If you haven't been to Raleigh yet, you really need to. It's a magical city with anything you can dream of. From botanical gardens to museums, ethnic restaurants to comfort foods, and boutique stores to chains, Raleigh is a melting pot of new and old. Going to college right down the road put me in a unique spot to experience everything this city has to offer. Because there's so much to do in Raleigh, this will be a three part series. This is part one
Here's my list of places to go and things to do that'll have you experiencing Raleigh like a native.
1. Sitti
Sitti is an authentic Lebanese restaurant located in downtown name after the Lebanese word for grandma, sitti, as the grandmother is the most important member of the family in the Lebanese culture. The first time I went to Sitti was with my boyfriend; it was our last date before he deployed and we wanted to try something different than our usual pizza or Chinese food. I can personally recommend Curried Chicken. It's absolutely delicious and so tender your mouth will water thinking about it three days later. Sitti is great for taking out-of-town visitors or just for a date night since you can have drinks and dinner at the same place.
2. Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Boxcar isn't necessarily a Raleigh exclusive since there's also a location in Greensboro but it sure does make downtown unique. I first came here with some friends on a Saturday night and it was packed. There was hardly room to stand so definitely come early otherwise you won't be able to play many games. They have almost 100 modern and classic games including, my favorite, pinball. They also serve my favorite drink, a vodka red bull (albeit a watered down version). Instead, I would look at their list of local microbrews. They sell a cider from Bull City Ciderworks that is amazing.
3. Rum Runners
If you've ever seen my Snapchat story then you've probably seen Rum Runners. I can't say with 100 percent certainty when there are and aren't covers-- sometimes there is and sometimes there isn't, I can't figure out the schedule-- but it's a fun time regardless. The drinks are strong (and kind of expensive) and the music is pretty great. They have one room where they have dueling pianos and that's always my favorite place to sit. The other room is a dance room with a DJ and everything. I've never really seen this part packed but the bar in this room is always less crowded so you get quicker service.
4. WRAL Azalea Garden
WRAL is our local news station and the building is a gorgeous backdrop for the Azalea gardens. You can go on a picnic here, take a walk around the gardens, have a photo shoot or even get married. It's kind of a weird place to get married until you see it. The view is worth the weird location.
5. Cameron Village
Once upon a time, I worked at Cameron Village. They used to have an underground system, the Raleigh Underground, that was open and there were tons of concerts. Now, the underground is closed and only the most adventurous of urban explorers dare to trespass (note: I am not advocating breaking the law). They opened the underground for one night in 2015 and I'm hoping they'll do it again soon. Famous groups such as R.E.M. and Jimmy Buffett played there before they were the famous powerhouses we know today. Until they decide to reopen the underground, check out the awesome shopping. Ann Taylor, Lightyears, Bailey's and so many more are all within walking distance of each other. Just park once and you can go anywhere. The brand-new ABC store is also featured and the inside is really well laid out.
6. North Carolina Museum of Art
I've been here once a year since I started college. NCMA always has really cool exhibits going on and I've found it to be a great place for first dates. It's quiet so you can hear each other talk but there's no pressure to be funny-- you just walk around and look at really cool pieces. The museum isn't just located indoors, there's also walking trails filled with outdoor pieces. You'll want to make sure you catch the circles of earth called the Gyre rings. Make sure you plan your visit for any other day than Monday because the museum is closed.
This concludes part one! Check back for part two, coming soon!
