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COVID-19 Advice: If you do plan on traveling, please be smart and responsible for yourself and others.  Practice social distancing and wear a mask when deemed necessary.  Be respectful of other's well being and stay safe.

Raleigh & Durham, NC

Updated: July 29th, 2020

Below is a list of best places I would visit on a trip to this location. My picks fit my personality and interest. Everyone has a different interest so you may not like everything I listed which is fine.  If you like a place, I recommend saving it to Google Maps for a future trip down the road. I made sure to include the address or GPS to make it easier to find.  You can find out more about me in the "About Me" section to see if we share common interests.

In the info below, the yellow cost number is just an estimated amount at the time I checked their website; over time, the amount could change.  With the cost of a hotel room, I'm pricing a queen bed for two people for a night on the weekend, and the amount shown is before taxes.  These figures are just a rough estimate of what places could cost, so if incorrect, I apologize.

Breakfast

- Rise Cameron Village

530 Daniels St, Raleigh, NC 27605

Best chicken biscuits in Raleigh.  It's a quick-service menu that will get you moving in the morning.  I would get Sweet Country Blues, Cooper River Farms pork sausage on a glazed blueberry biscuit and add a side order of cheddar tots.

- Monuts

1002 9th St, Durham, NC 27705

The best donuts in Durham. Get the apple cider cake donut.

Activities

- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601

The oldest established museum in North Carolina and the largest natural history museum in the Southeastern United States. With about 1.2 million visitors annually.

- North Carolina Museum of Art

2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607

The museum features over 40 galleries as well as more than a dozen major works of art in the nation's largest museum park with 164-acres.  The admission is free to the permanent collection.  Their European collection is regarded as one of the finest in the United States. 

- Museum of Life and Science

433 W Murray Ave, Durham, NC 27704

- Durham Bulls Athletic Park

409 Blackwell St, Durham, NC 27701

The Durham Bulls, Triple-A Affiliate Tampa Bay Rays team play in a 10,000-seat ballpark. Baseball America named the Bulls the most successful MiLB franchise of the 2010s.

- Duke Basketball Museum

306 Towerview Rd Schwartz-Butters Athletic Center, Durham, NC 27710

- Duke University Chapel

401 Chapel Dr, Durham, NC 27708

- North Carolina State Capitol

1 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601

The North Carolina State Capitol, completed in 1840, is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of a major civic building in the Greek Revival style of architecture. It is a National Historic Landmark.

Lunch/Dinner

- Benchwarmers Bagels

500 E Davie St STE 107, Raleigh, NC 27601

The next two places are part of Transfer Co. Food Hall, one of the best food halls in the United States.  Benchwarmers is primarily a bagel place, but Thursday through Saturday from 5 pm to 8 pm, they make square slice pizza.  Some of the best pizza in Raleigh.

- Mama Crow's Burger & Salad Shop

500 E Davie St STE 116, Raleigh, NC 27601

A very good burger place also located at the Transfer Co. Food Hall.  I would order the Crow Burger, double 3 oz patties topped with American cheese, charred onion, house pickles, and crow sauce.  Just make sure to make room for a slice of pizza from Benchwarmers.

- Al's Burger Shack

516 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

One of the best burger places in the country.  I would order the Sean's Bacon Cheeseburger, a burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, and mayo.   Side note:  Almost 100% of the interior of the restaurant was recycled from the prior business, the picnic tables, and bar tops are made from reclaimed wood and some of the bricks for the patio steps are over 200 years old.  They are conscious of the world and always looking to make it a better place.

- Beasley's Chicken + Honey

237 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601

The best chicken sandwich in Raleigh.

- Angus Barn

9401 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27617

The best steakhouse in Raleigh.  The building looks like a big red barn, and the interior is well decorated, making for some excellent photographs.  They have one of the best wine cellars in the country.  Make sure to order the BBQ ribs and for dessert, the chocolate chess pie.

- Poole'side Pies

428 S McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Poole'side Pies, a Neopolitan inspired pizza joint, make of the best pies in Raleigh.  I would order the Five Cheese, a pizza topped with ricotta, Comte,   pecorino, mozzarella, parmesan cheese with chile-garlic crunch oil.

- The Roast Grill

7 S West St, Raleigh, NC 27603

The Roast Grill is a no-frills old school hotdog place in Raleigh.   Some people say they have the best hotdogs around.  Their franks are 90% beef with just a bit of lean pork flavor, which they cooked to a crisp black char on their 70-year-old original grill.  The only toppings available mustard, onions, slaw, and their famous homemade chili. (No Ketchup)  They only serve hotdogs and soda; payment is straight cash only.

- Andia's Homemade Ice Cream

10120 Green Level Church Road #208, Cary, NC 27519

Best ice cream in the Raleigh area.

- Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery

2000 Fairview Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608

A wide selection of award winning cakes.

Places to Stay

- The Durham Hotel

315 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701

+ The Restaurant at The Durham headed by James Beard Award-winning chef Andrea Reusing
+ The Roof at The Durham, a great spot to enjoy a drink and maybe a special event.
+ Food Network claims that The Durham Hotel has the best hotel food in the country.
+ Each room featuring modern interiors, platform beds, and retro light fixtures.

