Travel to Raleigh

North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh

If you are visiting North Carolina, you will likely travel to Raleigh as the main international airport. However, Charlotte is the largest city with a large airport, also with international flights. Usually, I would take a taxi to my hotel or wherever I would be staying back in the 2000s and 2010s. Since I had some time on the trip in 2024, I tried the bus from RDU airport to the NC art museum. It’s cheap but it goes in a roundabout route. Also, there was a homeless woman in the back that the staff were unable to remove, the electronic board and announcements of the stops were broken, and it dropped me off close but in an area with no sidewalks. In any case, I had quite an adventure!

Raleigh is a large and sprawling city, so the best way to get around is by car. The state capitol is downtown and worth visiting, as is the North Carolina Museum of Art closer to the airport. There are plenty of great places to eat and activities, indoor and outdoor. I am also including Cary and Apex with Raleigh recommendations below. We stayed in that area because my nephew was selected for the USA Baseball team!

Par Tee Shack mini golf
NC Museum of Art
Park near NC Museum of Art

Highlights

Before you go

  • Research Triangle Park (RTP) is a business area full of tech companies including IBM and Lenovo
  • The triangle refers to the three universities in the area, Duke in Durham UNC Chapel Hill and NC State university
  • There are limited sidewalks available along roads, so be careful when walking. Most people drive and you probably need a car or Uber
  • Weather can be cold in the winter, though not extreme. Summers are usually hot and humid, with strong sun
  • Bring mosquito repellent for warmer months as there is a lot of fresh water around
  • North Carolina style BBQ is less thick and more vinegary than Texan
  • Main supermarkets include Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Wegmans and Publix
  • Almost all places accept credits cards so I didn’t need cash except for tips
Go Triangle Bus 100
Sunset at Jordan Lake
USA Baseball Complex

Transport

  • Raleigh-Durham airport (RDU) is the main airport serving the area. It has two terminals and is relatively small. Security and immigration are quick. However, there are few immigration desks upon arrival due to the limited number of international flights
  • If possible, renting a car or taking a taxi/Uber is better than trying to use public transport
  • Go Triangle runs a local bus service and the ride from the airport to the NC Museum of art was just $2.50. Route 100 from RDU via the Regional Transit Centre. However, there were some unusual people on the bus and there was no pavement between the bus stop and museum

Accommodation

  • As usual I recommend checking reviews on Google Reviews or using AirBnB
  • For this trip, we stayed at an AirBnB in the Apex area. It was great because there were 6 of us with four bedrooms. We also had a kitchen and could prepare our breakfasts and snacks at home. Since my nephew was playing baseball, it was also useful to have a washing machine.
  • I have stayed at hotels in the area when I came for work. Near the airport is the comfortable and convenient SpringHill Suites Raleigh-Durham Airport/Research Triangle Park. One of the nicest was Washington-Duke Inn, which I will talk more about in the Durham post
Fish taco from Chubby’s
Big Mike’s BBQ
Bojangles Fried Chicken Sandwich
M Sushi spicy tuna avocado crispy rice
M Sushi Omakase
bb.q kim chee fried rice
Mustang Charlie’s Cafe Breakfast
Mustang Charlie’s Cafe in a Ford Dealership
Ella’s Snickerdoodle Popcorn
bb.q Korean Fried Chicken
Uni box at M Sushi
Big Mike’s BBQ banana pudding

Food

Restaurants

M Sushi Cary was a fantastic experience with Japanese dining at the sushi counter. We had sushi a la carte and the omakase. It was fun to watch the chefs’ preparation. The vibe was relaxed and trendy.

bb.q is a Korean fried chicken chain and they have a variety of chicken flavours, soups, kimchee pancakes and more. Quick and tasty with huge portions.

Chubby’s Tacos is, as the name suggests, a taco restaurant with other Mexican food. I had the fish tacos and they were really fresh, crisp and delicious. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and it was nice to have an air conditioned break after being out in the hot summer weather.

Mustang Charlie’s Diner was a funny place, because it is located within a Ford car dealership. However, it was popular and the food was good. Additionally, there is a playground which makes it perfect for small children.

Big Mike’s BBQ was our first main meal when we arrived in NC. It’s a local joint, and the beer and root beer selection was great. The brisket was tasty and the fried okra and other sides were also really good. We finished off the meal with banana cream pie. We thought it looked like too much food, but we ate it all!

My work friend and I had a nice lunch outside at First Watch. It is an American menu with a little bit of everything on the menu.

La Rancherita Mexican Restaurant was on the cute Apex downtown main street. I had a chimichanga and it was pretty good, but I especially enjoyed the unlimited chips and salsa.

Bojangles is a fried chicken and biscuits chain. Although it is fast food, I really liked the combination of spicy chicken and buttery biscuits.

Dampf good bbq is a well-known favourite in the area. However, it is only open from Thursday through Saturday, so we didn’t get to go on this trip

Cafes and Snacks

We had a short visit to Boba Baba because my niece loves Boba. She said it was pretty good. And another recommended option is Milk Lab Boba.

Asali Desserts & Cafe is a nice place for a sweet treat in Cary, there or to go.

Wake Oasis Coffee was like my unofficial office in Apex. I met with a lot of work colleagues who are based in North Carolina. They were very friendly and welcoming, had nice drinks and good internet.

Ella’s popcorn is handmade in Raleigh. I was lucky to find some at the art museum, and it was delicious. Some interesting flavours including Snickerdoodle and Sriracha.

FAQs

Q: Do I need a tour guide?

A: No, you can find the places of interest easily.

Q: Do people speak English?

A: Yes, almost everyone speaks English

Q: Is it a walkable city?

A: No, it is very spread out and you probably need a car to get around. The public transport is not very convenient

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