| Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, one of the original 13 colonies, and one of the three cities that make up an area known as The Triangle. Surrounded by lush green trees, The Triangle is home to the ever-growing Research Triangle Park, which consists of around 150 businesses and covers over 7000 acres. The other triangle cities are Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina Tarheels, and Durham, home of the Duke University Blue Devils, two college basketball teams with some of the fiercest rivalry the ACC has ever witnessed. And the football is not bad either. Between those two schools and Raleigh’s own North Carolina State University, there’s never a lack for nightlife or live entertainment around town, especially on weekends or game days. Culture and history buffs will want to visit the North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the North Carolina Executive Mansion, and the North Carolina Museum of History. To sample the great outdoors, visitors can try Oakview Historic County Park, Pullen Park, or the J.C. Raulston Arboretum. And for more recreation, true outdoor lovers can immerse themselves in boating, fishing, and other water activities in beautiful Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. For family fun, the R.B.C. Arena, located on the vast state fairgrounds, is a great place to see the latest events. And for kids, downtown’s Playspace Children’s Museum is truly a place of wonder, learning, discovery, and amazement. And if that’s not enough to get you started, Raleigh’s central location in the piedmont area of the state gives visitors and locals alike easy highway access to the state’s gorgeous golden beaches to the East and pristine, green mountains to the West. So visit Raleigh, North Carolina, and find out what Southern charm is all about. North Carolina has much to offer its citizens and visitors alike, from its bustling, modern cities to its rural areas, whose undeveloped woodlands still cover the majority of the state. In the eastern region of the state are the beautiful, tan sand outer banks, a chain of over 100 natural barrier islands that protect its mainland’s coastline from the great Atlantic. In the center of the state is the piedmont region, home to “the Triangle”, an area comprised of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Here you’ll find NC State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina all within short drives of one another. These accredited universities and the many growing businesses that call the area home bring with them academic, artistic, and cultural diversity, as well as shopping, dining, and nightlife. Raleigh is the spot to be to catch the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes in action. A bit farther to the west is the state’s largest city, Charlotte, where NASCAR fans rally at the track, NFL fans flock to the Carolina Panthers’ stadium, and thrill seekers take the rides of their lives at nearby Paramount’s Carowinds amusement park. In the western part of the state lie the majestic, rolling hills of the Appalachian Mountains, where campers, hikers, and sightseers can take in the breathtaking views along one of the nation’s most scenic roads, the famed Blue Ridge Parkway. Also, as one of the original 13 colonies, the Old North State, as it’s sometimes called, is rich in historical landmarks throughout the state. Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Mountains, Outer Banks, Atlantic Ocean, Raliegh, Durham, Chapel Hill, UNC, NC State, Duke University, Carowinds, Civil War Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Mudcats, Blue Ridge Mountains, Tar Heels, Duke Blue Devils, NC State Wolfpack, RBC Center, Wake County, City of Oaks, North Carolina State University, Shaw University, Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek, Juniper Level Botanic Gardens, North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, |