The Ultimate Guide to a Weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina

Welcome to an ultimate weekend adventure in Raleigh, North Carolina, where southern charm meets urban allure. Whether you’re all about outdoor adventures, finding the best food in town, or just soaking up some history, Raleigh’s got you covered. So pack your bags, lace up your walking shoes, and get ready to experience the best of Raleigh in just one weekend. Everything we did on our weekend trip was strictly in Raleigh so you can park your car and never get in it until you go home.

Table of Contents

Where is Raleigh?

Raleigh, North Carolina is located in the central part of the state. It’s actually the capital city of the state and part of an area called the Research Triangle, along with Durham and Chapel Hill.

Is Raleigh Easily Accessible?

Yes! Raleigh downtown streets are so easy to navigate by walking, biking (Cardinal Bikeshare), scootering (Lime), or taking an Uber. You could, of course drive around in your own car, but if you don’t have one for the weekend or just want to park it and leave it for the weekend, there are plenty of options to get around.

Riding a Lime scooter down the street of Raleigh.

Riding a Cardinal Bikeshare bicycle through a gravel, tree lined path at the Museum Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Where to Stay

The Longleaf Hotel 300 N. Dawson St., Raleigh

I can’t say enough about this hotel (not sponsored). It was so clean and newly renovated in a retro mid-century vibe. Originally it was a Travelodge in the 1960’s so the rooms are small but it was perfect for the 2 of us for the weekend. The hotel is situated downtown so it’s a great spot to have as your hub. The staff was so helpful. Dominic’s luggage was lost and they were so kind when we kept updating them with our luggage situation. They were willing to help us out any way they could.

There is a bar/lounge area in the lobby area as well as an outside patio that has lounge seating and some tables and chairs. The bar menu offers some light snacks, cocktails, wine, and beer. The outside lounge was a great place to unwind at the end of a long day sightseeing. Raleigh Magazine awarded The Longleaf 2023 “Best Patio Bar”.

What To Do

Pullen Park– 520 Ashe Ave., Raleigh, NC 27606

FREE admission, but tickets are required for amusement rides. Pullen park is the 1st public park in North Carolina, the nation’s 5th oldest operating amusement park, and the world’s 16th oldest in the world.

The amusement park area is geared toward families with younger children, but the carousel (inside a green building) and pedal boats (open seasonally) are great for all ages. The Gustave A. Dentzel carousel was built in 1911 and is in the National Register of Historic Places.

If you’re a fan of the Andy Griffith show, you’ll enjoy the life size “Andy & Opie” bronze statue located along the sidewalk near the carousel.

After walking around and riding the rides, you can stop at the Pullen Cafe for a bite to eat. There are tables and a restroom in the area. The cafe has more than just snacks- it has traditional snack-y food like tortilla chips and soft pretzels, but also sandwiches, burgers, and hand made pizza. It can get crowded and the line may be long so be prepared. If you don’t want to buy a snack/meal, you can always bring your own food and have a picnic in the park.

Pullen Park sign at the entrance of Pullen Park.

The green carousel building at Pullen Park.

North Carolina Museum of Art– 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC FREE admission. Wander around the museum for a journey through art history. This museum you will probably need an Uber or a car to get to. Another option if you’re up for it, is to rent a bicycle downtown Raleigh and take the Art to Heart trail to the museum.

Don’t miss the outside Museum Park (also free) where you can see art sculptures in a picturesque setting. This was my favorite part of the museum. We rented bicycles at the Cardinal Bikeshare kiosk located at the Reedy Creek Road entrance and rode along the 4.7 miles of trails. I definitely recommend this if you have time. You will need to download the free Cardinal Bikeshare app to rent a bike. I’m not a huge art museum fan so if you’re like me and/or short on time, skip the inside and go directly to Museum Park. It’s a unique way to see art while enjoying the outdoors.

Dominic standing under one of the large circle art sculpture.

I'm riding along a gravel, tree covered path at the Museum Park.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences– 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

FREE general admission- some special exhibits may cost extra

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is downtown and we were able to walk there from our hotel. It’s important to note that the museum is closed on Mondays.

It offers an immersive journey through the wonders of our planet’s biodiversity. The life size whales are amazing to see! Check the website for a schedule to even see live animal feedings.

The Daily Planet Cafe (121 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601) is part of the museum, but can also be accessed separately. Everything is made fresh using local ingredients. We ate breakfast here one morning. They also serve light meals/sandwiches/salads. The cafe features Larry’s Coffee, which is roasted right in Raleigh.

Outside of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

North Carolina Museum of History 5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 – FREE General admission- some special exhibits may cost extra.

The NC Museum of History is a Smithsonian affiliate and has many immersive exhibits. One that we really enjoyed was the 1920’s drugstore. You can sit at a soda fountain counter from a 1920’s drugstore and imagine yourself ordering a root beer float or watching the pharmacist mixing drugs with a mortar and pestle.

1920's Drug Store soda fountain counter in the NC Museum of History.

Where to Eat

Big Ed’s Restaurant– 220 Wolfe Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Raleigh, NC 27601. Market location. Big Ed’s has 3 locations, but the City Market location is downtown within walking distance of The Longleaf Hotel. It’s in a pretty part of downtown with brick paved streets and small shops.

Big Ed’s is a southern-style diner that’s been around since 1958 ( City Market location opened in 1989). Make sure you look up at all the antiques hanging from the ceiling!

Breakfast is served all day (Tuesday- Sunday 8AM-2PM)

Big Ed's Restaurant in the City Market location. It's a white brick building with red trim and door.

Inside Big Ed's Restaurant with funky antiques hanging from the ceiling.

Morgan Street Food Hall -411 West Morgan Street, Raleigh, NC

We ate here twice on our trip for breakfast and dinner. Oh, and we had dessert and coffee here too. You can find almost any food you have a taste for here. There are so many choices from local eateries and restaurants. Dominic and I were able to each get want we wanted to eat from various places and then take a bite from each other’s too. The gyros from Opa! Raleigh and the coffee from Bad Cat Coffee were delicious. There are plenty of tables inside and some outside as well.

Morgan Street Food Hall was about .5 miles from The Longleaf so it was super easy to stop there for food.

Morgan Street Food Hall sign on the outside of the building.

The doorway to Morgan Street Food Hall. "Food Hall" is lit up on the glass window.

Videri Chocolate Factory– 327 W. Davie Street, Sweet 100, Raleigh, NC 27601 This is a must do. Not only can you taste multiple types of delectable chocolate, but you can also take a short self-guided tour to find out the history and how the chocolate’s made. There’s also a small coffee bar and seating area.

Longleaf Swine– 300 East Edenton Street Raleigh NC

Being in the North Carolina, we had to get BBQ. The Longleaf Swine is a delicious BBQ place with a large outdoor eating area/ bar. The inside dining area is small, but it’s available if the weather isn’t cooperating. The pulled pork and brisket were outstanding. You can choose the type of bbq sauce you put on. It’s all at the table so you can try a variety. I also recommend the sweet potatoes. Very yummy!

Outside eating area in front of the Longleaf Swine.

We had a great weekend in Raleigh! There are plenty of things to see and experience… and eat. I recommend checking this city out if you get the chance. It’s so easy to get around without a car. Raleigh makes a great place to road trip to and park your car and forget about for the weekend or fly into and not have to rent a car.