39 Best Stops Between Columbus and Ocraco*ke (2024)

6 lists

Great place that features a lot of local establishments. Park in one of the garages and just walk around down town, it is always a nice outing!

Today after hiking in Kentucky at Carter Caves, we drove towards home and stopped off in Huntington at Pullman Square to have late lunch early dinner at RoostersWe stopped at a bookstore slash comic book store to purchase a few books. We checked out a few other shops. Took some quick pics with kids with some of the stationary artwork pieces along the streets. Very lovely pieces!!!We had a nice afternoon before the rain came pouring down!!

Pullman Square has always been one of our favorite places to go for an afternoon or an evening out. Great shops and food offerings are all there and within walking distance, plus you can always take the escalator up and catch a movie. We love going to Pullman any chance we get.

Nice place to go here in huntington if you just want to walk around. Great atmosphere and lots of great stores and restaurants

Short version, there's a lot to do. From seeing a movie to walking through a bookstore+anime shop to going to gamestop then stopping by TONS of places with good food. Always something to do. Go here every Saturday and always have fun.

We have done business with a few businesses within the square. It's a real shame there is no public restrooms. We went and watched a late movie to kill time before fireworks. When we got out and went to use the elevator it would not run. So here we are with our daughter in a wheelchair with no way down. 😡 We waited for someone from maintenance for about 30 minutes. No one ever showed. Luckily we found the service elevator. It was horribly stinky and on the other side from the accessible parking spots where we were parked. So we had to push our daughter up the garage ramp. So we missed the fireworks. Such a disappointment. Definitely will reconsider before going back.

We really enjoyed ourselves. We started our night out by playing old to newer video games. A lot of fun and most of them are free 😁. Then we went to eat dinner at a Japanese/ hibachis and Thai food. Then to finish her night up we watch the 9:50 movie 🍿🎥. The machine!! It was great fun I'd recommend it to anybody. There's plenty to do in Pullman and Starbucks and dog cookies 🍪 are right there at the in square.

Has many different buildings including different eateries for different budgets, a Starbucks, painting and pottery place, ice cream shop, movie theater, huge comic store with all sorts of things, another tta not used much, phone companies, jewelry stores, boutiques, etc. Ok for a date day or night. A bank. Sometimes live entertainment on the stage, pretty waterfall with seats around it. Streetside and metered parking mostly.

I love going to Pullman Square. Whether I want to go see a movie, get some ice cream, go to the restaurant called roosters, or just simply go to the GameStop that's down the road just a little bit in that shopping center. There's all kinds of things to do in Pullman Square. They also have live concerts there during the summer. They do all kinds of events down there like the Hot Dog Festival, the Chili Festival. I really never surprised me when I go down there anymore that there's always something going on but like I said there's so much to do and it's really a lot of fun when I go down there all the time.

Nice area for downtown Huntington. Some nice shops to look around in a buy from, not your usual chain type stores. Movie theater is nice. Restaurants to choose from as well.

They have some nice shops in the area and I feel safe when I'm there. However, They let people park in the bus lane behind the stage, which is really frustrating as I have a hard time catching the bus when my bus unable to get to the bus stop I'm waiting at.

Nice place to relax while in town. They usually host events in the summer months. Pretty clean and right in downtown area with multiple shops nearby.

It's a nice commons area. They have live music and other events. A nice variety of shops as well. We never go there without visiting the book store (The Inner Geek)

⛲Pullman square as a rather beautiful place to look at with lots of shops and restaurants... You will also find a bookstore and Marquee cinemas... But don't spend all your money... It goes quick here... Please spend responsibly.

Great place for food, a movie, Starbucks and much more great vibe on a nice night or day.

Very nice shopping plaza. Great variety of businesses. However, parking can be a little tricky since it's mostly street parking.

There are a lot of places to shop or just stroll around

It was very clean and well kept this time of year! Ita a nice stop to read a book!

Absolutely beautiful! Tons of nice shops, a cinema, restaurants, Starbucks and of course the best of ALL, T-Mobile! Beautiful place to spend the day or have a date night! Well done!

Great place with plenty of places to eat, a movie theatre all within walking distance.

Went to the chili fest last weekend and had a blast! Good chili, entertainment and lemonade. There were even face painting and jumpy slide castles. Games and popcorn.

Small business Saturday morning was good to see downtown filled with people. I got my shopping list completed and left a very happy shopper.

4.4

(2360)

4.0

(221)

220 9th St, Huntington, WV 25701, USA

This was my first visit on Sunday. I love this hike!!! We were not allowed to drive up the mountain (as it was crowded) but they have a shuttle bus that takes you to the top and back down for 5.00 each. The views are amazing and there are plenty of hiking trails at the top. One of my favorite hikes! Amazing! (Side note: we expected the trees to be a bit closer to peak for the colors, so I imagine that next week it will be even more beautiful!)

Great job by the rangers and state for the up keeping. There are different lengths of trails and they are well maintained. Not a lot of trash at the parking lot, which is good. Usually at the peak, there are a lot of human traffic.At the top you can see as far as Winston Salem and grandfather mountain. Just a great view to see the greens of NC.There are a lot of stairs for some of the trails so your pets might have a hard time.

Clean fully stocked restrooms. Water fountain and bottle refill station. Informative maps. Interactive displays inside to educate us about how the area was formed. Gift shop is $$$. Staff has limited information about Pilot Mountain, they kept referring me to a pamphlet which I had already studied. The upper portion is very nice and has restrooms. Trails are well marked and in very good condition. I recommend the overlook trail for a quick way to get close up views. The Pilot Knob Trail (red square blaze) is easy and not quite a mile. It will get you to the base of the mountain and loop around. It's truly amazing to be up close and personal with it. Incredible banding, layers, quartzite, sandstone, mica, views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you have time try the Ledge Spring trail which is a one mile out and back trail off of the Pilot Knob Trail. I had a fantastic day. Met some great people.

Lovely trail and easy to follow summit look outs. Beautiful views though you can still see some of the damage from the fire.Beware the peak loop if you are not good at stairs. While it is technically a "trail" it's almost exclusively stairs and some of them are quite large (some steps were higher than my knees and I needed help up)

Even after the fire Pilot Mountain State Park is still a gem! The Grindstone Trail is somewhat steep however is you are in reasonable physical shape it is a fun hike. Be sure to take water, especially if you take your dogs. The views from the top are breathtaking however the hike up is gorgeous. Be sure to wear boots the protect your ankles because there are rocks that could be foot twisters if you do not step carefully. Plan on about four hours to hike up and back and still have time to enjoy the view.

Visited 10-29 and it was breathtakingly beautiful. As long as you are aware ahead of time of the shuttle system (it's a bummer, but it is what it is) you can prepare accordingly. Talk to the person at the desk in the visitor center for trail info- they are very knowledgeable. The fall colors were at their best this day, 100% loved it and recommend. The 0.8 mile loop around the knob is gorgeous and only took me about 13 minutes (I did this quick loop solo). The other trails were also totally enjoyable- scenic the whole way, especially this time of year.

This park was BEAUTIFUL. The views are breathtaking. You drive to the top and you can walk around seeing the views or you can take mile long trails around also. So many view points also. Easy access too.

If you live in the region, you really should plan to visit Hanging Rock and Pilot Mountain. These are part of the Sauratown Mountains, which are isolated from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east; it's really a unique geologic feature and not something commonly found in nature. Although the mountains here aren't as tall as what you'll find in the Appalachians, the views are spectacular.

A great state park in the foothills of the Blue Rich Mountains. Pilot Mountain is truly impressive. You can drive up the neighboring mountain to the summit. There is a parking lot at the top and there are numerous viewing platforms for impressive photos. At the same time, Pilot Mountain is a paradise for hikers and climbers and you can go on great tours on the many hiking trails.

Beautiful overlooks you can drive right up to. The fire savage is evident but many places have been repaired, only one overlook was still closed and being worked on. The short one mile loop is hard to walk unless you can handle stairs (and climbing over rocks) for most of that mile, but the views are spectacular. Keep any kids close!!There are bathrooms at the top parking lot, and rock climbing areas as well.

Very nice spot to spend a day. Bus ride takes you to the top, to the overlook. 5$ ride (2 miles) is worth it if you are with small kids or old people. Or else you can take trails to reach the top. Views from overlook points are stunning. Carry the binoculars if you into birding, lots of opportunities to spot raptors and other birds.Visitor center has clean restrooms and even at the top restrooms and water refill points are available.We did not visit the river section of the park but will visit next time. Mountain section is definitely worth the visit.No food available at the visitor center or at the top. I did not spot any vending machines either. Carry whatever you need with you.

Great day trip. I think we were unusually lucky in that we got to the visitors center at about 11 on a sunny and 70 degree spring Saturday and the upper lot was still open. We drove right up and hiked several of the trails. There were people but it wasn't obscenely crowded. Lots of space on the trails and everything was very well cared for. My kids are doing a junior ranger course and they stopped and talked to one of the rangers who politely answered all of their questions. Was a great experience all around and we will definitely be back

Nice but challenging hike from the visitors center up to the overlook! Good signage, well- maintained trails. The picnic area's water pump was broken, but there were water fountains at the restroom area at the main overlook.The 3.5 miles up and 3.5 back with pretty frequent breaks took us about 4 hours. Rated as "strenuous," should be doable for anyone who's only reasonably fit.

This place is unbelievably beautiful, pictures just don’t do it justice. We walked the pinnacle trail and the trail to the lookout. Both were easy enough and more than worth the time and effort. Amazing views.

Lovely, well kept hiking trails and overlooks. My MIL was worried about the hiking, but driving to the overlooks was a great way to enjoy the view without having to do anything physically demanding. Not having to make the full trek meant we were all able to explore a bit more, which was great. The restrooms were clean, there was water available, and the visitors center was awesome. We're planning a special trip back to do more climbing!

Nice park with great views. It can get crowded on weekends, as you would imagine.There are many hiking trails of varying difficulties. The hike along Pilot Knob is under a mile, fairly easy, and has nice views of the surrounding area.There is camping although I haven't camped here yet.Looking forward to visiting again.

Pilot Mountain is a wonderful natural landscape to visit and explore. The state has done a great job of ensure visitor safety by blocking off areas with serious erosion and placing signs to warn of this danger throughout the park. There are so many places to capture beautiful views of overhead and down below and as far out as the eye can see. Those with mobility issues that require a scooter or wheelchair or any type of mobility assistance such as these will not be able to enjoy the higher altitudes but there are a few spots near the parking lot that would allow for a limited view of the area. Even with hiking boots or other types of sturdy walking shoes, hiking sticks or stability canes are a great idea while trekking up and down the trails. The trails are all rather rough with very uneven surfaces full of rocks and stones and gravel with wind blown sticks and tree debris. I would not recommend coming with infants. Toddlers that are walking pretty well may enjoy it but it is not very easy maneuvering so there will be lots of hand-holding with the little ones. I would even recommend those with breathing issues to take precautions due to the rough walking conditions and elevation. We really enjoyed ourselves and we did not even get to the trails leading up to the actual dome shaped peak of Pilot Mountain. However, there is an overlook across from it where there are great spots to take pictures. My family enjoyed ourselves.

Upon the cradle of Earth, where whispers of history intertwine, stands Pilot Mountain, a guardian sentinel divine. Its quartzite knob, rising over 2,000 feet, has been a steadfast beacon through the mists of time, guiding wanderers lost and weary, their spirits to uplift and align.In the company of dear friends, we embarked on a pilgrimage to this sacred place, during the celestial ballet of a solar eclipse. Native Americans and early settlers once relied upon Pilot Mountain to navigate their journeys, just as we sought its embrace for solace and communion with the heavens.As we ascended its lofty heights, doubt cast its shadow upon us, thickening like the clouds that obscured the sun. Yet hope persisted, a flickering ember amidst the uncertainty, urging us forward with unwavering faith.Amidst the gathering clouds, black buzzards circled the mountaintop, their solemn flight a harbinger of both mortality and renewal. Their graceful arcs spoke volumes of life's cyclical nature, of death and rebirth intertwined in the eternal dance of existence.Then, as if summoned by some unseen force, a hawk soared overhead, its cry piercing the veil of doubt and illuminating the path ahead. In its majestic flight, there was a declaration of dominion over the vast expanse of the universe, a reminder of our interconnectedness with all things.As the clouds parted, revealing the sun in its dwindling glory, the eclipse reached its zenith, casting a fleeting shadow upon the earth. In that moment, we witnessed the ephemeral beauty of the celestial alignment, a testament to the enduring majesty of the cosmos.And then, as swiftly as they had come, the black buzzards took flight, their departure marking the end of the eclipse. The hawk, too, vanished into the ether, leaving behind only echoes of its presence.In the quiet aftermath, amidst the fading light of the eclipse, we stood in awe of the universe's marvels, grateful for the fleeting glimpse of its mysteries. And as we bid farewell to our friends and embarked on our journey homeward, we carried with us the memories of a day spent in the company of loved ones, under the watchful gaze of the heavens.By: Thomas Corrao#straycompasslife

Great place to hike. Very nice trails. A very new visitor center. The views from the top are awesome.

Great hike! The trails were well marked and easy to follow. The trails were also well kept and signs were helpful. I took the advice of other hikers to go clockwise and this is solid advice! There are many places to enjoy the scenery. It was a little rugged at times, but again the trails are marked accordingly. Bathrooms were clean and easy parking. The gift shop was nice.

Wonderfully beautiful place. Great trails well grommet. Absolutely beautiful scenery.Rock climbing avaliable with permits on parts of some trails. Great place to an afternoon hike.Clean rest rooms and helpful people at the visitors center.

We were very happy that the park was open on January 1st. So we spent New Year's Day enjoying the spectacular views of Pilot Mountain and the Appalachian Mountains. They have convenient overlooks if you don't feel like walking through the nature trails. We also stopped by Main Street Coffee in downtown Pilot Mountain for a nice cup of hot chocolate and some sweet treats!

Went on a hike with our dog and friends. It was a great time. Lots of people hiking and rock climbing. That said it never felt like there was too many people. Definitely can recommend this place to anyone looking for a scenic hike. There were also Rangers in the area to make sure everyone was safe.

Beautiful views. Educational markers and brochures about the wildlife and ecosystem are informative. Visitors center and gift shop tells the story of the park, wildlife, and people who once lived in the region. You can also get brochures on area attractions and events.

Fun day of hiking with Trail Life. Beautiful views. We drove to the top of the park and hiked the longer trail around the summit. I think it was about 3 miles. Kids had a great time!

4.8

(6523)

4.5

(775)

1721 Pilot Knob Park Rd, Pinnacle, NC 27043, USA

1 list

Love this place, it is so peaceful and the staff is incredible. Sometimes life has a way of stressing us all the way out and the remedy is to just get away and put the technology down. This place is a therapist in a box. Highly recommend no matter what your situation is.

For us this was an exploratory visit.From Charlotte (south of the lake), Google brought us to the northern most point, where the visitors' center is located.I expect there are other points on the lake that would be more convenient to Charlotte but going to the visitor center explained the park's main feature is the bike trails (Hiking too, I guess).Visitor center: gift shop & public restrooms.No entry fee.No parking fee.Picnic areas, some with BBQ pits, for family sized group. Larger areas for organized events also available (reservations may be required).Canoe & paddle board rentals.Nearby boat ramp available.

Place is absolutely beautiful. Great place to hang out. Been here a lot, so it’s definitely worth it. Other than the water getting dirty at times, it’s a great destination to hang out. Weather sometimes gets on your nerves, but that with everything that goes on. Definitely coming back here for my next visit.

It truly is our own Inland Sea. Grew up on the shores of LKN and now spend just about every weekend March through September on the lake. Absolutely the best sunsets around.

It’s a very busy commercialized lake in a big city. Private property surrounds the lake with little access points and lots of young adults drinking and driving their parents boats. You will not get that tranquil feeling here.

Wow! This lake is a perfect slice of paradise smack dab in the middle of North Carolina. Great for boaters, swimmers, or just chilling on a quiet dock somewhere. The water is murky green and you can’t really see to the bottom, and there are small leeches in the clay that’ll attach to your feet and legs, so there’s all that. The Duke Nukem power plant pulls water from Lake Norman to cool off the reactor, which I’ve heard heats the water a bit in the South end. Pretty sure it’s not radioactive but I didn’t bring my Geiger counter. If this place ever goes Three Mile Island, those million dollar homes will be worthless, so rent, and enjoy the lake while you can. Watch out for Normie the Lake Monster. Reports say you’ll see him if you have too many beers.

Beautiful hike! My husband and I took the Lake Shore Trail to the 2.5 mile point and then cut to the short trail (it was hot and we didn't have enough water)The trail is natural and in a few spots not really well marked. Roots and rocks make it important to watch your step.We saw lots of spiders, a black snake and squirrels, but its the trees that really make it! The canopy gets really thick and the path shaded.We can't wait to go back!

Beautiful lake with tons to do.We went kayaking in the sunrise and sunset. Enjoyed both experiencea. Then we went out on a baot with the whole family. You can stop on islands or the state park and a have a wonderful day out in the nature.

Great family place. Kayaking, biking, hiking, or swimming, or camping you name it. You can do it all at Lake Norman.You can visit the educational center to learn all about the Lake and how far it extends throughout the state.Walk through the trails, and dip your feet in the water.

4.6

(619)

4.5

(288)

North Carolina, USA

1 list

Definitely not what i expected, but cool photo opp

Hahahahah… good photo ops. The whole town is about furniture. Pretty quiet during the weekend.

We came out to have breakfast in high point and found this amazing scenery right in the middle of downtown! Kids were mesmerized.! Great find!

A nice structure to represent some of the fine furniture produced in the area.

I love to see big things. This is a really cool one. No parking near by. Need to walk a bit.

Another review for my collection of "superlatives," this is the World's Largest Chest of Drawers. Of course, it belongs here in High Point as it is the capitol of furniture in the Untied States.Remodeled in 1996, this is the new structure. Steel framing and stucco, it stands 38 feet high with simulated brass handles. And it even includes two giant socks as a tribute to High Point's hosiery industryThere is plenty of parking nearby and if you're shopping for furniture at one of these many nearby showrooms, check it out.

World's Largest Disappointment! We had just finished a business meeting and our new recruit suggested this and he was really excited! My business partner and I thought what the hell? Why not? My summary is as follows: The so-called attraction is located between a small children's daycare center and a run down 90's small business shop upon which further examination made us question whether this was a tourist attraction or a place where I would get bonked and robbed within 5 minutes of visiting. The spectacle of master craftsmanship in furniture design is fake - it's hollow, thick plaster or particle board, nothing is real and the socks aren't even Gucci. Don't waste your time, you are better off gawking at the trees in a local park and wondering how the branches grew in such weird directions! God Blessed Texas and I sure as hell hope he blessed this town because if this is what they expect to draw an actual crowd and drum up business they are screwed. Laughs and memes is the only excitement that this attraction may bring, not even a sign explaining the landmark exists. Have a great day!

We thought it a little bit of nostalgia while on our visit to High Point University for our daughters invitation to the Innovation Summit.

It's a GIANT CHEST OF DRAWERS!! How can you not stop here.Nothing to do here unless you are heading for the children's museum that according to the sign is 343 steps to the left😂But a great photo op. You can try to get yourself grabbing your socks or opening the drawers.

This is a "see only" landmark. Can't do anything with, in or around it, but it's great for taking pictures, and kinda one of a kind thing. The kids loved it.

I don't know how to rate a giant chest of drawers. It's a giant chest of drawers. It was exactly what I expected. The socks are a nice touch. 5 out of 5 for giant furniture.

This was a huge landmark. Great representation of the furniture market in Highpoint

This is the second stop of the day. This is what is called the largest chest of drawers. It is located in High Point North Carolina. It appears to be about twentyfive feet high. There is not much trafic on the city stree in front of it so it is easy to take selfies. There is a pair of socks hanging from a drawer. I walked around the side.

Well, this is a really large chest of drawers. Nicely painted, easy parking right near, not a lot of traffic.

We were towing a vehicle behind us, so we couldn't stop, but it was easy to drive by and take pics. I had read about it in a NC Roadside Attractions book a couple of years ago and we just happened to be driving through the area anyway, so we drove past. Downtown High Point has some cool murals, statues, and architecture, so there are other things to see on your way through, as well.

Our company had a bucket list and this was on it, so we had to go (we've lived in the area for seven years but did not know of this attraction). Very cool! We took our pictures and skedaddled.

It's a cute roadside attraction and it's free to visit. Huge chest to click the photo and keep it for your Greensboro/ Highpoint visit memory, kids love it and get excited.There is free roadside parking just ahead and also before the Chest. You can take a quick stop click that photo and go on your way. Parking is also available in the alley behind Chest but it's not exclusive for this so take a quick break and move on fast.

It's definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the area and have some time to spare. However, if you're not particularly interested in furniture or don't have a specific reason to go, it might not be worth making a special trip just for that.

I love kitschy roadside attractions and this one was worth the stop. I wish there weren’t bees around but it was a fun photo op.

4.5

(478)

3.5

(189)

508 N Hamilton St, High Point, NC 27262, USA

10 lists

It the largest Church I have been to. It is roman catholic themed, it has a crypt with resting place for the founders of Duke University. You can light candles. Get your pictures clicked in the Hogwarts looking alleys. And at 5 in the evening you can here the bells rolling. It is truly mesmerising

Historic landmark great to see. The historic Gothic chapel, standing at 210 feet and on the highest ridge of Duke's campus, features pointed arches and ribbed vaults. The stained glass windows help add color into the impressive structure.

