A Long-Weekend Travel Guide for Raleigh and Durham, NC

I nearly titled this post “Troubles in the Triangle,” because it was a rollercoaster of a trip.

Not because anything really went wrong in the cities themselves—they’re great!—but because our flights home kept getting canceled, doubling our trip length.

But despite moments of panic at the thought of incurring unexpected expenses and trying to handle accommodations and car rentals, Michael and I ultimately chose to embrace our extra time in the area and spend a couple of days as we might if we lived in Raleigh.

And while we probably would have structured our itinerary a little differently if we had known in advance that we were visiting for six days instead of three, we still enjoyed the freedom that more time allowed and took full advantage of slower-paced days.

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Today I’m sharing photos and info about the places we visited in the Raleigh-Durham–Chapel Hill area. You’ll note much of this list is Raleigh-heavy thanks to the location of our Airbnb, though we did spend a little time in each of the three main cities.

Headed there as well? Here are my top recommendations after our visit:

RALEIGH + DURHAM SIGHTS + ATTRACTIONS

From historic sites to destination farmer's markets, there is a lot to see and do in the Triangle

Hit the Markets

We visited both the Durham Farmer’s Market and the Moore Square Market in Raleigh (as opposed to the large State Farmer’s Market, which we visited in Charlotte), and I was definitely impressed with the selection (and Liege waffles) in Durham and the relaxed nature of the small market in downtown Raleigh.

→Durham Farmer's Market // 501 Foster St, Durham, NC 27701 
→Moore Square Market // 201 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601

North Carolina Museum of Art

We could have easily spent all day at the North Carolina Museum of Art, inside and out. There are two full wings of permanent and rotating exhibitions and the grounds outside feature sculptures and trails. This would be a perfect place to hold a picnic with friends on a beautiful day!

→North Carolina Museum of Art // 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607

Pullen Park

Pullen Park is the oldest public park in North Carolina and the fifth-oldest amusement park in the country. This would make a great family outing or get-together location for a large group. We loved seeing all of the excited faces waiting in line to ride the carousel and mini-train!

→Pullen Park // 520 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606

Alamo Drafthouse

We don’t typically go to the movies, and certainly not while we travel (really, it’d been more than a year or two since seeing our last film in theatres), but Alamo Drafthouses are always a fun experience. It was nice to beat the midday heat in this old strip mall location with a B movie and a local beer!

→Alamo Drafthouse // 2116-D New Bern Ave, Raleigh, NC 27610

Catch a Concert at Red Hat Amphitheater

We always like to see which musical groups are playing when we travel, and the Red Hat Amphitheater is a popular venue in Raleigh for larger acts. We managed to snag last-minute tickets to The Raconteurs‘ show (but there’s no photo evidence, thanks to the use of Yondr cases!). Pro-tip: eat and drink to your heart’s content before the show, as the prices at the venue are steep.

→Red Hat Amphitheater // 500 S McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601

City of Raleigh Museum

I wandered into the City of Raleigh Museum because I was looking for postcards. I found some, and a lot of information about the state’s capital city. The venue is small and unassuming, but that’s what makes it so refreshing.

→City of Raleigh Museum // 220 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601

WHERE TO EAT IN THE TRIANGLE

Got an international craving? Good. There's a world of eats in Raleigh and Durham.

Poole’s

We almost didn’t go to Poole’s. Despite being the place to dine, the prices were steeper than we were looking to pay on a more budget-focused trip. But after a filling late lunch, we figured we’d just go to try their famed mac and cheese and call it a night. But as we were swayed into ordering a drink and burrata, we still wound up with a $60 tab. Whoops.

→Poole's // 426 S McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Food Halls

To be honest, we just stopped by both Morgan Street Food Hall and Transfer Co. Food Hall without purchasing anything as we had recently eaten. But as I mentioned in my post on Amsterdam, food halls are great if you’ve only got one day in a city or if you’re looking to feed a crowd.

→Morgan Street Food Hall // 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603 
→Transfer Co. Food Hall // 500 E Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Zweli’s

Zweli’s is purported to be the only Zimbabwean restaurant in the U.S., so we had to visit! We enjoyed our meals immensely, noting the common themes comfort food around the world presents: warm, filling, and served in bowls.

