaurant.  Here is our guide to the State Farmers Market in Raleigh.

More Farmers’ Markets in Wake County

You have more options in Wake County for buying local, seasonal produce.

•  The Cary Downtown Farmers Market is a vibrant gathering place where the community has direct access to multiple farmers and unique craftsmen all in one place. April – October on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Downtown Cary Park (Winter market still on until those dates.
• Gather at the Midtown Farmers Market in the heart of Midtown Raleigh, where you can buy local, family-farmed foods. Apr 11 — Oct 31 in the Market Commons 8am- noon (winter market still on until those dates)
• Moore Square Market features vendors selling fresh, seasonal goods as well as original, high-quality crafts and live music! May – Oct Sundays 11am -3pm

Here’s a guide to the best Farmers Markets in Raleigh.

Eat outdoors at some of Raleigh’s best patios & rooftops

The pollen will not keep me from sitting outside with a delicious meal on a fine patio. Raleigh has several great ones to choose from. We have a guide sharing some of our favorite patio restaurants in Raleigh, and another with some top rooftop bars in Raleigh and top hotels in Raleigh with rooftop bars. And of course, don’t forget our amazing choices of breweries in Raleigh, many of which have patios, food trucks, and entertainment. We also share some fantastic patios in our guide on things to do in North Hills in the Spring.

Don’t miss the spring vibes on these trails (hike, bike, or run)

Spring is a great time to hike as the humidity has not yet hit and the air is fresh, crisp, and the forests are blooming with flowers and lusciousness! One epic Spring adventure we enjoyed las year was biking he 35-mile American tobacco trail from Durham to Cary, starting with lunch a Press in Downtown Durham, and wine and cheese along the way at Cloer Family Vineyards. We have a post on best hiking trails in Raleigh to help you plan out your Spring hiking adventures! You can also bike or run them!

Some of our favorite hikes

• Sycamore Trail, Umstead State Park
• Loblolly Trail, Umstead State Park
• Hemlock Bluffs, Cary
• Lake Lynn, North Raleigh
• Lake Johnson, Southwest Raleigh
• Bond Lake, Cary
• Yates Mill Historic Park, South Raleigh – combine this with an ice cream at Howling Cow after!

Click play below to see videos of our favorite trails:

Take up Disc Golf or Pickleball

Two trending sports right now perfect for a group of friends to enjoy outside this spring are disc golf and pickleball. Search for a course near you and you’re bound to find a place to play, lessons or even friends to start this new hobby with. Disc Golf is a lot of fun, especially as a family activity. You simply throw a disc at a target (metal net) using rules similar to golf.

• NC State Centennial Campus has a wooded, and hilly course.
• Diavola at New Hope Disc Golf in Cary was ranked #7 on the World’s Best Disco Golf Courses in 2021. Is there a list the Triangle has not made?
• Kentwood Park Disc Golf Course in Raleigh hosts tournaments and has been voted as NC’s most popular disc golf course.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the USA right now. Pickleball is an easy and active paddle sport, played with a perforated plastic ball, on a court about one-third the size of a tennis court. It combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. You can find pickleball courts here and here. And Pickleheads is also a great resource.Pin Point in Raleigh is the place to be for indoor pickleball and golf in a very social environment. I have not been yet but have had plenty of people rave about it to us!

Get trained up and prepared for the anticipated opening of Swing Racquet + Paddle in 2025. This 45-acre sportainment complex will have tennis courts, pickleball courts, volleyball courts and more!

Enjoy an outdoor concert

Raleigh has several fantastic outdoor music venues, and the season starts ramping up in the Spring. Here’s a list of some of the concerts to come:

Red Hat Amphitheater, Downtown Raleigh

• April 14: Bush
• April 16: Lamb of God
• April 23: Russel Dickerson
• April 25: Alabama Shakes
• April 30: Disclosure
• May 8: Bilmuri
• May 16: Ole 60
• May 19: Sting 3.0
• May 22: Iration
• May 30: Young the Giant
• June 4: Sam Barber
• June 6: Khalid
• June 27-28: Goose

Here’s everything you need to know before attending a concert a Red Hat Amphitheater

