What’s more fun than visiting Raleigh N.C.? Visiting as part of a larger group! Here are some fun activities and experiences, designed specifically for groups of all types and sizes, to add to your list of things to do while visiting the Raleigh area.
Raleigh, N.C., is ready for you to immerse yourself in the destination in deep, enriching ways.
A perfect way to do that is with Signature Experiences from the Raleigh-based People-First Tourism program. Explore a curated collection of unscripted tours and hands-on encounters designed to take you "backstage" and alongside the locals who live it and breathe it every day. Local experts and talent provide unforgettable tours, workshops and more where they share their stories and passions, teaching you special skills or leaving you with long-lasting memories of the Raleigh area.
Browse the collection of tours and activities available and book your individual or group experience here! Experiences range from guided mezcal tastings and distillery tours to watercolor workshops (pictured in header) and crochet workshops.
Drive Shack—the interactive golf complex that caters to big groups looking for big fun—opened a 65,000-square-foot facility in summer 2019 in Raleigh. It includes 96 golf bays, a full-service restaurant, a rooftop bar, more than 300 televisions, an arcade area and meeting rooms.
Drive Shack allows guests and groups to rent bays by the hour, giving them access to wait-service (the food and drink menu consists of burgers, wings, tacos, salads, local craft beer, cocktails and more), unlimited driving range balls, full sets of TaylorMade golf clubs, a climate-controlled seating area, televisions and more.
The 260-yard-long driving range combines physical targets to aim for with augmented reality and virtual games. On the second floor, a free-to-play arcade room features Golden Tee, Skee-Ball, shuffleboard and mini basketball goals. On the rooftop patio, space for live music and comedy nights is expected to be in use on a weekly basis. Cornhole tournaments may appear on the future schedule as well.
Adventure courses
For some high-flying fun, strap on a harness and tackle a treetop ropes course where you can scale nets and ladders, walk across tightropes, zip through green-leaf canopies, swing on ropes like Tarzan and enjoy an epic view of Mother Nature. Both TreeRunner Adventure Park and Go Ape Zip Line & Treetop Adventure Park can provide you the adrenaline rush you and your group are looking for.
Billed as the premier aerial adventure park in the Raleigh area, TreeRunner features 70 exciting obstacles, three difficulty levels and seven different courses. The park can host groups large and small, ranging from 10 to 300 people. Insider tip: You’ll want to plan for at least three hours in the park to check in, get harnessed, complete orientation and enjoy a couple of hours of climbing fun. Reservations are required.
Go Ape, on the other hand, offers two different ropes courses for varying levels of experience. If you have young children in your group, then this is the park for you as kids ages five and under can also have a blast tackling Treetop Junior—the perfect introduction to a high-ropes course.
Ropes courses aren’t the only option for active groups looking for a thrill here in the Raleigh area. Plan a team-building event at Triangle Rock Club (TRC), with three locations—one in North Raleigh, one in Morrisville and a brand-new location, now the largest climbing gym in North Carolina, at Salvage Yard in the new Raleigh Iron Works area. You’ll be amazed at how much your group can bond over this amazing experience. In addition to wall climbing, you can also get your fitness on with indoor rope climbing, bouldering, a functional fitness space, fitness classes including Yoga and Pilates and much more.
For a group of six to 20 climbers, TRC will organize a two-hour visit staffed by knowledgeable team members to ensure safety and maximize fun. First-time climbers in your group? No problem! The folks at TRC staff will gladly show you the ropes. Insider tip: TRC can accommodate groups larger than 20 with arrangements made with the facilities!
Accessibility notes: The club partners with Catalyst Sports and ParaCliffHangers to provide climbing opportunities to individuals with physical disabilities. For instance, Catalyst Sports offers adaptive climbing clinics for youth and adults with a wide range of physical disabilities the third Saturday of each month. These sessions are open to all levels of climber, from those who have never climbed to experienced climbers looking for regular opportunities to climb with others. Get details on that program here.
Another fantastic group activity is RushHour Karting, with locations in both Morrisville and Garner. Your entire crew can enjoy the fast track to a seriously good time! RushHour Karting offers indoor, high-speed karting—visitors can hop behind the wheel of European-designed karts that boast max speeds of up to 40 mph. Race around hairpin curves, high-speed straights and winding turns to claim your place in the winner’s circle.
At the Morrisville location, a full-service restaurant, bar and sports tavern is on-site with space for groups and catering, plus the venue also offers golf simulators, axe throwing, arcade games, 4-D, virtual racing simulators (for those not quite ready to step into a moving kart) and virtual reality experiences.
Escape rooms
The popularity of escape rooms simply can’t be denied. Whether you’re escaping from zombies, breaking out of a locked cell or solving a mystery before the clock runs out, no themed experience melds teamwork and problem-solving together quite like an escape room.
For a truly immersive experience, head to Whole Brain Escape in Apex. In this live adventure game, your team will have to work together to solve puzzles and riddles using clues, strategy and skill to beat the clock and win. (You only have one hour, so every second counts!)
Other awesome escape room experiences in the area include The Tower Escapes, Times Up Escape Rooms and Amaze Room Escapes. Good luck!
Sporting events
Got a group that's into sports (and likes to eat and drink while they're at it)? Then snag some tickets to a live sports event. Raleigh and Cary are home to both a professional hockey team and two professional soccer teams. See the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes play at home in Lenovo Center from late Sept. through early April. In addition to discounted rates on group tickets, you can also enjoy group experience packages that give you access to the ice, penalty box, fan tunnel, private suites and much more.
Soccer's also a huge deal in Cary and the Raleigh area. Both the North Carolina Football Club (NCFC) and the North Carolina Courage play at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary through the spring, summer and early fall. WakeMed Soccer Park also hosts plenty of NCAA and ACC soccer events, plus has hosted the incredibly popular, winner-take-all The Soccer Tournament.