→Zweli's // now at 905 W Main St Suite 19C, Durham, NC 27701

Raleigh Raw

I would eat at Raleigh Raw every day if I could (but we had other places to visit, so we only ate here twice). And can I just say, there’s definitely a missed opportunity here—why wouldn’t you name this place “Rawleigh?” (I’m available for hire for naming businesses and also writing greeting cards if you’re looking for someone). The Khaleesi acai bowl is the way to go!

→Raleigh Raw // 7 W Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Taquería el Toro

You can pretty much tell how authentic a Mexican restaurant is by how they answer the phone. The staff at Taquería el Toro answered in Spanish, so I knew we were in for a treat. These are easily some of the most authentic tacos in the Southeastern United States, and the grocery store adjacent to the restaurant is worth a stroll as well.

→Taquería el Toro // 3600 Junction Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27603

MoJoe’s Burger Joint

Michael was craving a burger, and boy was it a burger he got at MoJoe’s Burger Joint. There are lots of ways to customize your burger if you so choose, but don’t skip the pimento cheese!

→MoJoe's Burger Joint // 620 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603

Bida Manda

Bida Manda has an incredible rating on Google Reviews and for good reason. Laotian food isn’t something we can find in our hometown, and here it is done well and is approachable. Go at lunch for better prices (it’s not the cheapest meal), and expect to be full all day from their curries.

→Bida Manda // 222 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque

I know, I know, everyone says to go to The Pit (yet somehow, everyone also says don’t go to The Pit), but we ended up at Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque in downtown Raleigh. The establishment has been serving up Texas-style brisket and NC-style pork since 1938, and we figured it had to do something right to stay in business that long. It didn’t blow our minds, but it offered a little something for every meat-eater.

→Clyde Cooper's Barbeque // 327 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601

The Raleigh Times

The Raleigh Times was there for us when no one else was. Not many places are open for a late dinner on a Wednesday—well, other than places we’d already been—so we joined the crowd (minus Obama) for some Belgian beer and tacos and salads.

→The Raleigh Times // 14 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601

The Original Q Shack

The Original Q Shack is a little bit of a drive from Raleigh or Durham but is clearly popular with locals! As always, we think sharing a platter is the way to go when eating at a BBQ restaurant.

→The Original Q Shack // 2510 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707

THE TRIANGLE’S BEST COFFEE + SWEETS

You'll find roasters on par with any other major city in the Triangle—and a few things to satisfy your sweet tooth (or if you're like me, your sweet teeth).

Videri Chocolate Factory

Videri is probably already on your list, but just in case it isn’t, I’ll list it here! You can get your coffee from Black & White Coffee Roasters and sweet fix here at the chocolate factory. They weren’t working during our visit, but if you happen to time your stop right, you can watch the workers making some delicious chocolate!

→Videri Chocolate Factory // 327 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Boulted Bread

Of all the places we visited in the Triangle, Boulted is the place I miss the most. It was located within a seven-minute walk from our Airbnb and has some of the best bread I’ve ever had (and trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of bread). I think about those chocolate croissants daily (is that weird?) and we’re currently rationing out slices of their Blue Emmer from our freezer.

→Boulted Bread // now at 328 Dupont Cir, Raleigh, NC 27603

Heirloom Coffee, Tea + Sake

We popped into Heirloom looking for something sweet as it was late at night, and Heirloom delivered. A mochi doughnut was fried to order and it hit the spot.

→Heirloom // 219 S West St, Raleigh, NC 27603

Jubala Coffee

Jubala really cares about its coffee, and it seems customers are encouraged to linger over a cup. We took ours to-go (with a Liege waffle, can you tell we’re a little obsessed?), but it would be a great place to hang with friends or get some work done.

→Jubala Coffee // Multiple Locations

Maple View Farm

On a whim we ended up at Maple View Farm for ice cream, thinking it would just be a quick stop for a scoop. Boy, we were wrong! Everyone was there, and we waited in line for a long time, watching the sun start to drop and the cows in the distance before finally making it inside for a scoop (thank you, cows!).