Nestled within the heart of Duke University's sprawling campus, the majestic Duke Chapel stands as a testament to both architectural grandeur and spiritual reverence. As I ascended the steps leading to its colossal doors, the awe-inspiring beauty of the Gothic-style structure unfolded before me.The exterior, adorned with intricate stone carvings and soaring spires, seemed to reach for the heavens. As I crossed the threshold, a profound sense of tranquility enveloped me. Sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors that danced upon the polished wooden pews.The interior of Duke Chapel is nothing short of breathtaking. The vaulted ceilings create a sense of openness, and the air is filled with a hallowed stillness that invites introspection. The chapel's intricate details, from the ornate altar to the meticulously crafted organ, underscore the dedication and artistry that went into its construction.During my visit, the chapel hosted a choir rehearsal, and the melodic strains of the music reverberated through the sacred space, adding a celestial soundtrack to the ambiance. The acoustics of the chapel are renowned, and it's easy to understand why as the harmonies swirled and resonated, creating an ethereal experience.Venturing outside, the chapel's expansive grounds provided a peaceful retreat. The well-manicured gardens and quiet courtyards offered a serene escape, a stark contrast to the bustling academic life just beyond its gates.Duke Chapel isn't merely a place of worship; it's a sanctuary that transcends religious affiliations, welcoming all who seek solace and inspiration. Whether one comes to marvel at its architectural splendor, attend a service, or simply find a moment of quiet reflection, Duke Chapel stands as an enduring symbol of beauty, grace, and the pursuit of higher understanding.

Duke University Chapel is one of oldest and prestigious campus with an awe inspiring view and place to relax on a spring day. Enjoy the architectural beauty around you.

Duke University Chapel is a must-see for anyone visiting Durham. It is a beautiful and inspiring building that is full of history and tradition. The chapel offers free tours that last about 30 minutes. Tours are available Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm. There's no need to rush through your visit. Take your time to explore the chapel and admire the beautiful architecture and stained glass windows.

Very cool place. Took us about 30 minutes to walk around and get a feel for the place. It has some wonderful architecture that is nice to look at and take photos of.Parking is difficult on campus, however for the chapel, it has its own paid lot. $2 dollars an hour.The chapel has the option to host weddings, not sure the details, but it’s possible!

Beautiful, wonderful campus. Parking was a bit of a hassle, had to download an app with sketchy phone service because the meter won't work but that was forgotten when walking through the Beautiful campus.There were not as many AA students seen while walking, as compared to our visit to UNC chapel hill that same morning ... we did see a group of 20-30 having a meeting in the courtyard right in front of the chapel, so there's hope.

If you haven’t been to the Duke University Chapel, it is an absolute must! This was my second visit. Growing up Catholic my mother and her family frequently visited beautiful churches around the world. She is gone now but I know she would have put this chapel at the top of the list in beauty! There is a crypt. In fact, five Duke dignitaries are buried in the basem*nt of the chapel.Take your time and walk around. This place was meant for meditation and reflection.Check out my videos and pics.Enjoy!

It's a nice chapel, with beautiful buildings around. There was a bride and groom taking engagement photos. A must visit when you are in Sarah P Duke gardens. Yes, go and enjoy

Absolutely stunning architecture! Beautiful and well maintained. The choir sounded so good you just sit in awe for a little while

The words beautiful architecture, impressive, sacred, and elegant came to my mind when I visited this chapel. James B. Duke definitely had a great vision when he found the land where this chapel is located. North Carolina is really blessed with this university along with UNC just about minutes away.Beautiful organ pipes. Great craftsmanship. A great place to take pictures!!!

Obviously this place is historic and gorgeous, but the real trick is to follow their calendar and see when there are free musical performances. I saw an Organ specialist play a recital and although it was not exactly my cup of tea it was still really cool, especially when he played the second set on the older, more traditional Organs (they were louder). There are upcoming free choir performances. Definitely worth checking out.

Duke Chapel is stunning. Wonderful place to visit if you're in the area or walking from Duke hospital. It is such a warm welcoming Chapel. A respectful receptionist was waiting offering assistance and a great information on the Chapel and also a cute story about the two mice ( I won't tell you the story you'll have to go see for yourself). The offerings of this chapel is quite amazing. The public is free to enter and be a part at anytime. Be sure to check of the music events etc. Go and pray 🙏❤️

One of the most prestigious and historical places in Durham, NC we recently visited Duke University Campus and it was absolutely inspiring . we visited in March and the weather is just perfect, The atmosphere was incredible it’s like you are visiting one of London or UK universities. the Dormitories are well planned, The Brian Center is absolutely a place. Where you will be in Awe, The restaurant are modern and built in high standard.The Duke Chapel is incredibly built with Class in Gothic -nd impressive Architecture, If you have not been the. You are missing a lot , Hughly recommends for everyone.

We did the Duke Chapel guided tour which is free and open to the public. We were introduced to the beautiful history, architecture, significance, and traditions of the Duke Chapel and truly enjoyed it. The chapel is known for its gothic style architecture but one has to go inside to be able to appreciate the intricate woodwork, stained glass windows, the organs, carillon, and more! Parking is available at the Bryan Center garage on a first come first serve basis.

It is the Jewel of the Duke campus and if you are lucky enough you will get to experience the organ being played on your visit. Take your time and enjoy the ornate glass, wood and stone while taking in the music. Explore all the chapel has to offer with its many nooks and crannies. From the side chapel to the vault in the basem*nt and the exterior is as spectacular as the interior which includes a cloister like courtyard to the right.

Really beautiful place with some amazing architecture!! Also heard a choir practice in the chapel today which was super cool!

This Chapel is just so beautiful. What an incredible experience. I've attended both church services and concerts/musical events here. The acoustics are perfect for choral events. If you haven't seen Handel's Messiah here, then you absolutely must. Just beautiful.

Beautiful church. There was organ music playing while we were there. On the he campus of beautiful Duke University .

Such a prestigious place. Historic. Top scholars. I don't believe you can take a bad photo of this place. Duke will forever possess a legacy of excellence. From those who teach to those who learn.

4.9

(2151)

5.0

(1020)

401 Chapel Dr, Durham, NC 27708, USA

+53 other lists

This place is amazing! Fun for the whole family if they are able to appreciate beauty. Notice: Wear walking or supportive sportswear because there's lots of different attractions and trails. Might be too large of a walking area for toddler's and young children.

Probably one of the most well laid out parks I’ve visited, and this was my first time visiting. The only bummer was that there were some areas closed off due to landscaping so I wasn’t able to get photos there, but this park is a nature enthusiast or photographer’s dream. There’s such a broad spectrum of plants throughout the garden that you just have to see. The ground along the paths are pretty even which makes for comfortable walking since you will find something eye catching down every path. I wasn’t planning on going on a misty day, but the photos I took still came out amazing. Would love to do photoshoots in this location.

Beautiful garden! Tons of variety, shaded areas, and ponds. There are also a lot of benches for you to sit on if you get tired while walking. Most of the garden is completely paved, so it is not a difficult walk.Very helpful visitor's center to give you an idea of where to go and what's blooming nicely. The garden itself is free to visit. You just need to pay for parking, which isn't bad. Then you get to go on a lovely scenic journey and may encounter some ducks, turtles and fish near the water.

This botanical garden took me by surprise! It looks small from the road but it is quite large with plenty of walking paths. Even though it was moderately busy when i went it didn’t feel like it since there’s so much space to walk around in!All the flowers, bushes, and other plants are meticulously maintained and it truly is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens I’ve ever been to.

Nice walk through various regions themed gardens and woodland. Not busy, pay to park. Staff very helpful and polite. It has a children's discovery area with staff supervision indoors and out.Great place to chill with tree coverage providing shade.

This place is such a beauty to behold! You literally feel like you enter a place of enchantment. There's various gardens with different themes. Many places to sit and enjoy your surroundings during your exploration. The gardens are massive, so rest areas are great! There's workers riding golf carts who you periodically see to answer any questions and give directions. Definitely an amazing experience.

*LOVED* this place!! We moved here from Idaho in September and have been exploring a lot. This has been our favorite place so far. If you are from here, you might not realize how special it is to have banana trees and bamboo just growing outside in nature under pine trees and elms and maple trees. In Idaho, there was only pine so you didn't see leaves change colors with the seasons at all. I can't believe how colorful everything is here!! It's the thing I had been looking forward to the most, and it didn't disappoint.There's a smell outside as you walk around. It's this earthy tree smell that is my absolute favorite smell in the whole world (tied for the #1 spot with my daughter's head and my dog's feet). It was a 76 degree day with a light breeze and it felt like walking around in a rainbow heaven. The grounds are beautiful and there's lots to see. I'm certain we'll come back frequently.That being said, I will give one suggestion. It's a little bit hard to get around with my daughter's wheelchair and it would be helpful if paths were marked with arrows showing which way to go if you're in a wheelchair. They had an info both but it was busy so we skipped it, and I'm sure they could have told us where to go. Alas! We had to backtrack a little bit here and there, but there were other ways to get around. We took a detour to the chapel which was about an 8 minute walk from the gardens, and we did have to go up some stairs for that part. It was so pretty though and barely out of the way. Worth seeing. I expected only one chapel, but the university has tons of buildings that look like ancient mini castles. I didn't expect it to be so utterly breathtaking.Back to the gardens, there were some gravel areas inside the gardens that we decided to skip. Otherwise, the majority of the gardens were very accessible. We all loved this place so much.

Beautiful garden .My wife and I visited in February and we couldn't believe how fragrant everything was at that time of year. We will definitely return in spring. Very nice walking paths with maps and signage. Dogs allowed in yhe mornings and evenings, which is awesome.Highly recommend.

Overall, the gardens are amazing. There is always something in bloom. Most people go for the big "attractions," but if you just linger, you can find spots that are still.It's lovely and well worth a visit. Please note that parking is a bit challenging, so come prepared to be flexible. There is plenty, but you might have to go to an overflow lot.

One of my favorite gardens! So beautiful and much bigger than I anticipated. I loved the educational section on growing produce/farming for children. If I lived in Durham, I’d come here all the time to read, picnic, and take a stroll. And it’s free! (Just $2/hr for parking). Photos were taken 10/31/21, so some of the flowers weren’t blooming. Would visit again in the Spring.

Beautiful gardens with even more various colors of flowers and plants all over the place. Gardens is maintained well and walking through gives you good feel all the way through. It's most famous for its natural light and scenery views for capturing your beautiful memories of any events or occasions😍 better carry strollers if you going with kids or toddlers as the walk can be easy with it instead of carrying them all the time.definitely makes you feel good and worth visiting this place.

Yes, please go there and enjoy the breathtaking gardens. Different plants and flowers, they decorate everything in a beautiful way. It was super hot, but we enjoyed every single stop. The entry is free, but you have to pay 2 dollars/ hour for the parking.

Wow!! We were blown away by how beautiful and well kept everything was. You do have to have cash for parking. It was $2.00 per hour.It would be a great place for family pictures and can’t wait to go back to have a picnic there. Lot’s of shade and areas to place picnic blanket and sit with the family.They do have restrooms around the area and it is very helpful with little ones.

Duke Gardens are a beautiful and tranquil oasis in the heart of Durham, North Carolina. The gardens are home to a wide variety of flowers, plants, and trees, from the Japanese Garden to the Discovery Garden. There are also walking trails, a lake, and a chapel.The Japanese Garden was particularly stunning, with its koi pond, waterfalls, and bamboo groves. The Discovery Garden was also a lot of fun, with its interactive exhibits and play areas.The gardens are free to visit, but there is a fee for parking. There is a small parking lot at the entrance to the gardens, but it can fill up quickly. There is also street parking available, but it can be difficult to find.If you are visiting the gardens in the off-season, be aware that some of the trees may be dry and without flowers. However, the gardens are still worth a visit, as the beauty of the architecture and landscaping is still evident.

Visited with my boyfriend last Spring and the scenery was gorgeous. Lots of different kinds of flowers to view, as well as walking trails. We also stopped at the little shop and bought popsicles to cool down. Great place to visit and lots you can do!

The visit to the Duke Gardens on the campus of Duke University was spectacular. Much of the gardens were still in bloom. The staff, volunteers and workers were quite pleasant, very knowledgeable as well as helpful. It was a beautiful day to spend walking amid such floral beauty. We brought a simple picnic lunch to enjoy at the conclusion of our walk. If you are in the area, leave at least an hour or more to enjoy this treasure.

Absolutely beautiful. Visited twice while in town and still didn't get to see everything because it was so big. My favorite was the vegetable garden which consisted of a compost and watering system and a bee keeping section. The workers and volunteers were super nice. There was a little building that sold snack and wraps that were delicious,fresh and reasonably priced. They also had a gift shop and area where you could purchase plants. The garden is free but you have to pay to park but the parking fee is reasonable but parking fills up quick.

We had a wonderful time visiting Sarah duke garden. Different plants and flowers, they decorate everything in a beautiful way. Small pond with beautiful fishes, rose garden, carnivores plants, botanical plants are the main highlight. It was summer and we enjoyed every single stop. The entry is free, but you have to pay 2 dollars/ hour for the parking. Luckily we got the parking soon but it seems parking space are very less. Little disappointed with the visitors Center. Staff was very good but they had nothing to show except a big hall and a rest room. The gift shop was also closed, not sure why. Red bridge was very cute.

A most beautiful and delicate "World" of beauty, wonderment, joys, and serenity... filled with colors and textures and the miracles of Nature to feed our souls and hearts... while also offering to our eyes delightfully labeled plants and flowers to educate our minds as well...Go there to walk around... or lay down on the grass... and rejoice in beauty and serenity all at once...I so love that little heaven on earth...Enjoy ❤️

Gorgeous garden! Plenty of walking paths, seasonal displays, large open areas and secret benches for relaxing. Family friendly and a must see of Durham. I visited on a peak Saturday in April during tulip bloom, it was PACKED. Much less busy other times but there's still room to spread out and always something new to see.

The best time to visit is Spring! We loved strolling through the park and taking pictures around every corner. But even three hours did not seem enough as there is so much to see at this botanical garden! You can take your kids and/or pets along and there are parks and benches to sit and have a meal or play games. You’ll see beautiful blooms here including the cherry blossoms, daffodils, tulips, ephemerals, and hyacinths. Loved this place!

Good place for relaxing. Lots of Verities of trees, flowers and plants. Good walking trail. Parking online $2 per hour. You can use free parking a few blocks away. Must visit between March 15 to 30 to see the full blossoms of cherry. 2 toilets, one in the main building and another in the middle of the park. A few free drinkable water fountains too.

I love Duke Gardens. It's my favorite garden in NC. I've been there many times in summer, fall, and spring. Every season has a different charm. The Asiatic Arboretum is my favorite part. It's like you're in Japan, walking around the pond, where you'll see a lot of wildlife: turtles, ducks, and I even saw a great blue heron, which was amazing!I went there today 3/14/24 the cherry blossom trees at the entrance are in full bloom! It was so beautiful, like a cloud of blossoms. The blooms should stay intact for about a week, depending on the weather. I recommend stopping by for photographs no later than next week and also visiting on a weekday to avoid the crowd. No entrance fees!

Dukes Garden is an absolute delight nestled amidst the bustling cityscape. From the moment you step foot into this oasis, you're greeted with lush greenery and a serene ambiance that instantly transports you away from the urban chaos. The meticulously curated garden pathways make for a picturesque stroll, perfect for unwinding after a busy day. The variety of flora on display is impressive, and each corner holds a new surprise. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a photography aficionado, or simply seeking a peaceful retreat, Dukes Garden is a must-visit. The friendly staff adds to the charm, offering warm hospitality and insightful information about the plants. I highly recommend Dukes Garden for a rejuvenating escape!

Visiting Sarah P. Duke Gardens offers a captivating experience, a testament to the thoughtfulness in its design and the variety it embraces throughout the changing seasons. This sprawling oasis showcases an impressive array of plant species, ensuring that every visit, regardless of the season, offers a new palette of colors and scents to explore. The gardens are meticulously organized, allowing for easy navigation through the various sections, each dedicated to different types of flora.One of the highlights of the garden is the cherry blossom display, which is nothing short of spectacular. The sight of these blooms, along with the excellently maintained flower beds, makes for a visually stunning experience that can easily fill an afternoon with leisurely exploration.For those planning a visit, the convenience of parking is a plus. At only $2 per hour, it's reasonably priced and hassle-free, requiring no prior ticket purchase. However, it's important to note the garden's policy regarding pets. Dogs are not welcome between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., a regulation likely in place to ensure all visitors can enjoy the gardens without disruption.In summary, Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a gem for those who appreciate nature, offering a peaceful retreat with its beautifully designed landscapes and diverse plant life. Whether you're a local or a visitor, a trip here promises to be a rejuvenating experience that celebrates the beauty of nature in an organized and accessible manner.

Absolutely beautiful gardens! I did not want to leave . We visited for the cherry blossoms trees but were impressed by so much more. You only have to pay for parking which was $2 an hour. The first parking lot was full but the overflow parking is a couple feet down with plenty of spaces and an entry gate. There is so much to see and smell. The duke gardens has a very large variety of trees, and flowers . A truly beautiful landscape including ponds, bridges, ducks , and chickens! A gorgeous place to visit to take a nice troll with amazing photo ops. I definitely will return , especially to go to the Japanese tea house which is open Mon-Fri 9-3pm.

4.9

(7658)

5.0

(2213)

420 Anderson St, Durham, NC 27708, USA

34 lists

We used to love going to the DBAP multiple times each season. Since covid, things have changed for the worse in my opinion. DBAP has gone cashless.My first minor issue was at the parking deck, getting slowed down by paying with a card because my card tap didn't work. When attempting to enter the park, we were close to an opening that we weren't allowed to enter through. We later exited though those gates. Would have been more convenient to have a ticket scanner there at the beginning. We had to walk halfway around to another entrance where there was a ticket scanner.Moving on to food ordering..keep in mind that we are 36 & 43, so we are familiar with electronics and screens. Our tickets were preloaded with $5 so we attempted to order at one of the first few stations we saw. There are now screens to replace people. 👎 We selected our orders and tried scanning our tickets multiple times and it wouldn't work. My husband tried and still couldn't get it to scan. We ended up cancelling after being there several minutes and moving on to another area since no one was there to help. We actually found an area where a person took our orders, but we forgot to order a drink and were looking for the discounted Bull Durham beer (on Thursdays), which wasn't available at the normal food places. Wasted a few more minutes getting one soda and the tickets actually scanned there. Discount beer wasn't available there either. There was a little area with fridges on the opposite side as the food places (near a bar), which had the discounted canned Bull Durham beer. This was the 4th stop we made! Ridiculous.Once you make it to the seats, everything was perfect. The opposing team (Jumbo Shrimp) would throw a ball over the net after each inning for the kids to catch. My son loved this, but wasn't able to catch one. He later walked up to their dugout and was handed a ball. Very nice guys! We noticed the the Durham Bulls quickly went inside, not allowing time for signatures, but the Jumbo Shrimp remained outside for a little while. If we had a marker, we would have asked them to sign the ball.After we walked back the the parking deck, we saw that we were unable to exit. Parking deck was gridlocked at our location (level 5) and cars blocked us in. We decided to go back down the stairs and took some photos near the Lucky Strike towers and the water. There must have been some event at the neighboring DPAC, which led to an extremely congested exit. We took about 20 minutes down near the water and it was clear when we returned to the deck.Overall, this is still a great family experience, but not cheap if you're on a limited budget. On discounted food Thursday, this was still about $120 with tickets.

Great facility to see a game, so much energy in the crowd. Love the atmosphere the organization and the guy that gets the crowd involved during the game is awesome. Day there was the kids got to run the field. Also as a fan of the movie, you won't be disappointed of the experience. WAY TO GO BULL'S... ya bunch of lollygaggers!!!!!🦬⚾️🧢

Amazing ballpark and atmosphere. For being a AAA ball club, this place is a lot of fun. There are a ton of food options as well as lots of draft beer stands. You will not be disappointed coming to a ball game here, every seat in the house is fantastic. Next time you are in or around the Durham area, definitely plan a trip here! 10/10

The seats were great and the concession has great selection of food and drinks.It's a fun and great atmosphere to take a family and friends out to enjoy a nice game during the weekdays or over the weekend.The Athletic park has great access and walkway from the parking structure located on each side. The fountain on the main entrance was great spot to meet and take photos.

I LOVE going to see the Bulls play! I grew up in Durham and have been going to games my whole life. The field and stadium are very nice. The eating areas, seating, and bathrooms are clean. They have a lot of activities for kids and adults. The fireworks on Fridays nights are awesome.

Great stadium, felt like a major league ball game! 😃 The prices are super reasonable. There isn't a bad seat in the stadium. The view of the park is spectacular from any angle. We decided to not sit in our seats and stood in all different areas during the game and it was great being able to walk the whole park and see the game form all different ways. It was one of the last games of the season and it was almost sold out, but the layout made it not seem that croweded. It is wide open and spacious. Great night of baseball and a fun spot to take the family for a night of entertaiment that won't break the bank!

I have been to this baseball stadium twice with my brother. The atmosphere has been great. I played baseball as a kid. The Bulls mascot Wool E. Bull is loved by the fans. If you are ever in North Carolina during baseball season this is a fun place with great food.

Had a great time. It was dog night! How fun to see all of the dogs! Such a great idea! Mine will come next time for sure! He loves being out in public. The weather was perfect! Parking was easy.

