View Full Version : Things to do in Raleigh-Durham area
rubberneck
07-22-2007, 14:42
I have to go to a wedding in Raleigh in a couple of weeks. We will be staying at the Hilton in Durham by the airport. I am looking for ideas to kill half a day with the kids. Anyone have the inside scoop on family activities in the area? I would love to take a side trip down to Fort Bragg but I doubt there will be time.
I worked and went to school in the Durham/Chapel Hill AO for five years. IMO with the exception of football, basketball and perhaps La Crosse, get out of town.:p
....the Hilton in Durham by the airport. I am looking for ideas to kill half a day with the kids. Anyone have the inside scoop on family activities in the area? I would love to take a side trip down to Fort Bragg but I doubt there will be time.
Only a 1/2 day limits your activities. Most take more than a day. If you want to stay close to the central area there is always the museums downtown Raleigh. The capital Building, museums and a couple of trendy street areas for shopping are all within a few blocks. There are public parking lots in the area but pretty full during the week.
The flea market by the Fair Grounds is a good place to kill Sat. AM
The Reaper
07-22-2007, 16:33
Well, that was certainly helpful.:rolleyes:
I grew up just outside Raleigh and went to school there.
Depending on whether your interests are cultural, educational, athletic, gastronomic, or shopping, there should be plenty for half of a day.
Try any of the following, depending on your schedule and the activities.
NC Zoo (Asheboro)
NC Art Museum
NC Museum of Science
NC Natural History Museum
NC Capitol and Public Squares
NC Symphony
NC State campus
Glenwood Avenue/Pine State Creamery stores and restaurants
Moore Square stores and restaurants
UNC Campus
Downtown Chapel Hill/Franklin Street
Duke Campus and Duke Chapel
Whoever is playing at the RBC
Whoever is playing at Memorial Auditorium
Whatever is going on at the State Fairgrounds
Streets of South Point
Crabtree Valley Mall
Triangle Town Center
Durham Bulls
Carolina Mudcats
Fearrington Farms
That should be enough for a start.
Best of luck.
TR
rubberneck
07-22-2007, 16:47
Thanks for the replies. It looks from the Reapers list that there are plenty of things to keep the little rug rats attention for the day.
Sorry to be flippant. It was the half day that limited my recommendations. Shopping and browsing are alway fun for the wife and perhaps kids. With time to make it an all day trip, take an extra day and visit the NC Zoo in Ashboro. It is one of the top zoos in the world and even in one day you won't see it all.
Thanks for the replies. It looks from the Reapers list that there are plenty of things to keep the little rug rats attention for the day.
That is a good list. I don't know how old your kids are but can tell you from experience that the Museum of Science is interesting enough that a very active six year doesn't get whiny if you hold it down to a half a day. There are some really cool hands-on things for the younger set. Cool enough that 1. you don't get bored with it and 2. they don't start nagging for a at least a couple hours. As a bonus it's easy to find and parking isn't a problem.
As far as a side trip to Fayetteville/Ft Bragg - from RDU it's about an hour and a half to get here and depending on if you come in on 95 you hit town real close to the Airborne and Special Ops museum which is always running great exhibits. I take Zac down there every couple of months.
south point mall has the 'The Body" exhibit going on right now. I do not know if it will be running when you get here.
south point mall has the 'The Body" exhibit going on right now. I do not know if it will be running when you get here.
The girls and a few friends went to that one. They found it interesting but a little expensive for what you got. Not good for little ones so the wife went shopping with that one.
Don't forget to buy all the NCSU gear you see!
Go wolfpack!!!
The girls and a few friends went to that one. They found it interesting but a little expensive for what you got. Not good for little ones so the wife went shopping with that one.
Note I said "Durham/Chapel Hill AO." I never really got to Raleigh except once to the State Fair. We went to many of the "Bulls" games but for the most part Durham is Duke and Chapel Hill is UNC.
Re the exhibition The Living Dinosaur Exhibition came to Greenville a few weeks ago. I thought it would be good to buy tickets for the kids and grand children. When I was told that the tickets were "one ninety five" I thought that was awsome. It turned out to be $195 per ticket.:eek: Needless to say> . . . . .
How do people afford to take their families anywhere today.