Raleigh/Durham Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in Raleigh/Durham check out our Raleigh/Durham guide to car hire in Raleigh/Durham.
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The state capital of North Carolina, Raleigh, and its near neighbours, Durham and Chapel Hill form the three corners of the so called Research Triangle Park, the eastern USA's answer to California's Silicon Valley, where the economic growth is powered by research into new technologies.
The three cities are home to around half a million people between them, who enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the USA, and this is demonstrated by the focus given to ensuring that public areas such as parks and museums in the city are of great quality, and also obvious in the number of cultural events available to entertain you no matter when you go.
The cities represent one of the most important transport hubs in the southeastern United States, and many people stop over for a few days in the city before heading on to a final destination such as Cancun in Mexico, or Orlando in Florida. Many of the attractions in and around Raleigh can be seen on a short break in the city, and amongst them, there are a number of theme parks, and also plenty of galleries.
Raleigh's nightlife is of a high standard, especially since there is such a young population in the area, and there are pubs and clubs to suit all tastes around the downtown are along with many shopping malls that sell goods at prices far below those in the UK.
Raleigh combines science and art in many of its attractions, and amongst the most popular, Art Space gives you the chance to visit a combined gallery and workshop where painters and sculptors work on new pieces and you can stand and watch as they work, or choose souvenirs in the gallery; the Morehead Planetarium plays on the fact that the Research Triangle enjoys some of the clearest skies in the country, and you can watch a laser show indoors before going out and seeing the skies for real. The North Carolina Museum of History includes a fascinating collection of exhibits including an entire section on the first powered flight, which was made in Kittyhawk by the Wright Brothers.
Perhaps the most impressive attraction in Raleigh as a whole is the Exploris Museum, which is superb for families, and offers an interactive and explorative approach to history. The exhibits include a huge wall made of 1 million marbles that make up an image of planet earth as viewed from space and which has to be seen to be believed.
