Known as ‘The City of Oaks’ for its beautiful oak trees, family-friendly Raleigh is a modern, energetic city in the heart of Dare County. Offering dozens of free attractions throughout the city, this capital city is ideal for a family-friendly vacation where you enjoy a variety of cultural, historical, and outdoor activities.
Plan ahead for these cool kid-friendly events:
-
North Carolina State Fair October 17-27, 2024
- Holiday Express train ride in December (ticket sales open at 9 a.m. on Oct. 16).
- Artsplosure - The Raleigh Arts Festival in May of 2025.
- BugFest in mid-September
Check out the hands-on exhibits at the Marbles Kids Museum
Check out the hands-on exhibits at the Marbles Kids Museum dedicated to sparking imagination, discovery and learning through play.
Find it at this Address: 201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601, Phone: 919-834-4040
See some cool meteorite samples at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
The oldest established museum in North Carolina, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences features a collection of more than 1.7 million specimens of every kind of animal species from amphibians and reptiles to mammals, birds, and fish, as well as plant species, and geology and meteorite samples.
Find it at this Address: 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601, Phone: 919-707-9800
Stroll through the Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park at North Carolina Museum of Art
The Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park at North Carolina Museum of Art is a beautiful public space that connects art and nature with people through an array of public art installations by international artists.
Find it at this Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, Phone: 919-839-6262
Ride the historic carousel and miniature train in Pullen Park
Located on Raleigh's iconic Hillsborough Street next to the main campus of North Carolina State University, Pullen Park is a 66.3-acre public park in downtown Raleigh and the oldest public park in North Carolina. The park has several attractions and activities for the whole family to enjoy, including the 1911 Pullen Park Carousel that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a miniature train that children can ride around the park, and kiddie boats and pedal boats to have fun on the lake.
Admire beautiful plants for FREE at the JC Raulston Arboretum
The JC Raulston Arboretum is a nationally acclaimed botanical garden with a diverse collection of landscape plants adapted for life in the Southeast, in particular, the Piedmont North Carolina area. Covering 10-acres in the heart of Raleigh, the Arboretum is managed by the North Caroline University and is open to the public for FREE.
Find it at this Address: 4415 Beryl Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606, Phone: 919-515-3132
Have a picnic in Lake Johnson Park
Lake Johnson in Lake Johnson Park is a tranquil 150-acre lake surrounded by more than 300 acres of land which boasts 5.4 miles of trails, picnic shelters, concessions, facility rentals, along with plenty of water sports such as canoes, paddleboats, kayaks, sailboats, and stand-up paddleboards. Admission to Lake Johnson Park is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Find it at this Address: 4601 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606, Phone: 919-233-2121
Go bowling at Buffaloe Lanes
Buffaloe Lanes is a family-friendly bowling alley that features an award-winning bowling alley, flat-screen televisions, and snack bar.
Find it at this Address: 5900 Oak Forest Drive, Raleigh, NC 27616, Phone: 919-876-5681
Watch planes take off and land at the RDU Observation Park
The RDU Observation Park is a public space where visitors can watch planes land and take off from Raleigh-Durham International Airport's 10,000-foot runway and listen to piped-in pilot-tower communications from the nearby Air Traffic Control Center via audio speakers on an elevated observation platform.
The park also features a play area for children, a casual café in the General Aviation Terminal called the Crosswinds Café, grassy lawns for picnicking, educational placards, modern restrooms, and free parking.
Find it at this Address: 2400 W. Terminal Blvd., Morrisville, NC, Phone: 919-840-2123
Hunt for cheap treasures at the Raleigh Flea Market
Exuding a bustling and vibrant atmosphere, the Raleigh Flea Market is the perfect place to spend the day with family, exploring the stalls and hunting for treasures.
Find it at this Address: 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC, Phone: 919-899-3532
Jog on the Neuse River Greenway Trail
The Neuse River Greenway Trail is a 27.5-mile paved uninterrupted greenway in the Raleigh area that runs along the banks of the Neuse River from the Falls Lake Dam in North Raleigh to the town of Clayton on the Wake County line in southeast Raleigh.
Watch a performance at the Raleigh Little Theatre
The Raleigh Little Theatre is a community theatre that produces and presents up to 10 full productions each year and offers several comprehensive youth and adult theatre education programs.
Find it at this Address: 301 Pogue St, Raleigh, NC 27607, Phone: 919-821-4579
Take the kids to the playgraound in Lake Crabtree County Park
Lake Crabtree County Park features two children’s playgrounds, an observation tower, a boat dock where sailboats can be rented, and a system of hiking and biking trails crosses through the park.
Find it at this Address: 1400 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC 27560, Phone: 919-460-3390
Play laser tag in Frankie's Fun Park
Frankie's Fun Park features three different go-karting tracks, mini-golf courses, nine batting cages, laser tag, squirt boats, a 60-foot 360° Discovery Ride, a multi-level fun house, and over 100 arcades.
Find it at this Address: 45 Park Woodruff Drive, Greenville, SC, Phone: 29607-5728
Learn about the milling industry at the Historic Yates Mill County Park
The Historic Yates Mill County Park features a 24-acre pond, which is fed by Steep Hill Creek, several hiking and mountain biking trails, and a modern visitors center that provides a wealth of information on the Historic Yates Mill, the milling industry and the natural history of the area.
Find it at this Address: 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603
Visit Mordecai Historic Park
The Mordecai Historic Park is centered around the Mordecai House otherwise known as the Mordecai Plantation or Mordecai Mansion, which was the birthplace and home of President Andrew Johnson.
Find it at this Address: 1 Mimosa St, Raleigh, NC 27604, Phone: 919-996-4364
Pick up a snack at the State Farmer's Market
The State Farmer's Market in Raleigh boasts 30,000 square feet of space which houses a wide variety of stalls selling fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, dairy products, prime grass-fed meat, organic honey, and fresh flowers.
Find it at this Address: 1201 Agriculture St, Raleigh, NC 27603, Phone: 919-733-7417
Spend a rainy day at the Durham County Library
The Durham County Library is a regional library system with several branches that have been in service for more than a century.The library offers over 5,000 educational and literacy programs for children, teens, and adults and welcomes more than 2 million visitors annually.
Find it at this Address: 300 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27701, Phone: 919-560-0100
Pick up a sweet treat at the Groovy Duck Bakery
The little Groovy Duck Bakery specializes in muffins, offering a wide selection of flavors both savory and sweet, as well as cookies, cupcakes, celebration cakes pies, pastries, bars, tarts, and other decadent creations.
Find it at this Address: 3434 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612, Phone: 919-787-9233