Koka Booth, Cary

• April 18: Tacos ‘N Taps
• May 22: ZZ Top & Dwight Yoakam: Dos Amigos Tour
• May 24: An American Celebration: The Music of John Williams
• May 28: Old Crow Medicine Show & Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

Here’s everything you need to know before attending a concert at Koka Booth Amphitheater

Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

• April 26: Dinastia Tour by Peso Pluma
• April 29: Tedeschi Trucks Band
• May 12: Kid Cudi Presents The Rebel Ragers Tour
• May 16: Gobsmack
• May 19: Pitbull
• June 2: MGK
• June 5: Dave Matthews Band
• June 7: The Black Crows: Southern Hospitality Tour
• June 13: Hardy
• June 17: Evanescence

Here’s everything you need to know before attending a concert at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Don’t forget about some of the smaller venues in Raleigh, like weekend markets, food halls and beer gardens that often have live music. And of course, indoor venues, like Lenovo Center, Lincoln Theater, and the Ritz have concerts year-round! 

Midtown Beach Music Series (North Hills)

Midtown Park in the North Hills District has their outdoor Midtown Beach Music Series every Thurs, 6-9pm starting April 16th until July 23rd, 206, in their Coastal Credit Union Midtown Park. Lineup includes feel good music everyone loves from beach music to Motown, Oldies, R & B and more. Beverage and food options are available to purchase on site.

Cheer on our local sports teams

• We love watching the North Carolina Courage (women’s soccer) play games at WakeMed Soccer Park. Their season starts mid-March.
• Carolina Hurricanes are still working on closing out the season strong. Seeing a game live is one of our favorite things to do in Raleigh. You can buy tickets to their games here.
• And as those nights start warming up, there is no better way to enjoy it than at a baseball game. We’ve got Durham Bulls playing at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (Opening Day March 30th, 2026) and the minor league baseball team Carolina Mudcats at Zebulon (Opening week April 14, 2026)

Visit a Spring market

While Artsplosure and Spring Daze elevate an ordinary market to legendary, once-a-year festival status, the Triangle has lots of smaller versions each week to help you connect to local community. Each year, there seems to be more markets popping up all over the Triangle. They range from vintage goods to modern art, and many have other features like live music, food trucks and kids’ activities and workshops. Here are a few to check out. Please leave any other suggestions in the comments.

• Midtown Farmers’ Market – this market in the Commons at North Hills is in its 17th season. All products sourced locally within a 100-mile radius. Features cooking demonstrations, live music, and kids’ events.
• The Raleigh Market is a long-standing weekend market at the NC State Fairgrounds. You’ll find hundreds of stores inside and out with all kinds of vendors selling high-end antiques, furniture, jewelry art and more.
• Triangle Pop Up brings together local creators, artists and vendors at various locations across the Triangle.
• The Raleigh Night Market is ready for spring evenings filled with music, entertainment and Triangle artisans, food and drinks. Held in City Market. But wait, there’s more. They also have them in Cary, Garner, Durham, and Wilson.
• The Geek and Grub Markets are for geeks of all ages across a diverse range of geeky interests. This free market is held monthly and typically follows a theme. The markets have geeky games, competitions, cosplay, kids’ area, grub and vendors.
• Pop Up Raleigh at Trophy Brewing on Maynard. Pop-Up Raleigh will have monthly markets with 40+ vendors, March-December at one of Raleigh’s favorite breweries. Great beer garden too!

Do your Spring cleaning

You know it! Spring is the time for decluttering, organizing and taking on those home projects. So, while you’re blowing away the thick layer of green pollen dust, consider using local businesses to help you reduce the negative impact of broken things, and too many possessions. Make more room for moments and memories instead.

We know how incredibly hard it is to do these things within the space of a hectic family life. We’re hoping to pull in some help from Copperline Plants to help deck out our house with plants we can actually keep alive. Why not get a group of friends together, or neighbors, to help each other spring clean and garden? Break out the barbie and the cooler full of your favorite drinks and turn the painful into party!

Some other local businesses who can help with your spring cleaning: Junkluggers can help you remove all your rash and items for donation. And Squeegee Squad can clean your windows, inside and out, and help with pressure washing and gutter cleaning.

