Raleigh/Durham....please help!!!
Apr 17th, 2003, 07:44 AM
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Raleigh/Durham....please help!!!
Hi! My friend and I are in our twenties and are trying to book a last minute vacation to Raleigh with Delta...I was hoping someone could give me a few suggestions about the hotels delta offers and also what to do with basically 3 days in Raleigh. We are not really club or bar people, and we would love to go to the beach one day (we will have a car) also any really good restaurants we shouldnt miss? (not too too expensive) We are basically up for anything. Here are some of the hotels we have to choose from: Courtyard (North, Raleigh Carey, Durham Research Triangle Park), Wyndham Garden Hotel Durham, Millenium Hotel Durham, Sheraton Chapel Hill, Marriott (Research Triangle Park, Raleigh Crabtree Valley) or Radisson Governors Inn...they are all about the same price, so which one do you think is the nicest in the best location? Thank you so much in advance for all of the help. :0) Joanna
Apr 17th, 2003, 08:24 AM
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Joanna, Raleigh is an odd place for a vacation and the hotels you've picked are all sort of business hotels.
Raleigh is a good 5-7 hours from the coast. May I suggest you rethink your location? Wilmington would be closer to the coast and is very charming.
Raleigh is a good 5-7 hours from the coast. May I suggest you rethink your location? Wilmington would be closer to the coast and is very charming.
Apr 17th, 2003, 09:40 AM
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Raleigh is NOT 5 to 7 hours from the coast.
It's 2 hours from Wilmington and the beaches there.
Staying in Raleigh or Cary as opposed to Durham or Chapel Hill would put you closer to more options for shopping, dining and entertainment. What kind of food do you enjoy and what type of music?
It's 2 hours from Wilmington and the beaches there.
Staying in Raleigh or Cary as opposed to Durham or Chapel Hill would put you closer to more options for shopping, dining and entertainment. What kind of food do you enjoy and what type of music?
Apr 17th, 2003, 09:51 AM
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because we are looking for a last minute deal, raleigh is our only option...two hours from the beach doesnt sound that bad...what beach do you reccomend?
we'll eat pretty much anything but would like to get to taste local favorites, and we will listen to most kinds of music, alternative, rock, jazz...like i said, were pretty much up for most anything.
we'll eat pretty much anything but would like to get to taste local favorites, and we will listen to most kinds of music, alternative, rock, jazz...like i said, were pretty much up for most anything.
Apr 17th, 2003, 10:03 AM
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The closest beach is Wrightsville. Take I-40 east until it ends and follow the signs. There is some on-street parking for the beach.
For hotels, eliminate any RTP, Durham, Chapel Hill locations. You want to stay in Raleigh or Cary. Chapel Hill is about 30 miles from Raleigh and rush hour traffic here stinks. I guess that leaves the Marriott Crabtree. It's near Crabtree mall (a great mall). I've never stayed in any of the hotels (I live in the area).
Restaurants, the best steak is at the Angus Barn, but it is $$$$$. I believe, help from others please, there is a place at the farmers' market that is good and cheap.
In town activities, there is a large flea market at the state fair grounds on weekends. Starting soon, a touring company of Phantom of the Opera will start. There are several state run museums downtown (history, science) and the art museum isn't far from the fair grounds.
There is usually some event at the civic center downtown on weekends like a boat, garden, or women's show.
For a day trip, come on over to Durham and Chapel Hill. There was a post earlier today about visiting the area. Click on my name and it will bring it up.
For hotels, eliminate any RTP, Durham, Chapel Hill locations. You want to stay in Raleigh or Cary. Chapel Hill is about 30 miles from Raleigh and rush hour traffic here stinks. I guess that leaves the Marriott Crabtree. It's near Crabtree mall (a great mall). I've never stayed in any of the hotels (I live in the area).
Restaurants, the best steak is at the Angus Barn, but it is $$$$$. I believe, help from others please, there is a place at the farmers' market that is good and cheap.
In town activities, there is a large flea market at the state fair grounds on weekends. Starting soon, a touring company of Phantom of the Opera will start. There are several state run museums downtown (history, science) and the art museum isn't far from the fair grounds.
There is usually some event at the civic center downtown on weekends like a boat, garden, or women's show.
For a day trip, come on over to Durham and Chapel Hill. There was a post earlier today about visiting the area. Click on my name and it will bring it up.
