Vacation dollars stretch further in North Carolina’s capital city

Raleigh, N.C. (March 27, 2018) – Families looking to explore more for less this summer will appreciate the value of a Raleigh, N.C., vacation, where more than 40 free attractions, 10,000 acres of wide open green space, affordable hotels and notable restaurants provide ample incentive to visit North Carolina’s capital city.  

Check out a few of the reasons Forbes Travel Guide and Budget Travel (among others) ranked Raleigh among their top 2017 travel destinations.

Free Attractions
Science, art, sports, nature and history… travelers can take their pick (or try to see it all!) without ever opening their wallet. Highlights include the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the largest facility of its kind in the Southeast; North Carolina Museum of Art and its Museum Park (largest in the nation); North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian affiliate; and Pullen Park, one of the nation's first amusement parks. 

See the entire list: Forty Free

More Fun Things to See and Do
Exciting activities and attractions beyond the destination's list of Forty Free include the world's largest indoor BMX Park, the East Coast's largest scuba diving park and the tallest climbing wall in the Southeast. Raleigh also offers extreme go-carting; ropes courses and zip lines; professional or collegiate teams representing every major sport; and performing arts, with many venues offering children's enrichment programs such as the North Carolina Symphony's Instrument Zoos. 

For a comprehensive list: Things to See and Do

Wide Open Green Space
Whether traveling to Raleigh by plane or by car, families find few things more inviting upon arrival than the destination’s 10,000 acres of parkland–wide open spaces that draw antsy, cooped-up-for-too-long kids into the great outdoors. Nature lovers can explore an 85-acre bald cypress blackwater swamp by kayak or canoe at Robertson Millpond Preserve in Wendell. Elsewhere visitors can explore the expansive greenway system, relax in a boat on the water, indulge in a family picnic or exert some energy on any of the many athletic fields that provide great recreational opportunities. A new yet functional piece of chainsaw art awaits visitors within William B. Umstead State Park.

For a complete list of outdoor options: Great Outdoors

Family-friendly Hotels and Restaurants
With options ranging from economy motels to full-service hotels, Raleigh offers a choice of accommodations designed to suit any preference and fit within any budget, and many offer family packages, promotions and programs. Newly opened in 2017: The StateView Hotel, Residence Inn Raleigh Downtown and AC Hotel Raleigh North Hills. 

For more on hotels and inns: Places to Stay

The destination's culinary scene also offers something for everyone: farmers’ markets provide fresh meat and produce to restaurants focused on farm-to-table cooking; Carolina favorites like barbecue and home-style vegetables are menu staples; and award-winning chefs are setting trends in unique and creative takes on comfort food. 

For more on the destination's eateries, from newly opened to long-standing favorites: Restaurants

Need a little break for the adults? Raleigh, N.C., is home to more than 30 craft breweries, many of which are family-friendly. Visit the brewery named 2017 “Best New Brewery” by USA Today Bond Brother Beer Company or Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup gold medal winner Lynnwood Brewing Concern. Other family-friendly breweries include Neuse River Brewing Company, featuring their own kid’s corner, and Brice’s Brewing Company, where kids can draw on the chalk wall.

See all breweries here: Craft Breweries

About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh)
The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), as the official destination marketing organization of Raleigh and Wake County, accelerates sustainable economic growth and development by increasing visitor and convention business. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes more than 15 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.4 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 25,535 local jobs in Wake County and generates more than $242 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $663 in taxes annually. VisitRaleigh.com.

Media Contact
​Jessica Holt, Public Relations Manager
jholt@visitRaleigh.com
(919) 645-2654

# # #