You’ve got 1 day in the Triangle. We’ve got tips for what to do and where to eat
When out-of-towners visit Triangle cities — whether for graduations, concerts, business trips or family gatherings — they need recommendations for where to eat, drink and soak up some culture.
We asked our very own staff members, who range from working at The News & Observer (and living in the Triangle) from a few short months to 45+ years, to share the best parts of where we live.
Here’s how we recommend you spend 24 hours here, highlighting the three points of the Research Triangle: Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Here’s where to get your morning coffee buzz, spend a leisurely afternoon and enjoy a belt-unbuckling dinner to get you quickly dreaming about your perfect day.
How to spend a day in Raleigh
For snackers:
Visit the 30,000-square foot State Farmers Market and support our area’s local farmers. It’s impossible to make it out of there without sneaking a bite of one of the beautiful pieces of produce you just couldn’t pass up.
Walk through NC State (visit the Whisper Discs and Tunnel of Free Expression) before heading to the Student Union for house-made Howling Cow ice cream. (You can also visit the dairy farm and education center a few miles off campus.)
For a free museum fix:
The NC Museum of Art has something for everybody, including miles of walking trails, ample outdoor space for picnics and a sprawling sculpture garden.
Don’t skip the dino lab at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.
The Pope House is the only African American house museum in the state.
When it reopens, learn more about our state at the NC Museum of History.
For legislative wonks:
Walk by the Legislative Building and Executive Mansion.
Visit NC Freedom Park and read the quotes.
Stop by the Capitol Grounds and do a self-guided tour (or a guided tour, if visiting on a Saturday).
For an afternoon outside:
Walk around Lake Lynn, which has a nice walking path with lots of nature to see.
Ride the carousel at Pullen Park.
Stroll through the sunflowers at Dix Park.
Take a tour of the preserved grain mill from the 1700s at Historic Yates Mill County Park.
For random fun:
Pack a swimsuit and go to the Buffaloe Road Park/Aquatic Center to swim in the indoor swimming pool.
Spend hours perusing vintage treasures at Cheshire Cat Antique Gallery in the Village District.
Visit Boxcar Bar + Arcade (there’s also a Durham location) or Frankie’s for arcade games, drinks and bar food.
Where to eat in Raleigh
For breakfast:
Benchwarmers Bagels: More than making the case for the Southern Bagel, Benchwarmers in the Transfer Co. Food Hall has ascended into the national bagel conversation. Hand-rolled sourdough, boiled in honey water and kissed by fire, a smear of cream cheese makes it a work of art.
Cup of Joe: The quintessential Raleigh coffee shop on Hillsborough Street, creating community for more than 30 years.
Union Special: This Raleigh bakery does bonkers stuff with bread, but its breakfast sandwich is the foundation of its brunch game, served with a crispy hashbrown on it. Don’t leave without a blue corn cookie.
For lunch:
Ish: This deli tucked in a Person Street pharmacy is every sandwich lover’s paradise. There’s a reuben here that will reset your idea of what a reuben can be, built with housemade pastrami or corned beef. There’s a smoked fish melt that you’ll think about all the time and probably never think about a tuna melt again.
Sam Jones: A stop at Sam Jones is the quickest way to earn your North Carolina barbecue bonafides. Here it’s all Eastern-style whole hog, with the smoky pork chopped with cleavers and dressed with a peppery vinegar sauce. The Jones family signature is mixing in crispy pork skin for a satisfying crunch amid the tender meat.
For dinner:
Ajja: The vibe here at Raleigh’s best backyard dinner party is elegantly retro, with skyline views, vibrant cocktails and a Mediterranean menu meant for sharing.
Crawford & Son: Every plate at Crawford & Son is unnecessarily gorgeous. It could be a crudo that looks like a stained glass window, or a charred octopus tentacle studded with vibrant peppers or just the glistening sheen of butter blessing the browned top of a housemade dinner roll.
Poole’s Diner: Ashley Christensen’s flagship Raleigh restaurant continues to set the pace for the Triangle’s dining scene, serving soulful Southern dishes that have never felt more exciting. A bite of Poole’s macaroni au gratin (fancy mac and cheese) is a must.
St. Roch: Just about as much fun as an oyster bar can be, St. Roch serves up the North Carolina seafood bounty, but has New Orleans in its soul. You’ll want ice cold raw oysters to start, followed by buttery barbecue shrimp or alligator bolognese (trust), but save room for the beignets, doused in caramel sauce.
For drinks (and bites):
Standard Beer + Food: Built for carefree hangs, Standard is Raleigh’s backyard. The beers are simple and precise, there’s usually a couple frozen drinks and the food menu is kind of fancy pub fare. You’ll find one of the great smashburgers out there, tater tots with truffle aioli, sometimes a clam dip, and shady tables under a canopy of umbrellas.
Ponysaurus: Born in Durham as a taproom with an expansive outdoor garden, Ponysaurus grew up when it expanded to Raleigh Iron Works. Here the pizza and food menu is large, the beers are crushable and packed with flavor and the dining room is sharp and modern.