Apr 17th, 2003, 10:13 AM
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Just came bak from Wrightsville Beach which is next to Wilmington -- an easy 2 hrs. from here. If you can find a hotel in Wilmington that's one of the Delta hotels, why not just go on out there? There aren't going to be any Delta hotels on Wrightsville Beach itself (only a couple of places out there -- Holiday Inn Sunspree and Blockade Runner, mainly) but it's not that hard to pop out there from northern Wilmington (where most of the motels are) and you can park at metered spaces all up and down the island and spend some nice time there. Very few people there this week, although it is Easter weekend, so .... And downtown Wilmington has some great shops and restaurants.
Otherwise, can't advise you re
pecific hotels, but suggest you enter "RDU" in the Travelocity website for hotels and make it show you the results on a map -- so you can get an idea. Crabtree Valley area is near a fairly decent mall but there isn't much else out there, although going into town from there on Glenwood Ave., there are plenty of good restaurants.
I respectfully disagree with whoever said there's more to do in Raleigh than in Durham and Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill has a couple of great restaurants, as does Durham (see the "Destinations" section or search -- several long threads on restaurants). If you stay in one of the hotels in "RTP" (Research Triangle Park), you're equidistant from all three, however, and can do whatever you want. Chapel Hill and Durham have a college-town flavor, so you can "hang out" at places on Franklin St. in CH or 9th Street in Durham, and you might find the remnants of the tobacco buildings in downtown Durham interesting (fave restaurant is "Anotherthyme" across from Brightleaf Sq. -- a renovated tobacco bldg. with interesting shops, esp. jewelry and antiques).
It's almost the height of our azalea season and lots of flowers are out everywhere, so you don't want to miss Duke Gardens on the campus of Duke. You might also enjoy the NC art museum, which also has a nice restaurant on the grounds.
One suggestion if you are not staying too far from Chapel Hill and want a change of scenery is to go out Rte. 15 to Fearrington Village -- a nice half-day trip, nice restaurant (although there's also a 5-star gourmet inn restaurant there that's $$$$$), bookstore, belted Galloway cows, and not too far from there a couple of decent pottery shops. A bit bucolic but the gardens are pretty.
Otherwise, can't advise you re
pecific hotels, but suggest you enter "RDU" in the Travelocity website for hotels and make it show you the results on a map -- so you can get an idea. Crabtree Valley area is near a fairly decent mall but there isn't much else out there, although going into town from there on Glenwood Ave., there are plenty of good restaurants.I respectfully disagree with whoever said there's more to do in Raleigh than in Durham and Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill has a couple of great restaurants, as does Durham (see the "Destinations" section or search -- several long threads on restaurants). If you stay in one of the hotels in "RTP" (Research Triangle Park), you're equidistant from all three, however, and can do whatever you want. Chapel Hill and Durham have a college-town flavor, so you can "hang out" at places on Franklin St. in CH or 9th Street in Durham, and you might find the remnants of the tobacco buildings in downtown Durham interesting (fave restaurant is "Anotherthyme" across from Brightleaf Sq. -- a renovated tobacco bldg. with interesting shops, esp. jewelry and antiques).
It's almost the height of our azalea season and lots of flowers are out everywhere, so you don't want to miss Duke Gardens on the campus of Duke. You might also enjoy the NC art museum, which also has a nice restaurant on the grounds.
One suggestion if you are not staying too far from Chapel Hill and want a change of scenery is to go out Rte. 15 to Fearrington Village -- a nice half-day trip, nice restaurant (although there's also a 5-star gourmet inn restaurant there that's $$$$$), bookstore, belted Galloway cows, and not too far from there a couple of decent pottery shops. A bit bucolic but the gardens are pretty.
Apr 17th, 2003, 10:32 AM
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Well, in case you have noticed it, there's sort of a divide between Raleigh people and Chapel Hill-Durham people. I'm not sure I can describe the difference without making drastically sweeping generalizations, but here goes: Raleigh is a little more business oriented, and much of the "scene" there is younger people making pretty good money. Downtown itself is a bit dreary except for a few square blocks near the Capitol, so when people talk about Raleigh restaurants, museums, etc. they are often talking about things arrayed around the outside of the city. NCState is close to downtown, but it doesn't convey the same college atmosphere that it would if it had it's "own" town.
Durham and Chapel Hill are, except for the student population, a little older and (forgive me) tweedier although pretty sophisticated in their tastes.
Durham downtown is downright sad, except for right at Brightleaf Sq., but there's another "downtown" along 9th St., which sort of straddles the two parts of Duke. The Duke campus is gorgeous, and some of the most up-and-coming communities are at the edge of Durham toward RTP (including a rather impressive new indoor-outdoor shopping mall). Oddly, it has some of the best used bookstores you'll ever find, but you have to search for them.
