Cary travel guide
Cary Tourism | Cary Guide
You're Going to Love Cary
With a population of 135,234, Cary is a must-see destination in North Carolina, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Cary deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Cary
Art & Performing Arts
Shopping
Other activities
Where to Eat in Cary
If you’re looking for affordable options, Dean's Kitchen + Bar (formally Dean's Seafood Grill & Bar) (1080 Darrington Dr) and Lugano Ristorante (1060 Darrington Dr) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Catalan Tapas Bar (4214 NW Cary Pkwy) and Saffron Indian Cuisine (2048 Kildaire Farm Rd) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Cary.
When to visit Cary
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Cary in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 32 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 5.2″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Cary, with an average rainfall of 3″.
How to Get to Cary
Plane
When flying to Cary, you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 6 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Cary include Air France, Aeromexico and ITA Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Cary departs from New York and takes around 1h 40m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Cary. The train journey from Cary to Charlotte takes 2h 43m and costs around $28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $43 for a 5h 32m trip. The train station in Cary is called Cary, and is located 0.2 miles from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Cary is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 122 miles from Cary. You’ll find branches of Budget and Easirent, among others, in Charlotte.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Cary, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Wanda Coach. From Washington, D.C., the bus ride to Cary takes 295 miles and will cost you around $139. From Atlanta, the ticket costs about $132 for a journey of 470 miles.
Airlines serving Cary
Where to stay in Cary
Average rates range from around $164 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $463 and up for a 5-star experience.
Where to stay in popular areas of Cary
Most booked hotels in Cary
Renting a car in Cary
Renting a car in Cary costs $59 per day, on average, or $118 if you want to rent if for 2 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Cary.
Expect to pay $3.52 per gallon in Cary (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $42.25 and $56.33. The most frequently booked car type in Cary is Luxury (Lexus RX or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford EcoSport or similar) are, on average, 50% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.