KidsOutAndAbout.com's Family Travel Video Guide to Raleigh, NC
City of Oaks: Visiting Raleigh with Kids
by Ella S. Ross
If science is what you’re looking for, you can go to the largest natural history museum in the southeast. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, you could go to the place that holds the Guinness World Record for the most beers on tap. If neither of those is appealing to you, well, you confuse me, but you’ll find something; they’ve got a whole lot more!
While it’s certainly a city, Raleigh gives you lots of space to breathe. Everyday I was there, I got to go to one of their museums, take a beautiful walk outside, and then go to a hip (yet unintimidating) restaurant. This is how I always want my days to go.
I’ve meant to go to North Carolina for a while now. When I got the chance, I picked Raleigh as my first stop, and it certainly came through for me!
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North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
The state’s museum devoted to science and nature, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in central Raleigh is the largest institution of its kind in the Southeastern United States and, with over a million visitors a year, the state’s most visited museum. Its 300,000 square-foot downtown campus is augmented by Prairie Ridge Ecostation and satellite facilities in Whiteville, Greenville and Contentnea Creek. Together, they provide a variety of curriculum-focused classes onsite, offsite, outdoors and online for pre-kindergarten through graduate students across the state.
As a museum of nature, we integrate the dual concepts of illumination and inspiration with the work we do and the many stories we tell. In a time of unprecedented environmental challenges, nothing could be more critical. This nexus of ideas makes us unique. Across three vibrant floors of laboratories and exhibitions, our Nature Research Center provides an unparalleled opportunity to see science in action by watching Museum researchers studying the natural world in real time. In the Nature Exploration Center, exhibits and live animal displays reveal North Carolina’s rich natural habitats, wildlife and geology from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.
Marbles Kids Museum
At this innovative and wildly popular children’s museum, opened in 2007 in downtown Raleigh's Moore Square district, kids are encouraged to use their marbles—hence the name!
With the goal of sparking imagination, discovery and learning through play, kids can go on a jungle safari, get behind a camera and be a reporter, dress up as a forest creature or board a pirate ship. They can work in a real garden, create an artistic masterpiece, become an architect, run a pet store or get on the center ice and take a shot at the goal. The opportunities for play are many—each encouraging intellectual, emotional, physical and social development.
Pullen Park
Established in 1887 and designated as the first public park in N.C., Pullen Park in Raleigh is the fifth oldest amusement park in the U.S. and the 16th oldest in the world. Nestled between downtown Raleigh and the main campus of North Carolina State University, Pullen Park is known for terrific recreational opportunities—especially for kids and families—the park includes an operating carousel built in 1911, a miniature train you can ride through the park, pedal boats to cruise around Lake Howell, plus tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, an arts center and an innovative performing arts venue, Theatre In The Park (Ira David Wood III Pullen Park Theatre).
Dorothea Dix Park
Dorothea Dix Park is one of Raleigh's largest parks. The 308-acre site blends historic architecture and rich landscapes into a unique destination in the heart of Raleigh.
Raleigh Farmers Market
More than fresh vegetables, it’s a family adventure. Considered one of the nation’s best and most modern markets, visitors enjoy 75 acres of indoor/outdoor specialty shops, restaurants and garden center, with fruits, vegetables, meats, and gift products from across the state.
North Carolina Museum of Art
One of the premier visual arts museums of the South features an outdoor park with works of art, trails and a live music venue/theater. It also hosts two buildings filled with galleries, education studios and special exhibitions. Permanent collections include ancient Egyptian artifacts, renowned European Old Master paintings, African and Judaic works of art and innovative contemporary art. You'll also find the Southeast's largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin, the museum store and a café for a bite to eat and drink.
But wait, there's more!
Family-friendly restaurants worth checking out:
Thank you for the wonderful hospitality to the team at VisitRaleigh and everyone at the attractions who showed me around! To learn more, visit their website at Visitraleigh.com.
—Ella
Ella S. Ross is a travel videographer. Interested in having her visit your region? Click here for more information