Carolina Peeps! Help me plan a trip to Raleigh!

[GimmeABreak]

Okay, here's the deal. My Beloved Buffalo Sabres will be playing the Carolina Hurricanes on January 25th. I will be heading to Raleigh that Saturday, staying over until that Sunday, and attending the game, which starts at 1:30 that afternoon, I believe.

So, questions for you guys...

1) What hotel should we stay at?
2) What should we see/do?
3) Where should we eat?

Help me plan out a nice day. I really want to see downtown Raleigh, so be sure to include downtown stuff in your suggestions.

Thanks!

[ncvwgtiboi]

Well if you want to stay downtown then you have 3 choices:
-Days Inn
-Sheraton
-Clarion

If you stay downtown, then hit all the muesems...they are all free (except for Exploris). The Muesem of Natural Science has a good exibit on the Titanic right now.

For some good people watching and food, then check out Glenwood South.

[nostyle]

Tell me more about Glenwood South...

[metroboi]

Nostyle, like ncvwgtiboi said, the Titanic exihibition is currently playing in Raleigh, which is worth a see if you are into such things. We are planning to go in the next week or so to see it. You might want to take a tour of Chapel Hill/Caroboro while there also.

[nostyle]

That museum is a good idea...will the Titanic exhibit still be up at the end of January?

When you say 'tour' of Chapel Hill/Caroboro, what would I be looking for?

[metroboi]

I believe the exhibit is running until early January. Chapel Hill/Caroboro are nice walkable towns. They are worth seeing.

[nostyle]

Okay, this is what I have so far...

Stay downtown, perhaps at the Sheraton. Check out the free museums.

I'm a bit of a city buff (duh), so I have to admit that Caroboro/Chapel Hill just doesn't excite me.

What about bars/nightlife downtown?

Funny, two Charlotte forumers are the ones answering all my questions...where in the world are all the Raleigh forumers?????

[Raleigh-NC]

Guys, just drop me off a few lines when you visit Raleigh. We can get together for a drink, or coffee.

GimmeABreak: Although I would always recommend downtown (for promotion-related issues, I would advise you to get a room around Crabtree Valley Mall. The reason is simple: proximity to downtown and easy access to the arena (just take Edwards Mill/Creedmoor Rd towards Wade Ave/I-40 and you are there in about 5 minutes. For evening venues, just take Glenwood Ave towards downtown and you are 10 minutes away from Glenwood South District. Crabtree Valley area is at the intersection of Creedmoor Rd and Glenwood Ave (Hwy-70), so you get the picture. In that area you will find a wide variety of hotels and inns (about 10 of them), fairly inexpensive and near the shops. I live 5 minutes from there and I can meet with you easily. By the way, if you are interested in museums, then you are very lucky, as they are close to each other, with plenty of parking available. I could probably offer you a little "tour", if you are interested to see more.

Nostyle: Have you ever been to Glenwood South? I ask you because I can tell you more, but I need to know how much I should leave out. Anything in particular you are looking for?

[Sulley]

Stay at the Sheraton and use my Starwood Preferred Guest number :)

[Raleigh-NC]

Stop complaining, Nostyle :) Some of us are actually working right now and can't answer as fast as you would like them to :) In fact, tomorrow morning I will be at the office around 4am for a major system migration and I am still under lots of pressure, so please bear with me.

For some more info about downtown, visit the following site:

Downtown Raleigh (http://www.downtownraleigh.com)

[nostyle]

For future reference, GimmeABreak = Nostyle. :)

I know NOTHING about Raleigh, so I need COMPLETE details. This is most likely going to be a trip for my wife and me, along with another couple, just FYI.

[ncvwgtiboi]

If you would like to be chained to your car, then get a hotel at Crabtree...I stayed at the Residence Inn there last month, it was nice. However, there is nothing you can walk to up there, but if your primary goal is to get some mall shopping done, then Crabtree is your place.

However, if you would rather be able to walk to places, then go ahead and get the hotel downtown, where you can walk to the muesems, and nightclubs...also the trolley runs at night so you can hop on it and go between Glenwood South and the core downtown.

Downtown is about 10 min. from the Arena, just take Hillsborough St. (or Western Blvd. to the 440 beltline)

[Raleigh-NC]

I agree with ncvwgtiboi, except that DT Raleigh has no retail destinations, in case you want to do some shopping... not that you can't do this in Charlotte. Even though I work (second job; 6pm-10pm) on Saturdays, I will be more than happy to take the night off and get together with you guys for a night out. My wife and I try to take advantage of every chance we get to go out. I will try to compile a list of recommended places to visit, so stay tuned, as it might take me 1-2 days... Sorry, I am under lots of pressure right now.

By the way, the whole GimmeABreak vs. Nostyle confusion was definitely my mistake, as I remember you clarifying that in the past... My bad :(

[tkd720man]

Glenwood South is full of bars and nightclubs, as is the warehouse district (the blocks immediately west of downtown and south of Glenwood South). There are also great restaurants in City Market, which is in the middle of downtown. Any of the previously mentioned downtown hotels will put you close enough to any of these things for a reasonable walk. The Arena, as mentioned, is about 10-15 minutes west of downtown if you drive down Hillsborough street. If your wife likes to shop, then Crabtree Valley won't be a bad place to go... it's a mall, but as malls go, it's very nice and is among the more urban that I've seen (so it won't be too painful to see). The drive up Glenwood Avenue from downtown to Crabtree Valley is also a pleasant one.

The museums are all right downtown, except for the art museum which is actually down the road from the arena. There's plenty of cool stuff to see at those places, and of note will be the Titanic exhibit that others have already pointed out, which I think will still be on display when you get here. If you're into music or performing arts, you might want to check out what the BTI Centre or the Lincoln Theatre have to offer that weekend - they're both within pissing distance of the Sheraton in downtown Raleigh.

Anyhow - enjoy your stay!

tkd720man@hotmail.com

[Sulley]

Stay at the Sheraton and use my Starwood number, damnit!! :haha:

[IHateBirds]

I can be in the Raleigh area that weekend as well. It would be an excellent time for a meeting.

[GimmeABreak]

as much as I'd be up for a meeting, I'm not sure my whole 'party' would be. I'll ask my better half what she thinks though.

[IHateBirds]

Well, tell her we're going to Jack Astors... Hehehehe

I know the manager really well--she's from Kenmore actually!

[metroboi]

LOL, A Charlotte forum meet in Raleigh. I could probably meet y'all at Jack Astors. We never got together for that drink. :yes:

[Raleigh-NC]

GimmeABreak: I am married too... I don't know how old you and your wife are, but we can leave the ladies to do their shopping around and we can all get together for a "tour". I am sure the ladies would not mind going out for drinks, as a group, but the tour has to involve people who are interested in seeing more of Raleigh.

[metroboi]

You know a forum meeting involving a tour of Raleigh sounds really interesting. The only bad thing is the un-predictibality of the weather in January. There have been some pretty famous snow storms this time of the year in NC.