Hi Raleigh Lover!

Are you ready for the holiday season? It will kick off officially next weekend, but I’m noticing lots of holiday decorations up on streets, in stores, and bars. We put our Christmas tree up the other night - a week earlier - so the girls could have that experience with their grandparents before the return home on Monday. Our cats are very excited by their new flashing toy!

We’ve had another great week with Craig’s parents, eating way too much great food, visiting beautiful gardens, cheering on the UNC women’s soccer team (sadly lost), wandering around downtowns and neighborhoods enjoying the fall colors and local stores. We’ll wrap up this weekend with a day in Pinehurst and Southern Pines today (go away rain), a NC State wrestling match, and a day at Chapel Hill with a UNC football match!

Every time we have visitors it reminds me just how wonderful our area is. It’s beautiful, the people are friendly, and there is so much to do. Don’t forget we’re always sharing things to do in Raleigh from free activities to outdoor adventures, attractions, festivals and events and so much more. Always check thisisraleigh.com for our guides as well as our social channels!

I hope you love Raleigh as much as us, and if you’re not sure, I hope we can introduce you to new ways to learn to love it!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Caroline

💖 FAVORITE FINDS

• WRAL Azalea Garden is looking beautiful right now. It’s tucked behind the TV Station on Western Boulevard.

• Duke Gardens are also really pretty. We had a hawk fly right near our heads to sit on a branch and watch us 😍😍

• Gluten free Chicken and Waffles at Irregardless - WOW! Even if you’re not gluten free you’ll love this.

• The shrimp and grits from brunch at the Mayton Inn is delicious! Stay tuned as we’re putting a post together sharing the best shrimp and grits in the region - as shared by our community.

• Painted Tree in Downtown Cary has some beautiful Christmas decorations right now.

• NC State Women’s basketball game at Reynolds Coliseum - great stadium, great team, affordable game to watch. I find the band at this game to be highly entertaining!

• The new True Food Kitchen in North Hills is a taste sensation. I love it even more as they use organic ingredients and no seed oil!

⭐DID YOU HEAR?

• Tune into G105 this afternoon as we share our top tips for things to do this weekend in Raleigh - but you also know them because we share it in our content!

• The NC Chinese Lantern Festival starts tomorrow and runs through until mid-January! I was quite impressed by it last year. Here is our full guide with all the tips!

• Chef Saif Rahman (Vidrio) and artist Patrick Shanahan also co-owners of Watts & Wards, will be opening a new restaurant, Peregrine, in Midtown's Exchange development next year. Expect cultural influences from South Asia (yum!) and North Carolina.

• There will be a new direct flight to Bermuda from RDU with BermudAir starting April 11, 2025! Not sure I'll be leaving the Triangle for that one!!

• La Cucina Italiana will open in Smoky Hollow in early 2025.

• Downtown Cary Park turns one! An all-day celebration will happen at the park on Saturday. We think this is a fantastic addition to our area. I love their free Saturday morning yoga and their free CaryLive! concerts.

• Free two-hour parking in the city parking lots in Downtown Raleigh starts today!

🖋 ON THE BLOG

🗣JOIN THE CONVERSATION

The social posts that have everyone talking (click image to join)

👍ON THE GRAM