Raleigh hasn’t been nicknamed the city of oaks for nothing, and yes, the streets of Downtown are broad and lined with the majestic trees. Hiding behind those trees are a mega-sized amphitheater and a street-long mall full of shops, restaurants and secret, underground speakeasies.

In Downtown Raleigh, you’ll find a beer garden with a cellar the size of a football field and more cocktail bars than you could visit in a month, plus a plethora of science and history museums, art galleries and even a chocolate factory.

Check out these top fifteen things to do in Downtown Raleigh and find out just exactly where it’s all happening before you get there.

1. Crank Arm Rickshaw

Source: www.crankarmrickshaw.com

Board one of these bright yellow three-wheeled rickshaw for a fun and informative ride around Downtown Raleigh. It’s the eco way to see the Downtown sights.

The driver-guide does all the pedaling on the tour while narrating snippets of history about DT and the historical places you’re passing. They do the hard work so you’ll have your hands free to snap photos whenever you want.

The tours last for around an hour. If you’re not into history or sightseeing, try the three-hour nighttime rickshaw bar crawl instead. You’ll have a ball.

2. Fayetteville Street

Source: Konstantin L / shutterstock

Take a stroll along Fayetteville Street in DT Raleigh, and you’ll soon realize you’re in the bustling heart of Downtown. It is, literally, the street that never sleeps.

By day the street is crowded with shoppers browsing the hundreds of retail outlets alongside workers from the nearby buildings taking their lunch breaks on the terraces of the restaurants and cafes. At night, the bar scene begins, the club crowd takes over, and the nightlife goes on until the early hours of the morning.

Fayetteville Street hosts a weekly Farmers Market from April through to September plus several large food and music festivals throughout the year.

3. North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences

Source: Jill Lang / shutterstock

Two of the four facilities of the North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences, the centers for Nature Research and Nature Exploration, are located on Jones Street in Downtown Raleigh.

The Nature Exploration Center has four floors of exhibits displaying everything from fossilized dinosaurs skeletons to minerals and North Carolina insect life. There’s a 3D theater and conservatory with a living example of a dry tropical forest.

The three floors of the Nature Research Center are stacked with diverse exhibits including investigative laboratories, displays of emeralds and meteorites found in North Carolina, and DNA replications.It’s a fascinating place to visit.

4. Raleigh Beer Garden

Source: www.theraleighbeergarden.com

The Raleigh Beer Garden on Downtown’s Glenwood Avenue has more beer on tap than any other bar in DT and quite probably any other bar in the whole wide world.

Housed in a rustic wooden building complete with a full-size tree inside, extensive outdoor seating and a rooftop terrace, the bar has over three hundred and fifty draft beers on sale. Beer also finds its way onto the food menu, and they serve beer battered pretzels and frites as well as a long list of other tasty snacks which go well with beer.

Don’t miss the daily beer tastings for newly arrived brews. The Raleigh Beer Garden is a beer connoisseurs paradise, but don’t worry if you’re not a beer drinker, they do serve other beverages too.

5. Red Hat Amphitheater

Source: James Willamor / Flickr

The Red Hat Amphitheater is an impressive, open-air event venue in Downtown Raleigh. Fronted by a massive plaza, the amphitheater on South Salisbury Street can accommodate almost six thousand spectators.

Used for hosting major concerts and dramatic acts, the venue has a six month season running from April through to October. Hire a VIP box with food and drink included or sit on the lawn with a bucket of popcorn. It’s a great place in the inner-city to have an outdoor festival experience.

6. Art To Heart

Source: www.visitraleigh.com

The Art To Heart is a six-mile-long walkable or bikeable trail running through Downtown Raleigh. Join the trail on Downtown’s Fayetteville Street, and it’ll take you past the Red Hat Amphitheater and Raleigh Convention Center before skirting around Pullen Park.

The trail has both on-road and off-road sections before it culminates in the park of the North Carolina Art Museum. You’ll need two wheels to explore the park and its many path side sculptures as the grounds total over one hundred and sixty acres.

The trail’s a great way to get some exercise and see some of the best parts of Downtown Raleigh at the same time. Need a bicycle? Use the DT Raleigh short-term bike share scheme which has several stations in Downtown where you can pick up an electrically assisted cycle.