Chapel Hill is the quintessential college town and has been used in a number of movies for just that purpose. Its mainstreet is a "scene," and the town has a lot of artsy and/or "egghead" stores around various parts of town. You might find A Southern Season (a gourmet store with great wine and cooking/dishware selection) kind of a trip to visit, and its restaurant isn't bad.
All three places have their definitive barbeque restaurants, and all three worship at the altar of basketball.
Durham and Chapel Hill are, except for the student population, a little older and (forgive me) tweedier although pretty sophisticated in their tastes.
Durham downtown is downright sad, except for right at Brightleaf Sq., but there's another "downtown" along 9th St., which sort of straddles the two parts of Duke. The Duke campus is gorgeous, and some of the most up-and-coming communities are at the edge of Durham toward RTP (including a rather impressive new indoor-outdoor shopping mall). Oddly, it has some of the best used bookstores you'll ever find, but you have to search for them.
Chapel Hill is the quintessential college town and has been used in a number of movies for just that purpose. Its mainstreet is a "scene," and the town has a lot of artsy and/or "egghead" stores around various parts of town. You might find A Southern Season (a gourmet store with great wine and cooking/dishware selection) kind of a trip to visit, and its restaurant isn't bad.
All three places have their definitive barbeque restaurants, and all three worship at the altar of basketball.
Apr 17th, 2003, 10:37 AM
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I'd spend most of my time at the beach if I were you. A friend and I (in our 30's) visited Raleigh last summer and were underwhelmed with the area. Downtown seemed to be almost dead on a Saturday night (we are not "club people" either). The only place with any life seemed to be the Mellow Mushroom.
Duke University has a beautiful campus and is well worth a visit, and I enjoyed one of the cemeteries near downtown that has a lot of civil war graves. One of the museums had the Smithsonian exhibit of presidential portraits (probably gone none). Otherwise, Raleigh wasn't all that impressive.
Andrew
Duke University has a beautiful campus and is well worth a visit, and I enjoyed one of the cemeteries near downtown that has a lot of civil war graves. One of the museums had the Smithsonian exhibit of presidential portraits (probably gone none). Otherwise, Raleigh wasn't all that impressive.
Andrew
Apr 17th, 2003, 11:21 AM
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soccr- very sorry if i offended you because raleigh isnt my first choice for a vacation. but, to be quite honest with you, it isnt. however, i am interested in coming and i was just hoping to get some information. so thank you very much to all the people who kindly responded to my email.
Apr 17th, 2003, 12:09 PM
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If you can't go to Paris, go to Carrboro -- it's the Paris of the Piedmont!
Carrboro is sort of squashed into Chapel Hill and is even more liberal. The town council is celebrating we love France month in April at the wrath of some townspeople. The ArtsCenter and the Cats Cradle are venues that can get some wonderful acts playing there.
I grew up in Chapel Hill (I don't own tweed, but I do know my basketball) and, because of economic reseasons, now live in the more affordable Durham.
As a child, going to Raleigh was a major pain. There wasn't an interstate, just highway 54. If you have ever watched The Andy Griffith show and Barney talks about going to Raleigh and staying at the 'Y' that was sortof how Raleigh was to us. Even though I have friends in Raleigh/Cary/Wake County and visit them I _STILL_ think of it as a horrible journey. I'll go to Burlington/Greensboro in a flash and that's a longer distance, but all of it is based on recollections from childhood.
Carrboro is sort of squashed into Chapel Hill and is even more liberal. The town council is celebrating we love France month in April at the wrath of some townspeople. The ArtsCenter and the Cats Cradle are venues that can get some wonderful acts playing there.
I grew up in Chapel Hill (I don't own tweed, but I do know my basketball) and, because of economic reseasons, now live in the more affordable Durham.
As a child, going to Raleigh was a major pain. There wasn't an interstate, just highway 54. If you have ever watched The Andy Griffith show and Barney talks about going to Raleigh and staying at the 'Y' that was sortof how Raleigh was to us. Even though I have friends in Raleigh/Cary/Wake County and visit them I _STILL_ think of it as a horrible journey. I'll go to Burlington/Greensboro in a flash and that's a longer distance, but all of it is based on recollections from childhood.
Apr 17th, 2003, 01:47 PM
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alwayzmile -- I wasn't offended in the slightest, just very very amused that Delta and American seem to be sending people to Raleigh-Durham! Much as I like most aspects of living here, I'd never have proposed it as a tourist mecca (except for the shore, of course). Think it's very funny, but happy to have you visit.
