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Raleigh Attractions & ActivitiesFamily Vacations
When school winds down, whether it's for summer, winter, or spring break, we yearn for an escape from the daily grind. We need to relax, yet we also want to create lasting family memories – let's face it, our lives are busier than ever and when we finally take time to get away, we want to make the most of it. Finding the perfect family vacation is a challenge. But our suggestions have appeal for both children and their parents, from amusement parks and historic sites to fine dining restaurants and upscale shopping neighborhoods. Cities do attract their fair share of the tourist trade, but you can still find less crowded spots and create family- and budget-friendly vacations.
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: S Blount St, Raleigh, NC
This attractive district in downtown Raleigh features cobblestone streets and revitalized storefronts housing art, antique and specialty shops. Be sure to stop by the produce market for locally grown fruits and veggies.
Falls Lake State Recreation Area
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 13304 Creedmoor Rd, Wake Forest, NC 27587
Located just a few miles north of downtown Raleigh, this man-made recreational lake offers a variety of opportunities for a relaxing afternoon away from the traffic and noise of downtown Durham and Raleigh. Special attractions here include swimming areas, hiking trails, and fishing and picnic sights. Shinleaf, located off Highway-98, is the...
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve and Stevens Nature Center
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27511
Hemlock Bluffs and the Stevens Nature Center provide guests with unique opportunities to learn more about wildlife, conservation, and natural history. The center hosts several educational programs throughout the year, including chances to prowl Hemlock Bluffs to learn about rocks and minerals in the park, to go on insect safaris, and to search out...
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 280 State Park Rd, Apex, NC 27523
Jordan Lake, located southwest of Durham and Chapel Hill, offers more than 13,000 acres of recreational shoreline. The lake boasts nine different recreational areas, including a bald eagle observation platform just off Highway 751 South and another at the Crosswinds Recreational area near Wilsonville on US Highway 64. Camping permitted – call for...
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 6404 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603
You'll find Lake Wheeler due south of downtown Raleigh, past the NCSU Farms. This idyllic recreational lake offers some of the best fishing in the area (you must have a license!). A day spent at Lake Wheeler Park is a popular afternoon destination for those in the Raleigh area. Boat traffic and water-skiing are allowed on the lake, and the park...
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
The Southeast's largest natural history museum offers four floors of exhibits, live animals. The massive "Mountains to the Sea" exhibit, a recreation of North Carolina's terrain and ecosystems, features native plants and a 20-foot waterfall. Other highlights include an Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur skeleton (the only one in the world on display), and...
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 408 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606
Raleigh's Theatre in the Park and Aquatic Center are both located in downtown Pullen Park. For over 100 years, this park has offered a wide range of recreational activities for the entire family. Boat rental, picnic areas, and tennis courts are among the many opportunities provided for good, wholesome fun. On a lazy afternoon, the peaceful park...
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 1201 Agriculture St, Raleigh, NC 27603
In addition to numerous stands selling regional produce, this 75-acre market features indoor and outdoor restaurants, plant and garden shops, craft and gift shops. The meat and cheese center boasts delicacies such as ostrich, chevon, duck, bison, Farmstead cheeses and eggs.
Category: Family Vacations - Raleigh Attractions & Activities
Address: 8801 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27616
Next to the Raleigh-Durham airport, you'll find this 5381-acre park featuring hiking, biking, horse-back riding trails, camping, fishing and boat rentals. There are two sections, the Reedy Creek section which can be accessed from Harrison Avenue in Cary and the Crabtree section which is easily accessed from Highway 70 in Raleigh. The best time to...
