Where to stay

With three major universities near Raleigh, it's easy to find exciting Division I college sports, along with budget-friendly restaurants, lively bars, and plenty of school spirit. Stay northwest of Raleigh in Chapel Hill where the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Tar Heels play football, basketball, and more than 20 other men's and women's sports. Hotels in nearby Durham are perfect for watching the competitive Duke University Blue Devils. If accommodations are scarce during athletic events, find lodgings in Morrisville, less than a 30-minute drive away. Book a hotel in Raleigh or nearby Cary to watch a North Carolina State Wolfpack match, cheering on one of the school's many great teams. Even if you don't get tickets to a game, wander through the college neighborhoods when post-game excitement fills the streets and creates an electric atmosphere.

Raleigh is in the central piedmont area of North Carolina, where beautiful gardens and man-made lakes offer refreshing outdoor experiences. Stay in the heart of Raleigh to explore Pullen Park, the state's first public park, with a pretty pond and the noteworthy Theatre in the Park program. Find a place to stay in Chapel Hill to visit the acclaimed North Carolina Botanical Garden and Coker Arboretum. Hotels in nearby Durham are perfect for visiting numerous outdoor sites, including the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke Lemur Center. Accommodations in North Hills give easy access to the northern attractions of Falls Lake State Recreation Area and William B. Umstead State Park, with hiking and biking trails and three manmade lakes. To the south, Garner is a good spot to stay to relax with fishing and boating at Lake Benson. Knightville to the east is great for quiet strolls on the Neuse River Trail.

As the state capital, Raleigh is filled with cultural sites. University programs add even more arts and performing arts attractions. Stay in Downtown Raleigh to see the North Carolina State Capitol and visit state museums of history and natural sciences, with the state's art museum just outside the inner ring road. This neighborhood also has numerous theaters and specialized museums for kids, art-lovers, and even drag-racing fans. Durham accommodations are near attractions ranging from the acclaimed Durham Performing Arts Center, to the American Tobacco Historic District, and the sports field that is home to the Durham Bulls, a Triple A baseball team that earned global fame after the release of the Bull Durham film. Book a hotel in Chapel Hill to visit the planetarium and the Carolina Basketball Museum.