Raleigh’s arts scene is heating up. A diverse cast of theater productions, exhibits, ballet and opera performances, and so much more are set to steal the scene—and up the drama across multiple genres and stages. Consider this your ultimate culture guide to it all.
Full steam ahead! Once home to a fire department, police station, town court, jail and library—all simultaneously (!)—the century-old landmark is accustomed to wearing many hats, now supporting multiple local businesses. Where food hall meets strip mall, the three-story spot recently transformed into a multitenant space—and it’s definitely on the right track. Start the day with breakfast at Rock & Roll Cafe, browse record stores and beauty shops, take an art class, then head to Crescendo for dinner. The building’s new act is its liveliest yet—with the cinnamon rolls alone worth climbing aboard for. Next stop: East Second Street.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Brews and community are in full bloom at this local microroastery in the heart of historic downtown. With beans from coffee-growing regions across Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala and beyond, the shop is committed to sourcing products that are both organic and Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance Certified—all in support of the environment and farmers who make our quiet mornings possible. A vibrant, full-scale exterior mural bursting with birds and florals turns heads before you step through the door, while matcha, specialty lattes and robust pours keep you lingering. Whether you’re dropping in for quick coffee and convo or staying for local baked goods and seasonal sips, locals and visitors alike have plenty of ~grounds~ for gathering.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. Bull City’s new entertainment hub is bringing 90K square feet of high-speed fun to the Triangle. The indoor megaplex is packed with climate-controlled electric Superkart courses, a two-story laser tag arena, and Hyperdeck and Hologate virtual reality experiences built for friendly competition—plus a mix of over 150 retro and current arcade games. When it comes time to refuel, Andretti ditches regular concession fare for habanero bacon jam burgers, loaded nachos and chorizo avocado flatbreads—with a full-service bar to boot. Even better? Every lap supports colorectal cancer prevention through the CheckIt4Andretti Foundation, giving playtime a purpose. In it to win it, indeed.
Photo courtesy of Andretti Indoor Karting & Games Durham
Here’s the scoop: The best gelato outside Italy is hiding right in Raleigh’s backyard—and it’s about time you sampled. Husband-and-wife duo Warwick Sheehan and Diana Diaz launched the creamery in 2022 after researching gelato across the country and honing their craft at the famed Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna. The result? National acclaim for a commitment to Italian tradition and use of local flavors, from Homeland Creamery dairy to seasonal fruit from the State Farmers Market. Mainstay flavors like stracciatella and sweet cream are go-tos, while rotating weekly specials such as matcha coconut and labneh Meyer lemon up the wow factor—and for those who are dairy-free, a refreshing lineup of sorbets scratch the itch. The cherry on top? A signature waffle wafer for that extra crunch. Buonissimo!
Bookworms—start digging. After more than a decade of dreaming, former SAS leader Marcie Montague has begun a new chapter downtown—one that brings, well, beautiful things to the city. Named after one of Shakespeare’s greatest—yes, that Juliet—the independent bookstore’s shelves are stocked with bestsellers, staff picks, children’s classics and thoughtful knickknacks showcasing local creatives. And the literary therapy doesn’t stop there. Among Montague’s hopes for the book nook’s future are book clubs, author events, beer and wine service, story times with her dog Maisy—and ultimately giving Cary the happy ending it deserves.
Your truckchase ends here. Word on the street: More and more mobile eateries are hitting the brakes and putting it in park permanently, giving hungry Raleighites one less thing to track down. From breakfast burritos to Caribbean cuisine, here are five locked-in food trucks worth rollin’ out to.
Gym Tacos
Dampf Good BBQ Smoke ’em if you got ’em! Missouri- and Texas-bred pitmasters Nick and Bryce Dampf have made quite the name for themselves—earning Dampf a nod on the 2025 Michelin Guide American South. The joint is best known for its bacon brisket, ribs, housemade sauces and slew of classic Southern sides. And, yes, those racks are worth writing home about. 6800 Good Hope Church Road, Cary, @dampfgoodbbq
Gym Tacos “Come work out with us”—and by that they mean work a bunch of authentic Mexican street food into your mouth. The can’t-miss bright-orange taqueria has earned local fame for its handmade corn tortillas, sopes, tortas, tostadas and tacos (natch) covering all your Mexican-food moods. Taco ’bout gains (!). 1942 Wake Forest Road, @gymtacos
Island Bodega Take yourself to paradise—no plane ticket required. Part Tri-State deli, part Caribbean street food oasis, this Trinidadian truck stop is the place to be every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with chef Semion Spencer delivering bold, eclectic dishes like jerk and curry chicken nachos, wraps, and authentic chopped cheese. A little Jersey, a little island and a little Raleigh? It’s a shore thing. 815 E. Whitaker Mill Road, @island__bodega
Taqueria La Sabrosita Sushi tacos? Say less. While other taco joints chase trends, La Sabrosita sticks to authentic Mexican classics. Whether you’re going for the chile relleno, quesabirria, empanadas or tostadas, you’ll be able to taste the scratchmade difference from the very first bite. 6533 Glenwood Ave., @taqueria_lasabrosita
Mr. Burro Taking brekky to next-level, Sarah Frey’s here-to-stay truck deserves to be part of your daily morning routine, with breakfast quesadillas, tacos, burritos and homemade sauces (strongly encouraged) all on tap. Wash it all down with a coffee for an extra boost. 909 Rock Quarry Road, @mrburroraleigh
Your guide to spotting AI-generated images before you fall for the faux.
