Everyone loves budget friendly places to see when traveling, and I am no exception! Raleigh has an abundance of free attractions to see and do. I have put together a small list of the “priceless” attractions that can be found in this awesome city and will be writing more in depth articles on them in the near future.
If you are traveling to Raleigh in the near future for Supercon or you just have a long layover take some time to see one or all of these attractions.
North Carolina Museum of Art
This is great if you want to be indoors or out. The actual museum is closed on Mondays, and opens at 10 every other day. The attached park opens at dawn and has over a 2 mile trail to enjoy. So grab a coffee and enjoy the park then meander over to the museum for more art and air conditioning as the day gets warmer. You can visit the museum’s website here to learn more.
Flea Market
Ok, so this is a weekend only attraction, and it’s only free if you don’t buy anything! Having said that, this flea market is at the state fairgrounds and it is HUGE. We have spent over two hours there checking it out, and my advice would be go early. There is a building with air conditioning, but the majority is on the blacktop outside and it gets very hot very quickly in the summer.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
This museum is huge! Plan on spending at least 4 hours here if not a whole day. I have previously written a post on this museum that you can read here. The museum has something for everyone and has plenty of hands on exhibits for all ages.
North Carolina Museum of History
This museum is located across the sidewalk from the Museum of Natural Sciences. This is a must see for history enthusiasts and is very conveniently located. I would suggest doing the History Museum and the Natural Sciences Museum in one day. The museum opens at 9 on Saturday and noon on Sunday so plan according so you get a chance to see this treasure. You can find more information on the museum here
Raleigh Little Theatre Rose Garden
If it is not too hot out this is a beautiful place to take a moment and relax after seeing all the fun free attractions. This is listed as a special events venue, but is opened 7 days a week to the public to walk around and enjoy the quiet, charming rose garden. For more information on this garden visit their website here
Impossible Nonsense 
My mother recently visited family in Raleigh and they took her to the Science Museum and the Art Museum. She raved about both. I still haven’t been, but look forward to a trip there someday.
LikeLike
Raleigh definitely surprised me with the abundance of interesting and inexpensive activities to do! I usually head to Charlotte for fun, but took a chance and decided to explore Raleigh instead and I would say it’s definitely worth a weekend trip!
LikeLike