This stadium is one of my favorite places to be. No matter who plays, the atmosphere, food, beer, and of course the Game are just the best experience ever. I get 10 game passes every year now and don't regret any of them! I pray Durham can get this mess with the MLB handled so we can continue to enjoy visiting!

This is a great family friendly place! The staff is always friendly and helpful! I been going to Bulls game for many years and there is always a great time!!! Even when it's not a MLB game it feels like it and before/after the game there are may options around!!! If you haven't already seen them playing, I'll highly recommend you to try it!!! It's worth it!!! Friday night games always have fireworks!!!

We love the Durham Bulls. And we made it a girls night out. The hubby could not make it. We had great seats but all the seats are great in the stadium. We enjoyed the fireworks at the end of the game. The Durham Bulls is a great family, group or company outing. Win or lose the game is a joy to watch.. Go Bulls!!!

Nice upper end minor league park. Opened in '95 and has been continuously upgraded since. Bathrooms are decent, access is good, seeing is good from the box seating to the grass field GA in the outfield. Good concession variety at a ok price. One major restaurant can be frequented over behind left field above the "blue monster".

Bulls games are fun for even casual baseball fans like me. The ball park is beautiful, food options are plentiful, attractive extras like post-game fireworks are frequent, & attendees are usually cheerful & pleasant to be around. My family typically attends a few games each season, & we always enjoy ourselves. Going as a group is a terrific outing for a church group

We love love the ballpark. Lots of parking garages. Well managed exterior and interior. Right next to American Tobacco complex. So many food options. Watching the Durham Bulls is quickly becoming my favorite leisure activity

What a wonderful night of baseball (even thou the Bulls lost😔)! Easy parking at the South lot with prepaid tickets - worth buying ahead. We had dinner at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe above left field. When we were done we just walked through the small gate in the patio - showed our tickets and walked down stairs and into the stands. We were in Section 207 Row T under the overhang which put us between home plate and 3rd base. The stadium was clean with plenty of staff if you needed assistance. Great place for families and anyone wanting a reasonably priced night out to enjoy some ⚾️!!

We picked the perfect night for a game on May 11. Slightly cool and low humidity, just perfect for a night out for baseball. And the Bulls started like a rocket with 5 runs in the first including a grand slam. It doesn't get much better. This is still America's pastime with folks of all ages and lots of families. Highly recommend.

We had not been in years. They have added whole new sections to the ball park! Many are suited to those that don't want to sit through a whole game. Great addition. Adds more views of the ball park too.This night the home team lost but a fun time was still had by all! Hats off for the Durham Bulls! Thanks for autographs and posing for pictures. And thanks for a banging fireworks display!!

Great stadium with a good selection of typical ballpark food options. Free admission for military, just show your ID at the ticket window. Parking was $10 at all the parking decks around the area and it was easy to get in and out with minimal traffic or delays.

The Durham Bulls is an absolute MUST for anyone passing through the triangle. I've recently seen several games here and can't wait for next season! Food, drinks, and service are all exceptional and the atmosphere is very family friendly.

One of the best Minor League parks around. Not a bad seat in the house. Besides the usual ball game food, you have got to try the pulled pork bbq and a margarita. Great venue for the whole family.

The most beautiful stadium I have ever been to. It is such a fun environment and we have been lucky that the Bulls have also been very good in recent history. Makes going to games even more fun when the home team wins. Also really cool to see players who will almost certainly be playing in the major leagues in just a few years. Even if you don’t live watching baseball, the his is just a fun experience. I highly recommended

Probably one of the best minor league parks and experiences around. I've been to games with my kids over the past few years. This year we hosted 22 5th graders for my son's 11th birthday and the group sales folks were amazing. Highly recommend for birthdays, group parties etc.

They are the most iconic minor league team for a reason.They have their own "Bull Durham" beer available at the grab and go kiosks throughout the park. They also have dollar dog nights on Thursdays. I like to get one of the $10 outfield tickets and just roam around and post up at some of the bar/picnic areas.The Friday and Saturday night fireworks shows are better than some of the major league parks I've been to. Wool E. Bull is also the best mascot in the league!

4.8

(4976)

4.5

(972)

409 Blackwell St, Durham, NC 27701, USA

34 lists

I had to take away another star for the seating and the fact that they ran out of pretzels within minutes of the 20 minute break. The seats are definitely not good. They hurt your butt after about 30 minute so I definitely recommend a seat crushing come with you.Had to take away a star because someone decided to kick and beat my seat. Not happy with that.Show is good so far, though.Very nice, crazy but nice.The bathroom is definitely nice. Complimentary lady products are available in the bathroom also. The entrance is crazy definitely going through a good search.Drug dogMetal detectorTickets scannedPeople are available to help around every corner

I was there for the recent STYX concert and my family and I have no complaints. The staff was extremely kind and helpful. We were pretty much escorted to my handicap spot and my wife and son were shown the seats in front of me. Heck, I even had one of the staff, a bubbly, cheerful woman on the second floor interior of venue help me pull on my concert t-shirt I bought. I usually have to complain about handicapped service because it's just not very good most places. Here I felt just like another concert goer. They saw me the person and not the guy in a wheelchair.

This is such a nice venue. There really is NO bad seat in this place! We sat in Section 10, Row A which was the 2 level balcony for the musical WICKED. It was fantastic.The parking deck was very close to the venue with only a short walk. And checking in was seamless.

First time guest here, and this venue has the most amazing customer service of any concert hall I have been to. Top notch all the way. Beer and food were very reasonably priced as well. Most places like this, you’re just another customer, but DPAC was so welcoming and made me feel like an appreciated guest! THANK YOU!!

My husband and I drove 2.5 hours to see Bert Kreisher perform here. It was totally worth it! Entering the venue was a breeze and so was finding our seats. The servers at the concession stands were very friendly and the food and drinks were pretty good! The bathrooms were also very clean and the venue staff were very helpful with guiding us out of the venue towards the parking lot. We will certainly return here!

The first picture is the orchestra pit. The second one is the stage for Hamilton. What an amazing show. The theater is of course fairly new and just beautiful on the outside. They have several parking lots, so parking was easy. The interior is beautiful also oh, and very very clean, and very secure, with lots of service people two man the food and refreshment stands. Drinks and food all right bit cheaper then they would be at the Ballpark. All the employees are extremely helpful. And friendly. I'd go there all the time if I could afford a season pass.

Beautiful venue. Parking was so easy. They had all kinds of snacks, clothing apparel for WICKED. We went with a group. Seating was very comfortable. Staff was Amazing.

DPAC is a nice venue, the staff is friendly and everything moved smoothly before we were seated. They offer drinks and simple snacks, there are alcoholic beverages from beer to a bar as well as a coffee station. The seats were nice and the bathrooms were clean. My husband and I really enjoyed our experience!

Got great tickets to the jinx and dela holiday show. The show was right up my alley, a parody about religion, politics, consumerism, climate, miserable conflict, and people forgetting to look out for others... everything that make people appear and be ignorant. DPAC staff are super pleasant and helpful, crowd is fun and eclectic, and the view is pretty good from the lower levels, even the side section 4/Q/213. There seems to be complimentary coffee and tea. Bathrooms are big and clean. Multiple entrances and exits. The venue holds a huge crowd. The volume is a little too loud so that some of the singing numbers are difficult to understand and distinguish. Parking is nearby for $12, but honestly you can find street parking free just a few blocks around. It's nice to arrive to park around 45 minutes before the show, though this one started 10 minutes late, and lasted a total of 1 hr. 45 min.

First here for Kem concert featuring Niito Band for Mother's Day! My mom, sister, and I had a phenomenal time. Beautiful place and great sound system. The concert was awesome! We are already looking at the next concert to come back!

Fantastic venue for an extraordinary 2Cellos Concert! All the staff were efficient, friendly and welcoming and the area of Durham was great. Had dinner at Tobacco Road Cafe and the food was plentiful and delicious!

This was my first time seeing a musical. I didn't know what to expect.This place is super nice and so clean! The lone tends to build during intermission but it went pretty quickly. They direct you which stall to go to and have hygiene products available. We were were on the third row on the balcony and we loved our seats! We could see everything. There were a few moments when I couldn't hear the audio. The cast and music was phenomenal. One thing to note about the stairs: they can be hard to maneuver. I am an aptuee and they made me nervous. Not unsafe... Just nervous. Wonderful time and sweet staff! Huge range of snacks and drinks. Highly recommend. I am getting a pretzel next time! They looked SO good.

Convenient and they have the most amazing acts that come to perform never disappointed! We just saw Wicked, it held up to performances I've seen in New York. Can't wait for our next adventure there.

Great venue, not a bad seat in the house. Very affordable garage parking $7, they didn’t take cash 10/14/23. Coming back, only one elevator was working and the line was long. If you are using the elevators at the theater, usually a long line, and it may take 4-5 waits until you can board, so plan the extra time. Staff are always friendly and helpful. Used the vending machine to get soda, 20 ounce bottle, charged $5. And don’t forget to visit the box office if buying tickets to other shows to save the extreme handling online fees from TM.

I personally feel it isn't a bad seat in this facility. I sat in the Grand tier for this event. I have truly enjoyed all the events I've gone to here. The staff is awesome. Here are some pics of Dru Hill from the Ladies R&B Kickback Concert Part 2 last night.

Great place for live music and musicals. The facility is very comfortable with good views and acoustics except for the occasional big head in front of you. Try for seats near the middle sections 5 and 6 of the Grand Tier for the best value but the balcony view is also very good.

What a superb venue!! I saw an amazing musical done so well!! The people here are incredible, from waving us into the parking area, to scanning tickets or ushering us to our seats...everyone was super friendly and pleasant! Loved that you could bring food and beverages into the theater to eat at your seat. Rows are situated at a height where the rows below do not obstruct your view. Great place!

I went to see The Grinch The musical and everything was awesome! I really enjoyed watching an amazing performance. Please be kind and explain to children that it is rude to kick those sitting in front of you. Educate your children before you take them to an event. And don't start getting in the way when the performers are still on stage, I was impressed to see how many people started to leave when the performers were saying goodbye.

Just outstanding! We saw the Lion King. Great location. All seats are good. The acoustics were excellent! Highly recommend.

Came to see the Nutcracker for a Christmas present. It was a well put on show, beautiful costumes and sets. The doors opened about 10 min later than it said so that felt a little frustrating as it became more of a mad dash frenzy to get to seats. However everything is clearly marked, so it was easy to find where you were supposed to go.The staff was friendly and attentive, happy to help and answer questions.It was nice that DPAC sent out quite a few emails in the days before the show regarding parking and traffic with specific rates and locations. I’m sure we could’ve found some free street parking, but we used one of the parking garages for $10 and it was safe and easy to get in and out.

This marked my inaugural visit to the DPAC, driving from Greensboro to catch the performance by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith. Despite having secured tickets months in advance, a curveball came our way when my wife required foot surgery just 1 1/2 weeks prior to the concert. Concerns loomed over logistical challenges, including drop-off/pick-up and navigating her limited mobility at the venue.Our apprehensions swiftly dissipated thanks to the extraordinary assistance of Nancy, an outstanding parking attendant. Addressing all my questions, she guided us to optimal parking to ensure proximity to the front door. Even before entering, multiple staff members inquired about our needs, offering to provide a wheelchair or any necessary assistance. Upon entering, we were efficiently ushered to the elevator and directed to our seats.Enter Donna – truly exceptional! She engaged with us, discussing options to enhance my wife's comfort and guiding us to the most convenient route to the restroom. I cannot praise her enough for the stellar service provided. From beginning to end, it felt like a Red Carpet experience. And, of course, the show was nothing short of amazing in this fantastic venue. :)

Ledisi tour was great. Saw her a few years ago. She really gives a great performance. Her new music is on target for today.Looking glamorous and sounding even better than soft butter on perfectly brown toast.

This place is beautiful inside and out, so easy to navigate and so many bathrooms and food counters. The acoustics were great! All you could hear was the performer, not a peep could be heard from the raucous crowd while the music was playing. A lovely place to enjoy a concert.

Good acoustics, great show, the typical tight rows of seating. No enforcement of not using cellular devices during the show. My neighbor was watching gymnastics throughout the first act, the filter did not make it less distracting.

Well, we came to see JP and when I bought the tickets, I didn't see anything indicating a handicapped or companion, so I bought aisle seats thinking I could be ok there. I didn't realize there were stairs leading to the seats when I bought them and was stuck. Fast forward to our wonderful usher, ZEDA, coming over to ask if we needed any help. She immediately took charge, radioed to the others and asked if there were any more open handi spots and got us situated in no time flat. Plus, I inquired about what spots to book for future shows since this was our first time here and she pointed them all out!! She went above and beyond to help us and I will be booking many more shows here just because of her. Y'all made a wonderful choice hiring this young lady and even though we didn't converse with many other ushers, they all seemed very happy to help when necessary. Thank you for making this a wonderful evening!!

Nice facility with a nice campus. This campus is nicer than the Steven Tanger Center (imo); however, the Tanger is a little more comfy. Parking and area attractions are better at DPAC.

4.8

(7068)

5.0

(1393)

123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC 27701, USA

This was a fun stay. Was there for 7 days and it went fast with lots to do in the area. Staff was easy to work with and kept the park up well. Our spot (B9) was secluded with the neighbors a ways away, and an easy walk to the lake! Will go back if in the area.

Great camp area.. go on a weekday if possible so it's a lot less crowded. The weekends are kinda cramped.. and at $26 a night, I'd like a little distance between camps,

A nice relaxing area. Currently free to enter. The sign says no charge to enter until March 31st. Plenty of parking . Plenty of kids were there on a weekday. There are places to change clothes, grill, relax and have a good time. Alot of trees for shade and open area if you want to get some sun.

Great water front campsites (tents) and nice spacious pads with power just behind them (have power hookup). Can’t beat the cost for a couple night rental. Swimming was good and the water is super warm (it was early August), great to lounge and just relax in, just don’t expect to take a dip and cool off 🤣

A wonderful group camping location on the lake....very spacious and cared for... Staff are responsive and understanding... Water pressure on site is plentiful... Views from the campsite are what we hoped for... Unfortunately, there are planes from time to time overhead... But not bad... Bathrooms and showers are well kept and hot water is plentiful... We will definitely be rebooking again...

Great Day Trip! $7 parking fee for all day long. Grilled right next to the beach at a picnic table. Parked in the first entrance and i love that the water was shallow enough for my 5 year old to play in. She ad a great time at the park as well.

Love this lake! My papa is a regular here he drives here from Durham. He goes to this lake almost every week. Caught some great fish here, lost my biggest fish I ever caught and made some awesome memories

If you re thinking about it and have not yet you should. We live in wake county in Raleigh. This was our very first trip camping with our camper(tented for many years as a couple). So we were excited to be close and near the lake. I had a lot of questions i did get answered so i will post them here. We stayed in the Cross winds part of the campground there are 3 loops in this facility. A loop no water and no electric it has very nice spacious sites i think very nice sites some with a lake view there are a lot of double sites in each loop some are smaller than others but the small ones are big sized. Then there is a B loop that's were we stayed in it has electric and water with a dump station on your way out.that is my favorite loop and the nicest in my opinion i stayed at B55 and it was next to the bathroom. it was so quiet. Bring your bikes lots of kiddos riding around no golf carts are aloud either. Then popular point and loop C its electric and water and double sites as well. pets are aloud on leash smoking is aloud only at your campsite and that the same with alcohol of any kind it may only be at your site that what I was told at check-in. So there is no playground so be sure to bring the kiddos entertainment. Our little with ASD had the time of his life. hope this helps worth every penny!

Love the set up of the sites and scenery. Facilities are very clean. Most campsites are level and are easily accessible for rv parking. Only gave a 4 rating due to no water at campsites as it is still winter. Currently here (February) and Temps are in the 70s. Attached pictures are of campsite C19 in Poplar Point.

The water level is too high because of recent storm. The ramp was completely flooded and in some places parking spaces are completely submerged in water.

It would have taken a 5 star review, if it was not for a situation we encountered on our second night there. Around midnight on Saturday (Sunday June 2, 2023), the campers in the campsite before ours began to argue loudly, screaming and using profane language. My daughter, a minor who has special needs and could not sleep, shouted "please shut up", to be answered by foul language. We contacted the park rangers and explained that their argument had become physical, also there had been statements of a knife or the threat of stabbing. 45 minutes later, rangers showed up, as the altercation had come to an end. Aside from this, we enjoyed the park and lake, my kids love the place and we will continue to go, but do recommend as an expert in the safety/security/enforcement field, to have a better response time for volatile situations as this, as this could have turned into a life threatening situation, without the involvement of other campers, not the rangers.

Really lovely campsites on Jordan Lake. We didn't have direct access to the water, but could have selected a site closer to the water if I wanted to.This time of year, the bathrooms are locked during the week (which was on the posted info but we didn't really pay attention so it was a bit of surprise for us).We love car & tent camping. Loved the clean and freely available bathhouse. Good privacy this time of year.My only word of warning: be prepared to be "inside" of wherever you are sleeping when the sun sets. The yellow flies and other flying bugs came out and were relentless, even with our tried and true thermocell. It's not unexpected being out in the wilderness, but should be known in advance.We will ABSOLUTELY be back for a longer stay next time!

This was our first time there. It was very nice, not crowded and clean.

It's a great place for a family outing, fishing,camping,They have 3 beaches. My grandkids loved it. You have to get there early in the morning,bring your food,drinks and don't forget the charcoal for the grill.

Just beautiful 😍 I stayed at the Poplar Point section.The RV sites are far enough apart so as not to disturb your neighbors.Many of them double as tent sites.I was surprised to learn that they just installed 50 amp service as well⚡Nice walking trail🥾🚶

This was my first time here. It's a beautiful spot! It's a very big area, and was also very clean. There was a nice playground area for kids, nice bathrooms, and even a pretty area for camping. It is definitely a great place to relax.

Stayed in Loop B. NC needs to step it up. Sight was spacious and private. Grounds work lacking. Bathrooms and bathhouse was atrocious. Absolutely no hand soap, no towels and hand dryers were broke. Shower facilities were primitiveat best. No privacy, doors basically covered shoulders to thighs, shower spray splashed the whole cubicle. No hooks no way to undress/dress without getting wet, no way to change temp, had to keep pressing time button to keep water flowing. We have stayed at other states campgrounds with much better care. NC wants people to utilize the state parks. Fix it.

4.7

(2059)

4.5

(260)

280 State Park Rd, Apex, NC 27523, USA

+110 other lists

Gorgeous place! We usually go there to walk outside and there is lots of space to spread out from other people. What I especially love is that the grass is all natural (not an urban desert like many people’s lawns) and they have wild flowers planted throughout the area. Not only the wild environment looks absolutely stunning but it also supports bees and other insects. If you look closely, the grass has wild clover mixed in which is a native flower and feeds rabbits and other wildlife plus it’s drought resistant and stays green all summer long. It doesn’t grow long so you don’t have to mow as often if at all. We need more (or all) lawns to be natural to support our wildlife. Plus it’s healthier for people too.Another great thing - the NC Museum of Art is dog-friendly! There is a creek in the woods so dogs can quench their thirst there if you forgot water. I recommend all people who are travelling and need a place to stop and stretch their legs and give a break to their dogs/kids to stop at this place! Take advantage of this beautiful place and don’t forget to take pictures!Love this place! Breathe fresh air not pesticides!

Amazing outdoor art in rolling hills where one can picnic, fly kites etc. New building is big glass metal one, old is brown one. Both incredible with insane amount of very famous art. Great to go hang out and do own sketches/art of what you see or feel. They have wee seats one can borrow as well a wheelchairs and walkers for those with impairments

Beautiful museum. We came for the Dutch Art exhibit- it was spectacular. I generally prefer 1-2 hours at the museum, here I was happy to stay for several hours to take it all in and I’d happily return. Our local family purchased memberships which seem really worth it. Cafe was decent- great cappuccino, sandwiches were not bad, salad had great dressing. The outdoor grounds are beautiful and lots of fun for kids and adults!

This place is free all throughout the week The common ground is the free access. there are paid parts of the museum there are paid exhibits. But there is enough there to view for 3 hours of free fun and that's not including outside or reading all of the notes we came in about 12:00 and still left as they were closing. We had a great time. There are also two different buildings that have different exhibits in them. Will definitely be back soon. My favorite part was probably the cigarette machine or the old Roman statues. The cigarette machine has several different artists concept of art. It can arrange from pictures to portraits to sculptures. Definitely read signs around the exhibits some say don't touch some even say do not enter PLEASE READ THE SIGNS AS WE DEFINITELY MADE SOME MISTAKES AS WE WALKED AROUND THE MUSEUM FOR OUR FIRST TIME.

The entire experience at this museum was exceptional!Outdoor areas are great, very peaceful and lots of sculptures. There is a lot of walking involved, so wear comfortable shoes.There are multiple nature trails as well as the outdoor exhibits, they are very relaxing and you can rent a bike. We also had lunch at the cafe and would recommend.The indoor exhibits are simply amazing! There is something for everyone, from Renaissance portraits to the ancient Egyptian collection to the Roman mosaic to the modern art. There is so much to look at and I would have spent a whole week there wandering around. There is also an interactive area that is fun for little and big kids, and even adults.Everything about this museum is great, and I would definitely recommend this for any art lover.