→Maple View Farm // 6900 Rocky Ridge Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278

BREW Coffee

The Raleigh location of BREW Coffee was a nice place to top off our energy levels and hang in the A/C while we figured out our next spot. We loved their wall of mugs, where we even spotted one from our Alma Mater!

→BREW Coffee Bar // Multiple Locations

Morning Times

We spent several hours upstairs at The Morning Times in downtown Raleigh getting work done on our laptops. Upstairs is well-suited to working remotely, with plenty of tables and outlets.

→The Morning Times // 10 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Two Roosters Ice Cream

Two Roosters uses local milk in their ice creams, and they seem to have fun experimenting with flavors. One of my favorite aspects of small ice cream shops is the lack of “overrun” or air whipped into the ice cream. It makes for a dense, rich experience!

→Two Roosters Ice Cream // Multiple Locations

Bittersweet

Although it’s technically also a bar, we stopped at Bittersweet on our last evening to satisfy our chocolate cravings on the way home. The whole menu looked amazing, but the chocolate chip ice cream sandwich won our vote!

→Bittersweet // 16 E Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27601

lucettegrace

At this point, it’s almost embarrassing how much of a sweet tooth I have, but the pastries at lucettegrace were too pretty to pass up.

→lucettegrace // 235 S Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27601

RALEIGH & DURHAM BARS + BREWERIES

Come thirsty! Raleigh and Durham have a great number of breweries and cocktail bars.

Ramblers

I hung out at Ramblers for a bit one afternoon while Michael walked back to pick up our rental car (it was hot out), and enjoyed a local beer on draft. As a reward, I picked up a six-pack of their many NC beers for him to enjoy later at our Airbnb.

→Ramblers Beer & Wine // 115 Fuller St, Durham, NC 27701

Brewery Bhavana

The beers at Brewery Bhavana aren’t classified by the style of beer—they’re classified by the feeling they evoke. Hang at the bar, walk around the bookshop to find your new favorite book, or perhaps create your own bouquet to bring to someone as a gift!

→Brewery Bhavana // 218 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Apero

We visited Apero (now closed) for its namesake—an aperitif one evening before dinner. The small establishment serves up a short list of cocktails, wines by the glass, and small plates. The burrata was delicious, as was the vermouth on tap!

→Apero // Now Closed

Gallo Pelón Mezcalería

You can’t expect us to skip over a mezcal bar, can you? We visited Gallo Pelón one night for cocktails and antojitos. The nachos seem the best value by far if you’re looking to pair something with your strong drink (you will, promise!).

→Gallo Pelón Mezcaleria // 106 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Ponysaurus Brewing

The website alone made us want to visit Ponysaurus! Even if you don’t get a chance to visit, you’re sure to see their beers on tap around town.

→Ponysaurus Brewing // 219 Hood St, Durham, NC 27701

Crank Arm Brewing

You don’t have to be bike-confident to enjoy the beers at Crank Arm Brewing. They have a great outdoor space, too, if the weather is nice.

→Crank Arm Brewing // 319 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Flying Saucer Emporium

Well, we didn’t finish 200 beers to get our names on the ceiling at the Flying Saucer Emporium, but we did enjoy both local and imported beers on tap! This would be a great place to please a crowd of beer lovers.

→Flying Saucer Emporium // 328 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Level Up

Upstairs from Virgil’s Taqueria is Level Up (now closed), a small arcade bar that happens to serve beer and tacos (and it was where we consoled ourselves after learning our flight home was canceled a second time). The tacos are just alright, but the atmosphere is nice and chill.

→Level Up // Now Closed

Boxcar Bar + Arcade

An arcade bar without a chill atmosphere is Boxcar Bar. At least for the location in Raleigh, that is. It felt like everyone and their dog were inside, drinking local beers and playing a variety of arcade games, old and new.

→Boxcar Bar + Arcade // 330 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Trophy Brewing

We didn’t go a day without seeing someone wearing a Trophy Brewing tee while in Raleigh, and we finally decided to pop into the location downtown. We weren’t ready for food when we arrived, but the menu looked delicious!

→Trophy Brewing // Multiple Locations

SHOPPING IN RALEIGH & DURHAM

Into cute, local boutiques? The Triangle has so many beautifully-curated shops.

