Sarah & Josh

Things To Do

These are a few attractions, restaurants, and watering holes from the Raleigh area that we enjoy. Most of the parks and museums are free to visit and showcase the diverse history and culture of North Carolina.

Duke Lemur Center

3705 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705

** Open for public tours, by appointment ** This 100-acre AZA-accredited facility is the largest sanctuary for lemurs in the world. They house the most diverse population of lemurs on Earth outside of Madagascar (13 species, 200 individuals). The famous Coquerel's sifaka, Jovian, who starred in the children's show "Zoboomafoo," lived at the center and his descendants still call it home.

William B. Umstead State Park

8801 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27617

** Free to visit ** Located 10 miles northwest of downtown Raleigh, this park features an extensive network of hiking trails, picnic areas, and three manmade lakes.

Pullen Park

520 Ashe Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606

** Free to visit ** Opened in 1887 as the first public park in North Carolina, and is the 5th oldest amusement park operating in the United States (16th in the world).

JC Raulston Arboretum

4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC 27606

** Free to visit ** This 10-acre arboretum and botanical garden is administered by North Carolina University. It is a nationally acclaimed garden featuring one of the largest and most diverse collection of landscape plants adapted for use in the southeast.

North Carolina Museum of Art

2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607

** Free to visit ** The museum's art galleries span more than 5,000 years, from antiquities to present day, with pieces in their permanent collection from all over the world. The Museum Park showcases the connection between nature and art through more than a dozen site-specific works of art across 164 acres of fields, woodlands, and creeks.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

** Free to visit ** This is the oldest museum in the state of North Carolina. It first opened in 1879 and has a long history of illuminating the natural world and inspiring its conservation. There are dinosaurs. What more can you ask for?

North Carolina Museum of History

5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

** Free to visit ** A Smithsonian affiliate, this museum explores 14,000 years of North Carolina history through fascinating artifacts, multimedia presentations, and an interactive format for all ages.