This art museum was under construction when we went but they still had a lot to see. We saw the very cool exhibits inside and they have a vending machine to purchase little handmade art pieces, which was a lot of fun and we got some cute things. The best part was the outdoor exhibits. They have amazing architecture and I want to return soon! It is also a great walking track for families and pets. Tons of parking.

This is a fabulous walking area. Dog and bike friendly too. There are benches and vistas aplenty.A gorgeous combination of meadow, shady woodlands, pond, hills, and resting spots with large scale sculptures and native floral. There is a lovely bee garden with hives and plenty of healthy activity.A must if you are in the area. Open dawn to dusk, plenty of parking. Over 5 miles of trails, I didn't even cover half.The general art museum is free as well, but I didn't have enough time for that.

Absolutely beautiful museum with stunning outdoor spaces. Saw a family having a picnic and people strolling (and biking) around. I was fortunate enough to see Ruth E Carters exhibit and it was so captivating to see her career accomplishments laid out with thorough background information. The amount of research she does for her costume design is above & beyond. I ran out of time to finish seeing the exhibits in the second building, so I'll have to return!

Free admission !! Best museum I have ever been to. There are so much rare ancient pieces in the West building. There’s also a large park outside where you can walk around, or ride bicycle. Huge parking lot with some shaded trees. You can spend the whole day there. Highly recommend it, we really love it there.

We had a great time at this museum! We went with a school group with the Expedition School. The focus was on art made by women and on art made of recycled and found objects. The NC Art Museum offered a excellent docent who taught us about many of the works on display. Our teacher had worked with the museum in advance to create a scavenger hunt for the kids to find the art that will fit into their future science, ELA and Art projects. I’ve been to this museum many times before on my own, but I really appreciated how they handled having a slew of middle school kids trying to navigate their assignment. Excellent space and we loved the art!!

This museum is amazing. We didn't realize how big it was, and came after 12 pm on a Saturday and only had time for the West building. We came back on Sunday and spent the whole day doing the East building and outdoors. You can easily spend days here. There's so much to look at, and the paths outside are great, mostly all paved, and extensive.The bathrooms are clean, and each building has a free locker area to lock up your jackets/bags while you're walking around.

Easily one of the most incredible museums I’ve ever been to! Top 5 for sure. Such a hidden gem. Really thoughtful curation, juxtaposing contemporary & classical art with interesting text. Gorgeous space. Epic permanent collection.

This place is free? I just don't understand how this huge place is free for all to enjoy. Amazing grounds, fun sculptures, interactive art,nature beautifully maintained, extensive walking trails... I could go on about the unique gem that this place is, but instead I say go see for yourself.All the amenities too, free parking, access to a cafe, bicycle rental, great places to relax and take a break.The only thing that it might be worth knowing before going is if you mainly want to stay indoors call before you go, on our particular visit the west building was closed and the east building has a large number of exhibits getting redone, so if you plan was not to be outside and walking around talking it all in you may not have enjoyed it as much as there would be limited things to see.

We went to see one exhibit and quickly realized we should have allowed more time to see the rest of the museum. Loved Afrofuturism. We also had tickets to the outdoor concert featuring Samara Joy. Rain was predicted for the day and hours before the concert was to start I got an email that arrangements were made to change the venue indoors. Brilliant! Bravo to the museum and staff for making this happen.

This is a great thing to explore with your family in Raleigh. They have a lot of knowledgeable staff that works here as well. There is a never ending amount of things you can learn about in these museums. It’s very clean and very cool. It is also free entrance so if you have a big family and looking for something cheap/free to do. I would highly recommend the art and science museums!In the science museum there is a live butterfly exhibit!!

We honestly only walked around outside. But it is a beautiful stroll with plenty to see, read, and do. You can bring your little ones and see sculptures and nature combined for free. It was a great walk on a fall day.

Came here with my boyfriend about a month ago and had a great time. Their were two different buildings, one consisting mainly of art, and the other with a dining area, store, and more art. There were also several outside areas to explore. All the art was very unique and engaging. I would like to mention, their is no admittance fee or anything, unless you want to view the private room. Would definitely like to come back and see more of what the outdoor areas have to offer.

Art in bloom was spectacular! My nephew blessed me with behind the scenes experience. A lot of work, but worth every smile you saw!

An awesome experience if you're looking for something free to do during the week. The art selection is diverse so I feel like there is something for everyone. Take a moment to enjoy the artwork and then head outside for a walk around the museum park pathways. Any day of the week you will find locals going for walks, having picnics, or hanging out with friends.

Awesome museum. Today, I visited the park that's next to the museum. It's prom season, kids flying kites and dogs being walked on a gorgeous 70 degree day.

A multifaceted place with both indoor and outdoor options. It was just a tad cold for us, so we did not explore the trails (but would very much like to.) It definitely seemed like a regular destination for local folks to visit for outdoor walks with families and with their dogs!Inside it has both the formal/historical, and the more current/local, types of exhibits —in the west and east buildings, respectively.The range of the formal presentations is impressive (I.e., African, European, American, Egyptian). Also, their use of unified/simplified large digital touchscreen displays is both very attractive (less clutter) and very effective. They have even used technology to make ordering food at the restaurant/cafeteria easy, right from your seat. Pretty cool.Being slightly out of town makes them easy to get to and easy to park, all for free.If you like museums at all, this is an easy choice to be sure to include in your visit to Raleigh.

For a free place to visit it was outstanding. I was shocked to see so much art from so many different places and times. Requires quite a lot of time to properly enjoy it all. Nice grounds too, for a good walk

Absolutely stunning. I was impressed, both by the exhibitions and the park. You'll need a full day if you really want to delve into the collections. The staff is extremely friendly and the lighting is most of the time ideal, which really stimulates our contemplation of the pieces of art on display. Plus we were warmly welcomed, we really appreciated the passion that the staff showed.

Went with my best friend to look at the art and get some nice pictures. It was really nice . We loved our time there. Spent a couple hours there

From history to modern art, paintings to sculptures, metal to fabric, visuals to audio, indoor and outdoor - here's a little of everything! Must visit for a rejuvenating experience. Choose a day when the temperatures are comfortable for a long walk outdoors to make the most of your day

Wonderful place. It was a surprise to find out the visit was free of charge both to the museum and the park. Wonderful exhibitions. But the park itself is my best choice to visit in the area now)

Visited during my first time in Raleigh and I was blown away by the quality and the quantityof art on display. While the more contemporary artists were my favorites (especially Kehinde Wiley's Judith and Holofernes), there are also ancient and classical works as well. That includes a few Monet paintings, a Botticelli, and others.Rain prevented us from checking out the sculpture garden, but I'd love to go back and see it on a future visit. The café and gift shop were nice as well. The best part is that admission is free!

A museum that hits WAY above its weight. 🎨 10/10 worth going, not least because it's 🆓! (Donation suggested) Great variety of art. It has a surprising amount of antiquities too. It's a beautiful place to take a stroll around the museum grounds.

Overall really nice, some sections being worked on. Free and surrounded by a very large and well manicured park with installations displayed throughout the grounds. I Loved the Egyptian and early century stuff, fiance more of the victorian-euro paintings and portraits. Ourdoor pools and displays were also tasteful and well done. Good mix of times, medium and artistic styles. Definitely agree it's one of the few places you need to visit in Raleigh (that's more of a diss on the city not the museum)

4.8

(9867)

4.5

(1845)

2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA

+84 other lists

Beautiful public park with a great history. The old rides are really nice. I love how they have preserved the carousel, It feels like stepping back in time. Very family friendly with lots of activities. The rides I felt were reasonably priced at $2 each.

This park is beautiful! Love the different types of activity you can do with your kids. The playground is huge and if you want to go for a nice walk, they have various paths you can do that with. Definitely recommend for a nice family day!

Amazing park rides are so dang cheap… kids will have a lot of fun.. each ride is like $2 to $4.We went on a weekend and the park was crowded.. but all the rides are fun.. my kid love the carasol..We went on the boat ride and it was super hot that day.. save your energy if you want it boat ride.. they give you 30 mins but you will be done in 15 mins..The train ride takes you around the park which give you a good view of the park..You can buy tickets online and no need to wait in line for the tickets.. Park is small and easy to walk around.. which I really like and you dnt get tired…

What a great park! I was in town and wanted a park to go to with the weather being so nice and I saw that there was a lot of reviews for this one and I decided to check it out! It was AMAZING! My daughter absolutely loved how versatile that park was! The coolest part of the park had to be the Marry-go-round! The paths are paved so they are stroller friendly. There was a lot of shade and places to sit and have lunch. There was even a little food hut in the park! We didn’t eat there but many people did! The coolest part was the music that was playing near the restrooms, gave retro vibes to the area and made you feel like you stepped back a few decades

Very beautiful peaceful park with gorgeous nature and playgrounds. Cool thing that it’s close to the city and can be easily driven to in 15 minutes. Haven’t been there at the busiest , parking was really easy to find . There is a beautiful small lake on premises as well . Overall pretty park for relaxing

Pullen Park is North Carolina’s oldest public park, and the 5th oldest operating amusem*nt park in the US.There are lots of flowers and gorgeous landscaping to enjoy while strolling around the park.And there is a little train you can ride that circles the park.The real highlight here however is the Gustave A. DentzelCarousel which dates back to 1911. I may or may not have pushed some children aside to make sure we got on the cats! There were also giraffes, goats, bunnies and of course plenty of horses. Took me right back to childhood. Well worth the $2 ticket price.Swan shaped paddle boats are also available for rent. Plus plenty of play areas for kids and some other interesting things to see like a retired train car.

Randomly stopped after noticing this park as we drove past. Very pleasant discovery for us. A historical park, with wonderful landscaping, paved paths, rides, fountains, playground, and signage for the history. We were too late for the attractions to be open, but everything was beautiful.

Pristine park within the city of Raleigh NC. It is beautifully landscaped around ancient trees. It has plenty of paved pathways and bridges with benches and seating areas to enjoy the beauty from. There is plenty to do. You can ride a train, a carousel and paddle boats. There are picnic areas and playgrounds for toddlers to older children.

Pullen Park is a gem in Raleigh! We had a wonderful time exploring this beautiful park. Our kids loved the train ride and the historic carousel, which are perfect attractions for families.Pullen Park, the first public park in North Carolina, is the 5th oldest operating amusem*nt park in the U.S. and the 16th oldest in the world, with roots dating back to 1887 when Richard Stanhope Pullen donated the land.The park is always full of families (it can get busy), but this adds to its vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended for a fun day out with the family!

This is a 5 star park but only gave it 4 star due to lack of parking spaces. Otherwise beautiful serene peaceful park with natural beauty surrounding it. Definitely highly recommend taking the train!

This is a great park, not just because of the attractions and play area, but the history also. It makes it all the more enchanting. The train and the historic carousel absolutely delight my toddler, as do the paddle boats. Be prepared to wait if you go on a weekend, though. There's pretty much no wait on weekdays. There's picnic shelters and grills, and a great playground, with stuff for kids of all ages. The concession stand also has great food and treats, and the restrooms are very clean.

Awesome park. There a lot of activities to do for all ages like train ride, playground, carousel, kiddie boat ride, Paddle boat and alot more. Definitely recommended. Buy tickets online to beat the croud. Lots of parking. Clean restrooms. Mist stations & water filling stations located throughout the park. Cafe inside the park.

A fun park for all ages. Rode the train which runs along the park boundary, it was a short lovely ride. This beautiful park has a lake with fountain and boat riding activity, walking paths, bridges, playing areas, kids activities, carousel, shelters, benches, kiddies boat ride etc. Well maintained restrooms. Parking available but may gets busy on weekends. It has no entry fee but activities are chargeable.

Had a lovely experience at Pullen Park over Labor Day weekend. We were able to ride the train, carousel and Kiddie boats. The cost is $2 per ticket and it's easiest to use your smartphone to buy tickets in advance. There are several different playground areas all designated to fit different ages. Gorgeous flowers and plants. Beautiful landscaping. They also have paddle boats for rent and a nice walking trail around the lake.

Great!!! Awesomely beautiful park. Great views, great breeze. Good for family, couple ‘s day. A day with the kids. Picnic. Anything. If you visit NC you HAVE TO VISIT THIS PARK. Super recommended

Our favorite park in the triangle! $2 tickets per person for the rides (train, boats, and carousel). And a fun play area for kids. The peddle boats in the pond were not open when we went at the end of March even though it was a warm day.

The first amusem*nt park in America!It's super cute and mainly focused for younger children but it's FREE!The only thing you pay for are the rides however there are three large playgrounds, plenty of pavilions, benches and paths to walk.When I visited (off season) none of the shops were open however during the summer I'm sure it's busy!

The park is beautiful and I'm absolutely in love with the cypress trees around the grounds. However, one really big problem that we encountered is that there was music playing over a loud speaker. I imagine that for most kids, that would be fine. Unfortunately for us, my daughter is autistic and music triggers meltdowns. It's a sensory thing. We were trying to walk to the park area to see if we could get her to play a little bit, and as we got closer to the music she got upset and we had to leave. It took over an hour to calm her down. I know that our experience isn't normal, but it would be amazing if more places considered children that aren't neurotypical and maybe could skip the music or have sensory friendly days or times without it. It's so hard to go anywhere outside of our home and parks are usually a safe place.I don't imagine that we'll be back because of this.That being said, it's a lovely little park and I think most kids would really enjoy it.

Such a sweet place. I used to take my daughters when they were little very often since it was on the way to pick up my wife from work. You don't even need to spend money if you don't want to. 20 years ago the concessions were very basic and affordable but I guess things change. Now it's fancy Angus beef whatever. Tickets for the train are $2. The carousel is literally historic. If you have toddlers and live nearby you should definitely take them. The playgrounds are top choice.

Beautiful family park. There is 3 mins train ride, kids boat ride, carousal within park.

a beautiful place to walk around… the train ride was $2/person - if you go during the week, the wait isn’t long at all.the big swans are picture worth as well.the playground looked great, but we didn’t have anyone with us to test it!

Kids love this park! Can’t ask for more. A full playground, a train that you can ride around the park, a carousel, and a concession stand! During the warmer months there’s boats and other activities that we weren’t able to do, while visiting during January but there’s still a good amount of attractions for kids of younger ages.Park is extremely clean, staff is friendly. A good place to come and take a stroll too. Dogs can’t come into the playground area but it would be a nice place to walk them around the pond.

Excellent place to bring the family.Clean and well kept. Lots to do and the employees were super friendly and helpful. Carousel, train, paddleboats and a kiddie boat ride. The playgrounds are awesome too!

We had such a good time at Pullen Park. I enjoyed riding in a paddle boat; you will see beautiful scenery around the park while paddling. There’s no long wait on weekday afternoons. The park offers many attractions for kids and families, including carousels, a train, paddle boats, and playgrounds. There are also some picnic areas, or you can enjoy walking around, and tickets are not expensive.

We came here in mid February. The playground is very crowded yet a place to cool down. Train ride is entertaining with kids, and the same with the carousel. At this time, the carnival games were closed, but I’m sure they are as good as everything else. A great way to relieve your kids, and having fun yourself at the same time.

4.7

(8312)

4.5

(1300)

520 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA

Loved the small town feel. Had a nice lunch walked through the shops that have an interesting and wide selection of products.I was surprised by the art options available from painters, painting, framing you name it.

Cute strip just too small. If this is their "down town" there is much more needed. Cute shops and restaurants. Decorated for holidays and very pretty. Not enough to do. We were done in under an hour.

Wake Forest downtown is a quaint downtown, please enjoy this for what it is and support the small locally owned small shops. Buy local, if you are looking for franchises of the big sort or a large city downtown this not that place. Raleigh is your place. It boosts coffee shop, a few cafe's, brewery, Mexican place and great tapas place just to name a few. If you are interested in buying local and getting cool ideas from local arcticians you have come to right place. Keep in mind WF has humble beginnings as far back ask 1980's there were only 7,500 people in WF. Very unique and lucky to have this very cool downtown. #downtownwakeforest

Love our downtown area! It feels like you've gone back in time. Lots of fun restaurants and some cute shops.

Beautiful historical district

Beautiful, historic, great to walk around and check out shops.

Gorgeous lil downtown. Home town feel

4.9

(19)

4.5

(113)

301 Brooks St, Wake Forest, NC 27587, USA

+91 other lists

This place has definitely improved over the years! It's definitely worth your time going. It's free to enter and the paid events are not expensive at all. The best part is, you could spend all day there and still not see everything! I especially love their dinosaur exhibit. My only complaint is I wish the dinosaur exhibit was larger and more interactive for $10 a person. But I was surprised that they move!

Outstanding museum that continues to thrive and innovate. Currently under construction which is a testament to their constant growth. Big dinosaur stuff on the way! So informative and interactive. The exhibits truly come to life. The museum is free however certain exhibits are ticketed. Membership is less than $100 for families! You can’t beat that. A beautiful place to learn and grow. I highly recommend and look forward to coming back, I’ve been visiting this museum since I was a kid! I admire the progress and look forward to more knowledge and creativity. Stop by when you can!

What a great museum North Carolina had! I could spent a whole day here just looking how amazing they created the space. It’s spacious,detailed, and neat, and clean. The museum also has special exhibitions to interact with the visitors. With the amount of what they provide, it’s amazing that they don’t charge visitors to enter the museum. It’s a great place to learn and bring kiddos to explore.They have a cafe if you want to rest a bit and enjoy a cup of coffee while waiting for the kids to explore 😃

This is a free museum that is open to people of all ages. I was so impressed by their collections. It’s a 4-story museum with a breezeway that connects to research labs that are currently in operation. They have interactive exhibits that are so fun for the kids and adults alike. Watch for special exhibits that they are rotating through. Be sure to keep an eye out for some unique finds that are native to North Carolina and even more rare finds that exist only in this museum. The staff is very friendly and helpful!

Loved it. This place was massive and free. Two buildings, one was four floors and the other was three floors it took us about 5 hrs to go though the whole building and see everything. The bug exhibit was amazing especially with the terrariums of live bugs. Sadly the butterfly room was closed but we did see the sloth that was in their and got to watch him eat. They also had live feedings during the week. They also have a nice little Cafe next to the butterfly house on the fourth floor so you can watch the butterflies while eating.

Amazing Place! I took my family here for the first time and had quite the adventure. There are countless things to see and do and I only wish I could've done more. They have almost everything you can imagine in a museum. From the Paleontology Lab to the Living Conservatory, From the Biodiversity Lab to the 3D Cinema, this place has it all. Whether you're taking your kids there to learn something new or just looking for a little bit of nostalgia. No matter the reason, this place certainly has what every adult and child needs.

This museum is in downtown Raleigh and offers a nice variety of things to view and learn about. It is free to get in. The museum also has movies and special exhibits that require payment. Some of the areas close sooner than others. However, whether young or old, this place has something to educate anyone of any age. It is two buildings with multiple floors. There is a parking deck close by to park in, and it's just a short walk to the entrance.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh is a captivating journey through the state's diverse ecosystems and wildlife. With engaging exhibits, interactive displays, and knowledgeable staff, it offers an enriching experience for visitors of all ages. From dinosaur fossils to live animal habitats, the museum provides a hands-on exploration of the natural world, making it a must-visit for anyone curious about science and nature.

Very impressed with the amount of exhibits considering the admission is free. My small children loved it. Worth the visit and your donations. The staff at the Microbe viewing station were awesome. They let me 3 year old use a microscope. He loved every second of it. Very knowledgeable and engaging.

We took our kids here while on vacation in North Carolina. They had such a great time looking at the dinosaur models. I was very impressed that such a neat place was free to visit. You can tell that all of the models were very expensive and well made. My favorite part was learning about space and all of the space rocks they have on display. They also have a really pretty butterfly botanical garden that is also home to a sloth. Sadly this area was closed to visitors being able to go inside. Overall a 5/5 experience, perfect for learning! I can't wait to go back when the kids are a little older and can really appreciate what it has to offer.

Little disappointed that alot of the interactive labs and displays weren't working on the nature side. We originally went here 5 years ago and now again in 2023. As an adult nothing has changed much. Kids enjoyed it as they were to young to remember our first visit. If you do want to do labs do them first as they close at 3.

What an amazing place!! Lots of natural science exhibits from reptiles to dinosaurs with great staff available to answer questions and help with the hands-on displays. Something for all ages from toddlers to adults and there is no cost to get in to see the exhibits. There are some things like movies and such that do have a charge, but with everything to see on multiple levels, we didn't have a need to see any of that. Every time I come to North Carolina, I am more impressed with the states commitment to quality of life for the residents here, and this free museum is a great example.

Great museum! We spent about an hour there but could have spent the whole day. Lots of exhibits to check out, and lots to learn. There were lots of families walking around and enjoying the experience! They have some dinosaurs, spiders, bugs, geology, history, etc. very well laid out among the 4 floors with a cafe on the fourth floor. There is also a Sloth that you may be lucky enough to see like we did!

Went with the kids on field trip to the North Carolina museum and it was totally awesome! Need about 2 days so we could take our time and really check everything out. I think I liked it more than the kids 🤗.

Free admission. Worth your time. 5 floors of a very diverse exhibition. Very kid friendly. Cafe on the 4th floor for a quick snack. Bathrooms everywhere. Easy to navigate. Loads of parking nearby.Staff is very friendly, the mood is great. Variety of live animals (bugs, butterfly, etc)Must visit in Raleigh. Also a great alternative toMarbles just down the road.