Attend the UNC Science Expo at the Morehead Planetarium

Every year, the Morehead Planetarium in partnership with UNC Chapel Hill hold an expo as part of the North Carolina Science Festival. This year it will take place on the April 11, 2026. It’s one of the biggest science celebrations in the state, and features 100 booths staffed by students, each featuring hands-on activities, games, and science demonstrations. It’s a great day out if you’re looking for something educational to do this Spring.

Host a porch party

Speaking of parties in the home, gather your best friends together and host porch party. You can also all spring clean together before it and then reward yourself after with a drink and little splurge on some gorgeous handbags and accessories. You don’t have to host this on a porch – it can be on your kitchen table if you like.

Follow the Johnston County Beer, Wine, and Shine Trail

Grab a group of friends (and a DD) and celebrate the arrival of warmer weather with an ice-cold beverage on a patio with a view. Either do it in one day or split it into multiple days for a fun spring project. Johnston County has laid it out for you on their Beer, Wine, and Shine Trail, the first of its kind in North Carolina. Stops include four breweries, two wineries, and two distilleries along rural roads past tobacco, cotton, and corn fields.

Why not make it a getaway? Clayton is a great base as they have a charming Main Street with incredible local restaurants and bars.

• This VRBO rental is in Downtown Clayton
• The Holiday Express just outside downtown is another option for a traditional hotel
• This cute rental home is another option, which is about halfway between Clayton and Smithfield.

There are many fun things to do in Johnston County, including great places to eat (including BBQ), trails to enjoy, and cute country towns. Read about our date night experience in JoCo.

Did you know there is a winery in Wake County? Cloer Family Vineyards in Apex grow, harvest, and bottle their own wine. You can enjoy their beautiful patio for wine tasting – it’s pretty good too! Read our guide to the Cloer Family Vineyards in Apex.

Take a day trip near Raleigh

There are so many awesome places near Raleigh where you can get away for the day and enjoy spring activities.

• Pinehurst and Southern Pines
• Chapel Hill – read our weekend getaway to Chapel Hill guide.
• We loved this walking tour of Chapel Hill
• Afternoon tea at Fearrington House Inn near Pittsboro
• Day trip to Selma
• Wake Forest
• Rocky Mount Mills
• Read More: Fun Day Trips from Raleigh (within a 2-hour drive)

Take a Spring Day Trip by Train

Trade traffic for tracks and turn an ordinary day into an easy adventure. We’ve been loving taking train day trips — no parking stress, no highway fatigue, just a window seat and North Carolina rolling by. (Trains were our everyday norm living outside of the US)

Greensboro (90 minutes from Raleigh):
Grab coffee, hunt down incredible French pastries at Breakfast at Paris, and spend time at the powerful International Civil Rights Center & Museum. Add a brewery stop or two and you’ve got a full day of food, culture, and local flavor — without ever getting behind the wheel. (See video below)

Selma (quick and charming):
Step off the train right into downtown and browse antique shops, local boutiques, murals, and cozy cafés. It’s the perfect slow-paced half-day reset. Read our guide to this Selma Day trip by train.

Spring views, freedom to enjoy a drink, and the simple joy of the journey — sometimes the best adventures are just one train ride away.

Take a Spring Getaway

If you want to go beyond just a day trip from Raleigh, consider jumping in the car for a spring getaway. With high flight prices at the moment, you’ll be glad you opted for the more affordable and flexible four-wheel adventure! Here are some other ideas:

• Spring Mountain getaway to Virginia’s Blue Ridge (only three hours away)
• Boone in the North Carolina highlands is only a three-hour drive away.
• Head to Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach or Ocean Isle Beach before the crowds get in your way.
• Why not take the skies and go hang gliding in Jockey Ridge State Park before it gets too hot?
• I’ve been hearing a lot about the Highlands area of the North Carolina Mountains recently. May be a great lessor known Spring vacation spot.
• Here are reasons to visit Ocracoke Island (before the summer crowds arrive)

Comment: What are some of your favorite things to do in the Spring in Raleigh?