How to spend a day in Durham
For an afternoon outside:
Stroll through Sarah P. Duke Gardens to see what’s in bloom.
Hike through Eno River State Park. The Fews Ford is an easy hike, or level up to the swinging bridge to make it more challenging.
Swing by Durham Central Park to see skateboarders and animal statues.
Walk around American Tobacco Campus and see the historic Lucky Strike Water Tower.
For an afternoon inside:
Visit the gorgeous Duke Chapel, which often has free recitals.
Explore the Durham Hotel (and end your visit with a drink at the rooftop bar).
Walk through the newly renovated main branch of the Durham County Library, with lots of areas for hands-on play.
For “Bull Durham” fans:
Check out the old Durham Bulls ballpark.
Detour to Mitch’s Tavern (in Raleigh near NC State’s campus).
Catch an evening Durham Bulls game at their new stadium in downtown Durham.
Where to eat in Durham
For breakfast:
Elmo’s: Diners are about warmth and familiarity and at Elmo’s you’ll immediately feel like a local. Elegant no-frills coffee, eggs anyway you like and syrupy pancakes built like a cloud.
Monuts: This hip modern diner always draws a weekend crowd. Make sure to grab whatever fruit doughnut happens to be on the menu that day, or the giant square biscuits, crispy, salty and airy in all the right places.
For lunch:
Ideal’s Sandwich & Grocery: No one wants the lines at Ideal’s to get any longer, but how do you not scream at the top of your lungs that the Philly roast pork, wrapped in paper turned translucent, is one of the most magnificent bites in our lands?
Saltbox Seafood Joint: One of the country’s most casual restaurants with a James Beard medal hanging on the wall, Saltbox is a deeply flavorful expression of North Carolina’s coastline, one that will shift your expectations for fried fish. Here you’ll find strictly seasonal seafood, powerfully seasoned and served in a paper tray, but good enough to rival any fine dining fish.
For dinner:
Nanas: No one is doing it better in Durham than this revived classic, where you’ll need to order just warmed grilled oysters topped with foam or rich duck ragu with housemade pasta.
TaTaco: Brand new, but already absolute fire. This Mexican restaurant delivers much more than excellent tacos; you’ll find oysters on the half shell, inventive clam birria and perfectly punchy margaritas.
How to spend a day in Chapel Hill
For explorers:
Lay back and relax at Morehead Planetarium on UNC’s campus, which boasts a packed calendar with live events and star shows.
The NC Botanical Garden is a native plant heaven, and full of colorful flowers to stop and smell.
Coker Arboretum on UNC’s campus is perfect for a stroll or a picnic. (Though graduation weekend could make it extra busy.)
For bookworms:
Epilogue Books is part bookstore, part cafe and part chocolate shop. Ask their staff for curated recommendations.
Listen to an author talk at Flyleaf Books.
For live entertainment:
Cat’s Cradle (technically in Carrboro, but just up the road from downtown Franklin Street) boasts an impressive lineup of up-and-coming artists for incredibly reasonable ticket prices.
See what’s playing at PlayMakers Repertory Company, a professional theatre company in residence at UNC.
Where to eat in Chapel Hill
For breakfast:
Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen: An icon of the AM hours, this drive-thru only spot serves crumbly, butter biscuits in the old fashioned Southern style. You’ll probably want a chicken biscuit, but even a smear of jelly is divine.
Caffè Driade: The most idyllic coffee shop in the Triangle is tucked away about a mile from the bustle of downtown Franklin Street. Go here for a beautiful cup of coffee and a few morning pastries, best eaten among the foliage.
For lunch:
Merritt’s Grill: A Merritt’s BLT is one of the signature bites in North Carolina. Here the classic deli sandwich is stuffed with crispy bacon and real ones know everything is better with a layer of pimento cheese.
Al’s Burger Shack: This is the best burger in town, period. Order up a burger with classic or creative toppings and some fries and dine outside in the covered patio. We’re partial to the sweet potato fries, but the crinkle cut fries with sea salt and rosemary are a worthy choice.
For dinner:
Pizzeria Mercato: This pizza place is in nearby Carrboro with a culinary legacy worth writing home about. Owner Gabe Barker inherited his culinary talents from his parents, Karen and Ben Barker, of the late (beloved) Magnolia Grill. But he struck out on his own, infusing his pizzas with fresh ingredients from the farmers market across the street.
411 West: This Chapel Hill classic brings Italian villa vibes to West Franklin Street. The bright and airy dining room is the spot for feasting upon homemade pasta, wood-fired pizzas and other Italian favorites, complete with an extensive wine list.
For drinks:
- Crunkleton: In the wide-ranging spectrum of places to grab a drink, The Crunkleton stands out as the world’s most perfect bar. This isn’t hyperbole. Here you’ll find a fancy cocktail bar, with worn leather chairs and very rare whiskey, served alongside pints of Guinness or local IPAs, with sunny breezes sneaking in from the sometimes open front windows.
Jessica Banov contributed to this story.
This story was originally published May 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM with the headline "You’ve got 1 day in the Triangle. We’ve got tips for what to do and where to eat."
