18. Raleigh, North Carolina, a Small Town Feel with a Big City Vibe

Today, I'll be speaking with Caroline Makepeace about how to make the most of a day outdoors in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Join Caroline and me as we bike, paddle, eat and drink our way through the big city with a small town feel!

 

About Caroline Makepeace

Caroline is the co-Founder of y travel blog, along with her husband, Craig.

Over the past 10 years, they've been showing people how to travel more and create better memories. And together, they have built y travel blog into one of the biggest travel blogs in the world!

She has experienced almost every travel style after traveling (mostly nomadically) for 23 years, including living in 5 different countries and traveling to over 50. 

She and her husband have also proven travel is possible after kids. They've created a full-time family travel lifestyle with their 2 daughters since 2013.

More recently, they were awarded a green card for their extraordinary ability in the art of travel blogging and are now living in their dream home in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Their new venture, This is Raleigh, showcases the vibrancy of this incredible city. 

Read more about Caroline's traveling experience at y travel blog or her learn all about Raleigh at This is Raleigh.

What We Cover in This Episode What would motivate a family of globetrotting Australians to settle down in Raleigh, North Carolina. The best and worst time of year to visit Raleigh, NC. A local's two favorite hotels to stay at in Raleigh, including one boutique hotel and one hidden secret on a lake. The best spot to get a traditional southern breakfast in Raleigh, NC. A local coffee spot that pours a "perfect cup." A spot in Raleigh where you can hike, bike, kayak, and paddleboat on a lake amongst the pine and oak trees. The best spot for brunch with views of the city. A popular, casual lunch option that caters to everyone and serves up delicious mimosa buckets. An 11-mile bike trail that's great for seeing the area, as well as taking in some culture. A lake an hour outside of the city where there are no crowds, and you can enjoy all of your water activities. The best spot for dinner in Raleigh, North Carolina. The best bars and breweries to wind down at after a long day of adventure. The two best spots to watch the sunset in Raleigh, NC. How to find a popular Instagram spot in the city. An overrated neighborhood in Raleigh, and where you should spend your time instead.

 

Quotes

Caroline: It's a wonderful lifestyle. I think it's very outdoorsy, very jovial, fun, vibrant, friendly, welcoming. Very welcoming, Raleigh really is.

And it just has a sense of vibrancy here. People are very friendly. People are very happy and very content.

When we were going back and forth and moving back to Australia and every time we came back, it just hit me, as soon as I'd arrive. Oh my gosh. Everyone is so friendly here.

I mean, I'm from Australia. I find people in Australia to be quite friendly, but it's just so obvious how friendly and welcoming people are. I mean, every person has a sign in their yard, you know, everyone's welcome here, and it really is that in Raleigh. It's very special in that way.

It also feels like you live in a forest. It's called the city of Oaks. And I mean, we're just surrounded by trees, and we're immersed in this kind of green lifestyle, which I think really adds to people's sense of happiness and contentment.

There's a lot of fun things happening in Raleigh. There's always a festival on. There's always a music event on. And it's really grown a lot over the last couple of years, and the food scene has just exploded. And you know, it's a great location. We're just over an hour to the beach. We're three to four hours to the mountains. And then we're halfway between New York and Florida, which is really important for us because you know, we love to travel so much. So that accessibility to lots of exciting places to visit is important for us in where we choose to live.

Links to Places Mentioned in this Episode Where the locals stay in Raleigh, NC: The Longleaf Hotel The StateView Hotel Outdoor Destinations Mentioned in this Episode's "Perfect Day": Lake Raleigh on Centennial Campus Moore Square Lake Johnson How to Bike the Art to Heart Trail at the North Carolina Museum of Art North Carolina State University Jordan Lake John H. Kerr Reservoir Falls Lake Dorothea Dix Park

This is Raleigh Article mentioned in the Episode

34 Reasons we love living in Raleigh, NC

Raleigh, North Carolina Neighborhoods & Surrounding Cities Mentioned in this Episode: Warehouse District Boylan Heights Cary Person Street District North Hills Hargett Street Area Historic Oakwood Raleigh, North Carolina Restaurants & Breweries Mentioned in this Episode: Big Ed's City Market Restaurant Heirloom Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing Morgan Street Food Hall Bond Brothers Beer Company Crawford & Son Watts & Ward Raleigh, North Carolina Instagram Photo Spots Mentioned in this Episode: Boylan Bridge All Are Welcome Raleigh Mural at Poole'side Pies Thanks for Listening!

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