Touring the statehouse is just one of the fun activities to do while in Raleigh. Photo by: Evan berman
Raleigh is a nice city in in North Carolina with a lot to do! We spent 3 days here in March and enjoyed ourselves.
This recap is a part of the Hockey in Raleigh trip. For more on this trip, follow these links:
Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton Raleigh Arena
Visiting Beautiful College Campuses
3 Days in Raleigh (This Article)
Trip Summary:
Despite being the capital, Raleigh, North Carolina can sometimes be overshadowed by Charlotte. That should not be the case as the city is well worth a visit! While I’ve visited Raleigh several times in the past, it had been a few years. The “Research Triangle,” which encompasses Raleigh-Durham and Chapel Hill, is an area with much to do. Raleigh may be the biggest city, but there’s plenty to do all around the area. During our time in Raleigh, we had goals of:
- Enjoying delicious food and drink
- Touring UNC, one of the most beautiful college campuses
- Watching the Tampa Bay Lightning play
- Spending time with family and seeing friends
As you’ll see, all of those were accomplished!
Flight Info:
We drove to Raleigh from Charleston. This is just under a 4 hour drive and there are no non-stop flights, so this was a smart decision. Plus, we didn’t need to rent a car to get around!
Price: N/A
Points Earned: N/A
Lodging Info:
We stayed 2 nights in Raleigh at the Four Points by Sheraton Raleigh Arena. While the hotel was nothing to write home about, it was in a great location (across the street from the arena, hence the name!) and the earnings were spectacular– I earned 10,00 American AIrlines miles and Loyalty Points (for elite status) from this one reservation.
Price: $654.08 ($327 per night)
Points Earned: 10,000 American Airlines miles, 1,962 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Airport Details:
As we did not fly, there is no airport to review.
Transportation Details:
As we drove to Raleigh, the expenses for transportation were minimal. We did not take any rideshare, though we had to pay for parking on several occasions. The total for the weekend came to $34.50, including $20 for the game parking.
Price: $34.50
Points: 44 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points (3x on Travel with Chase Sapphire Reserve)
Food & Drink:
We had some terrific meals in Raleigh over these 3 days. As always, I review the food and drinks in-depth in a separate article but will still list out some of the highlights here:
Bida Manda:
We visited Bida Manda, a Laotian restaurant that is very well regarded. After visiting, I can say that it deserves the reputation. We enjoyed Lao beef jerky, coconut curry, and a Laotian pho. Overall, this was a very pleasant meal as we had a leisurely pace and all dishes were high quality.
Gallo Pélon:
We stopped at Gallo Pélon for a drink on Saturday afternoon. This place is heaven for lovers of tequila and its cousins. We had the El Jolgorio Tepeztate and Fidencio Tepextate. For those unfamiliar, both spellings (Tepeztate and Tepextate) refer to the same type of mezcal. This wild agave is found in Oaxaca and results in a mezcal that is quite spicy. If you enjoy mezcal (and tequila) as I do, this place is a must-visit in Raleigh!
Brewery Bhavana:
It sounds strange to recommend dining at a restaurant with the name brewery in it, but ask anyone who knows Raleigh to recommend a dinner spot and it’s likely you will hear the name Brewery Bhavana. This upscale restaurant has a large dining room to go along with an attractive and popular bar. The focus is dim sum and I had to indulge in Peking Duck, though all the food is quite tasty.
Activities:
Tampa Bay Lightning Game:
The main reason for this trip (and hence the main activity) was to see the Tampa Bay Lightning play the Carolina Hurricanes. Unfortunately, the Lightning did not fare well, but it was still nice to see a hockey game! This article details the experience of the game.
Price: $263.13 ($87.71 per person)
Points: 263 AAdvantage Miles and 526 AmEx Membership Rewards Points (1x using Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business Card and 2x through Rakuten)
Visiting UNC:
While not in Raleigh, the University of North Carolina is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, just a 30-minute drive away. During our time in Raleigh, we visited the attractive campus. This article describes the experience of viewing some of the most beautiful campuses, including Chapel Hill.
Price: N/A
Points: N/A
Touring the North Carolina State Capitol:
Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and as such, we decided to visit the capitol building while in town. The inside is a mix of old and new and the architecture is impressive. It’s always fun to explore history and view the rooms where great debates and speeches have been made.
Price: N/A
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Total:
Price:
Transportation: $34.50 (We also filled up gas for another $40.58)
Flights: N/A
Hotel: $654.08
Activities: $263.13
Total Price: $992.29 (excluding food)
Points Earned:
Transportation: 44 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points and 325 Wyndham Rewards Points
Flights: N/A
Hotel: 1,962 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
Activities: 263 AAdvantage Miles and 526 AmEx Membership Rewards Points
Total Points: 2,006 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, 325 Wyndham Rewards Points, 10,263 American Airlines AAdvantage Miles, and 526 AmEx Membership Rewards Points
We had a great time in Raleigh (minus the disappointing Lightning performance)! Next up: in-depth reviews of the restaurants we visited before shifting to my next international trip, two weeks in Eastern Europe.
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