Looks can be deceiving—and as AI image generation becomes more convincing, it’s getting harder to determine what’s fact from fiction. The good news? There are still telltale signs if you know where to look—and a few tricks to becoming a properly trained scroller. After all, the devil’s in the details…
KEEP IT REAL: When it comes to flawless skin, your first instinct should be investigation, not admiration. Read: Small imperfections are what keep things, well, real. Apply the same detective work to other textured areas. If everything looks suspiciously smooth, you may have a fake on your hands.
SHADY BEHAVIOR: Glow can be an easy giveaway. First, locate where the photo’s light source appears to be, then see if the shadows fall in line. If dim light produces a sharp, dark shadow—or two that point in opposite directions—wave the red flag.
PERSPECTIVE MATTERS: All roads lead back to—different spots? Yikes. Lucky for us humans, vanishing point laws are difficult for AI to grasp, and while the straight edges of a scene should converge at a single spot, they may bend or wander if AI-generated. If anything seems spatially off, consider it a dead giveaway.
READ THE FINE PRINT:When in doubt, zoom in. While AI has gotten better at generating legible text and common patterns, the more intricate the details, the better the tell. Take a second look at brand names, license plates and small script—you might find gibberish buried in the pixels.
TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR: Mirrors, windows, water and even eyes can reveal a faux flick. AI struggles to recreate reflective properties, making reflections appear in the wrong spot, look overly generic—or disappear altogether. Eyes don’t lie.
From navigating RDU and everything it’s got coming down the pipeline to being prepped before taking off, here’s your ultimate travel guide.
RDU is reaching new heights. Giving your future travel days a glow-up, the airport is investing $2.5 billion over the next 10 years to add new nonstop flights, fresh dining ops, smoother roadways and other upgrades—all resulting in a new and improved destination for local and visiting jetsetters.
“With the busy summer season just around the corner, it’s clear that many Triangle-area travelers are ready to embrace their next adventure—especially beyond our borders,” said Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board Chair Tammie Hall-Roberts. “RDU continues to rise to the moment.” Here’s what’s taking off.
Scan. Pay. Go.
No app download, no deck meltdown. RDU has rolled out Parking Mobile Pay for a smoother exit strategy from both lots and garages. Rather than risking a gate malfunction or missing ticket, simply scan the QR code on the ticket and use your credit card or Apple/Google Pay to make a digital getaway. Once paid, travelers have a 30-minute window to exit, with gates automatically recognizing payment. Of course, exit lanes and pay kiosks remain available. Consider your classic RDU parking headache sorted.
Low Spirits
Spirit has split—is Frontier next? Following months of turbulence, Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased operations at RDU in early May, canceling flights and leaving travelers scrambling for alternatives. The system-wide grounding came after seven years of service connecting budget-conscious travelers across the globe.
The shake-up also raises a bigger question: Are budget airlines on the way out? Travelers are keeping their eyes on Frontier—many noting a scaling back in local routes and paused bookings earlier this spring. That said, Frontier was quick to shut down the rumors, with CEO James Dempsey going so far as to say the airline can “fill the massive gap left behind by Spirit’s collapse.”
Still, whether or not Frontier can prove how sustainable the ultra-low-cost model actually is remains up in the air.
Sky’s the Limit
To keep up with RDU’s 15.5 million passengers per year—and counting—major enhancements are in store. Dubbed Transform RDU, the project includes runway replacement, additional eco-friendly parking, a John Brantley Boulevard extension, and a Terminal 2 expansion—all set for phased completion by 2032.
For its part, the Terminal 2 expansion—which broke ground in January and is taking place behind a barrier stretching through the north end of the ticketing hall—involves additional ticketing counters, a roomier international arrival area and new baggage carousels.
Catering to future parking demand, the Park Economy 3 Expansion project has already begun adding 7,000 new spots to the public surface lot near the intersection of Aviation Parkway and National Guard Drive—complete with some of the airport’s lowest daily parking rates and shuttle service to both terminals.
The parking expansion project also includes a new solar-powered amenities building—set to debut late summer—offering restrooms, vending machines, a lounge with monitors displaying flight info, and office space for staff/law enforcement.
Speedier customs reentry into the U.S. plus TSA PreCheck perks
$120/5 years
TSA PreCheck automatically included with membership
Approval can take months—and interviews are req’d.
REAL Talk
Still don’t have REAL ID? TSA’s ConfirmID program can help keep your trip from getting grounded. Travelers without a compliant ID may pay a $45 fee for temporary identity verification valid for a 10-day travel period to fly domestically—unless you have an acceptable alternative like a passport or Global Entry card. Pro tip: Complete the process online before you get to the airport to avoid the extra security-line chaos.
Travel Hacks
If you must check a bag, do it online or in the app before you get to the airport—kiosk fees can be higher.
Skip baggage and ship your luggage ahead of time via Stowic’s door-to-door service—the $40 flat-rate alone may be worth not lugging your bag.
Print your boarding pass—don’t leave all hope in your Apple Wallet (spotty Wi-Fi, dead batteries… sometimes the odds *aren’t* in your favor).
To fight off fraud, some airlines—especially international ones—require the physical credit card you booked with.
Double-check monitors before wandering too far. Your assigned gate at check-in can change on the fly—sometimes to the opposite end of the terminal.