7. North Carolina Museum Of Art

Source: NC Museum of Art / Wikimedia

The North Carolina Museum Of Art, on Downtown Raleigh’s Blue Ridge Road, is surrounded by extensive parklands studded with impressive sculptures as well as having forty internal galleries displaying artworks spanning five millenniums.

The museum’s permanent collections include ancient art from Italy, Greece, and Egypt. Modern and contemporary paintings by both European and American artists plus thirty unique sculptures, including examples of the Thinker and the Kiss, by the master sculptor Rodin.

8. Foundation Bar

Source: facebook.com

Tucked away out of view in a basement on Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh is the Foundation bar.

The staff at the underground cocktail and bourbon bar know a thing or two about mixology and produce superiorly crafted beverages for clients with discerning tastes. The décor is polished wood and bare brick. It’s speakeasy dark, and the drinks are decadent.

Look for the glowing red neon sign with the bar’s name on at number two one three Fayetteville Street; it’s not easy to spot as it’s halfway down a flight of stairs. Don’t miss it.

9. Videri Chocolate Factory

Source: facebook.com

There’s a quaint, historic brick building on Davies Street in Downtown Raleigh where magical alchemy happens. Yes, the production of that all-time favorite sweet treat takes place at the Videri Chocolate Factory.

Watch through the viewing windows as the cacao beans are roasted, ground and then made into delicious slabs of chocolate.

Enjoy coffee and chocolates in the Coffee Bar then try to resist purchasing one of everything from the Chocolate Counter before you leave. It’s an impossible feat.

10. North Carolina Museum Of History

Source: Daderot / Wikimedia

Discover facts about North Carolina and Raleigh’s fascinating past at the North Carolina Museum Of History in Downtown Raleigh.

The museum has four floors and over fifty-five thousand square feet of exhibit space where you can investigate the effects of cash crops like tobacco on North Carolina’s agricultural industry or learn about the making of the legendary film Gone With The Wind.

There is also an independent exhibition, North Carolina’s Sports Hall of Fame, dedicated to the state’s most famous sports personalities.

11. Roast Grill

Source: facebook.com

Drop in at the Roast Grill for lunch or dinner on West Street in Downtown Raleigh, and one of the things you won’t get is fine dining. There’s only one item on the menu, and that’s hot dogs.

Open over seventy years, and still serving the top-it-how-you-want-it hot dog from a choice of onions, chili, mustard and slaw, the Roast Grill has become a Downtown Raleigh tradition.

There are no fries, no sides, no cheese, and no ketchup. In fact, the list of things they don’t serve is longer than the one of stuff they do. If hot dogs aren’t your favorite food, this is not the diner for you.

12. Raleigh Times Bar

Source: facebook.com

The Raleigh Times Bar on DT Raleigh’s East Hargett Street is almost as much a museum as it is a bar.

Housed in a century-old building which was once the offices of the Raleigh Times newspaper, the bar is decorated with press related memorabilia. Read snippets of Raleigh’s bygone days while sipping on one of the bar’s specialist imported beers or tucking into one of their signature dishes like catfish and chips.

The Raleigh Times Bar has a rooftop terrace with stunning views of the DT skyline. It’s the perfect watering hole to end the day at.

13. Historic Oakwood

Source: www.historicoakwood.org

Historic Oakwood is a district of Downtown Raleigh which appears to have got stuck in the nineteenth century. The neighborhood is full of restored houses and mansion-size properties which are all architectural museum pieces.

If you’re in DT Raleigh in the Spring, catch the Garden Tour and Tea, when members of the public are given entry to the house’s private gardens followed by a Victorian tea. If you’re there in December, the annual Candlelight tour allows you to go inside some of the properties and see how they are furnished internally.

14. CAM Raleigh

Source: James Willamor / Flickr

The Museum Of Contemporary Art in Downtown Raleigh is a twenty-thousand square foot refurbished warehouse which houses continually changing exhibitions of modern art.

The eye-catching building on DT Raleigh’s Martin Street has a geometrically sloped roof and glass-fronted entrance. Inside the open-ceilinged galleries make it luminous, airy and ideal for displaying the colorful artworks.