The average cost a night on a weekend in August: Check their website, COVID issues

- The Umstead Hotel and Spa

100 Woodland Pond Dr, Cary, NC 27513

+ Only Forbes Five-Star Hotel in North Carolina
+ 12 acres of lakefront landscape

The average cost a night on a weekend in August $389

- The Siena Hotel, Autograph Collection

1505 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

+ An Italian boutique hotel in the heart of Chapel Hill
+ Oversized rooms with living area
+ The Il Palio is an Italian inspired, farm to fork restaurant, only 4 diamond Italian restaurant in the state

The average cost a night on a weekend in August $159

- The Carolina Inn

211 Pittsboro St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

+ Iconic hotel on the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill
+ The historic hotel has earned the AAA Four Diamond Award since 1997.
+ The building's original front was modeled after George Washington's home at Mt. Vernon
+ Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
+ AAA Four Diamond Dining at Crossroads Chapel Hill

The average cost a night on a weekend in August $186

21 and Up Fun

- Fullsteam Brewery

726 Rigsbee Ave, Durham, NC 27701

+ Twenty rotating beers on tap inside the taproom
+ Take pride in brewing beer with ingredients from local farms.
+ Try "Southern Basil," a farmhouse ale (5.0% ABV) with basil from three different local farms.
+ Current Hours (As Dated at Top) : Mon-Thurs 12pm-10pm Fri-Sat 12pm-11pm Sun 12pm-8pm

- Big Boss Brewing Company

1249 Wicker Dr, Raleigh, NC 27604

+ Twenty-two rotating beers on tap inside the taproom
+ Try "Sea Bee Gose," a gose (4.5% ABV) with tangerine and raspberry plus coriander to lend a subtle floral note to the aroma.
+ Current Hours (As Dated at Top) : Varies Check Their Website

- Raleigh Brewing Company

3709 Neil St, Raleigh, NC 27607

+ Try "Hell Yes Ma’am," a Belgian Golden Ale (9.2% ABV) bursting with elements of pear, apple, bubblegum, & pepper.

- Trophy Brewing & Pizza

827 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603

+ Thirteen rotating beers on tap inside the taproom
+ Best pizza in North Carolina
+ Try "Trophy Wife," a Session IPA (4.9% ABV)
+ Current Hours (As Dated at Top) : Mon-Thurs 4pm-9pm Fri-Sat 12pm-9pm Sun 12pm-9pm

- Boxcar Bar + Arcade

330 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

+ Thirteen rotating beers on tap inside the taproom
+ 50 plus arcade cabinets and 15 pinball machines
+ Voted one of the best bars in Raleigh

- Bull City Ciderworks

305 S Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27701

+ The cider bar has 24 draft cider taps and a selection of NC craft beers in cans
+ Great outdoor space with decks, picnic tables, and fire pit.
+ Try "Cherry Tart," a cider (6.0% ABV) with Montmorency cherries.

- Quarter Horse Bar & Arcade

108 S Mangum St, Durham, NC 27701

A very good barcade in Durham with classic arcade and pinball machines.

Out of Bounds

- North Carolina Zoo

4401 Zoo Pkwy, Asheboro, NC 27205

The North Carolina Zoo is the world's largest habitat zoo. (2,600 acres)  They receive more than 900,000 visitors a year.  They care for the second-largest pack of American red wolves in the world.  Coming 2023, Asia region of the zoo with animals like tigers, red pandas, and Komodo dragons.

82.1 miles from Raleigh

- Sunni Sky's Homemade Ice Cream

8617 NC-55, Angier, NC 27501

They claim to have the hottest ice cream around to the extent that you have to sign a waiver before tasting either "Cold Sweat" or "Exit Wound" flavor.  If spicy ice cream, not your thing, Sunni Sky has over 120 flavors to pick from and free samples to boot.

20.2 miles from Raleigh

- Brueprint Brewing Company

1229 Perry Rd #101, Apex, NC 27502

+ Fourteen rotating beers on tap inside the taproom
+ Try "Edinbrüe," a Scotch Ale (8.2% ABV)
+ Current Hours (As Dated at Top) : Mon-Thurs 4pm-10pm Fri 4pm-11pm Sat 12pm-11pm Sun 1pm-8pm

16.1 miles from Raleigh

- Maple View Farm Ice Cream

6900 Rocky Ridge Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278

A perfect description is taken from their website, "Scenic views of open farmland, antique dairy collections, Holstein Cows and our fresh churned Southern Ice Cream."  Autumn is around the corner; they will soon have some unique ice cream flavors like Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Spice. Their last award was 2017 by Food Network for the best ice cream in North Carolina.

37.7 miles from Raleigh

 Again these are my picks that fit my personality and interest. If you feel that I left one-off that may interest me or other people, message me on Facebook about the location.  I value a person's opinion and never just discard the information.  Always looking forward to learning about new places to add to my Google Map. ~ Shawn

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