Raleigh NC is a land of incredible diversity, with something to offer everyone who visits. There are many great places to visit in this city, but if you are looking for the ultimate Raleigh NC experience, then you need to head to one of the places below. Whichever part of Raleigh NC you choose to visit, you’re sure to have an amazing time.
The Best Place to Visit in Raleigh NC
North Carolina Museum of Art
- Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (8440)
- Phone: +1 919-839-6262
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: ClosedTuesday: ClosedWednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
5 Replies to The 15 Best Places To Visit in Raleigh NC (Rating and Reviews)
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Top 15 Tourist Attractions in Raleigh NC
Pullen Park
- Address: 520 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (7067)
- Phone: +1 919-996-6468
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMWednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Reviews:
Beautiful public park with a great history. The old rides are really nice. I love how they have preserved the carousel, It feels like stepping back in time. Very family friendly with lots of activities. The rides I felt were reasonably priced at $2 each.By Liam Dobbie (3 months ago)Beautiful park with a large playground for kids of all ages. The train around the park was more fun than I thought and great for taking pictures. There is also a place to eat and a carousel here as well, and plenty of restrooms. You can even take a paddle boat out on the lake!By Anthony Ferguson Jr (7 months ago)Very beautiful peaceful park with gorgeous nature and playgrounds. Cool thing that it’s close to the city and can be easily driven to in 15 minutes. Haven’t been there at the busiest , parking was really easy to find . There is a beautiful small lake on premises as well . Overall pretty park for relaxingBy Dmitry Trishkin (8 months ago)An absolutely beautiful park and great assett to the community! There are plenty of activities to keep any child happy for hours on end. Also, it’s worth noting that while the supervised activities close by 6pm, which google maps notes, the park and playground area stays open much later.By Taylor Jones (4 months ago)This is a 5 star park but only gave it 4 star due to lack of parking spaces. Otherwise beautiful serene peaceful park with natural beauty surrounding it. Definitely highly recommend taking the train!By MindfulLiving Bellevue (7 months ago)
Frankie’s of Raleigh
- Address: 11190 Fun Park Dr, Raleigh, NC 27617, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.4 (6450)
- Phone: +1 919-433-7888
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 12:00 – 11:00 PMTuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PMWednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PMThursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PMFriday: 12:00 PM – 12:30 AMSaturday: 11:00 AM – 12:30 AMSunday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Reviews:
Frankie’s is AWESOME! The atmosphere will definitely turn you into a kid again. So many games inside and rides outside. My favorite is Putt-Putt. However, I was unable to play b/c I wasn’t dressed for the cold weather and it is an outside game. I had alot of fun while there. I will definitely be returning.By Christy Leigh Wilkins (a month ago)We had a very nice time. The kids played games inside. Some wore mask and some didn’t, which is fine. The miniature golf course was very nice. Nobody rushed us since we were a little larger group. I just wished they had people on the floor inside disinfecting the games that had high traffic. So many people playing right after each other and touching everything, they didn’t have any one trying to disinfect. We are still watching this pandemic go up and down. We just can’t let our guard down. We don’t want to go on lockdown again.By Maddie R (6 months ago)Had a great time with the family. It was crowded but it was still fun. The go carts were the best!! The games inside are fun and over stimulating ? laser tag was a hit! The food and drinks are super expensive though! Fun time!By Natalia Giancola (5 months ago)Beautiful landscape with great flora. We went solely for mini golf and it was pretty nice, but could use some maintenance. Some of the course material is coming up. We also got a pepperoni pizza, which was decent. Frankie’s is pretty good overall..By Skye Hankins (5 months ago)Played some mini-golf and bumper boats on the Fourth of July. The bumper boats was a nice way to cool down in the summer heat after golfing. We got a snack at the Cafe. I don’t recommend the pretzel bites…they just taste like fried dough and not a normal pretzel. Overall we had fun. They have quite a variety of activities.By Stephanie Rogers (5 months ago)
Marbles Kids Museum
- Address: 201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (5443)
- Phone: +1 919-834-4040
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: ClosedTuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMWednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Reviews:
Very clean. Masks required, which is great!! This is probably the best kids museum/activity center I’ve ever been to. My son is 2 and we could have easily spent 4 hours here. In two hours, we almost almost everything (but we were chasing our little guy all over).
5 stars all the way. We will be back – many more times!
By Michael Hopkins (10 months ago)What a wonderful museum for the kids and adults to explore together! So many activities and learning spaces! My grandchildren had the best time taking me to each and every space and playing while pretending and exploring! The favorites were the Medical van, Veterinary office, farm, helicopter, creative space, Toddler Hollow, Money, Camping, and Hockey!
