Top Three Recreational Parks in the Triangle

The Triangle features many state parks and gardens as well as an extensive Greenway trail system. The Triangle makes an excellent home for nature lovers, as it offers many opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, and many more outdoor activities. Below I discuss some of my favorite parks in the Triangle.

Eno River State Park

Located in Durham and Orange counties, Eno River State Park includes 30 miles of hiking trails along a river that is commonly used for fishing, kayaking, and swimming. The park is also scattered with several historic mills and home sites.

The most unique feature of Eno River State Park is the Eno Rock Quarry, accessible via the Cabe Lands Trail. The 4 acre wide and 60 foot deep quarry went out of use in 1964 and was…

1038 Views, 0 Comments

Back to School Season Is Here—Explore The Triangle's Top Shopping Destinations

August is here and that means it's time to get ready for another school year. Shopping for school can often be a hassle but with outlets and malls, it is becoming increasingly popular to find a one-stop shop that makes this task simple. The Triangle is home to many of the most popular malls in North Carolina and these are just a few.

Carolina Premium Outlets

Located approximately 25 miles east of Raleigh, is Smithfield, North Carolina. Carolina Premium Outlets is known to be one of the best outlet malls in North Carolina. Sporting over 80 shops including brand names such as NIKE and Polo Ralph Lauren, the Carolina Premium Outlets has everything you could want and more. Also available at the office is complimentary wheelchairs to assist in making…

937 Views, 0 Comments

Revitalizing Downtown Cary: Your New Hub For Food, Culture, Activities, & the Arts!

Downtown Cary’s revitalization is nearly complete and has transformed what had been a relatively ho-hum town center into a vibrant cultural center with much to do for the whole family. Since the beginning of the downtown revitalization project, many unique restaurants and businesses have opened their doors and much has been done in terms of beautification.

The Beginning

One of downtown Cary’s first renovations was the 2011 transformation of the former Cary High School into the Cary Arts Center, where a variety of classes and performances now take  place. Pieces of artwork were placed around the downtown area  as well, giving it a sense of character. The Jones House, a  property originally constructed in 1896, was purchased and  renovated by the…

1933 Views, 2 Comments

Discover Cary's Best Restaurants With Flavors From Around The World!

Although largely known for its great master-planned communities, Cary is also home to an abundance of restaurants offering up savory flavors from around the world. In part due to its diverse population, you can find everything from handmade Italian pasta and fresh sushi, to mouthwatering briskets and spicy samosas.

If you're eager to mix things up for date night or are eager to try something new, here are a few of my personal favorites:

Sushi-Thai

Every Friday and Saturday night, Sushi-Thai is packed with families and friends enjoying great food and company. Staffed by some of the most genuine and personable people I have ever met, dining at Sushi-Thai is always an excellent experience.

In addition to sushi, which is sometimes served in…

1092 Views, 0 Comments

Y Guides Program Offers Triangle Area Families The Chance Learn Together

The Triangle area is consistently recognized as one of the best places in the country to raise a family, and one of the biggest reasons for that is the Y Guides program which helps make the Triangle family-friendly.

What Are Y Guides?

Sponsored by the Triangle YMCA, the Y Guides program was created to build father-child relationships. It accomplishes this by facilitating opportunities for fathers to spend time with their kids camping, volunteering, creating crafts, learning new things, or just having fun.

By spending this one-on-one time with their kids, the fathers naturally become more engaged and involved in their lives, which has well-documented benefits for kids, including achievement at school, social behavior, and self-esteem.

…

1260 Views, 0 Comments

Where To Go For A Day At The Beach In North Carolina

One of the best things about North Carolina is its world-class beaches. Some of the best in the world lie along our Atlantic shores, and a number of them are just a short drive away.

Load up the car with your beach chairs and Boogie Boards on Friday night, get up early on Saturday, and you'll have your toes in the sand by 10:00 am. Enjoy a full day at the beach and be home by dinner.

Here are three beaches that are a two-hour drive or less from the Triangle area:

Relax On Topsail Island

The first thing you need to know is "Topsail" is pronounced "Tops'l." That's about the only thing that's particular about this laid-back area. Located just north of Wilmington, Topsail Island is an easy drive down I-40.

Once you're there, you'll find…

3794 Views, 1 Comments

Best Ice Cream Shops In The Triangle

The Triangle offers some of the best ice cream shops in North Carolina, and anyone willing to take a little drive can enjoy a cool treat.

It may seem surprising to visitors, but the Triangle takes its ice cream very seriously, and there are some off-the-beaten path ice cream shops that are sure to delight the most discerning palates.

Here are four places that are definitely worth a visit:

Sunni Sky's, Angier

Straight south of Raleigh, just outside of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it  Angier, is Sunni Sky's, a premier destination for the ice cream enthusiast. The fact that it stands by itself along Highway 55,  practically in the middle of nowhere, only adds to the allure.

Once inside visitors will find more than 100 flavors to choose  from,…

2019 Views, 0 Comments

The 3 Best Beer Festivals in the Triangle, NC

The Triangle boasts a wide range of breweries and craft beer styles, and beer enthusiasts can sample many of them at the area's three best beer festivals.

A couple weeks ago, local beer blogger Kyle Rubeling offered some of the can't-miss breweries in the Triangle. But if you want to try them all at once (and you have a designated driver), a beer festival is the way to do it.

Here are the Triangle's three beer festivals, when and where they are, and what you can expect to see (and taste) at each.

World Beer Festival - Raleigh and Durham

This is actually two beer festivals, as the the World Beer Fest takes place in the spring in Raleigh and in the fall in Durham. Both festivals are a favorite among casual beer drinkers and beer enthusiasts…

1542 Views, 0 Comments

Four Can’t-Miss Breweries in the Triangle

The Triangle is a beer-lover’s paradise. With dozens of breweries in the area, and new ones popping up all the time, the area is experiencing a craft-beer renaissance. But what are the can’t-miss breweries in the Triangle?

We asked Kyle Rubeling, an area beer enthusiast who blogs about North Carolina brews, to tell us the four breweries visitors and residents alike should be sure to visit. Here are his recommendations:

Fullsteam in Durham

Visitors to Durham will want to pay a visit to Fullsteam. The brewery’s mission is to put some South in your mouth, creating beer that “celebrates the culinary and agricultural heritage of the South.”

To do this, they buy ingredients from southern farmers when possible. The result is beers like their…

1463 Views, 0 Comments

6 Must-Try Restaurants In The Triangle Area

When you are looking for a great place to eat in the Triangle, it may be difficult to decide where to go to first. For an area its size, the Triangle boasts a great variety of fine dining establishments, and the number is growing due to the many foodies in the area. Southern Living magazine has even called Durham the "South’s Tastiest Town".

Here are some restaurants you want to be sure to try:

The Fearrington House Restaurant

This restaurant should not be overlooked for its fine food and luxurious style. It is located south of Chapel Hill in the The Fearrington House Inn hotel, and is the only 5-star Green Certified restaurant in the U.S. It is also heralded as one of the top 100 restaurants in the country. They grow their own food on the…

3048 Views, 0 Comments