This museum was well worth the drive to visit. We have three elementary school age kids and there were plenty of cool things for them to feel engaged with. A lot of real animals, taxidermy animals, humongous skeletons dangling from the ceiling....and plenty of viewpoints to see these things from. There were elevators and escalators to every floor as well as bathrooms on every floor. They also had water bottle refilling stations by every bathroom. There was a large parking lot nearby that is free to park in on the weekends. While we were there, we did the 3D movie which was very enjoyable. It was 25 minutes long, a bit long if you have kids under five, but it went by quickly. The 3D glasses aren't great for small heads, so be prepared to bend/adjust a lot for smaller children. All in all, it's an amazing museum to go to and even better that it's free. Well worth donating to them anyway despite the free admittance.

Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, this museum is an excellent choice for a weekend getaway or a weekday excursion with kids. It boasts an impressive collection of live insects on the top floor, other floors included snakes such as copperheads, cottonmouths, rat snakes, and other snakes commonly found in North Carolina. The dinosaur exhibits were a big hit with the children.We also decided to explore the spider exhibit, but I wouldn't recommend it. There are far more captivating displays and a 3D film to enjoy elsewhere.What's even better is that there's no admission fee, and the place wasn't crowded during our visit. I wholeheartedly recommend this museum for families, kids, or anyone with a passion for spending quality time exploring.Parking is available in public areas, and even on a weekend, we found ample street parking.

First of all, this place is educational. Probably will learn more here than from a teacher. Second, it’s entertaining and can brighten your schedule. Lastly, it’s free, which makes it a wonder without any price that you have you pay. Located in the heart of Raleigh, this place is a must for any visiting people.

We go to this museum all the time! We have never been during Bugfest. It was absolutely amazing!! One of the ladies that work there told us it’s the biggest event of the year. They offer several insects for you to see and touch, they also have lots of vendor set ups outside, you’ll get to see people dressed up in costumes, face painting, and just a lot of education on the several different kinds of insects . My kids loved it. We had so much fun and look forward to going next year.

This place is fantastic. Completely free, very well kept and clean. There is something for everyone there. Will be back soon.

the museum is rich in exhibits 3 or 4 floors, for all ages. About 2 hr walk through. You are your own tour guide. Best part is its no cost at all. You'll learn a bit of history on wildlife and science. The dinosaur exhibit was pretty cool. I was to scared to get in there with the butterflies though, it would be a nice experience if you aren't squirmish like me. Quite fascinating. Something fun to do if you're already in the area. I wouldn't suggest traveling more that 2 hours to get here. I don't like that there's certain life wildlife displayed in cases that aren't the appropriate length requirements for them to thrive in. I hope they are taken out at night or something, but don't believe they are. But overall all great experience.

Good place, I learned a lot here. Meanwhile, many exhibitions are closed due to some reason and some living animals- particularly insects are kind of disturbing.In general, it is a well-designed, educational, and free museum, so I am giving five stars.

Fun and educational place with lots of great exhibits. It was surprise for us knowing the museum is absolutely free to the public. Clean and very well maintained place. They also have canteen with good sandwiches and other snacks. Our favourite section was butterfly dome where we saw several species of butterflies. Love to visit this place again.

A great place to spend time in Raleigh. Entrance is free you only pay for movies and special exhibits. Beautifully maintained and designed museum.

4.8

(2315)

4.5

(2341)

11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA

+72 other lists

Passing through town on a road trip and stopped in for 3 hours with my one year old and three year old. I can't say enough good things. We could have stayed for much longer if it wasn't for nap requirements. We didn't even get to experience some of the sections! It was huge. Loved the birthday party parade. Super cute and clean. Take your kids! They will thank you.

What a great space for kids to come and play. So many great interactive exhibits and lots of room to get out wiggles and let the imagination run wild. All the staff we encountered we polite and helpful. Lots of unique play experiences for young kids to experience. My little had a blast and cannot wait to return.

What a wonderful museum for the kids and adults to explore together! So many activities and learning spaces! My grandchildren had the best time taking me to each and every space and playing while pretending and exploring! The favorites were the Medical van, Veterinary office, farm, helicopter, creative space, Toddler Hollow, Money, Camping, and Hockey!Enjoy this time for ages 8 months (Baby space that is wonderful) and up. Make sure you have plenty of time. We missed a couple of areas because I didn't allot more time (3 hours) so I would say at least 4 hours if you have an active preschooler or older kiddo. We had a 1 year old and 4 year old and could have stayed another couple of hours. Fabulous eating area for snacks and an on site Café for those who want to grab a meal and coffee. We also don't do a movie which is an option that they would have loved. Can't say enough great things. Go here for a day and have fun!

Must visit place for kids. Right in middle of downtown and many parking options nearby, this is a gem of place. Kids can simulate and play with ambulance, firework, helicopter news, painting, water and many other things. Price around $9 on weekday and $12 weekends. Promotion for bofa customers on price on a particular day. Purchase tickets online as they sometimes have a full board at site.

It was a nice Saturday afternoon. We had our nieces in town and what better place to take them to then Marbles.Highly recommend tickets in advance as they are $9 per, Vs. $12 the day of. The staff was very friendly upon entry.We were taken back by all of the rooms and activities. Easily can spend 2 hrs here. Great for kids ages 18 months and up to 10-11.There appeared to be a gift store and cafe, but we did not go to either.I highly recommend going here with the little ones.

SO MUCH FUN to be had here!All of the areas in this city block sized building are set up for hands-on Montessori style learning! Everything from a giant chess set and giant Legos to an exercise/game themed room with loads of fun, educational stuff in between!!!This was my first time visiting, with my friends' kids, and I think I may have had more fun than they did!If you're in Raleigh with children of all ages, this is an absolute MUST for a full half day or so!

This museum was really fun and my son enjoyed it. We got there at 1100 and it was packed already. I thought we’d only spend an hour but that quickly turned into three lol. There was so much to do that he was knocked out on the drive back home. He really enjoyed being able to color his own car and have it appear on the big screen. We will definitely come back.

We got tickets in advance for the 10:30/11 time slot. Got there a bit later but that wasn't a problem. Easy access with scanning the tickets.The museum was very busy, but with it being the Wednesday before Thanksgiving it was expected.My kids are 7 and 9. They enjoyed the downstairs a lot but they enjoyed the upstairs more. The downstairs area is for smaller children I'd say. The upstairs is definitely more for the older kids. It's a lot of fun and you can easily spend the whole day there.There are plenty of hand sanitizing stations around the museum, there's an elevator, water fill up stations, a nursing station and plenty of bathrooms.The only thing I wish they would have had was free parking. You can street park and pay or pay for parking in one of the lots. But it wasn't a deal breaker.I definitely recommend this museum for children.We did not visit the cafe, gift shop or IMAX.

Went there for my very first time, and I was impressed. Alot for the kids to do inside, but they also had a couple of places for kids to have fun outdoors. Absolutely loved the sensory room for kids that might be a little more sensitive to noise. The musical staircase was an enjoyment as well. 2 floors of lots of interactive things for toddlers and kids to do!

I wish I could give more stars here, this place deserves it. Absolute fun for the kids of any age. Loads of toys, variety of plays spread across a two-storey building. Any kid would have a blast. Tickets prices are fair, ample public parking spots around the vicinity. A must visit place for the kids.

This museum is AMAZING. We live in DC where there are museums galore, but this one is fantastic for kids. You could easily spend an entire day here. My kids are 8, 5, and a baby and they were all very entertained. My only regret is not coming here earlier in the day to have more time.

Affordable and with plenty of things to do and see. The kids will have a full day packed with activities and things to see and do. Great place to spend some quality time with your kids.

We love marbles so much! Plenty of choices for kids with different interests. My toddler loves it here, he can pick whatever interests him and move on to the next fun thing whenever he prefers. Very safe environment and thought out designs.

Spent a delightful 3 hours here with 7 and 4 year olds. We explored nearly all of the exhibits and faced tears when we had to tell the kids it was time to go. Really clean, really fun and creative exhibits. The water table was probably the biggest hit for the 4yr old, followed by the room that lets kids color balloons and cars then projects them moving around on a giant city map. 7 yr old liked the balls in the “economy” exhibit. It was pretty crowded on a Friday but still totally enjoyable. Almost no wait- we got tickets online the evening before.

We went on a Monday, there was a decent amount of people there. So I would recommend going on a Monday. There are a lot of exhibits here. My 8 month old enjoyed the baby area, there were a lot of soft obstacles for him to climb on. He also liked the toddler area, he could crawl around and there were some stuffed animals and some things for him to crawl on. I strolled him around to the other exhibits, he was too little for most of it but he enjoyed watching the other kids and splashing in the water table. The cafe outside was not great. I got a water and my daughter got a smoothie but the staff at the cafe were very friendly and attentive. There weren’t any handicap doors, which made it a little difficult with a stroller. I think we will be back when he’s 2, I think he’ll enjoy it a lot more! I would say if your child is walking until about 7 years old is perfect for this museum.

Enough to do for the entire day. It can get chaotic on busy days so we go on off times. Love the outdoor and indoor sections. Kids love the sand. We enjoyed watch Polar Express on IMAX. We had no issues finding specking on the street.

Must visit place if you are in the area. Plenty of activities for kids for all ages. Very interactive and creative set up. You can easily spend 4 to 5 hours and kids won’t get bored! Outside activities are totally different! Parking might be an issue, might need to find a public parking or street parking. Super friendly staff. Activities included but not limited to Arts and science, Drama, Electronics, music and much more..

Great place to take children of all ages. I could have stayed there all day. The name is misleading if you are not a local. I expected to see how marbles were made and for there to be marbles everywhere games tournaments, make your own marbles..ext..Over all this place was a hit I enjoyed dancing to the music, the water area, the outside garden, basketball, trampoline, omg they really out did it with the variety of things to do. I loved it! My grandsons ages 3,2,and 1 enjoyed it.

This was everyone's first time going to the Marbles Museum. From a kid's perspective, it was AMAZING they had a blast. All 4 were passed out by the time we pulled out of the parking lot. My husband and I both enjoyed it. We loved that the kids enjoyed it. We enjoyed the concept of everything. I believe the only downfall we had as parents was how overwhelming and over-stimulating it was, but we did go on a Saturday at 10 am and we were there till almost 4 pm, which did start to become overly crowded by noon. Would still definitely go back again.

First time visiting. Lots of activities for young kids. My kids really enjoyed their time there. There is an area for toddlers as well as an area for infants. Must buy tickets online in advance. We opted for the 1 year basic membership. $150 covers admission for 1 year for 2 adults and all kids in the household. Opens at 10am but members can enter at 9am. There are two levels and two small outdoor areas. Parking can be an issue since it's downtown Raleigh. Street parking in the area is free on weekends and metered during the week. Kids will definitely enjoy.

March 24, 2024I... LOVED IT. I had a lot of fun going with my friend and her grandkids. I had just as much fun as they did (if not more lol).Definitely recommend! It's a place where kids and adults can have fun, and have learning take place (without realizing it!).Definitely can't wait to go back again!

Wow, this is a really really fun place for kids.. there is so much to do here and the ticket is really cheap..You have to buy the ticket in advance. You cannot buy on the spot, if all are sold out.We went on a long weekend and it was crazy busy and they were not allowing anybody to walk in to make sure you check their website and book in advance .Also, if you have Bank of America credit card the first weekend of every month, you get a free ticket .The weekend we went. It was hard to find a parking spot in front of theBut we can park for free at the Morse Square parking deck, but remember it’s only free on the weekends..We were there for almost 3 hours .. it was crazy busy when when we went, but one hour before closing it started to get free..Definitely worth taking kids..

This is a great place to take the kids. We especially enjoyed the hurricanes hockey area. We also liked the IMAX animal kingdoms movie. I took a star off because I usually expect some kind of free parking. I parked on the street not knowing I would have to move my car after 2 hours and I circled the block several times trying to find a new spot (losing time to play in the museum). Finally I realized there was a parking deck that I will use in the future that is close by (ended up paying twice to park). Overall this is a wonderful place for kids to play and the workers seemed cordial as well.

Took a trip to Marble’s with our boys, and they had an absolute blast! They loved just about every single thing on both floors. The staff was friendly and helpful. The best part was the splash area, they had the most fun with that! Your ticket/sticker gets you all day come-and-go access to the museum. So we even enjoyed surrounding downtown Raleigh for lunch! Great place to spend the day with your kids. We would highly recommend!

Wonderful experience for younger kids. Place was clean with so many hands on activities! Lots of fun things to do from science experiments and water tables to learning about forestry, firefighters and carpentry. Reasonably priced but it fills up early. Go late morning or early afternoon to beat the field trips from multiple schools.

4.8

(6434)

4.5

(1121)

201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA

2 lists

This outlet has a very convenient location. It has been here for a long time and offers several brand names and specialty stores. Is very busy. Lots of parking spaces. Restrooms are clean but not enough of them during peak hours/seasons. Lounge is large and clean.

Lots of stores to browse and it has a casual strip mall feel. An enjoyable shopping experience. Ample parking near each individual store so you don't have to walk a great distance unlike most other outlet malls.

We travelled down from Virginia and stopped off at this mall to pick up some items from the Carter children’s store. Music was loud enough to think I was in Tijuana and almost samba danced round the store. Staff were disinterested except for the obligatory ‘can I help you find anything’. In my head…..Yes, the volume button for this racket over the speakers!!I made my purchases more out of necessity (quick baby gift). Prices misleading and not displayed very well. Amazon sells exact same items cheaper and without Samba (my bad for not forward planning). Buyer beware. None of these stores offer any real discount, definitely a ploy because of shortage of good high quality shopping areas. So let the exploitation of the masses commence.Signage around the mall area states military discount……. I asked in the aforementioned store and it was like I had just cussed at her. Anyway, military discount is ONLY offered in stores where there is a patriotic star displayed. Good luck in the scavenger hunt for that one. Sorry my experience was not even mediocre and won’t be returning.

I make a trip to the outlets a couple of times a year. There's always something fun to discover. When you're all shopped out. There are a few good places to stop and grab a bite. The only drawback is the parking situation. For as much space as there is, if you find a spot, you need to grab it.

We went into 252 Kicks today. My son saw some shoes he liked at $250 but didnt want to commit just yet...it was his hard earned money so of course he wanted to think about them. We went back about an hour and a half later and the dude behind the register had marked them up by $35. The original sticker was visible through the new sticker. The salesperson claims that other shoes that were the same style but different size were more expensive, so he adjusted my son's size price while we were gone. Poor business practice and a heart breaking one for my son. Will never support this business. Shame on you.

Love the Outlet stores. It's in a good location and has plenty of stores with a good selection of food places in the area. It can be expensive but it's worth the experience if you don't mind walking and shopping. I like that it's only an hour from my house. I even enjoy the drive to and from my house.

I had a great experience at Carolina Premium Outlet. However, I recommend going on a weekend during the holiday season. Two factors highly noted was Carolina Pottery had Senior Citizens 65+ entitled to a discount on Tuesday. There are quite a few stores that discounts for military persons showing their id and a symbol is displayed outside the store to inform them before entering. Great discounts but walk around and check out the prices before purchasing the first thing you see. Especially if you are trying to stretch your dollars which is not made out of rubber. I found my favorite store Woodbridge and went back the next day. The jogging pants are fleece line thick and very warm if you jog, or walk your dog early morning or late evenings.

Wifee loves this place. Christmas time is here.

Great time shopping with family. Food Hall down the street offers good variety. Convenient location. Got some really good deals on name brand items and was able to take care of most of my Christmas list!

Great location for me as I work next door as a gymnastics instructor and it's only a mile from home! While I've never personally interacted with staff, I've given a little wave here and there through the window as I walk by and they seem friendly. My daughter loves their dog that she often sees, too. I'll be sure to come here for any future garage door needs.

Jewelry outlet a little suspect but Nautica and Nike outlet are greatColumbia is outstanding as well, they even offer employee discount for all mall employees. I think Nautica does the same.And Cracker Barrel is phenomenal for eating before or after shopping

This outdoor mall has a bit of everything for shoppers. You won't find restaurants here, but there are a few nearby.

I finally visited the Smithfield Carolina outlet stores today. I'm really not an outlet shopper at all but I heard this location had a variety of stores and brands I enjoy. I did not get a chance to visit every store while on a time limit but I am happy with what I spent within my budget for the quality of items I purchased. I enjoyed shopping at the Adidas store. They had a 60% off clearance sale and I was able to purchase 2 outfits for my daughter priced at $7.99 & 10.99 per piece. The selection was excellent and I saw some adorable IVY Park sneakers and boots by Beyoncé. Customer service was excellent. I also visited the Lane Bryant store to purchase undergarments. The customer service was impeccable and the store was well stocked compared to Raleigh. I was very happy with the sale items I purchased and will definitely return to visit the remainder of the stores.This outlet mall could use a modern renovation so that is the only negative.

This is a good location and plenty of good brands and many stores to shop from. Food and drink places nearby for good pit stops. We always enjoy ourselves here.

I had a fantastic experience at this outlet! They have an incredible selection of brands available at unbeatable prices. Highly recommend checking it out!

Only con, but a big one, of this place is not entirely their fault, is the road markings into this place!!It is a nightmare for non regular customers. The turn lanes are so faded you miss them and other drivers are aggressive and impatient. They should "encourage" DPW to re-strip the roadway and use more signs. If it's dark outside and raining it's 100 times worse. But, inside the area is clean of any trash and clutter. Plenty of parking. And I feel safe there.

Great sales and majority of stores had great customer service. 1 store we went into didn't even greet us. It was the store that sold dresses for sweet 16 or proms. Shame on them.

It's not terrible. I had a hard time finding items that fit me well, I'm on the tall side but Columbia was the only place that had clothing that I'd say fit well on me, the Big and Tall was more big than it was tall. "Premium" seems to be focused on the price of items more than quality or selection in a lot of stores. Was relatively clean with an ok food selection. Average outlet. I doubt I'll be returning if shopping for myself.

This was our first visit here after quite some time and it was a lot of fun. I would have given the visit 5 stars had it not been for us getting hit by clouds of weed smoke coming from every direction as we moved from place to place.Smoking weed is still illegal here in NC, right? I'm just trying to educate myself about this just in case I missed the news that it's legal, now.I hope our next visit will be a bit better. I will revisit my review if things improve at that point.NOTE: I fully realize weed smoking is not the fault of Carolina Premium Outlets. However, having to endure it while on premises does diminish the overall experience for many people. So, the review nets a '3' rather than a '5'.

Stopped by here only for the car charging station across from the Harley store. The chargers all appeared to be functioning but only 2 are fast chargers.

My son and I explored Carolina Premium Outlet. He got great deals and loved shopping at this place. Definitely, we’ll be coming with the whole family.

4.4

(7671)

4.0

(245)

1025 Outlet Center Dr, Smithfield, NC 27577, USA

Really enjoyed the experience. Very nice grounds and visitor center. The staff are very nice. You should definitely try to visit.

I love visiting here when I get the chance. Despite our difficult history as a nation, it is still important to learn from it. This place allows such an experience. I love getting to visit the visitors center, as there are some great items for sale, and it offers a bit of history on the battlefield. There is also a very nice walking trail, but it can get muddy at times. There's always something to do regardless of the time of the year.

Guided tours of the battle sights. Cemetery is a mass grave sight. Well maintained grounds with handicap access. There's also a visitors center with maps and souvenirs. The main house was used as a makeshift hospital during the battle. There is also a separate kitchen for the house that you can check out. A workers cabin can also be seen. The house well is capped off.

I took my son to experience the Heavy Thunder Summer Artillery program. The reenactment was wonderful. The re-enactors were very knowledgeable, kind and patient with all my questions.

Very cool experience - listen to the call phone messages- will learn a lot

If you haven't been and have a chance do not pass it up. Went to their "Peace to the Gallant Dead": the 157th Anniversary Commemoration. This was the anniversary of the first day of the battle. Over 4,000 luminaries lit up the battlefield to the sound of taps in commemoration of each of the casualties of the battle there. You can see the house where the injured were treated. Such a sobering experience Thank you Miss. JoCo Emilyann Marsh for the invitation to this event. I will be returning and offering to volunteer 🧜‍♀️

We visited Bentonville Battlefield State Park in North Carolina. It is very interesting history to me. I was unaware of the large battle that took place here. We stopped in the visitor's center, looked around and watched a 15 minute movie about the history leading up to the battle. Unfortunately, the Harper house was closed for restoration work. However, we did get a tour of the grounds and outbuilding. Our tour guide was informative and provided a good picture of the history of the battlefield and the Harper house. There is a self guided motor tour to different sections of the battlefield and surrounding area, that is about 10 miles. We tried a couple stops, but we didn't get good enough cell phone coverage to be able to hear about the sites. I like historical places of interest and this was a good visit to part of our nation's history.At the visitor's center, there is a vending machine for drinks, restrooms and picnic tables. We visited on a Tuesday morning and there weren't a lot of people. By the time we left the visitor's center, several more people had arrived.

Great outdoor experience. Good home restoration and museum. Lots of walking trails.

Great stop to learn about the Civil War battle field in N.C. As this is my 1st time ever being near Civil War stuff, I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more. There was a visitor center and an informational movie.

The park looked interesting, but when they state gates close at 5 and you park at 4, they mean buildings will close at 4:15. It's a little disappointing, but I did get to park on "overflow" outside the gate and tour the monuments. I'll go back and look in the house when I can spend more time.Although it is primarily a Confederate battle memorial site, there is information and a monument dedicated to Union soldiers who fought and fell there.

