Raleigh Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city in and state capital of North Carolina, United States of America
About Raleigh
As of 2020, the city had a population of about 468,000, with a metro area population of about 1.4 million. Raleigh is one of the few U.S. state capitals that was specifically established and planned to serve as a capital. Its location was chosen partly for being near the center of the state and partly because it was close to Isaac Hunter's Tavern, where North Carolina legislators and other government officials liked to stay. The story goes that the commissioners couldn't decide on an exact plot of land until Isaac Hunter and his friend Joel Lane had the idea of throwing a big party with plenty of local jam and whiskey. The next morning, the hungover commissioners voted 5–1 for a plot owned by Joel Lane himself. The new city was established as the state capital in 1792 and was named for Sir
Top Attractions in Raleigh
Explore the best things to see and do in Raleigh:
- ★Adventure Landing
- ★Blue Water Spa
- ★Boylan Heights
- ★Cameron Park
- ★Carolina Hurricanes
- ★Carolina Mudcats
- ★City of Raleigh Museum
- ★Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts
Where to Eat in Raleigh
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Albaraka Market and Grill
- 🍴American Meltdown
- 🍴Baguettaboutit
- 🍴Belgian Waffle Crafters
- 🍴Big Ed's
- 🍴Casa Carbone Ristorante
Where to Stay in Raleigh
- 🏨Best Western Plus Raleigh Crabtree Valley Hotel
- 🏨Embassy Suites Raleigh - Crabtree
- 🏨Hilton Garden Inn
- 🏨Holiday Inn Raleigh
- 🏨Hyatt Place Raleigh-Durham Airport
- 🏨Marriott City Center
Raleigh Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 13 sections including: