48 Hours in Raleigh

Got visitors in town this holiday season?

Whether you’re hanging with your hip single besties, friends with young kids, your empty-nester parents, some art-savvy culture vultures or your octogenarian grandparents, we’ve got you covered with 48-hour schedules of what to do—and where to put them up—during their time here. With this in-depth guide, they’ll experience not a second of boredom—and you’ll be left feeling oh-so stress-free. Also, our planner easily transitions to a self-help staycation guide.

Itinerary: Empty-Nester Parents

FRIDAY

Check in
The Longleaf Hotel (Capitol District) 3pm

Happy hour drinks
The Atlantic Lounge speakeasy (Buy your key between 5–7pm). Trust us, well worth it. 5pm

Dinner
Jolie 6:30pm

Post-dinner drinks
William & Company and/or Person Street Bar 8:30pm

Late-night snack
Krispy Kreme (an NC original!) or Two Roosters Ice Cream Midnight

SATURDAY

Brunch/lunch
Clouds Brewing Downtown Noon

Saturday funday
Killjoy for cocktails and football 2pm

Late-afternoon snacks & Sips
Little City Brewing + Provisions Co. 5pm

Dinner by the pool
Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar 7:30pm

Post-dinner drinks & entertainment
The Longleaf Lounge 9:30pm

SUNDAY 

Check out + breakfast & coffee
A Place at the Table Noon

Itinerary: Friends With Kids

FRIDAY

Check in
Hyatt House Raleigh North Hills (Midtown Raleigh) 3pm

Happy hour drinks + Play
Kings Dining & Entertainment 4pm

Dinner
Wilson’s Eatery 5:30pm

Nightcap + Tot Wind-down
Lynnwood Brewing Concern (fam-friendly!) 7:30pm

SATURDAY

Lunch + Play
Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard 11am

Saturday funday
Marbles Kids Museum and/or 
NC Museum of Natural Sciences 12:30pm

Late-afternoon snacks & Sips
Vita Vite North Hills while kids play at Midtown Park 3:30pm

Dinner + Movie
Fox & Hound + Regal North Hills 5pm

DESSERT
Ben & Jerry’s 8pm

SUNDAY 

Check out + breakfast & coffee
Coquette NOON

Itinerary: Grandparents

FRIDAY

Check in
Heights House Hotel (Boylan Heights) 4pm

Happy hour drinks
Vita Vite Downtown 5pm

Dinner
Irregardless Cafe 6:30pm

Nightcap
Bittersweet 8:30pm

SATURDAY

Brunch/Lunch
Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing Noon

Saturday funday
Dix Park stroll (and extended views of DTR!) 2pm

Late-afternoon snacks & Sips
Barcelona Wine Bar 4pm

Dinner
42nd Street Oyster Bar 6:30pm

SUNDAY 

Check out + breakfast & coffee
Heirloom Brewshop 11AM

Itinerary: Culture Vultures

FRIDAY

Check in
Sheraton Raleigh Hotel (Fayetteville Street District) 3pm

Happy hour drinks
Rye Bar & Southern Kitchen 4pm

Dinner + Show
Poole’s Diner + Red Hat Amphitheater 5:30pm

Post-dinner drinks
10th & Terrace 9pm

Late-night snack
The Raleigh Times 11pm

SATURDAY

Brunch/lunch
Whiskey Kitchen Noon

Saturday funday
CAM Raleigh (followed by drinks at Junction West),
COR Museum (followed by drinks at Foundation) and/or
NC Museum of History (followed by drinks at The Merchant) 2pm

Dinner + Show
Sono for sushi + Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 5pm

Post-dinner drinks
Young Hearts Distilling 9:30pm

SUNDAY 

Check out + breakfast & coffee
The Morning Times Noon

Itinerary: Hip Single Friends

FRIDAY

Check in
AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown (Glenwood South) 3pm

Happy hour drinks
Dram & Draught 5pm

Dinner
The Rockford 6:30pm

Post-dinner drinks
Highgarden 8pm

Entertainment
PLUS Dueling Piano Bar 9:30pm

Late-night snack
Char-Grill 11pm

SATURDAY

Lunch
Mexican and hair-of-the-dog margs at La Santa Noon

LIVE TUNES Or Entertainment
Tin Roof, Milk Bar, Pine State Public House;
Room 5280: Live Escape Games;
Scoot to Village District for window-shopping 2pm

Late-afternoon snacks & Sips
Morgan Street Food Hall + Aunty Betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar 5pm

Dinner
Vidrio 7:30pm

Post-dinner drinks & entertainment
Pink Boot honky-tonk 9:30pm

SUNDAY 

Check out + breakfast & coffee
Layered Croissanterie Noon