Expect to browse anything from basketball-related sculptures and paintings to portraits of ex-president Barack Obama.

15. Pit Authentic BBQ Restaurant

Source: facebook.com

Downtown Raleigh loves its barbecue, and they don’t do it by half. At the Pit Authentic Barbecue on West Davie Street, only a whole hog roast will do.

Following the North Carolina state’s traditional method of pit-barbecuing, the Pit serves up pulled pork, racks of ribs in multiple combinations, smoked meatloaf, and blackened salmon. It’s not all meat, and there are vegan options of pit-grilled tofu or soy nuggets too along with a staggering fifteen sides and countless salads to choose from.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Downtown Raleigh appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

Raleigh sits in the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line and as a result there are lovely rolling hills both in and surrounding the city. This, together with its numerous parks and nature preserves, may be the reason why EcoSalon named Raleigh as one the ‘Best Cities in America for Health and Happiness’ in 2012. Some of these parks have lakes, others don’t, but there are also plenty of great lakes to visit close to the city. Here is our list of the 15 best lakes in Raleigh.

1. Lake Johnson; 4601 Avent Ferry Road

Source: samray / shutterstock

This 60.7 hectare lake sits in the Lake Johnson Park in the very southwest corner of Raleigh. The lake and its surroundings is a great place to spend a day and enjoy the outdoors.

Lake Johnson features a waterfront centre that rents out kayaks, canoes, pedal boats and stand-up-paddle boards. There is also a private boat launch onsite that can be used by both Raleigh residents and visitors.

Those that would rather enjoy the lake from land can go hiking around the park’s eight kilometres of hiking trails. There are also picnic areas, a fishing boardwalk and a six station fit trail around the lake’s shoreline.

2. Lake Wheeler; 6404 Lake Wheeler Road

Source: Bernd W. Herrmann / shutterstock

One of the most popular lakes in the city, Lake Wheeler was constructed in 1956 for water supply, and still provides the city and Wake County communities today. The 263 hectare lake is just south of the city centre.

Lake Wheeler is particularly trendy in the summer months, what with its boat rentals, water skiing and tubing. There are also two piers where lake visitors can go fishing on the lake’s shoreline.

The lake is part of the Lake Wheeler Park that boasts a playground, a sand volleyball court, picnic shelters and even a conference room. Both the lake and the park are open year-round, although they close on Mondays from October until April.

3. Lake Lynn; 7921 Ray Road

Source: Chadarat Saibhut / shutterstock

Lake Lynn is a man-made lake that is located in Northwest Raleigh. The lake was created in 1976 to control floods, but today it is also used for recreation.

A park surrounds the 22.5 hectare lake that boasts a 4.5 kilometres paved trail encircling the lake. The trail happens to be a part of the Capital Area Greenway; a greenway trail system that runs throughout the entire city.

Also in the park are playgrounds, tennis courts, bocce courts, a youth baseball field and even a batting cage. There is also a large picnic shelter and a community centre onsite.

4. Lake Howell; 520 Ashe Avenue

Source: ying / shutterstock

Sandwiched between the city centre and North Carolina State University is the historic Pullen Park, which happens to be the first ever public park in North Carolina. It is here where you will find Lake Howell.

The park itself receives as many as 10,000 visitors a day, many who come to enjoy kayaking, canoeing or paddling around the tranquil lake. It also helps that there is a mini train that encircles the lake.

The park itself also has much to offer, including a carousel, tennis courts, a softball field, basketball courts and an art centre. It even hosts free theatre performances at its Theatre In The Park.

5. Falls Lake; 13304 Creedmoor Road, Wake Forest

Source: Chadarat Saibhut / shutterstock

This isn’t actually right in Raleigh, but rather just north of the city in the town of Wake Forest. Falls Lake sits within the Falls Lake State Recreation Area, which is one of the largest recreation areas in the state of North Carolina, and a must for any outdoor lover.

The 5,000 hectare lake spreads across three counties and is easily accessible from Raleigh by driving along Creedmoor Road. Once here, you can enjoy fishing, boating and even swimming.