It’s always amazing to visit Historical Landmarks and Bentonville Battlefield Historic Park is one of them. there was no entrance fee when we visited, and there was a Volunteer. Tour guide that show us around the Historic House, I’d say it was worth a visit and a good experience to see the actual Battlefield tour.

Impressed by our experience here! The workers in the visitor center were so nice and helpful! We took our time and explored all the battlefield had to offer. I loved being able to dial in for the phone guided tour. We went on the driving tour as well! Just an awesome visit with tons of information!

You can feel the history! Love going out here for day hikes!

The must-see major battlefield of NC which virtually closes the Civil War leading up just days before Lee's surrender at Appomatox.

Nicely preserved battlefield in which one can walk and explore sections of the battlefields, trails, cemeteries, and check out the museum (check hours of operation). This is the site of the largest Civil War battles in North Carolina, but it is often overlooked as significant because Lee surrendered to Grant just a few weeks after the last shots were fired here. A fascinating and horrific time in this country. I am glad this and other sites are preserved so those that follow May remember and learn from the past.

4.7

(599)

4.5

(138)

5466 Harper House Rd, Four Oaks, NC 27524, USA

The opening ceremony for the Little League Tournament of State Champions was held here, and we had a blast. The large, open grass field is perfect for playing catch or just hanging out on a blanket. And the raised stage in the corner is set up well for musical performances or speeches. Of course, the main attractions here are the large whirligig structures surrounding the field...there are over a dozen of them scattered about, and each one is unique and interesting. The shaded structure outside the grass is perfect for banquets too. A great place to gather and have fun in the heart of Wilson!

This spring break we brought the kids to Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. We've been wanting to go see these for a while and we're finally able to make it.These structures are 'cool' (as my daughter puts it) and we picked the perfect day as it was windy.The park has a few plaque markers showcasing the artist and explaining the history of his work!Across the street is a store fully designated for the park. It sells some souvenirs of the experience. The lady working there was extremely friendly and was able to tell us a little bit more about the park.I definitely recommend stopping into the shop and signing the guest book. We found some 'cool' coloring pages that my daughter was excited about and wanted. We also found a few lego builds of whirilgigs for my son.

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and Museum is a one of a kind art park. It is home to thirty large whirligigs and the largest number of gigantic kinetic sculptures in one location. These sculptures are North Carolina's Official Folk Art. Some as high as sixty feet and weigh as much as 13,500 lbs. At the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore Maryland you will find his 55 foot tall and 45 foot wide "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness " sculpture on permanent display. The museum and gift shop has many of his smaller sculptures on display and Anna can tell you all about everything there at the museum.

I’ll go out of my way any day to spend some time at this fantastic place! The whirligigs are unique and fun. Definitely worth a stop!

It was hot, there was no wind, and the grandchildren were only somewhat impressed. I found this park to be an amazing engineering exhibit.The museum was great, and the kids enjoyed it, and the staff were very helpful.

Great art, engineering, and a kaleidoscope for the eyes! Great park area to view these marvels! Wind is a plus! This was one of the highlights of my baseball adventure.

This was the perfect day to come! The wind was surely whipping to blow these guys around. My son was loving it and was enjoying looking at these beautiful art pieces!

You have to see this place. We searched it out a few years back after seeing one of the whirligigs at the highway welcome center. They were just getting started then. Now it has lit pathways and a ton of whirligigs, and a nice museum. Definitely worth the stop!

Super neat tourist attraction honoring a local pioneering folk artist. Clean, wide-open, interesting, unique. They have a nice variety of music playing on the many speakers throughout the park. Also, a sound stage for concerts in one corner of the city block-sized area.

We visited for the Saturday morning Farmer's Market, and really enjoyed our time in the park and musuem. We started the morning with coffee from Larema, explored the park and museum, and stopped by the beer garden at Casita. So great to see the downtown Wilson area growing and thriving. Highly recommend a trip--very easy drive from Raleigh/Durham!

Always a great time here! There are plenty of places to eat and drink. I love the farmer's market and hope to see it grow.

Such an NC treasure! So glad it has been brought together and is free and accessible to the public! The Whirligigs are so fun and clever. Looking at them from different angles you always see some new detail.Definitely stop by when in Wilson (and grab a beer from the brewery next door to walk around in the social district).

This is one of the neatist thing park I have ever seen. This is on the top ten list of unusual places in North Carolina. There are at least twenty five different large mobils on poles. Each mobil has a nameand who the sponcer is. Very glad I came to this free park in Wilson N.C.

30Dec2023Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.Wilson North Carolina.This is the best park to visit. Just look at all those Whirligig erected in the Park. Best from the waste. Just amazing.Took pics, slow motion videos.Please do visit the museum in the building in front. You can watch the original pieces. You can buy small memorabilia like Whirlgig, and then magnets and t-shirts.And don’t forget to thank the attendant Ms Catherine, who provides all good information. She is amazing person. Thank you.

We finally were able to stop by. It was well worth the side trip. Luckily, the wind was blowing. Visited the museum/gift shop across the street.

What a wonderful way to save an artists legacy. Wendy (Events Planner for the park) was very kind and helpful, giving us information about the area and suggestions of what to do and where to eat. What a wonderful little town!

I love this park during the Whirligig festival in November! They have music, food, beer, crafts, and lots of community. Plus, great activities for the kids. Wilson is a bit of a drive if you’re in the RTP, but I think it’s worth it. I would not go if it is not tue festival though…

Such a neat place. A must see if in the area. And it is free to view.

You can't help but smile when you visit this place. It'll brings out the kid in you.

Extraordinary place to spend a day. Picnics, frisbees, kites and the fabulous whirligigs. Serene, clean and great amenities.

Such a fun park! It’s so nice to see these amazing art pieces restored, cared for, & enjoyed! Plenty of space & well kept tables to enjoy a picnic lunch & get some fresh air on our road trip.

4.7

(2145)

4.5

(149)

301 Goldsboro St S, Wilson, NC 27893, USA

This is a nice little park.The new bathhouse in the camping loop is great. You can actually shower without soaking your clean clothes. And you get to control when the water turns on/off! No motion sensor. Camp hosts kept everything super clean.If you combine several of the hiking trails you can put together a nice hike. Sometimes the blazes/trail markings aren't great, so you might want to use an app for way-finding.There's also a swim beach available (when it's open) and apparently you can sometimes rent a kayak to paddle around.If you've read other reviews, you know there are a lot of ants in this park. We did not have any problems with them while camping. We were careful about not leaving food out and had no problems at all.

Beutiful place to go for a weekend getawayThe bathrooms were very clean and close to our site. Our site was very big and spacious. All the sites were a little close to my taste, but no one goes camping to see what other campers are doing, so it was still pretty private. They sell ice and fire wood at their store at the entrance. Everyone who works there are very nice and polite.

I've been going to the cliffs since I was a kid and it's such a wonderful place to get away from everything, the park was extremely clean, facilities were kept up nicely, would have been nice to swim but I understand why they have it closed.

Nice park. Went camping here with our Trail Life group. The trails are easily accessible from the group camping area, bathroom facility was fine (nothing special but plenty adequate for the unimproved camping site), and the river was close by and beautiful. Aside from the rainy weekend it was great! Definitely recommend.

Beautiful park with clearly marked, well kept trails & stunning views! The staff was friendly & helpful, pricing was reasonable. Definitely looking forward to returning!

Very, very beautiful. We saw anoles, frogs, a crawdad, and an owl. Also the cedar knees sticking up. Parking is easy and free, visitor center is nice, picnic areas are shaded, beautiful, and not crowded on a Monday in April. The swimming area was seasonally closed.

Had a nice time hiking a couple of trails. Good place to bring dogs and very nice scenery. Great shade on trail. Lots of large ants though that had an uncanny ability to wind up on shoes, ankles, and dog paws. More of a nuisance than a problem. Park office is very nice. Little museum inside. Hope to camp in future

Have visited and camped at this park for over 30 years. The trails are easy, views are awesome along the Neuse River. The swimming area is small but always one of my favorite spots. Plan a visit, you won’t be disappointed

Meh. It's a nice park but has a lot of litter compared to other NC parks and an alarming amount of white flagging along the trail. Being so close to Goldsboro, the singing birds are drowned out by the airforce doing airforce things. Lots of intersecting trails with very gradual elevation changes. Nice place for fitness, but as an enjoyable nature experience I'd pass on this one in the future

Depending on the time of year, this is an excellent getaway. The nature and wildlife is nice, as is the pond. During summer you can actually go swimming in the pond. The view beyond the Cliff is amazing. This park also has a campground for both RV's and tents which provide electricity, sewage and restrooms with showers. For those who just want to stay the night, nice rental cabins are available too!

Nice place to go for a walk or more. You have the option for picnic area and camping. There is an information area, do stop in and get the history of the area. There are bathrooms act. The swimming area is currently closed due to not having availability of lifeguards. Which is sad, that would have been a nice place to cool off from the heat. Hopefully it will open back up. But overall it’s a good place with clearly marked trails.

I don't think campers should have to pay to swim. But it is a very nice beach area! I love the campsites. Nice and shady! Quiet and peaceful!

If you are looking for a place to just walk in peace, it's an awesome place. I go there with my wife and run my RC trucks while we walk and upload videos on my YouTube channel. EZBOY.RC, where you can see some of this location if you would like. They also have camping. When the lake is open, they have swimming.No real off-road hard terrain, but it is a lot of uphill. Good for cardio.

My visit to the Cliffs of the Neuse State Park was an absolute breath of fresh air. The park's commitment to cleanliness and maintenance is evident, making it a top-notch destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. The Visitor Center serves as a warm welcome gateway, staffed by exceptionally helpful park rangers ready to guide and enhance your experience.The highlight of my trip was the enchanting 1-mile hike along the Moss Trail, where the blend of scenic views and tranquil woodland whispers created a perfect symphony. The park's allure doesn't stop there, with several other trails beckoning for exploration, promising new adventures with each visit. It's a pristine natural retreat that promises peace, beauty, and a reconnection with nature. I'm already planning my next journey back to tackle the trails yet to be discovered.

The only complaint we have is... we wish they had an open spot more often! 😊 Cliffs of the Neuse is a beautiful place, and we highly recommend visiting, but plan in advance!Restrooms are very clean and spacious. Friendly campground hosts, shady, and the camp spots are separated by trees and undergrowth, which is nice! You dont feel like youre exposed to everyone when sitting in your camp chair.

Great way to spend an afternoon! There is a nice visitors center that has an interactive learning space for kids, and a gift shop. Plenty of activities to do, I have enjoyed fishing, hammocking, and hiking. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a place to explore, and get out in nature.

My son and I went to walk the trails there for the first time , we enjoyed ourselves. Between the shade of the trees on the trails and the breeze we had today it was very enjoyable.

The Cliffs of the Neuse is a nice spot to go walking, as there are tracks for the deliberate purpose of walking... okay, maybe hiking would be a more appropriate word for this situation, as with those paths there are areas you've gotta be careful about.So long as you've got a map, a good head on your shoulders, and considerate of others, I think you'll be fine.They also have a small museum in the visitor's center, and that's sweet.I only have one complaint, but it's minor in the grand scheme of things, and that's the location. The Cliffs of the Neuse takes about half an hour to get to from most areas outside of Seven Springs.

1st time here. Beautiful area. Great trails. Can't wait to go back and visit the swimming area. The park ranger was super helpful too.

Thanksgiving Day and few visitors were here. plenty of hiking areas. Bathrooms. Picnic areas. great visitors center. No negatives to this place. There’s a huge parking area for the swim lake that’s fed by a cool spring.

Beautiful trails. Very close camping sites. I wouldn't call it primitive by any stretch. Clean bathrooms. Definitely kid friendly. Saw a lot of kids Saturday. Dogs. People love to camp and bring their barking dogs. So it's not a real quiet place. The lake is beautiful. I suggest starting the Lake Trail from the bathhouse side. It's a great spot to walk with your sweetheart.

4.7

(1663)

4.5

(116)

240 Park Entrance Rd, Seven Springs, NC 28578, USA

An awesome stop, making me wish I had more time. I walked through, saw the tasting rooms and the bistro, and they told me about the chapel where they do weddings. Prices were surprisingly less than what I thought they might be. And it's easily accessible to all. Large parking lots, and very nice staff.

Had a great time. The wine tasting was worth the fee. The lady running the tasting was pleasant and knowledgeable. The tasting options were good choices. If you pay for the wine tasting, you get a ticket for a complementary glass of wine at the bistro. We stayed for lunch. The burger was excellent. Hubby, who isn’t into wine, was very happy with the coffee they made for him. We will definitely stop there again next year.

Food was good as always. Waitress was a little slow, but I still come again.

Had a really fun time shopping here! Really enjoyed the little gift shop attached to the wine cellar. Super cute patio seating too.

Great destination for a girl's day...Wine tasting, tours and eat at The BISTRO. Lots of shopping and the cream cheese dip and crackers are excellent!

The staff is wonderful and their variets of wine keeps growing. All made by Duplin. If you want some flavorful wine inspired decor and accessories, they have those too in their store section. The thing I didn't know is that their bistro serves amazing food at reasonable prices. Service was great and the ownership takes pride of their store. I would recommend anyone that is 21+ to give it a visit and check out their tasting room and the attached restaurant.I've revisited since last time with my parents and had an excellent experience with the dine in option and chose the chefs special and was not disappointed. Every bite was great and the whole party enjoyed their food.

This wine is delicious, and my favorite wine for life. Unlike other American wines, they don't try to be dry, like so many traditional European wines. This is bold, sweet and warm, absolutely wonderful American tasting wine.

Such a great place to hang out, wonderful wine selection. The bistro has really good sandwiches. Do the tour, and the wine tasting. Make sure to be safe and have a designated driver.

Absolutely loved my first experience here. Shout out to Tom who did the wine tasting. He knows his stuff. I appreciate the kind people who work there, that took the time to make sure I enjoyed myself. Great, Great vibe.

Me and my girlfriends had an amazing day at Duplin Winery today.Ain't nothing better than great friends and good delicious 😋 food we had at the winery Bistro.The wine tasting was also great.

We enjoyed this winery; the outdoor sitting was very nice and wine tasting was great. Their Bistro was very good. The food was delicious and service was pleasant. We have also been to the one in SC...we like NC better 🙂🥰

I really enjoyed this place! We stopped by here on a quick trip from the southern Beaches of NC back to the triangle as it was on the way. We waited about an hour for a table but were able to shop around the gift shop and grab some wine!For younger folk, they have N.A. wine to feel included:)

My first time visiting. Love the atmosphere and the people were very helpful and friendly. Had the chicken salad sandwich and chili which were yummy. Followed by the new Holly Rose which was great too. They do $12 wine tastings and also have a wonderful gift shop and wine shop as well...bought 2 bottles.

Had the most wonderful lunch with my mom today!!! Amanda was our server, and Ansley the host was an absolute sweetheart. I accidentally ordered a dish with chicken, and being a vegetarian, they took it off the bill for us. Such an amazing experience and I wholeheartedly recommend checking out the bistro for anyone who LOVES great food and great service!!!! If I could rate 6 stars I would :)

Went with my friends for my birthday and David was extremely knowledgeable and kind. The wines in general were splendid and you get what you paid for and more. Wonderful environment and kind staff. I will be going again.

After starting my wine drinking with Duplin wines (Hatteras Red) years ago, I was pretty excited to finally get to visit the original winery!We did the wine tasting and did not have that long of a wait. It is definitely different than your traditional winery as you do group tastings with one server at Duplin. Also, you do not get to pick the wines you want to try, instead it is preselected - which I suppose is nice because you get a well-rounded balance to try, but I know right away when there will be ones I do not like and will be wasting.Our wine flight:Carlos - too dry for me.Magnolia - too dry for me, but better than CarlosMuscadine Moscato - I was excited to finally try the first ever muscadine moscato blend, and it was SO good! They also threw in a taste of the Southern Mist, which is the bubbly version. I thought I'd like that one better, but it turns out, Muscadine Moscato was definitely my preference.Sweet Lily - very good, sweet bubbly wine. I do prefer the Sweet Rose bubbly wine to this one, but this one is still very enjoyable.Scuppernong - just okay.Burgundy - too dry for me.Pink Magnolia - just okayBald Head Red - Good!Sangria Red - Good. I actually prefer their Sangria White or Sangria Rose over the red.Peach Cotton Candy - definitely a sweet one, and it was good!The tasting came with a glass of wine - you go to their bar where they have all the wines available. We tried a sip of a couple before ultimately choosing what we would have. My husband went with the Sweet Lily and I went with the Sweet Rose.Overall, not my favorite NC winery as I prefer traditional 1:1 tastings and places that are more relaxed, but I'm glad we finally got to visit Duplin. We went home with a bottle of the Muscadine Moscato and Sweet Rose as those are not easy to find in the stores here in Charlotte.I recommend a stop at Duplin if you are in the area and have time to visit.

4.7

(775)

4.5

(206)

505 N Sycamore St, Rose Hill, NC 28458, USA

I'm so thankful that ECU has teachers like Steve Baker. His method of delivering information and bridging the gap between book knowledge and practical experience is a gem that most teachers don't have. Many of us network engineers struggle in the beginning with understanding how networks operate and Steve has helped us become confident in Subnetting and applying network troubleshooting book knowledge to practical situations. I'm going to go for my Network+ and a part of my confidence comes from Steve. Thank you my friend. You truly are amazing.

They are mutilating young children. Should be shut down.

The buildings and campus of ecu are so nice. The bricks on the ground are all pristinely laid in perfectly organized fashion. I wish the people matched this. The people who take your food orders in this building are Rude. No one told them they would be taking orders from college students all day. Maybe the ecu students are so rude to them back that’s why they act like that. The food is unhealthy there too. Ecu was a ‘party school’ so I thought. Yea not anymore. Fun is not in the vocabulary of the ecu student body. There are next to none student events on campus. No parties around campus either. No fellow students or neighbors who wanted to party either. Ok? It’s not the same place. I didn’t even get credit for a few classes I took here despite doing great in the class. I missed about two dozen instructional hours in the art department because the professors (grad students) would cut class 2 hours early, or just not have it at all. The teachers will sometimes give too hard of assignments, and then if you don’t get a good grade you are “partying too hard”. Actually, it’s called teaching, and your goal is intrinsic learning. You have to care if the students learn or not. I did pristine work for them and got substandard grades. And Just go down the street from ecu. Wow! What a great place for your kids to go to college! Safe and family friendly. They need to clean that place up. The girls if you were expecting ‘fun’ girls (or guys) think again. The party school thing is a fun veneer but the student body does not capitalize on this potential. The nursing students didn’t get the message that their job is going to be nurturing, and being sensitive and loving to other people. Ecu has A LOT OF WORK TO DO. It all starts with the leadership. Some things are nice, like the piano in the main student center. And the high quality printer in the library. In the tour to tour the campus, the girl said it was bad luck to walk under the fountain in the middle of campus or you wouldn’t graduate. Why would you tell the prospective students that? She also said she only went to one party her whole time at ecu. Ok why didn’t you? Ecu the campus itself is great. Some of the staff are real nice. I love the big hill you drive over when you get into town.

ECU is an awesome school! I've had so many great experiences and good memories made here. I wish I could go back!!

ECU (East Carolina University) is one of the best University in United States. Professors are great, experienced, friendly and more realistic in terms of teaching real-world scenarios. Professors, Graduate Admin office folks and Chair person are always available and willing to help students for providing guidance that they need. Professors have PhD, and many of them have dual degrees. I was very much impressed and surprised the way they teach students using real-world technological examples. Assigning any software development, computer science engineering or computer networking projects as a group helps a lot. It helps students to interact each other and gain more experience from each other. Professors are even available after classes and ready to spend 1:1 time with students. I can't wait to see this University to be named Number #1 in the United States. Students are very talented and realistic.Talented, hard-working, and ambitious people. Great people to work with! Always think ahead…

great place for meeting when school is out

An unnamed frat is claimed to be racist. Most students under age drink. There have been rats in roaches in the dorm bathrooms. Most of the dorm bathrooms are used for under age class-men drinking. Also, most of them have fake ID’s. The bar security in town is terrible because they don’t efficiently check if ID’s are real. The ecu staff is very friendly. I do think the bars in Greenville need proper training on how to spot fake ID’s. This university is good academically but non academically it is very toxic. The frats don’t hold responsibility for drinking. They let drunk people get on the roof on the frat house which is dangerous. Every day, I hate it because some students that are idiots alarm our first line.

This university has really done a great job of reimaging itself. From being known as one of the top party schools in the US to now being a leader in the health science field, sports, and innovative technology. I definately recommend a visit just to experience the culture and pride that you will feel when speaking with the locals and students. Go Pirates!

Just attended another concert band performance and enjoyed it tremendously! It is 2 1/2 hours each way, but worth it to watch my grandson play!!!

Community College would be better.continued.They bill you a month before school starts, so you better hope you have your money streight. And if you make any changes, sometimes they don't even have it right and change it significantly 2 days before it's due.

I attended this university for a degree in Business administration. My experience there was very positive. I thought the administration staff were helpful, the professors I had were knowledgeable and eager to help students who asked for it. My advisor was pretty accessible and helpful whenever I needed to talk or ask for guidance. The only thing I thought could use some improvement is the lack of diversity among the professors. During my entire time there as a student I only had 2 African American teachers. That needs to be addressed.

As an out-of-state student, I was let down. Probably because I had the most generic and incompetent student advisor by the name of Jason Denius. Instead of giving me straight answers he kept talking in theories which wasted time and I lost interest. The school could use an upgraded curriculum until then it's not offering its student the best.

