This is a great place for long walks and it has plenty of attractions for kids such as carousel rides, kiddie boats, train rides, pedal boats, and playgrounds! It also has small restaurants and a coffee spot! Esri loves doing all the fun outdoor activities that this park has to offer!
This is the flower girl's favorite park to go to, she looks forward to it every weekend! Sassafras Playground is an inclusive playstructure that allows all children to play together. Extensive accessible ramps and decks lead to engaging sensory-rich activities like interactive panels and the Sway Fun® Glider. For a physical challenge, 5 to12-year-olds can climb through and around the Evos ® O-Zone® Climber. The park features a ZipKrooz® and a ZipKrooz® Assisted that allows kids of all abilities and strengths to cruise through the air safely and comfortably.
hether visitors are seeking a day excursion or a complete nature-lover’s experience, William B. Umstead State Park, located 10 miles northwest of Raleigh, offers 5600 acres of the great outdoors to explore. Its 20 miles of hiking trails are perfect for short strolls or long hikes through the unique flora and fauna. Anglers enjoy the three manmade lakes. Rent a canoe from the visitors center and explore the 55-acre Big Lake, the largest of the three.
Plane spotters, aviation enthusiasts, and children choose the RDU Observation Park as one of the most popular sites in Raleigh to visit. The observation deck is located near the air traffic control tower at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Open from sunrise to sunset, visitors can not only watch planes taking off and landing on the 10,000-foot runway, but also listen in on the pilot-tower communications. A picnic and play area is nearby.
Let your child's imagination run wild!
For all of my adult foodies, located in Downtown Raleigh is a renovated warehouse space that is now home to 12 food vendors and a place for the community to gather. Inside is bright and open with a variety of food choices such as: burgers, seafood, Asian, Mexican, Bagels, Beer, Wine, and more!
Right across the street from The Umstead is Dame's Chicken & Waffles. A black owned brunch spot that has won numerous awards for its different chicken and waffle combinations! It is my absolute favorite place to grab breakfast!
The CowFish is the perfect fusion between sushi and burgers! This is Dre and I's absolute favorite spot in the Raleigh, NC area. Our go to order is: "The Big Squeal" burger, "The Roll that Love Built", "Riverboat Ron" Roll, "The Boss" Roll, "Georgia" Roll, and "The Firecracker" Roll! Enjoy!
Want to go on a date night? This black owned- high end restaurant should be your first choice! Chris (Chef Hylton), an immigrant from Kingston, Jamaica, began his culinary career in Los Angeles, CA at age 18 and most recently came to Raleigh from Washington, DC where he was the Executive Chef at OYA Restaurant & Lounge.
This black owned restaurant offers classic southern staples with daily specials and at the helm of Sweet Tea & Cornbread is Tonya Council, granddaughter of Mildred Council known as "Mama Dip." This restaurant was temporarily in February so check hours before visiting.
If you did not already know, the Bride's favorite type of food is dessert! The next few recommendations will be dedicated for Kayla's love for sweet treats! Starting with Simon Says Dip This is an ice cream bar that allows you to customize your ice cream cone from multiple choices of dips, toppings, sauces, and so much more!
Cinnaholic is an award winning gourmet cinnamon roll establishment as seen on ABC's hit show Shark Tank! Their products are vegan, dairy & lactose free, egg free, and cholesterol free. You can order one of their signature rolls or build your own! They also offer cookie cakes, brownies, cinnacakes, and scoops of cookie dough! The Bride's favorites are the... "Old Skool Roll" , "Cookie Jar Roll", and the "Caramel Apple Pie Roll"!
Ducks Donuts began on the sandy beaches of the Outer Banks in Duck, North Carolina. You can enjoy the taste of the Outerbanks after one quick trip with locations in Cary and Raleigh. They also offer breakfast sandwiches, ice cream, coffee/espresso, and more! The Bride's favorites are "Maple Bacon", "The Boardwalk, "French Toast, and "Cookies & Cream".
Enjoy homemade ice cream, popsicles, churros, funnel cake, fruit waters, and more! They also offer dairy free and vegan options. This spot is a dessert spot with a Mexican twist if you keep an open mind it is absolute amazing!
If you did not know, North Carolina is a golfing state and one of the most fun attractions is Drive Shack. Its a three story interactive 260 year long golf driving range. It also offers food and beverages while you play! It is very similar to TopGolf.
Dave and Buster's is a place where you can play hundreds of arcade games and wine tickets in exchange for prizes. It also offers a full menu of appetizers, wings, burgers, nachos, salads, and more. Its a great place for older children to release some energy while parents can dine in.
Kings sets itself apart as an unparalleled social scene for all occasions; be it date night, a family outing, kids birthday parties, corporate events, or just connecting with friends. This spot offers: bowling, arcade games, pool, and more. My favorite thing to do here is bowl and drink their AMAZING milkshakes!
For my adventurers I encourage you to visit TreeRunner Adventure Park. Three hours, seven courses of zip lines, Tarzan swings, suspended bridges, barrels, and more! There is also a junior park for kids ages four to seven.
This is the largest natural sciences museum in the southeast it is great for visitors of all age groups. It showcases animals, fossils, and exhibits are centered on life food in NC from prehistoric times up to today. The dinosaur attraction and turtles are Esri's favorite! Admission is free so enjoy!
Found right next door to the Natural Science museum is the NC Museum of History. Discover ancient artifacts found right here in North Carolina. Learn more about indigenous community, and history of pirates. Explore NC's own music genre "Beach Music" from the 50's and learn its iconic dance, "The Shag,". Admission is free- enjoy!
If you did not know already, the Bride has a love and passion for art. This museum has beautiful outdoor exhibits, portraits, abstract art, sculptures, and a lot more. The admission is absolutely free and it is a great place to calm the mind.
If you are a chocolate lover like the groom you will love this experience. The chocolate factory does not only let you sample all of their best selling sweets at the end of the tour but will also show you how it is made. The entire production of chocolate is explored in every detail from start to finish.
Can you keep a secret? Behind a hidden door, off of a bustling street in downtown Raleigh, you’ll find The Green Light. The Green Light is a well-kept cocktail secret aimed to intrigue every taste ranging from the cocktail connoisseur to the curious wanderer. The Green Light is situated in a secret room, which lies in what was once an architect's office. Look for the bookcase door, walk into a cozy get-away and enjoy a second-to-none cocktail experience.
Located at the AC Hotel Raleigh North Hills, Level7 is Raleigh's distinctive, energized space for tapas style bites and samplings from small batch distillers, rock star brewers and single vineyard labels. With a flavor all its own, Level7 is a European inspired experience with North Carolina spirit and Raleigh soul overlooking the North Hills neighborhood.