Those that would prefer to stay dry can go hiking and mountain biking along the trails on the south side of the lake’s 280 kilometre shoreline. There are also endless possibilities for enjoying kayaking and canoeing around the massive lake.

6. William B. Umstead State Park; 8801 Glenwood Avenue

Source: Zhong Chen / shutterstock

There is not one, but three different man-made lakes in this massive park, the largest of which is Big Lake. Here, you can hire a canoe or a kayak and paddle your way around the lake.

Fishing is offered in all three lakes within the park, though there is no swimming in any of them. There are camping grounds near all of the lakes, while cabins can be found along the shoreline of Sycamore Lake.

Aside from the lakes, one of the most popular things to do at William B. Umstead State Park is to go hiking along its 35 kilometres of dedicated hiking trails. The park also features 21 kilometres of multi-use trails for horseback riding or cycling.

7. Shelley Lake; 1400 West Millbrook Road

Source: KAD Photo / shutterstock

This North Raleigh lake takes up the majority of the Shelley Lake Park; home to the Sertoma Arts Center. Shelley Lake is also a great place to spend an afternoon.

There are no boat rentals or launches here, making it quieter than some of the other lakes in Raleigh. Instead, there is a scenic three kilometres trail that encircles the lake.

Shelley Lake Park is home to two playgrounds as well as basketball courts. The park is open to be enjoyed every day throughout the entire year from dawn to dusk.

8. Jordan Lake; 280 State Park Road, Apex

Source: Zhong Chen / shutterstock

This massive reservoir spans for over 5,600 hectares and boasts a 290 kilometre shoreline. The best part is that Jordan Lake is just 30 minutes away from Raleigh’s city centre, making it a great place to escape to on a nice day.

The lake one of the main features of the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, what with its undeveloped shoreline, seven swimming beaches and numerous boat ramps. Those that don’t have their own boat can hire a kayak, pontoon boat or stand-up-paddle board from the boating centre.

In addition to water sports, visitors can also go hiking along the park’s 22 kilometres of hiking trails. There are also campsites both with and without hook-up situated around the lake.

9. Lake Crabtree; 1400 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville

Source: CeGe / shutterstock

Lake Crabtree sits just west of the city in the suburb of Morrisville within the Lake Crabtree County Park. In fact, it is just minutes away from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

The 210 hectare lake was built for flood control purposes as well as for providing a place where area residents could enjoy recreational activities. Sailing is particularly popular, although many also come here to go boating and fishing.

In addition to water-based activities, Lake Crabtree County Park also offers plenty of land activities, including hiking, mountain biking and picnicking. There are also sand volleyball courts, playgrounds and a horseshoe pit.

10. Bond Lake; 197 Bond Park Drive, Cary

Source: ying / shutterstock

Just west of Raleigh is the man-made freshwater Bond Lake. The lake sits within Bond Park, which is one of the largest municipal parks in Wade County.

The lake is completely encircled by a three kilometre trail that is linked to greenway trails heading in all directions. At the very northeast tip of the lake is a boathouse that offers kayak, canoe, pedal boat, sailboat and row boat rentals.

Visit between April and October and enjoy live music and local eats one Friday of every month. The boathouse is usually closed between November and March, although it does depend on the weather, though the rest of the park is open.

11. Lake Benson; 921 Buffaloe Road, Garner

Source: samray / shutterstock

South of Raleigh is this large lake, although access to it is via the Lake Benson Park, which sits along the lake’s north shoreline. The lake is a great place for boating and fishing, which can be done from a boat or the dock at the nearby boathouse.

The Lake Benson boathouse is just west of the park and hires out Jon boats, canoes and kayaks. The boathouse is open from March to October, with rentals being on a first come basis.
Lake Benson Park also offers activities, including picnicking and hiking along both paved and unpaved trails. There are also two playgrounds and four picnic shelters within the park.

12. Durant Nature Preserve; 8305 Camp Durant Road

Source: SilentSnowJosh / shutterstock

Formerly the headquarters for the Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts, the camp is now the Durant Nature Preserve. They still provide summer camps, although it is also open to the public.

There are two lakes within the reserve with fishing being allowed off of the lower lake’s dock. Otherwise, no activities are permitted at the lakes, however they are a tranquil place to spend a day.

