How do you get the most out of your time in Raleigh? Why not ask a Raleighite what to see and do? There is always something happening in Raleigh to suit everybody's tastes, the most difficult part is finding everything as sadly some of the best local attractions and popular activities aren't highly publicized to visitors.
To help you find some of Raleigh's best kept secrets we've asked our team of Raleigh natives to recommend their favorite places to visit in Raleigh.
Here's a list of the top suggestions from the RaleighCarRental.net team.
Sparians
Sparians is a pub in Raleigh which offers the best conditions for playing bowling. No matter if you come here with only one friend or with a large group of friends, there's enough room for all of you. The pub has clean tracks and offers special bowling shoes of all sizes. Large plasma screens display your score and your current positions. A large variety of drinks and snacks are available for you to choose from. An hour of bowling should be somewhere around $15 to $20. Tourists of all ages have access inside the pub but alcohol will not be served to minors under 21 years old.
Umstead State Park
If you want to get close to nature, the best way is to visit the Umstead State Park. Inside this park you can walk among trees that are 300 years old. There are specially designed mountain-biking tracks but you need to bring your own personal bike for this one. There are also a few campsites where you can spend the night. More than 32 miles of hiking paths are at your disposal. The only problem is to have enough time to visit them all. Everything around here seems to be in perfect armony. Getting there with your car can be a bit tricky so make sure you have a proper map before beginning the journey.
PNC Arena
If you like basketball or ice hockey, visiting this arena is a must. PNC Arena has more than 17,000 seats, including 60 VIP boxes. The arena is often used not only for basketball games but also for concerts. Being upgraded this year, the total cost of this construction is somewhere around 200 million dollars. Make sure you check out the PNC Arena's schedule and don't miss the opportunity if there's a hockey or a basketball game. If there's no action during your stay you can try visiting the arena in company of a guide; he will tell you everything about this arena and the price won't go over $20.
Lake Johnson Park
The Lake Johnson is absolutely huge: it spreads on an area of over 160 acres. There are also more than 290 acres of land surrounding this lake. At the lake's shore you can rent a small boat and take a one hour journey on the surface of this floating mirror. Unfortunately the place is not suitable for the kids since they don't have a specially designed playground. All around the lake there's a paved alley which makes the perfect location for jogging or walking. Overall this quiet place is ideal to spend more time with your friends and family.
Wil-Mar Golf Club
Because golf has become more and more popular in America in the last 30 years, a golf club is not an unusual attraction. At Wil-Mar Golf Club you get pro assistance if you want to make the first steps in the world of golfing. For advanced players there's an 18-hole course which will test your abilities to the maximum. All the equipment is provided by Wil-Mar Golf Club, but you can bring your own golf club if you want. However, the price for taking golf lessons can go pretty high, even over $100.