Indio

I honestly can’t remember how I came across Indio, but I’m glad I popped in! The shop is located within the cute Brightleaf Square and features many local designers like Pamut Apparel.

→Indio // 905 W Main St Suite 20G, Durham, NC 27701

Vert & Vogue

I do remember where I first saw Vert & Vogue: on the Garmentory website, which is one quick tool I use for finding unique shops when I travel. I fell in love with a few Wwake designs while in the shop, as well as some gorgeous earrings by local darling Peppertrain.

→Vert & Vogue // 353 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701

Port of Raleigh

Oh man, I hope you have space in your bag! Port of Raleigh (now closed) has so much for the houseware-obsessed, even from places like Utilitario Mexicano, which was such a delight to find as we love to visit them in Mexico City!

→Port of Raleigh // Now Closed

Little Boho Valley

This shop is a little less my style, but I’d be remiss to not mention Little Boho Valley (note: relocated to Pittsboro). It’s a cute, funky little shop with a very hippie aesthetic (incense and all!).

→Little Boho Valley // now at 49 W Salisbury St, Pittsboro, NC 27312

Edge of Urge

I only stopped by Edge of Urge for a moment, but I had to stop myself from trying to pick up local items from their beauty and wellness section. There are lots of cheeky items to be found in the store as well!

→Edge of Urge // 215 E Franklin St Ste 110, Raleigh, NC 27604

Art of Style

Walking into Art of Style (now closed) felt a lot like walking into my own closet—almost every garment in the shop is black! Staff are friendly, and you’ll likely find a number of things you’ll want to take home with you.

→Art of Style // Now Closed

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: RALEIGH AND DURHAM

Chances are you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) on a domestic flight, as there are limited direct international flights available to and from RDU (edit: though that is rapidly changing!). The airport is located midway between the two cities, which is pretty helpful if you haven’t decided which city to make your home base yet.

As one of our motivators for this trip was a potential relocation destination, Raleigh edged Durham out for us slightly (though there so much going on in downtown Durham!), and we picked an Airbnb that was within walking distance of downtown Raleigh. Ultimately, this ended up being a lifesaver for us as the host offered multiple rooms, so we were able to book a different room within the same house as we dealt with canceled flights.

Frankly, it’s the first place we’d look to stay on a return trip to Raleigh as the prices are very reasonable and it’s so close to the city center (it’s a great base if you’re attending a concert at the Red Hat Amphitheater—close enough that you can hear the music acts once you step outside, but far enough that the noise doesn’t carry indoors).

You should note that the Research Triangle covers a large portion of the map, so expect to rent a car if you’re looking to visit more than one city. Like most places, it’s best to approach your itinerary by neighborhood to avoid losing valuable travel time to shuttling back and forth between the cities.

Unfortunately, public transit in the area wasn’t sufficient for our visit, and wasn’t worth even bothering to try; locals will continue to reiterate that a light rail between Raleigh and Durham is in the works.

As far as safety goes, we never felt unsafe while in the area. That being said, a few locals mentioned that there are high crime rates in the area and there is a noticeable presence of unhoused people in downtown Raleigh. I always advocate for not letting fear keep you from traveling, but just making sure to keep your wits about you and practicing your “city smarts.”

With more time in Raleigh and Durham

Since we expected to be in the Raleigh area for just three days, we weren’t prepared to do many outdoorsy activities—and that I regret! There are many lakes in the area and several botanical gardens, too. Further afield lie both the mountains and the beach. Who says you can’t have it all?

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Have you spent time in the Triangle? Which city is your favorite?

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2 Comments on “Touring the Triangle: A Long-Weekend Travel Guide for Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina”

Rachel Abi says:

June 24, 2023 at 8:18 pm

GIrl this guide is FIRE! You cover literally all the things you want to know and made it skim-able for those in a hurry! Thanks so much for this guide

Gid says:

February 14, 2024 at 1:41 pm

There are a surprising large number of outdoor activities to do in the Raleigh area, and if you are willing to go to outskirts too there are LOADS! Glad you enjoyed this amazing area! Thanks for your list, really highlights the beauty we have here 😀