The nature reserve itself is also well worth exploring, what with its bird garden, butterfly garden and interpretive tree trail. There are also trails throughout, including along the lakes’ shorelines.

13. Harris Lake; 2112 County Park Drive, New Hill

Source: rharrison / Flickr

Situated just southwest of Raleigh near Jordan Lake, Harris Lake is a 1,700 hectare lake that was created by the impounding of Buckhorn Creek. Harris Lake County Park can be found on the northeast side of the lake, which provides the lake’s recreation.

The park is known for its 18-basket disc golf course, but also features eight kilometres of hiking trails and almost 13 kilometres of mountain bike trails. There are also picnic shelters, playgrounds and a volleyball court onsite.

Harris Lake is a great place to go fishing, canoeing or kayaking. There are also primitive campsites that are ideal for the true outdoor lover.

14. Bass Lake; 900 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs

Source: Margaret.W / shutterstock

Surrounded by Bass Lake Park, Bass Lake is a peaceful place to enjoy the outdoors. The park is home to a number of trails, one of which circles around the entire lake for three kilometres.

There are two fishing docks at the north side of the lake as well as picnic tables and concessions. It is also possible to rent a canoe or Jon boat, as personal boats are not allowed.

There are greenway trails throughout the park as well as a few secluded picnic shelters. Those that want to get in touch with nature should head to the park’s nature centre.

15. Buckhorn Reservoir; 8177 Rock Ridge School Road, Sims

Buckhorn Reservoir is located east of Raleigh in the town of Sims. The reservoir is the primary water supply for the city of Wilson, as well as being used for recreation.

The 930 hectare lake hosts a triathlon every September and boat racing in October. When these events aren’t going on visitors can go boating and fishing in the lake.

There is a 2.5 kilometre horse trail along the southeast shoreline near Sullivan Road and a park shelter. The boat ramp is at the northeast corner of the lake.

The post 15 Best Lakes in Raleigh appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

It has a charming downtown area with a smattering of quality and inexpensive (many are free) museums. The culture in Raleigh is becoming more sophisticated as time goes by and the art galleries, food and music in the city are quickly gaining a reputation.

Here is our list of the best things to do in Raleigh:

1. Learn about Natural Sciences

Source: zimmytws / shutterstock

The largest natural science museum in the Southeast of the United States, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is home to a large variety of interactive exhibits and educational programs that allow visitors to get up close and personal with science and nature.

You will find the museum in Downtown Raleigh and general admission is free.

2. Visit the State Capitol

Source: ESB Professional / shutterstock

The State Capitol building of North Carolina is located on Edenton Street in Raleigh. The building is classed as a National Historic Landmark and dates back to 1840.

It is believed to be one of the finest examples of a building of its kind in the Greek Revival architectural style. Tours of the building include visiting the building’s impressive rotunda centerpiece which was added in 1970.

The rotunda is a copy of the statue of George Washington displayed in the State House between 1820 and 1831.

3. Go wacky at Marbles

Source: North Carolina National Guard / Flickr | CC BY-ND

Marbles Kids Museum is great for young children or adults that think they are still children. The museum opened in 2007 in Downtown Raleigh and is a hands-on, interactive learning experience.

Exhibits include Tree Tunes, which lets young ones have a go at making music inspired by the great outdoors, and Splash, a water themed learning zone.

There is also an Imax cinema at the museum which plays the latest blockbusters along with special educational films.

4. Enjoy outdoors at Pullen Park

Source: Wileydoc / shutterstock

Pullen Park is a 66 and a half acre park is just west of the Downtown area of Raleigh and right next to the University campus.

The park was opened in 1887 and is home to an aquatic center, an amusement arcade, an arts center, a cafe and an outdoor theater.

As well as all of these attractions, the park is also a great place to undertake in a variety of outdoor pursuits such as tennis or basketball or simply relax and have a picnic in one of the picnic areas.

5. Admire a large plant collection

Source: Wileydoc / shutterstock

Located on the State University Campus, the JC Raulston Arboretum is one of the largest collections of plants in the Southeast United States featuring over 6,500 plants from around the world.

