Welcoming Summer

Hello, summer! June is an incredible time to visit Raleigh, N.C., with tons of opportunities to do, see and explore more in the City of Oaks than ever. Our best advice? Use these long days and warm weather to the fullest by getting outdoors and staying active! 

For starters, you can get out on the water and explore by boat, canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard. You'll find lots of rental options across the Raleigh area, including options at Lake Crabtree County Park, where sailboats, rowboats and more are ready to be taken out on the 520-acre lake. Or head just east of Raleigh, where one of the area's best-kept secrets awaits in the town of Wendell—the Robertson Millpond Preserve is a hidden 85-acre refuge for nature lovers, allowing canoeists and kayakers to float peacefully through a forest-like setting that serves as the area's only bald cypress habitat. For more options, check out our guide to getting on the water in Raleigh


A post shared by Jenna ?? (@jennaobitko) on


Back on land, get ready to hit the trails—more than 170 miles of greenways wind through wetlands, cross rivers and connect to state, county and local parks across the destination. You'll want to start at the North Carolina Museum of Art (with plenty of free parking), where the Reedy Creek Trail meanders through the museum's incredible 164-acre art-filled park, then gives you the option to head just a couple of miles west to explore William B. Umstead State Park (with 22 miles of dedicated hiking trails plus an additional 13 miles of hiking/biking/bridal trails), or head east where six miles of paved trails will lead you to the center of downtown Raleigh. 

How else can you stay active in Raleigh? Climb 55-foot indoor rock walls, catch some air at the largest family-oriented, year-round, BMX, mountain biking and skateboarding training facility in the world plus climb, zip and swing through the treetops in an outdoor adventure course! See a full rundown on fun ways to get active this summer in Raleigh, N.C., here.

Outdoor Concerts, Outdoor Movies

For your never-ending quest to spend as much time as possible in the sun and under the stars in the coming months, Raleigh has plenty of outdoor concerts and movies lined up! Music fans will flock to Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Red Hat Amphitheater, Koka Booth Amphitheatre and the North Carolina Museum of Art where they'll find big-name and local-favorite acts including Glass Animals (6/6), Paul Simon (6/7), Tegan and Sara (6/9), Kaleo (6/13), Lady Antebellum (6/15), Third Eye Blind (6/17), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (6/18), Chicago and The Doobie Brothers (6/25) and way, way more. Be sure to check out a full music schedule at themostnc.com!



Those wanting to spend a perfect night out with the family, or looking for a relaxing date night spot, may want to pack a picnic and head for any of the 54 outdoor movies being shown at parks, amphitheaters and gardens in Raleigh this summer. Oscar winners, family favorites and timeless classics on the schedule for June include The Mask (6/7), La La Land (6/8), The Secret Life of Pets (6/16), Sully (6/23), Men In Black (6/23), The Lego Batman Movie (6/23) and more. Check out the entire list here.
 

Dig in!  

Taste buds everywhere are tingling with excitement over the return of Triangle Restaurant Week (6/5-11), a week-long celebration of culinary excellence designed to provide the opportunity for everyone to indulge and discover why Raleigh is a nationally-recognized foodie haven. More than 50 of the best restaurants in the Raleigh area will offer three-course, fixed-price menus—$15 during lunch, and $20, $25 or $30 options at dinner time. Been wanting to try out that place your friend was raving about? Or return for another meal at a local spot that served up something memorable last time you were in Raleigh? This is the perfect chance! Have a question or want a specific recommendation? Shoot us a tweet at @visitRaleigh!

Need (a lot) more mouth-watering options? The Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo (6/11) is back with food as far as you can see—literally! Nearly a half-mile of more than 50 food trucks will line downtown Raleigh's Fayetteville St., offering up everything from lobster rolls to gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and even macaroon ice cream concoctions—sure to make all your Facebook friends insanely jealous. For more on what to expect at this super-popular homegrown event, read our tips before you go.



And how does a beer with sunny weather and a seat on a patio sound? Don't forget about the Raleigh Beer Trail! Print out your Passport, get it stamped at Raleigh area breweries and we'll send you some sweet prizes—cheers!

Soccer Matches and Baseball Clashes

Things are heating up on the soccer pitch, where the first-place North Carolina Courage (of the National Women's Soccer League) will take on FC Kansas City (6/3), plus host the Boston Breakers (6/17) at WakeMed Stadium in Cary for a special Pride Night event in support of the LGBTQ community with a portion of ticket sales benefiting the Human Rights Campaign Triangle Chapter and Equality NC. As part of the same initiative, North Carolina FC (members of the North American Soccer League) will host Pride Night when they take on the Indy Eleven (6/24) the following weekend. 



And of course there's no such thing as summer without America's favorite pasttime. In Zebulon, the Carolina Mudcats (single-A affiliate of MLB's Milwaukee Brewers) will take the field for a total of eight games in June, with post-game fireworks on two Fri. nights (6/16 and 6/30). Just a few minutes southwest of Raleigh, the Holly Springs Salamanders will jump into the Coastal Plain League season by playing 14 home games at the North Main Athletic Complex. Batter up! 

More June Picks

Last chances! Glory of Venice: Renaissance Paintings 1470-1520 is on display at the North Carolina Museum of Art through Sun., June 18. The exhibit features 50 works, many which have never been on view to the public. 

Get up close to the action when golf's future stars roll into town for the Rex Hospital Open (6/1-4) at Raleigh's TPC at Wakefield Plantation (and don't miss Food Truck Friday!). 

Bring the kids to PNC Arena to see Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby and their Sesame Street buddies explore the universal fun of friendship during Sesame Street Live: Make a New Friend! (6/2-4).

Don't miss Raleigh Little Theatre's production of Avenue Q (6/2-18), featuring gut-busting humor and a catchy score, telling the story of a recent college grad struggling to find his way in New York. 

Break out your top hats and flapper dresses for Time Warp 2017: The Roaring 20s (6/3)—an evening of auctions, food, drinks and dancing to benefit the City of Raleigh Museum (COR Museum)

Cheer on some of the world's toughest athletes as they run, bike and swim 70.3 miles at IRONMAN 70.3 Raleigh (6/4).



Head to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for Rhythm of Race: A Celebration of Music, Dance and Spoken Word (6/10)—a day of multicultural art echoing the message that we're more alike than different, presented in conjunction with the museum's RACE: Are We So Different? (through 10/22) exhibit.

Heads up, beer fans! Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp on Tour (6/17), "America's largest craft beer festival," will feature hundreds of unique beers, food trucks and live music in front of Raleigh's beautiful Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts

Celebrate the longest day of the year with a free sunrise yoga session at Raleigh's scenic Dorothea Dix Park at Summer Solstice Yoga (6/21). Coffee and food trucks will be on site!  

Click here to see a complete calendar of events in Raleigh, N.C. 

 

Header photo of Falls Lake State Recreation Area: David Short