visitRaleigh insider

The days are longer, the weather is warmer and the flowers are blooming—sure signs of spring in the Raleigh area! The perfect season to explore parks and gardens budding with colorful flowers, use this list to get out and enjoy sunshine and the beauty of the City of Oaks. WRAL Azalea Gardens...

Note: Authored by David Menconi, this piece has been produced in partnership with Raleigh Arts. Menconi's latest book, "Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Popular Music, from Blind Boy Fuller and Doc Watson to Nina Simone and Superchunk," was published in Oct. 2020 by...

Raleigh, N.C., keeps adding happy occasions to the calendar. Festivals and major events serve an important purpose—they mark history and sense of pride, plus they showcase talent, creativity and culture, delicious foods and beverages (and some surprises, too!). Make plans now to spend a day...

You don't need a special occasion to plan a romantic night out. The Raleigh area serves up the perfect places for romantic dates year-round! If you’re looking to take a trip with your loved one this season, you should take a peek at some of the best date ideas the City of Oaks has to...

Often dubbed the "Smithsonian of the South" thanks to an abundance of free museums, historic attractions and educational institutions, Raleigh, N.C., has long been known as a budget-friendly family getaway destination for those in the Tar Heel State and beyond ( Southern Living recently...

Who's ready to rock? Live music is back in a big way this spring in the Raleigh area! Browse the biggest and best picks of the next few months below (and send this to a friend to start picking out your shows!). Note: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts is the new name of the former...

Note: Authored by David Menconi, this piece has been produced in partnership with Raleigh Arts. Menconi's latest book, "Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Popular Music, from Blind Boy Fuller and Doc Watson to Nina Simone and Superchunk," was published in Oct. 2020 by...

Every two weeks, we send out a newsletter that includes the best of the best upcoming events. If you sign up for our E-magazine, you'll get those, plus all the best new content (the scoop on the best upcoming restaurants in Raleigh, for example, or a list of some of the area's best hidden...

Fenton, a mixed-use development located in Cary, opened in 2022 as a place for people to gather—for a day of shopping, good eats, celebratory drinks and more (live music in the summer, ice skating in the winter!). In the works since 2014, the nearly $1 billion live-work-play district is one...

One of America's most spectacular gardens—a hidden gem among locals and a jaw-dropping sanctuary for plant lovers around the world—is open to the public just eight weekends per year in Raleigh, N.C. Located 12 miles south of downtown Raleigh, Juniper Level Botanic Garden is a...