Tours of the Arboretum take place every Sunday between the months of March and October at 2pm.

Normal access to the gardens is available everyday to the public and is free of charge.

6. See art from around the world

Source: Carolyne Parent / shutterstock

The North Carolina Museum of Art was the first major museum in the United States to be funded by the state.

It was opened in 1956 and its permanent collections consists of European and American art that was bought with public funds.

Throughout the museum you will also find Egyptian, African and contemporary art. Daily tours of the museum take place Tuesday to Friday and are a free introduction to the museums vast collections.

7. View an 18th Century House

Source: gurezende / shutterstock

Built in 1785, the Mordecai House is registered a National Historic Landmark and museum. The house and park are home to some of the city’s most valuable treasures.

The house itself is the oldest in the city and was once home to the largest plantation in Wake County.

Some areas of the house have been restored to their original state using documentation left behind by the previous resident Ellen Mordecai.

8. Tour the North Carolina Executive Mansion

Source: EPG_EuroPhotoGraphics / shutterstock

Home to North Carolina governors since 1890, the North Carolina Executive Mansion is a Victorian Style Mansion with what has been descried as the most beautiful interior of any governor’s building in the United States.

The mansion was built from materials native to the area and since its construction has been home to the families of 28 governors.

Free tours of both the house and gardens are available but must be made a minimum of two weeks in advance.

9. Pay your respects at the City Cemetery

Source: Cgb628 / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Established in around 1798, the City Cemetery is divided into separate areas for citizens of Raleigh, visitors and blacks (mainly slaves).

The iron fence that surrounds the cemetery was built to keep straying cattle trampling the area.

Tours are possible although occasional interments still take place here and obviously take priority.

10. Learn at the City Museum

Source: Olesia Bilkei / shutterstock

Located in the historic Briggs Hardware Building the City Museum is dedicated to telling and preserving the history of the city.

The museum is made up of temporary and permanent exhibits that explore the people, places and events of the city and consist of more than 5,000 artifacts.

The museum is located on Fayetteville Street and open six days a week: closed on Mondays.

11. See the Dorton Arena

Source: KAD Photo / shutterstock

The J S Dorton Arena was originally built to serve farmers and other industry and commerce but has gained international acclaim since its construction in 1951.

The building now holds regular concerts, athletics, circuses and the North Carolina State Fair. What makes the design of the building so special is that the suspended roof needs no steel supports and therefore no matter where you sit, your view will not be impeded.

12. Pop into the Little Theater

Source: James Willamor / Flickr | CC BY-SA

Raleigh Little Theater is a community theater that produces around 10 of its own productions each year in an aim to educate and entertain the community with performing arts.

This year, the productions include Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, Sweeney Todd and Cinderella.

The theater dates back to 1936 and, if you intend to see a play whilst in the city this is where you should see it.

13. Visit Yates Mill

Source: Paul Brady Photography / shutterstock

Yates Mill, the centerpiece of the Yates Mill County Park, is a restored mill located around five miles outside of Downtown Raleigh.

The mill is believed to date back to around 1756 and is the only one in Wake County still standing. Tours of the mill consist of Open Mill Tours or Corn Grinding tours all of which carry the same fee.

The park itself is worth exploring and consists of 574 acres of land and is also a wildlife refuge.

14. Learn in an educational forest

Source: Wileydoc / shutterstock

Clemmons Educational Forest is just one of North Carolina’s Educational Forests. It opened in 1976 and has well marked trails with educational exhibits along the way.

There are also ranger taught lessons about wildlife and the forest itself. The forest has plenty of picnic areas to relax in when all the learning gets a bit tiring.

Like many of Raleigh’s attractions the forest is closed on Mondays but open every other day of the week.

15. Explore the Pope House Museum

Source: Wileydoc / shutterstock

Just a few blocks away from the State Capitol, the Pope House Museum is the only African-American house museum in the state.

The museum features exhibits and original furnishings from the time in which Dr Manassa Thomas Pope, the only African-American to run for mayor of a southern capital in the Jim Crow Era.

Dr Manassa Thomas Pope was a remarkable man and the museum offers a fascinating insight into the life of him and his family.