Enjoy this time for ages 8 months (Baby space that is wonderful) and up. Make sure you have plenty of time. We missed a couple of areas because I didn’t allot more time (3 hours) so I would say at least 4 hours if you have an active preschooler or older kiddo. We had a 1 year old and 4 year old and could have stayed another couple of hours. Fabulous eating area for snacks and an on site Café for those who want to grab a meal and coffee. We also don’t do a movie which is an option that they would have loved. Can’t say enough great things. Go here for a day and have fun!By Sherry Short (3 months ago)What a great space for kids to come and play. So many great interactive exhibits and lots of room to get out wiggles and let the imagination run wild. All the staff we encountered we polite and helpful. Lots of unique play experiences for young kids to experience. My little had a blast and cannot wait to return.By Brittany Dietz (7 months ago)I wish I could give more stars here, this place deserves it. Absolute fun for the kids of any age. Loads of toys, variety of plays spread across a two-storey building. Any kid would have a blast. Tickets prices are fair, ample public parking spots around the vicinity. A must visit place for the kids.By satyajit das (11 months ago)We love marbles! Unlimited fun for little ones…. we’ve been regulars for the past decade and always love going back to see all the new stuff! Definitely a sticky attraction downtown! And we love Beansprouts Cafe! So many vegetarian ? options!By Bugs Subu (6 months ago)
JC Raulston Arboretum
- Address: 4415 Beryl Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (1870)
- Phone: +1 919-515-3132
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PMTuesday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PMThursday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PMFriday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Reviews:
What grows green in the winter time here in the Raleigh area? That’s what as a Southern Californian I’d ask myself upon moving to the area. So I’ve decided to do an experiment and visit this as well as Sarah P. Duke Gardens at least once in each of the seasons. Everything looks so dead here in the winter so I wanted to have something that would look good in winter as well as spring, summer and fall for our new home. The following pictures represent what I thought would look good along with a lawn area planted with winter grass to green things up. I will be reposting an update for each season as I visit the gardens.By Ken McBride (9 months ago)This place is a hidden jewel in the Oak City! It’s a great place to visit during the day and just walk around and enjoy the trees and shrubs. I was there recently for the Moonlight in the Garden event at night and really had a great time. Apple cider was served along with marshmallows for roasting over fire pits. Everything was lit with color changing lights. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a laid back and relaxing place!By Greg Totherow (a week ago)Absolutely gorgeous even in coool November! The flowering trees and fall foliage are brilliant. There are still many flowers and the squirrels were busy everywhere. Peaceful and tranquil amid the giant trees and water feature. I will be back in late spring!! Plenty of benches and stone slabs to relax. Highly recommended!!By Cherry Girl (a year ago)A free garden (free parking too) at NC State campus, very nicely done is each subject. Great to spend time to look at each items with its correct nomenclature. Very much enjoyed.By Keqi Gan (2 months ago)We went to Midnight in the Garden. It was gorgeous, and they had hot apple cider and marshmallows at the fire pits to combat the great. I can’t wait to try this place during the day.By Crystal Miner (a week ago)
William B. Umstead State Park
- Address: 8801 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27617, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (1806)
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
- Address: 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (1787)
Dorothea Dix Park
- Address: 1030 Richardson Dr, Raleigh, NC 27603, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (1027)
North Carolina State Capitol
- Address: 1 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (870)
John Chavis Memorial Park
- Address: 505 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (740)
Nash Square
- Address: 200 S McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (567)
CAM Raleigh
- Address: 409 W Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27603, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (459)
Historic Yates Mill County Park
- Address: 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (438)
Neuse River Trail
- Address: Parking, lot 1721 Riverview Rd, Raleigh, NC 27610, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (420)
Mordecai Historic Park
- Address: 1 Mimosa St, Raleigh, NC 27604, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (415)
Boylan Bridge
- Address: 234 S Boylan Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (209)
Although Raleigh NC is a large state with many amazing places to visit, these 15 locations stand out as the best according to traveler ratings and reviews. Did your favorite spot make the cut? Let us know in the comments above!
What a nice community resource! The grounds are lovely. This is both an indoor and outdoor experience. The West Building has the permanent collection, and it’s very decent with a few big names (Raphael, Monet, Rodin). Loved that everything is free. Lots of outdoor space designated for events and short walks/hikes.
The entire experience at this museum was exceptional!
Outdoor areas are great, very peaceful and lots of sculptures. There is a lot of walking involved, so wear comfortable shoes.
There are multiple nature trails as well as the outdoor exhibits, they are very relaxing and you can rent a bike. We also had lunch at the cafe and would recommend.
The indoor exhibits are simply amazing! There is something for everyone, from Renaissance portraits to the ancient Egyptian collection to the Roman mosaic to the modern art. There is so much to look at and I would have spent a whole week there wandering around. There is also an interactive area that is fun for little and big kids, and even adults.
Everything about this museum is great, and I would definitely recommend this for any art lover.
This place is free? I just don’t understand how this huge place is free for all to enjoy. Amazing grounds, fun sculptures, interactive art,nature beautifully maintained, extensive walking trails… I could go on about the unique gem that this place is, but instead I say go see for yourself.
All the amenities too, free parking, access to a cafe, bicycle rental, great places to relax and take a break.
The only thing that it might be worth knowing before going is if you mainly want to stay indoors call before you go, on our particular visit the west building was closed and the east building has a large number of exhibits getting redone, so if you plan was not to be outside and walking around talking it all in you may not have enjoyed it as much as there would be limited things to see.
Of all the gems that North Carolina has this may just top the list!!! The outdoor exhibits are stunning! The grounds are spectacular! The traveling exhibit are always intriguing and beautiful. The museum store is so amazing and is filled with fun souvenirs. Not to mention the restaurant which has some delightful options. overall, you can spend a good half day here and have a wonderful time with the family.
This art museum was under construction when we went but they still had a lot to see. We saw the very cool exhibits inside and they have a vending machine to purchase little handmade art pieces, which was a lot of fun and we got some cute things. The best part was the outdoor exhibits. They have amazing architecture and I want to return soon! It is also a great walking track for families and pets. Tons of parking.