Best kept secret in the southeast. Great education. Great programs. Support systems for all students. It's the only university in NC with a Medical School, Dental School, and Engineering School. The city of Greenville is all about ECU and it's a great college town. I went there and both my kids are current students there. Check out the Honors College and the scholarship opportunities, too!

Wonderful University. Very Kind Instructor, safe, Love purple!! Hello Nicole.

4.4

(342)

4.5

(138)

E 5th St, Greenville, NC 27858, USA

Love Mother Earth Brewing. They do great imperials. All the beers are pretty good, but dam the 2021.. is amazing. Nice location. Inside and outdoor seating. Dog and kid friendly. You can't taste the be whiskey there but you can buy the local chocolate with whiskey there. Yummy.

Delicious caramel latte! I asked for a small and they gave me a huge cup… I’m not complaining though! I love that they had milk alternatives. The place is gorgeous and instagrammable with dark backgrounds. There are a couple of books to read, they have tables and old-time sofas. The barista was very nice, I’m surprised how she seem to be the o lot one working and she still managed to work efficiently. Definitely recommend and will definitely visit again!

We stopped at Mother Earth Brewing on our way home from the beach. They don't serve food, so we got a pizza to go and ate here with our dog. Staff were super friendly and very nice to Alex. They have some really great beers to try out with our lunch. They also have a nice outdoor patio area that the dog really liked. Overall, a great place and we'll stop here again next time passing through the area.

If you don't drink but your friends do, this is the bar for you!!! The bar stools are so comfortable you will be able to wait for them for hours!!!! Seriously if you are a little bit larger than average you will be comfortable sitting in this brewery. I hear the beer is pretty good too.

First time we had ever gone. We meet family and friends from out of town there to catch up. It was a Thursday night so not too busy. We were able to order pizza from across the street and they delivered it to our table. Mother Earth’s Tap Room has QR codes at the table to see their options. We decided to order a growler to share. We were told we could not drink it there. We got it anyway and a full pour of Long haired freaky people an Irish red ale. I’m not a big beer drinker but I did like it. I have tried many of their other beers and my husband enjoys their whiskey. Definitely check it out if you are in the area.

Super cool space with a great selection of beer. This isn’t a brewery you go to and don’t find something you like. Loved the vintage modern styling and the artwork. Bartender was very helpful. The LEED gold certification is pretty awesome as well. Would highly recommend and go back!

I can never get enough of this place. My wife and I stumbled upon a Mother Earth beer in the local bottle shop by pure accident. It was an beer aged in bourbon barrels which we could not not try. We fell in love. A while later we were on a trip to Eastern NC and decided to go a few miles out of the way to visit the brewery - great decision.The brewery is alot more than than just a brewery. Great beers, not spirits are definitely available to enjoy but Mother Earth has done so much more to stimulate the community. There are great restaurants near by to enjoy and many other things. Our evening was spent walking the area, finding great food to take back to the brewery and enjoy with some fabulous beers.A few of our favorites are in the silent night series. Perfectly aged beers in bourbon barrels and nothing else matters. They have one that is aged in Blanton's barrels that is to die for. I have not had a bad beer here yet! And the servers were fantastic too.One complaint...They discontinued the Fig and Raisin beer from the windowpane series. Mother Earth - if you read this PLEASE bring it back!!!

Great brewery. I liked their pilsner and my wife liked the flight of sours she had. The bet garden was cute with some bar games.The hallway to the bathrooms had windows overlooking the brewery and one of the canning machines. Was cool to watch that work thru a small batch.But what brought us to check out their operation was their distillery's gin. Never understood how people used to drink gin straight, now I do. It's aromatic, smooth, just needs a splash of vermouth or tonic.

Great brewery with lots of space and good beers. Strawberry fields forever was a different and tasty ipa. Dog and people friendly with a cool vibe. We stayed at the motor lodge down the street and it very walkable. They are doing great things to revamp Kinston.

Stylish taproom and excellent selection of craft beers. There is a neat garden outside with towering hops! I really enjoyed my flight of IPAs. I just wish I lived closer and could be a regular!

Great experience we each did a flight and we’re able to taste a wide selection of their beers. Would certainly go back. Beers were clean and well made. The feel of the tap room was nice, bartender was great. We also bought a bottle of gin we can’t get near where we live. Need to go back and see their distillery

4.7

(245)

4.5

(161)

311 N Herritage St, Kinston, NC 28501, USA

Absolutely beautiful memorial Park. A really nice trail that circles through the whole thing, and a great history lesson. I think I spent 45 minutes here already. All accessible to anyone and everyone.

Beautifully done park. Wide sidewalk throughout. Also lighting along walkway so should be well lit at night. There is a 9/11 memorial, Vietnam memorial, Beirut memorial and Montford memorial. All are well done. The park is very peaceful and offers the perfect place to remember and honor those who have paid the highest price for our freedoms. The Vietnam memorial is exceptionally beautiful with names appearing on glass panels that surround the fountain in the center.

From WWII to the War in Iraq, this memorial site is a beautiful, quite, and peaceful place to learn, walk, pay tribute, and remember what it took, and what it takes to keep this country free. This is a very powerful and moving tribute to all of those that defended our colors with their lives, and a place where they can be appreciated and remembered for their service and contributions. From the thousands of names etched in glass walls around a tranquil water fountain, to the cut beam from the towers of the 9/11 attack, all ages and generations of warrior and civilian are welcome to come and walk amoungst these magnificent structures and statues. This memorial is full of benches, flowers, trees, wide side walks, shade, water, and information to read on the conflicts and names of those that perished from them. There is handicap access to the entire park. You are very likely to run into veterans amoungst the memorials as well.

A really well designed and deserved memorial. I hope and can return when the museum is complete. This place makes you appreciate and grateful for the men and women who help protect our country and way of life. Thank you too all members of the armed forces!!!!!!

I was visiting my son while he was off for the weekend. My husband and I got a hotel near there and we went to look at it during the day and then at night it's beautiful it's a great memorial it's not something you would take young children to it's historical got great history. It has a great African-American tribute and history of that beautiful statues and displays and they're going to make it bigger with kind of a museum it's would be interesting then we took our son there and took some pictures because he's a Marine and they have a great EGA there in the water is beautiful.

I was just there yesterday, I’ve been here every year forTour of Honor. Those memorials are very beautiful and spectacular to see in person!

I did not expect to be this emotional at the Montford Point Marine Memorial. I'm always in awe of the sacrifices my people have and are making. To love a country that does not love you back and still be willing to give your life is something I will never understand. I am more than proud of these Black men.✊🏿#iseeyou

4.9

(305)

5.0

(125)

109 Montford Landing Rd, Jacksonville, NC 28540, USA

Took my Grandson there for his first overnight in a tent. We had a blast. The "Primitive Campground " area is where we stayed. It was about $30 for 2 nights.The site had a gravelled pad, the size I'm guessing at about 10' x 18', on which you pitch your tent. There was also a table with bench seats big enough for 6 people, a fire pit, a wood grill, and a post to hold a lantern.There was no electricity or water tap at the site, but there was a toilet facility, a hut with firewood, and a water spigot located within a short walking distance from us.The campsites are numbered, and you can drive up to it.There is plenty of information on the website regarding walking trails, etc. The office was actually closed due to staffing issues on the Saturday that we arrived, but there was a kiosk outside that had free maps and information. Later that day a Park Ranger came to our site to check on us and explain the rules.Even though the night was very cold and the wind was wicked on the shoreline when we tried fishing, lol. We had a great time, and will be going there again lots more.

A beautiful, hidden gem in eastern NC! Campsites were well kept and provided good privacy from other sites (not too close to one another). The scenery is unique and serene. The trails were well maintained and easy for all skill levels.The only disappointment was that the nature center was closed.We will definitely return!

My husband and I spent the weekend in the primitive campground. The pit toilets were not what expected in a very good way. They were clean and did not stink. Sites are well spaced and offer good privacy. Firewood bundles were available in a self pay shed by the first pit toilet for $8/bundle. Bring cash. Bundles are not big at all. Overall we enjoyed ourselves very much and will be coming back again!!

A great Eastern North Carolina experience. Long boardwalks, eastern NC swamps, more turtles than you've probably seen before, and a great modern campground. It's just east of the historical town of Washington.

We found this to be a most excellent NC State Park. It opened in 2020, just before COVID, so it is still like new. The campsites were easy to back into with comfortable distance from your neighbor. Pads were level with water, power and sewer. There were great trails with great views of the river. The park also had primitive campsites near the river.

This is a great park. Lots are spaced out & large, after another yr grass should be tall enough to give you privacy from your neighbor. Host was very friendly & knowledge. Bath house was very clean, also has a family restroom & shower. We were here 5 nights, lot 6. We have T Mobile & had 5 bars, so streaming movies were no problem. Unfortunately we had no luck fishing. It's a good little walk to swimming area & park has plenty of picnic tables set up. Oh, if you walk your dog at night, take a flashlight. No street lights! Would highly recommend this park.

Fantastic place to visit. Small museum type bldg with great/helpful staff. The trails are clearly marked via color code markers that lead to the shoreline with beautiful water views and scenic routes.

This park is clean and the people are friendly. There are many hikes within the park, but the bugs and horseflies in the area are brutal! Personally, we felt the sound was dirty from everywhere we viewed and it and would not swim in it.Most campsites have no trees surrounding it, so it is HOT HOT when the sun is high in the sky. The sites are huge and spacious and spread out from others.There isn’t a whole lot to do in the area with children. We did a day trip to Aurora to dig fossils by taking the ferry over. We also walked/toured historic Washington and we loved that and so did our boys. We enjoyed the NC Estuary, Down Town on Main for lunch, Scoops for ice cream and the Pitt Brewery!

Excellent visitors center with helpful guide at desk. We walked the boardwalk over the marsh and then the Live Oak Trail along the Pamlico River. Very nice State Park.

I love walking and running the trails here! They are well maintained and the public restrooms are always clean. Highly recommend if looking for something to do outdoors.

A beautiful place pretty far from most towns so bring your snacks and drinks. Amazing natural scenery with very rustic coastal beachy area. Perfect for a day out with kids, pets, and whomever you pick to enjoy a walk and some fresh air. Goose creek is unique in its appeal and must be experienced in person to understand

We stayed at primitive site 04. The sites are well spaced. There is plenty of parking for 2 SUV. They sell firewood ($8/pack -June '23) There's a fishing dock and a place to launch kayaks. The restroom is clean; it is a pit type. There's water access throughout. Trails are fairly good. Mosquitoes are rampant around evening times. Overall, it's great when you like outdoor peace and privacy among other campers. Gas station and convenience stores are about 10min out.

Hidden gem. Wonderful park. The beauty and peacefulness. The primitive campground is very specious.

Beautiful camping experience on the riverbank. Site #13 was beyond gorgeous abound with Spanish moss, wild blueberries, and deer. Cool to see the diverse ecosystems as we walked multiple trails and swam. Super kid friendly just use plenty of bug spray. I didn't realize we were being bit until I got home. Also, anticipate no showers if you are primitive camping.The riverbanks are made of brackish water, fairly shallow, and are comfortable to swim in. Just look out for tree roots underfoot. Water shoes will help.

It's my go too camping spot and wonderful place to hike. Just a 6.3 mile hike around to the beach part on a quiet Sunday morning.

Very clean and affordable fun place to camp,fish and boat

Beautiful place...tons of trails and wonderful beach area...nature everywhere and park is well maintained.

It was nice pretty but there is a downside all the braces but it was nice with the dog and nice people I got a nice sandwich not big waves but I like big waves and it is may and it was warm why dog came to the beach and it was nice she came in the water the water is shallow I would bring a dog if you have one and it will be one of the best places if you like cool thing go hear it is a 20 min drive to my house it was nice

4.7

(1053)

4.5

(94)

2190 Camp Leach Rd, Washington, NC 27889, USA

4 lists

This is a GREAT little experience. They take you on a fun tour providing tons of sea turtle knowledge. You get to walk the tanks and learn about the current residents in care. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and super friendly. Plus all of the money spent at the facility goes right back to the sea turtles in care! This was a great activity for couple and for families. Due to the large amount of “talking tour” might be harder for toddlers FYI.

Great trip for family. Young and old enjoyed looking at the turtles and learning about them. We enjoyed watching the volunteers feed and care for the turtles and look forward to going again. Prepare to spend money in the gift shop. They have all kinds of treasures.

Educational, fun and engaging. Getting to meet the sea turtles was so wonderful, and I learned so much about the different things that can affect the health of marine life. So many awesome people volunteer their time here and I felt empowered to do more to help the sea turtles. I have had this place as my Amazon charity since my visit, we adopted a turtle, and I try to visit every time I come out to NC. Due to the events of 2020 I haven't been able to visit recently, but I'm planning my return visit in November! I highly recommend taking one of their tours and supporting this great organization!

An absolute sanctuary built upon the hope and heart of Jean Beasley in honor of her daughter Karen. The staff and volunteers are incredibly well versed in the turtles native to coastal Carolina and beyond. The facility is amazing, as well as the care provided for the turtles that find themselves here. Expect to spend an hour or so with the guided tour, and make certain to reserve your spots online as the openings do quickly.

What a fantastic service for this TI community! Every one of the volunteers LOVE what they do and the WHY behind it! The facility is modern and wonderful for the turtles rescued. The guides are knowledgeable and friendly! The cost is minimal and SO worth paying, knowing it is going for a GOOD cause!! And the gift shop is where it’s at!!! Highly recommend!! Will go back!!

Wonderful facility that educates the public while rehabilitating sea turtles. We got there right after they ate so many were resting/less active, but it was still a special experience to see them so close.

We have a wonderful tour of the rescue center. Our guide was patient, precise and extremely friendly! We learned a lot about the breeds, eating habits, potential health problems or issues - all related to local sea turtles! We gotto see 6-8 turtles in the rescue bays and one in the critical care area. The gift shop was well stocked, tons of parking available as well. I caution you to make reservations well ahead of time, don't show up without pre-purchase of tickets.

Such a fun experience I would highly recommend for anyone interested in sea life. I was so incredibly impressed with the staff and the amazing hands on tour that they provide. The turtles are so so adorable and the little gift shop they have has merchandise with their actual turtles on them, making it truly unique and special. An event that holds a warm memory.

Wonderful tour to learn about the sea turtle here on Topsail Island. Definitely put it on your to do list!

The people here are so kind and knowledgeable. The kids love stopping each year to visit the turtles and it’s a great reminder for all of us to be thoughtful before we head out to the island. Cute reasonably priced gift shop, clean restrooms, and easily accessible location near restaurant options make this a great family activity. Don’t forget to reserve your spot online.

I cannot say enough good things about this place! The staff is so knowledgeable and helpful and you can tell they really care about the well being of the turtles. I’ve been wanting to visit here since I “Adopted” Lennie a few years ago. We came from Cleveland, OH!

This was such an informative and amazing experience! Our guide was so good and gave us lots of information and it was so cool to get to see sea turtles so close

Do not miss going here! You need to make reservations for your tour but it is worth every minute. I learned so much from our tour person about turtles and what this foundation is doing is amazing. I only wish I could be present when the turtles hatch and make their way to the sea!

What a great experience for our family! It was awesome seeing those sweet turtles being cared for. Please visit, donate, contribute, or volunteer. Loved this place! 😍

This place is super cool! These people do a great job with rehabilitating sea turtles! The tour is awesome and the staff is amazing! Great gift shop with reasonable prices! Great family trip location!

4.7

(998)

4.5

(576)

302 Tortuga Ln, Surf City, NC 28445, USA

16 lists

Traveled down to Morehead, NC (first visit to this area) from the mountains to celebrate my birthday. On 5/17/24, we visited Tryon Palace, on advise from some friends who were originally from New Bern. Unfortunately, most everything was not open, including the gardens. We were able to visit the Gift Store, and walk down to the water's edge. We are hoping to come back another time.New Bern is a great town full of friendly people. Enjoyed our visit there very much!!

Fans of history will enjoy this museum and the Tyron Palace tour. The tour of the interior was about an hour long. I enjoyed our excellent guide “the Englishman” who was both knowledgeable and comedic. The grounds are well kept and I enjoyed walking the gardens on a sunny but chilly December day. Not sure that I would recommend this for very young children, but historically curious kids who are entertained by learning would likely enjoy this visit. The gift shop has a nice selection of interesting trinkets and books. The indoor museum galleries offer interesting facts and perspectives on the natural and human history of the area. I spent about 3 hours here, including the 1 hr palace tour, as an individual. I would visit again to read the galleries in further detail.

Enjoyed looking at all the historical places and items. Walked thru the quaint little shops downtown and had a lovely lunch. Also enjoyed a scoop of honemade ice cream in a waffle cone.

Neat little place to find out more about Tryon palace and some side activities that cost a little extra but give you a more in-depth look into history.

Amazing history! The museum was pretty incredible, they have done an absolutely wonderful job curating the artifacts here. The history of this location is very interesting and there was so much more than we ever thought. If you have kids the Time Machine and hands on area alone is worth the visit. WOW!! Y'all have done an awesome job here! Thank you so much for sharing this with the public.

Interesting exhibits. The interactive exhibits were fun even though they were geared towards kids. Very nice staff. Gift shop has very unique items. Some by NC artisans.

Absolutely wonderful experience. The house itself is extremely beautiful and somewhat cosy despite its grandeur. The best part of the visit was the guides themselves. Extremely interesting commentary. Their work really brings history to life. The centre itself is a little more lowkey but remains very interesting and educational.

I organize an automotive tour that takes place in the spring and fall each year. We arranged to make the Palace a stop for our group and they absolutely enjoyed it. Arranging our stop was easy and the sales staff was a joy to work with. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide who was flat out awesome! He was more than happy to answer questions and did so in period correct costume. I highly recommend this location as it was one of the highlights of our trip! Everyone in our group had nothing but great things to say abut our visit.

Super, super informative history museum. I literally spent a few hours here watching the film they have playing in rotation, listening to actual depictions of individuals from James City, and any other interactive gadgets I could find. I read every single word this museum had to offer. I had the absolute best time ever! I was at a place of historical contentment.

A wonderful way to spend the afternoon! The gardens are a must see! Take your time and read the plaques, it's worth it.

Fun afternoon adventure. Learned a lot of fun facts and history. The staff and recreations were beyond my expectations.

We had such a great time at this museum after touring Tryon Palace!! They have an interactive portion where you can “print a newspaper”, help make roast duck and other receipts, steer a ship, make a quilt, and make turpentine.

4.7

(271)

4.5

(957)

529 S Front St, New Bern, NC 28562, USA

2 lists

I’ve been coming here since I was a few months old. Probably one of the best beaches in the coast of North Carolina! Very peaceful and family like. This is like my second home :)

South Topsail Island is a great getaway from the hustle bustle of life. Beach is nice, only a couple hotels, couple of restaurants. Breezeway Inn is clean, easy walk to the beach, restaurant is good.

Great place to vacation. Beaches are nice, and plenty of food in the area.

Have been coming to Topsail Island for many years. It has grown a lot. Some of that is good but other times I wish it would have stayed smaller and more charming but it is my favorite beach. The beach itself is the best anywhere. The people are friendly and the restaurants offer the best seafood around. Love this place.

Great beach. Not too crowded

My ”boyfriend” took me down here as a “family vacation” and turned it into a proposal on the beach!! 🥹 This place was absolutely amazing and the places were all nice too! Everything about this place is magical and I hope one day we could have our own beach house on the same beach he proposed! We’re currently married and enjoying life!(Went there back in 2021- we were both 18 at the time and fresh outta HS) I HIGHLY recommend coming here for ANY vacation! It’s just so fun!!!

Been going to Topsail for almost 40 years. It’s my family’s bit of heaven. We spend quality time with our family. The beaches are beautiful. Sunrises are amazing. Great places to eat and shop

Love that it's still an old-timey beach in some locations!

Used to be a lovely place but hard to enjoy with tyrannical parking enforcement. Nearly everywhere requires you to pay to park. You can't just drive to the beach anymore.Even some restaurants require paid parking. It's asinine. You can find a completely empty lot and STILL get a ticket for taking up no space.The more the state dips it's hands in the more I also notice the residents become less amicable and hospitable. The stores aren't fun anymore.I left in a worse mood than when I arrived.

Way better and way cleaner than any of the other islands near it.

A beautiful island with miles of beaches and a laid back vibe.

Visit Topsail 🐠🐟Breathtaking views from the pierwith beautiful soft sand beaches that are less crowded ⛱☀️A great spot to surf 🏄‍♀️ and swim between the waves 🌊 among all the fishies 🐠.There are plenty of restaurants, coffee and ice cream 🍦 shops around the area.There’s a $1.00 entrance fee to the pier unless you’re fishing 🎣 ($10.00)Parking was easy to find when we visited.We had an epic 🤙🏼 time here!

I don't want to share this beautiful place.its a five in my heart but I'm rating it a one so it retains it's charm. It's lovely and mostly quiet except for the occasional military aircraft. Gorgeous beaches. North topsail is where you want to be to literally get away from it all. No nearby stores. Surf City is about 20 min down the island.

Great vacation spot! It's not too crowded and it's very relaxing. The locals are super friendly and the stores and restaurants are reasonably priced.

This is a beautiful beach. One of our last trips to see My late Great Aunt Lila Ingram in North Carolina, we visited Topsail Beach after church. The beach is peaceful and serene.