16. Visit the state’s museum of history

Source: zimmytws / shutterstock

When a museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian, you know it is going to be of a high standard and the North Carolina Museum of History does not buck that trend.

The museum, located in Downtown Raleigh, has exhibits such as Treasures of North Carolina and The Story of North Carolina which offer an insight into the history of the state.

As well as these permanent exhibits, the museum also host traveling exhibits which currently include two photography exhibitions.

17. Visit the St Paul AME Church

Source: Nicholas Oren Rawlings / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 3.0

The St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church is an impressive Gothic building in Downtown Raleigh but it is the history of the building and the people who run it that are most fascinating.

The church was built by the first independent congregation of African American’s in Raleigh.

A walk around the church tells the fascinating story that actually began ten years before the construction of the church.

18. Go shopping at the Triangle Center

Source: Chadarat Saibhut / shutterstock

The Triangle Center, located just off of Highway 1 is arguably the best place to shop in the city of Raleigh.

The mall has all of the major shops you would expect from a city mall as well as some good places to eat.

The mall is open from 10-8 Monday – Saturday and Noon until 6pm on Sundays.

19. Visit the Joel Lane House

Source: LEE SNIDER PHOTO IMAGES / shutterstock

Also known as Wakefield, Joel Lane House was built in the id 18th Century and is the former home of Joel Lane otherwise known as the Father of Raleigh.

In 1769 Joel Lane built his home in a rural part of North Carolina and it was here that he facilitated the location of North Carolina’s capital city.

The home is fully restored and looks as it would have done when Joel Lane lived within. The house was once described as the best house for 100 miles.

20. Sample the country club lifestyle

Source: photoinnovation / shutterstock

The North Ridge Country Club is set on around 400 acres of lush, green, rolling hills and is a place for the wealthy to socialize and interact.

If you are visiting the state, it makes a good place to visit to sample the good life or try your hand at the 18 hole golf course which is immaculately maintained.

The Country Club also holds many charity and special events throughout the year which are open to non-members and worth visiting.

21. Eat at Poole’s Downtown Diner

Source: ifriadrei2 / shutterstock

Serving a fresh take on Americas most classic and comforting dishes, award winning chef, Ashley Christensen had taken over the down town culinary scene by storm.

Poole’s Downtown Diner only serves the finest ingredients sourced locally from North Carolina farms.

22. Visit the William B Umstead State Park

Source: Wileydoc / shutterstock

Only a short detour fro the Interstate 40, the William B Umstead State Park is located handily for anyone looking for a day trip from Raleigh and offers a chance to sample the beautiful nature of North Carolina.

The park is a great place to hike, cycle or even ride a horse along one of a number of well marked and maintained trails. The park covers an area of almost 6,000 acres and has something for all outdoor lovers to enjoy.

There are a number of lakes too which mean that anglers are also catered for.

23. Visit a chocolate factory

Source: Wileydoc / shutterstock

The Videri Chocolate Factory epitomizes the love of sweet things that is ever present in the Southern states. The chocolate factory not only lets you try the good stuff but also fills you in on the art of making it.

The entire production of chocolate is explored in detail from start to finish and you will leave your trip feeling like you could start your own factory (maybe).

The best part is saved until last: the sampling.

24. Give the Oak City Coffee Roasters a pat on the back

Source: Africa Studio / shutterstock

Aside from being a great accompaniment to your chocolate from the chocolate factory, Oak City Coffee Roasters also created a program that employs adults with learning difficulties to make custom Oak City cups.

The roasting business started out in 2013, making it a fairly recent addition to the Warehouse District, and its mission is to bring the rarest and richest coffees from South America to Raleigh.

25. Take a free ride around downtown

Source: James Willamor / Flickr | CC BY-SA

Something of a “travel hack” in Raleigh for tourists is the R Line bus which is a hybrid bus service that loops around the downtown area of Raleigh every 15 minutes.

Although not a long journey, it is a good way to see a few sights from the comfort of a modern bus and at no cost at all.

Raleigh may not be known for its transportation infrastructure but it is certainly on the money with this free hybrid bus. The bus runs until 2 in the morning on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The post 25 Best Things to Do in Raleigh (North Carolina) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.