Raleigh, North Carolina, is having a moment right now—one that puts families at the forefront and continues to earn the city national clout, including a spot on our list of the best U.S. destinations to vacation with kids.
The city’s central location on the east coast, about halfway between Florida and New York, makes for enjoyable road trips and quick flights. Ease of accessibility continues once you arrive, too, with the most sought-after suburbs and attractions all seemingly within a 15-minute drive. That’s the number we kept hearing on a recent trip to Cary, whenever we asked a local how much time it’d take to reach a place we wanted to visit. And it was true.
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Less than a 15-minute drive from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Cary is a thriving district for families, abuzz with one of the coolest parks I’ve ever seen and an easily walkable downtown sprinkled with charming buildings and trendy eateries. Cary is the hot spot when it comes to Raleigh attractions for family fun, and its diverse range of offerings has something for every age.
What to do:
Downtown Cary Park
Seven acres of lush, green space are dedicated to Downtown Cary Park. You’ll find sprawling woodland-themed playgrounds that are modern and thoughtfully designed, with sections for different age groups. There are also slides, rock walls, and other kid-friendly obstacles built into a hillside. A skywalk trail meanders over a lake and alongside a fragrant botanical garden. Other spaces built into the natural surroundings include a pavilion that hosts occasional events, a great lawn, and water fountains.
Marbles Kids Museum
My kiddos aged four and two would have spent all day at Marbles Kids Museum, if we let them. Themed exhibits make way for learning, playing, and discovering. They include Imagifab for little inventors, with a section for building blocks of all shapes and sizes, as well as an interactive drawing room that brings kids’ creations to life on a big screen; Moneypalooza, where a playground and series of activity stations spiritedly showcase the importance of healthy spending; and an indoor-outdoor section centered around the process of growing plants, fruits, and veggies.
Botanical Gardens
One of my favorite places to take my kids wherever we travel is a botanical garden. They are nature’s playgrounds, inspiring imaginative play and exploration. There are several botanical gardens around “The Triangle,” a nickname for Raleigh and its neighboring university cities, and they’re free to enjoy. Raleigh’s JC Raulston Arboretum and the North Carolina Botanical Garden a little further out are our favorites. Both offer ample grounds for kids to run around and dedicated kids’ spaces.
Museum of Life and Science
Nature continues to set the stage for learning, at this unique science museum spread out across 84 acres. Kids can dig for fossils on the Dinosaur Trail, get up close and personal with North Carolina wildlife, soak up the scenery on an old-time train ride, ignite their sense of wonder at the mist field, and more. Two acres are dedicated to Hideaway Woods, where you’ll find treehouses (including some designed for the littlest visitors), a wading stream, and nature-inspired play spaces.
Pullen Park
At this quintessential amusement park, families will find enough activities to keep kids entertained for hours. Pullen Park’s storied past is also part of its allure. Established in 1887, this 66.4-acre swath of Raleigh attractions for family fun is not only North Carolina’s first public park, but also the U.S.’s fifth-oldest amusement park and 16th oldest in the world. Historic features include its carousel built in 1911 and the Pullen Park Caboose, an authentic train car from the Norfolk Southern Railway. Families can also enjoy rides on a mini vintage-style train, pedal boating, and various playgrounds.
Where to stay:
The Mayton
Nestled next to Downtown Cary Park, The Mayton spoils guests with easy accessibility to the city’s thriving recreational, dining, and entertainment scenes. Forty-four distinctly designed rooms and suites cater to families with above-average square footage, and pack-and-plays are available upon request. Meanwhile, the on-site restaurant with a spacious outdoor terrace caters to kids with dedicated menus. Service all around feels very “small town” and personal, and the property is fully tapped into the local culture.
The Mayton’s Downtown Cary Park Movie Night package creates the perfect outing for families to enjoy the park’s nighttime movie series. Complete with a cozy picnic blanket, and cookies and popcorn curated from local businesses, the package offers the perfect way to enjoy films like “Moana 2” and “Shrek” under the stars. Other perks of the package include a $15 breakfast credit per person, per night, as well as discounted pricing.
