visitRaleigh insider

Raleigh, N.C., is a booming metropolis that offers a big city feel with Southern charm. It's a smart, modern-meets-historic destination that has a lot to offer and no matter what path you choose on your visit, we know you'll be energized by the fired-up cultural heartbeat fostered 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 restaurants that opened in 2022, for example, or a peek at some of our favorite hidden gems in...

Another year is in the books! Looking back, 2022 in Raleigh, N.C., was filled with major festivals, outdoor concerts, sold-out sports events, incredible restaurants, gorgeous public art pieces and much, much more. A new year should bring more of the same—more opportunities to explore, more...

Who's ready to close out 2022 in a big way and ring in the new year with a bang? We are! WRAL First Night Raleigh, a downtown Raleigh New Year's Eve celebration for more than 30 years, is an all-day event with live music, tons of kids' activities, a 90-foot-tall Ferris wheel and other...

Holiday light displays are aplenty in the City of Oaks, especially downtown where the Downtown Raleigh Alliance's Illuminate Art Walk, presented by Wake Tech, has transformed plazas, storefronts and other public spaces with large-scale, interactive, light-based art pieces. Read on about this

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...

It's beginning to look a lot like the holidays in Raleigh, N.C.! And while it's still totally fall for another few weeks, we won't blame you one bit for reaching into the closet for scarves and gloves, dreaming of hot chocolate and planning out your winter bucket list. 'Tis the...

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...

During the holiday season, the Raleigh area is aglow with light displays, tree lightings and other seasonal presentations. Below are some of the best happenings and places for Christmas and other holiday pageantry! Magic of Lights Nov. 18-Dec. 30 (closed Mondays in November) A dazzling,

A 200-foot-long, 21-foot-tall dragon has invaded Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, N.C. Yes, the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival has returned to the Raleigh area for a seventh time! The festival—which only visits a handful of spots around the country each year is presented in Cary in