Raleigh travel guide
Raleigh Tourism | Raleigh Guide
You're Going to Love Raleigh
With a population of 403,892, Raleigh is a must-see destination in North Carolina, United States. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Raleigh deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Raleigh
Where to Eat in Raleigh
Downtown is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Raleigh. These include popular favorites such as O-Ku - Raleigh (411 W Hargett St), Crawford & Son (618 N Person St) and Oak Steakhouse - Raleigh (417 W Hargett St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Coquette Brasserie (4351-119 The Circle at North Hills) and buku: Global Street Food (2800 Renaissance Park Pl) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Clouds Brewing Raleigh (126 North West St.) and Estampa Gaucha - Raleigh (3931 Macaw St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Raleigh.
When to visit Raleigh
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Raleigh in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 89.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 30.2 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 4.7″. In contrast, April is usually the driest month of the year in Raleigh, with an average rainfall of 2.9″.
How to Get to Raleigh
Plane
When flying to Raleigh, you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 11 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Raleigh include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Raleigh departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 05m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Raleigh. The train journey from Raleigh to Charlotte takes 2h 43m and costs around $28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Washington, D.C., expect to pay about $65 for a 5h 53m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city center, Raleigh is the busiest station in Raleigh. Another popular train station is Raleigh North Carolina - State Fair, located 4 miles from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Raleigh is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 130 miles from Raleigh. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Dollar, among others, in Charlotte.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Raleigh, including CoachRun, Tornado Bus and Greyhound. From Charlotte, the bus ride to Raleigh takes 150 miles and will cost you around $36. From Richmond, the ticket costs about $69 for a journey of 180 miles. The most popular bus station is Raleigh El Expreso Bus Station, located 4 miles from downtown Raleigh. Raleigh 1286 Buck Jones Rd is also a commonly used station, and is 6 miles from the city center.
Airlines serving Raleigh
Where to stay in Raleigh
There are also lots of vacation rental options in Raleigh, with prices from $27 to $525 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Raleigh are about 35% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Downtown - In Raleigh’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include The Longleaf Hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Raleigh Downtown and Raleigh Marriott City Center.
Southeast Raleigh - Here you’ll find travelers’ favorites such as Holiday Inn Express & Suites Raleigh Ne - Medical Ctr Area, Comfort Suites Raleigh Walnut Creek and Budgetel Inn And Suites Raleigh Downtown East. The average nightly price for a double room in Southeast Raleigh is $75.
North Hills - DoubleTree by Hilton Raleigh Crabtree Valley, Hampton Inn & Suites Raleigh Midtown and Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Midtown have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in North Hills will cost you about $146 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Raleigh
Most booked hotels in Raleigh
Renting a car in Raleigh
Renting a car in Raleigh costs $60 per day, on average, or $120 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Thrifty and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Raleigh is the Hertz branch at 1017 Rental Car Dr, which is 1 mile from the city center.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Raleigh (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Compact (Chevrolet Aveo Sedan or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Raleigh, while also 59% cheaper than other types, on average.
Best car rental deals in Raleigh
Compact
4 Adults, 2 Bags
$36/day
Supplier choice
5 Adults, 5 Bags
$41/day