I went down to topsail island to take photos for my business RedSky Images Photography. I love it there! It’s a great place to visit and a great place to photograph! I recommend everyone take a trip here at least once!

4.8

(376)

4.5

(1106)

North Topsail Beach, NC 28460, USA

I love the trails you can definitely get caught up and jump on the wrong trail because it's very serene. If there was any suggestions it be for more maps on the trails I definitely confused the blue and green trails as I was on the blue trail. Lol it was well worth it but if on a time constraint but out for a quick run it may not turn out so quick real fast.

Another very enjoyable North Carolina State Park. In 2018 it was rated the #1 NC coastal state park. You can camp, but you will be transported to Bear Island with everyone else on the ferry and rough camp on Bear Island. This was finally a beach experience similar to what I experienced in 1967 on Emerald Isle when I was in the USMC at Camp Lejeune.The park is well maintained, the staff is pleasant and informative and the ferry process is easy and reasonable. If you visit at peak times on holidays or summer weekends, they have a capacity limit for Bear Island, and they won't ferry more people over to island until people depart.I was hoping to find shark's teeth, but I was unsuccessful. I found more at Topsail Beach.

Great family fun. Nice boat ride out to Island and beach was beautiful. Water was warm. Walk back to boat was hot but not bad. Snack bar was very nice and food was all good. Very nice staff at snack bar.

We had the best time at Hammocks Beach State Park & Bear Island. This was the most affordable and fun way to spend our Labor Day weekend while visiting Jacksonville. We arrived to Swansboro at 1:00 p.m. on a Sunday before the holiday. Parking was simple. We purchased tickets for the Bear Island Ferry at the Visitor’s Center. The center features beautiful butterflies in their garden, a shaded porch with rocking chairs, cool facts and souvenirs inside. Tickets were affordable at $5 for seniors & children and $10 for adults Round Trip to Bear Island. The ferry ride is 15 minutes and so much fun. The staff were so kind and professional. We really enjoyed when the ferry picked up speed. The weather was gorgeous today and allowed us to catch the sea breeze. So thrilling ! Once we docked, we entered the beach trail to bear island. It’s about a 8-10 minute hike. My mom is older and suffers from hip pain and needs another hip replacement. We were lucky to catch a ride on the golf cart with park volunteer Paula. Again such pleasant staff. The park is immaculately clean and bear island was as well. Not 1 piece of trash in site. We enjoyed how peaceful the island was and how clear and clean the water was. We only wish our chihuahua could visit bear island but pets aren’t allowed on the ferry.I look forward to spending many beach days at Bear Island and picnic days at Hammock. This is a North Carolina bucket list destination when in the eastern Carolina region.

Beautiful park on Bogue Sound offering kayak launch and ferry to Hammocks Beach. Day pavilion available for gatherings. Sandy trail is easy walking w few stumps . Entire trail is approximately just under 2 miles. Pet friendly!

First time visiting today. Tough wind and current. Great kayak launch area. The maps are a bit outdated due to storms, etc. Clean facilities. Wheelchair accessible. Handicapped parking areas. They have kayak rentals and also a hose to wash off your kayak or paddleboard. There are some parking spots that are in the shade.

Spent a beautiful day going over to Bear Island via the State Ferry. Plenty of parking, get a ticket inside and head to the ferry dock for short but fun ride over the the island, then a ten min walk to the beach. Bring what u need due to limited services on the island. Plan ur trip back as ferries can be full and limited.

Beautiful trails and they were not too crowded! The trails are flat and not too long, so they would be good to do with kids. I am excited to come back here with my nephew.I would suggest going earlier in the morning because the sun being lower in the sky makes it all look even more beautiful!

Beautiful!!! Clean and lovely! Maritime forest and dunes are phenomenal and pristine. Ferry is easy, and everyone was helpful. Two wishes: 1) We had no idea how quickly ferry fills up. Arrived at 12:30 and could not get on until 2:30. Should have arrived earlier. 2) Should have brought our own freshwater. The freshwater that is accessible on Bear Island is exceptionally funky.

We had a great first visit to hammocks today! The parking lot was completely full by 11 when we arrived and people were beginning to park in the grass. A ranger told us it was ok to park in the grass—so don’t be afraid to park in the grass around the lots. The next ferry was full but we were able to catch the noon ferry. There were exhibits to look at while you wait and plenty of covered seating—we ended up just sitting and eating our lunch while we waited. The summer Ferry schedule meant there was a ferry departing every half hour. It easily fit 40 people and various chairs/carts/beach accessories. Any wagons have to be able to fold (only in the case there isn’t room for it to remain expanded). The ride was only 10-15 minutes and was enjoyable—we even saw dolphins on the way back. The walk from the ferry to the beach was 10 - 15 minutes (the guides said it was a half mile) and there was a golf cart going back and forth to assist those who needed it. You pass the entrance to the bathroom/concession stand just before you reach the beach as well as a path to the campsites. We scouted out the campsites and decided when we camp later in the summer we will walk down the beach to access our site. The sites all appear to have short trails to the beach and carrying everything down the beach would be much easier than the winding and hilly trail through the dunes. The beach was beautiful and there were lifeguards on duty. There is a well maintained bathroom with running water and real toilets, also a full shower for campers. There are outdoor shower stations, a water fountain, and a potable water spigot for daily beach goers as well. The concession stand is just a short walk down the boardwalk from the bath house. They had chips, pop, ice cream, etc but were cash only so plan accordingly. (Keep in mind there are no trash cans so you have to pack out all of your trash.) They also had a tank of fish at the concession stand and there was a worker there to discuss the fish on display. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our day and are returning to camp later this summer. Overall I was a little surprised at how many people were there (though there was plenty of Beach to space out).UPDATE: we just camped for a night and would HIGHLY recommend bug spray and long pants/shirts. We had fire ants at the campsite and biting black flies swarming us everywhere all evening. We were desperate to cover up (even despite the heat) because the bug spray didn’t seem to deter them. We ended up just going to bed early so we could escape the bugs in the tent. The next morning we had no issue with bugs so I’m wondering if it was due to there being no wind the first night.

We rented kayaks from Paddle NC at Hammocks Beach State Park, and paddled out to Bear Island. We had Southeast winds and a rising tide so we started out working against both, but that turned in our favor on the return. Bear Island is beautiful. This is a great paddle for bird watchers. We even saw lots of fish.

I grew up on the Outer Banks but have since moved away. Have been looking for “my beach” ever since. We discovered this little jewel while on a camping trip and I knew right away, this was going to be “my beach”. It does a take a ferry ride to get to it (or a decent kayak trip) but that’s just a part of the allure of the journey. There is a short walk once you’re in the island but that helps keep you from lugging too much stuff with you.The beaches are only dotted with beach goers and that’s by design. It’ll NEVER get crowded. The shelling is fantastic! Haven’t found anywhere better.The story of the island is fantastic too. Make sure to swing by the restrooms and read about it. The snack shack is a refreshing break from the sun and the kids usually have some funny takes on working there.If you haven’t been, you owe it to yourself to make a trip.

This review is mainly due the camping policies and the on shore staff.My camping reservation was cancelled due to the Hammocks Beach Ferry operators shutting down the ferry at 9 am the next day. Since the 9am ferry being the ONLY operational ferry ride on Wednesday August 30th. I was not given an option of a refund for the inconvenience of having my the time of my camp booking being cut short (you check-in at 3pm on the first day of and must checkout by noon of your campsite on the last day) or having the option to move my camping date within the same week. The attendant (women with brownish blonde hair and glasses) was very hostile and cold in the way she addressed the situation. I have serve reservations about this facility due to the way my camping reservation was handled.Please do not let the treatment of the staff change your mind about visiting this beach. This beach is a wonderful hidden gem among the locals with real sea treasures to be found washed up on shore.

Walked all the trails. A little over 2 miles. Nice walk with some views of the water. Bear island was closed for renovations.

4.7

(1202)

4.5

(245)

1572 State Rd 1511, Swansboro, NC 28584, USA

It's how we spent a rainy Tuesday, since it wasn't a good day for the beach. It was quite nice for a small aquarium, and had a surprising amount of animals. Every exhibit seemed clean and well take care of. Staff was friendly.

Reserved tickets online through reciprocity, a very easy process! The later in the day you arrive, parking can get tricky vs first at opening. Make sure to check out the marsh outside as well as the snakes/eagle. If you have time for the nature trail, that is always an option. Note that after touching sting rays or the hermit crab habitats, they don't have soap - only water and paper towels. The entire location takes about 2 hours if you get it just right - also take note you will backtrack for bathrooms so best to use upon arrival. This is NC aquarium #2 of 3 for us. The staff do such a great job interacting with guests. Check the screen upon entering for an animal feed, activity, encounter, etc. A great stop, especially with kids!

This is a great day trip for everyone in the family. The aquarium is extremely accommodating and accessible, they also allow you quick entry to the facility. I recommend pre-ordering tickets so that you can just check in at the front area. There is ample parking and it is easy to find using a GPS. It took a little over an hour to get through all exhibits at a nice pace where you can savor viewing all of the aquatic and reptilian life. There's even some bonus exhibits that feature some feathered friends!There is also an outdoor area that allows you to go on a very scenic hike, and there is a spot for kids to play in a park setting playground. Everything was extremely clean and the bathrooms were easy to find as well. They also have a dairy Queen on site for a quick snack.

We visited the aquarium this past weekend with my son and our two granddaughters. We’ve been here before with other family members over the years, and every visit has been outstanding! The facilities are well maintained, plenty of parking, and the staff are very courteous and knowledgeable about the marine life. Always educational!

This is a wonderful little aquarium with a nice variety of exhibits and a boardwalk trail outside.We visited on a rainy Saturday morning and it was quite busy. They said that now that we are entering the high season, reservations will be required.There's an area where you can touch some wildlife. Concise, sea stars and sea anemone. A hit with the youngest member of our party.A membership gets you access to the other two aquariums and the zoo in Asheville.

We had the most amazing time! So affordable 12.00 for adult. On the smaller side and the staff were so nice. Snake feeding was sketchy buy I loved petting the Sting Ray's. It's a must see if your an Aquarium lover.

I had never been to this aquarium before, and this does not disappoint!It was really cool, for one thing, how they had the building divided into different sections, such as one for eastern North Carolina and another for Western North carolina, and there were even boardwalks behind the building where you could go out and observe the inland marshes and the like

While visiting the North Carolina coast, our family recommended stopping in at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knolls. What a great Aquarium. Admission was reasonable and, though we visited on a Friday, it wasn't terribly crowded. Our granddaughter really enjoyed seeing otters, sharks, lion fish, owls, snakes, an alligator and playing on the slides out on the nature walk. I really enjoyed the visit as well. Highly recommended.

Went Monday Labor Day holiday. Fun and informative visit. Not too crowded. Bought tickets online, but I don’t think it was necessary, tickets were also sold at the door. Military discount with proper ID.

Something fun and inexpensive to do with kids. Took about 45 minutes to an hour to walk through and look at all of the exhibits. Very friendly and kind staff.

Beautiful Aquarium where the staff is friendly and very helpful! It was only $12.95 per adult when we went. Wheelchairs were available for use. Fidget bags also. Hey have areas specificly for kid's activities too!Don't handle the sea urchins or take the hermit crabs out of the water Orr you'll get in trouble like my friend...me. It was me. 😂

Nice aquarium to visit when it’s raining! I liked the touch pool it was really fun. You could probably spend 30-1 hr here. It was around $12 per adult entry.I liked the trout feeding, it was fun to watch them get fed as you could see what was happening under the water.The otters were the best part. Super cute and kept swimming laps which was adorable.

Have been going to this aquarium for many years. Great aquarium. However, my son (a 2 year old) was excited to see a turtle on the wall. He was hitting the wall, not hard I can guarantee. He is very well mannered and had 2 parents and 2 grandparents watching him. A man from the security office came out and gave us attitude saying it was hard to work with people banging on the wall. My family and I thought he was joking because it was so bizarre. This employee needs to remember this is a family environment with lots of children who are excited to be there. Your job is in customer service and we are paying customers. Don’t ruin it with your poor professionalism plus lack of customer service and patience.

Good aquarium. Came on a rainy day in March, it wasn't busy. Took about 45 mins to walk through. Had it been busier it would've taken longer.

Great fun on the behind-the-scenes tour. We learned a bit about caring for the fish, reptiles and birds, fed the fish in the big tank, and saw the sharks get fed (sharks on Tuesdays, Fridays so plan accordingly). Highly recommended!

Love this aquarium! I've been here so many times, but it remains such a beautiful, educational and entertaining place to visit. I never get tired of it. I always enjoy some of the same exhibits and every so often there are new things to see as well. The bald eagles have been a treat this year. I also love seeing my all-time favorite, the jellyfish. This is a clean facility with a wonderful staff. Great for families or individuals. There are various educational opportunities throughout the year as well as activities directed towards children. The gift shop is nice with a variety of things for everyone of all ages. Just outside the exit, there is a Dairy Queen window with all of the delicious ice cream favorites as well as some of the classics such as hot dogs, etc. It is a joy and a privilege to live so close and to be able to visit so often. I highly recommend! 💙🐠🦈

Great big sand-castle out front each summer. Really elaborate.Gift shop is BACK! Was cleaned out during pandemic, but as of 2023 it's full of all the goodies again. Some cool finds even for adults.We didn't actually go in this year, as we've done it several times in the past. We just wanted to see if the gift shop was stocked. You can enter the gift shop without paying admission.They also have a DQ available for outdoor service (not inside admission).

The children enjoyed themselves and didn’t want to leave. Another very intimate experience, they enjoyed the marine life, exploring the marsh on a scavenger hunt, the natural playground, and the sharks were the star of the show. Definitely worth a visit. Also, the staff is awesome!

4.7

(1978)

4.5

(1053)

1 Roosevelt Blvd, Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512, USA

+7 other lists

The park surrounding the fort has nature trails and beach access. There is plenty of free parking and restrooms are available at the fort, the focal point of the park. You can easily spend a half day here, touring the fort, walking the trails and/or lounging or fishing on the beach, which offers nice views of the Beaufort inlet. Everything in the park is clean and well kept.

History with a gorgeous view! We are locals but we always take our guests here. Everyone enjoys it because there’s a fort, a beach, and walking trails—something for everyone. We especially love to take our dogs to walk on the beach or the outstanding nature trails during the off season.

Visited in late February. Its a cool park with a lot of history. Decent amount of area to walk around; inside there's a small interpretive area, outside there is the main fort building as well as some other trails.The inside area is OK. The displays seemed a bit low effort and were geared more towards children.The outside was better. However if you're going on a self guided tour beware that depending on the time of year many of the exhibits in the actual fort may be closed.Exercise caution with children, there's a lot of areas to trip, fall, and otherwise be injured.If you're in the area, it's worth a stop.

This was a great stop on a work trip before leaving to head home. Historical places are something I just enjoy and this is a great one. And it's free to explore! Definitely keep an eye on little ones if you have them with you due to no safety rails around the top. Posted a few of the pics from the trip but definitely couldn't post them all. So much history to learn here! Will definitely visit again!

So clean. Easy parking. Offers clean changing rooms with showers and bathrooms. The beach was clean! Affordable concessions and the staff was very friendly. They also handled a situation that involved an intoxicated woman and a child incredibly well.

Fun place to take kids. They do a shooting demonstration, you can walk through the rooms and bunkers, there are informational rooms with ac to cool down between walking and they offer tours. The beach is located right off the parking lot so it’s a great place to stop for two attractions at once! Stairs are steep in some sections but it is handicap accessible.

Absolutely Awesome Experience! It was a great time and adventure to go there and learn all the history. The scenery of the beaches was beautiful. And it felt so enjoyable to take in the scenery of exploring the fort. Without any doubt going to Fort Macon is an awesome, fun, and great opportunity to take advantage of! Have a great day!!!😃☀️🇺🇸⚓️🌊

Fort Macon is a really cool place to visit. The fort is in excellent condition and has been well-preserved. You can see how the fort would have looked when it was in use - certain rooms in the fort have been set up to look like they would have during the war. There are cannons set up on the top of the fort, too. There is a visitor's center that has been built in recent years that is really neat. You can learn more about the history of the fort as well as the surrounding habitat. There is a gift store inside offering lots of things, such as children's toys, clothing, books and souvenirs. After exploring the fort, you can walk across the parking lot to get to the beach. It's a great place to hang out, and kids will love it too.

This is an awesome historical landmark to explore! It was rainy on the day we visited and we still braved the weather to explore every nook and cranny. The main building has some nice exhibits and staff to answer questions as well as a store. The fort itself also has exhibits and lots to explore! Fun for kids and adults—just supervise children as some of the steps are very steep. If it is wet, and you really want to explore, make sure you have appropriate footwear for puddles and a little bit of mud.

Great place for the family. We came here on vacation and the walk and beach area are amazing with wonderful ocean views. The bunker/museum area was absolutely wonderful and they made it great for all ages. I highly recommend going here, and it's free. Such an educational experience.

Great place to visit especially if you are a history buff. The fort is in excellent condition. The separate visitors center has a nice gift shop as well as a museum. Definitely worth the visit but I strongly recommend bringing bug spray.

Early spring in coastal NC? Nothing compares! Lovely beach and nice short dog friendly walking trail. We will be back!

Ft Macon is fantastic! Don't miss the experience,it will thrill you! Imagine yourself defending the NC coast during that particular time period....a very dangerous situation indeed,it took plenty of courage & commitment, that's what Patriots do.....

A wonderful place. Much history. Park very clean and well maintained. Features live scheduled tours and demonstrations. At the end of the outer banks strand, so surrounded on 3 sides by a beautiful beach with many seashells. Not at all crowded on a Friday, although overcast, slightly rainy, and windy climate undoubtedly kept some people away. Will definitely return very soon.Great visit again today, on New Year's day 2024. Sunshine, 55 degrees, and we all loved it. Our big Husky went swimming, as usual for him. He loves water. We

A great place to visit for history enthusiasts and all. Nice walking trails and beach areas also.

Fort Macon was built to protect trade decades ago & now is a superb rebuild of how the 5 Star designed fort’s were built for coastal protection.Fishing, walking, beach activities can all be found here. And around the Fort itself, lots of mosquitos. Bring & use your big spray.It is a great day trip if you want history, museum & relaxing on the coast.Restrooms, gift shop, ADA accessible to all areas here.

Easy access from parking lot: has a ramp and stairs.Well maintained and clean sand (no trash/no broken glass) with lots of sea shells.Beautiful experience.We went at 6:00pm, an hour before closing one October evening and there were not many people.GREAT for a simple walk on the beach in the Fall.

While I'm not a history buff and I don't usually seek out Forts, this place is really cool and worth a visit if you're in the area.The construction of Fort itself is really interesting and the park service has done an excellent job utilizing the space with historic exhibitions and artifacts.Outside of the Fort, there's beach access (No swimming as the currentsare too strong) for fishing, and access to a nature trail.

4.8

(6074)

5.0

(1073)

2303 E Fort Macon Rd, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512, USA

8 lists

Such an interesting place with some pretty neat artifacts. The museum is free, but please be sure to donate so we can keep stuff like this free to the public. They have a pretty huge library in the back of the museum that is staged perfectly and you could spend a few hours in there honestly. If you’re ever in town, take a stop. There is free parking in the back, for museum guests only.

Great place to visit with the family kids parents grandparents etc. Or if you are just looking for a place to go on a date. It's free ( donations are accepted but not required)

i ADORE this place!! 😄😄😄i used to go here as a kid and it’s just as fun as i remember it (and it was really fun as a kid!!!!) the shark looked so real i almost thought i was in the 1975 American thrilled Jaws!!!🤣🤣😂😂😂😂. Everyone was so friendly and gift shop was super awesome! Love this place and will be back soon!

This place is so cool and educational. It’s not very big which is a good thing when you have children with you! I loved all the artifacts and information that was on display.

This museum had more than I expected. It had a display about the history of surfing I found interesting. But of course the big attraction is Blackbeard and pirate displays. It's a must see when visiting Beaufort.

Another great free museum in NC everyone should check out. Lots of artifacts on display from Blackbeard's ship the Queen Anne's Revenge that sunck not far off the coast. Also on display is a history of the maritime industry in eastern NC. Very informative. All the staff we interacted with were pleasant and helpful. This museum is free however, donations are welcome!

This is a great museum about maritime practices in the local area. Admission is free but the museum accepts donations. There is a robust pirate, Black Beard, and Queen Anne’s Revenge exhibit. It should take about 30-90 minutes to walk through all of the exhibits, depending on your interest level. There is a gift shop and a library with comfy chairs. It was under construction when we went so there may be more exhibits by the time you visit.

What a wonderful museum! So much to take in give yourself a few hours. The museum is relatively small but is packed with great interactive displays! From learning about the North Carolina coastal habitats to Learning the history of Blackbeard this museum is fun for all ages! There’s no charge to visit the museum but they do except donations.

The museum was a fantastic addition to our trip to Beaufort, NC. We went both days we were in town.The legendary Blackbeard the pirate is highlighted in the museum explaining the Bigger than life escapades of pirate history. Explore the life of seamen on whale ships and the early history of the sea village of Beaufort.Take a few extra monuments to relax in free library and explore the gift shop.We’ll worth the visit!

One of my favorite museums hands down! The NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC has grown from a small waterfront museum to a maritime research facility. It has a boat building school, tours, and fantastic small marine library. The exhibits are detailed and very well done!Don't forget to stop by the well-stocked gift shop on the way out.

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4.5

(900)

315 Front St, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA