Raleigh-Durham – Things to do with your Team

Raleigh is both the capital of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County. The city is named for Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the Roanoke Colony, also known as the Lost Colony, in present-day Dare County. Nearby Durham has an active and vibrant community that has helped the city to be consistently ranked as one of the top places to live in the country.

The area is home to Research Triangle Park as well as historic homes, tree-lined streets, and some of the nation’s most elegant golf courses. If you are bringing your team to play in the Triangle region of North Carolina; the third corner of the triangle being Chapel Hill; here are some things for you and your team to do once the game day ends.

Eno River State Park

Established in 1973 through the joint efforts of the Nature Conservancy, the State of North Carolina, the City of Durham, Durham and Orange Counties, and the Eno River Association, Eno River State Park is one of the area’s most beautiful scenic areas.  Since then, the Eno River Association has made it their goal to expand the park in order to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the region. The association also works to ensure that Eno River State Park will be able to be enjoyed for generations to come.

In its current state, Eno River State Park is made up of an impressive 4,200 acres of protected natural land. This land is especially important because it provides vital water quality protection and wildlife habitat, in addition to preserving historic resources. Five access areas, which include the Cabe Lands, Cole Mill, Few’s Ford, Pleasant Green, and the Pump Station, as well as over 24 miles of trails offer entry into this largely unspoiled river environment. 6101 Cole Mill Rd, Durham, NC 27705

Carolina Basketball Museum

When it comes to college sports, basketball is a big deal. The same goes for the teams that play it, such as the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. If you’re a Tar Heels fan, then you need to pay a visit to the Carolina Basketball Museum during your visit to the Raleigh-Durham area.

The Carolina Basketball Museum showcases everything and anything Tar Heels, including nearly 500 authentic artifacts, hundreds of photographs, and statistical and historical panels that highlight the history of the Carolina basketball program. The museum also features captivating video tributes to esteemed coaches and players along with interactive presentations that highlight Carolina’s 18 Final Four appearances and 17 ACC Tournament Championships.

What makes this free, unique museum even more worth visiting during your team’s trip is that it holds the distinction of being the first basketball-only museum for a university in the country. It boasts nearly 8,000 square feet of exhibit space packed with interesting things to see. The museum can be found on the first floor of the Ernie Williamson Athletics Center on the UNC Chapel Hill campus. 450 Skipper Bowles Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Downtown Chapel Hill

For world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, and more, visit Downtown Chapel Hill. It won’t take long for you and your team to understand why Sports Illustrated has named Chapel Hill the “Best College Town in America.” One of the reasons why is that the UNC Chapel Hill campus melds seamlessly with bustling East Franklin Street, blurring the lines between school and city. This makes Downtown Chapel Hill a district that’s as unique as it is beautiful.

While there, you and your team can walk down Franklin Street as you peruse the variety of specialty shops and grab a quick bite to eat. Come nighttime, this part of town is campus nightlife central. If you happen to be visiting Downtown Chapel Hill on a football weekend or the day of a basketball game, prepare to be caught up in a swarm of Carolina blue and highly contagious Tar Heel fever. 308 W Rosemary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Orange County Sportsplex

If it’s athletic fun that your team is interested in, the Orange County Sportsplex is the perfect place to visit during your visit to the Raleigh-Durham area. The Orange County Sportsplex is a public sports facility in Hillsborough, NC that offers hockey and figure skating camps, lessons, clinics, and tournaments as well as public skating lessons. Since the Orange County Sportsplex is used by the hockey teams of UNC, Elon University, and Duke University there’s a good chance you and your team might catch a glimpse of their players while you’re there.

In addition to the ice rink, the Orange County Sportsplex also features an indoor swimming pool and a training facility, completed with a cardio deck and weightlifting equipment. So even if you don’t have any skaters on your team, the Orange County Sportsplex is still worth playing a visit to. 101 Meadowlands Dr, Hillsborough, NC 27278

Triangle Glides

Enjoy a fully-narrated Segway tour hosted by Triangle Glides during your stay! While on one of their fabulous tours you and your team will get to experience Raleigh’s many fascinating points of interest in an exciting way. The tours offered by Triangle Glides are considered by many to be one of the most fun things to do in Raleigh. What makes their tours so enjoyable is that riding on a Segway lets you cover much more ground than you would on foot as you briskly “glide” from place to place. Triangle Glides provides training, helmets, and a wireless audio pack so you can easily hear your guide’s live narration about Raleigh’s captivating history. No Segway experience is necessary. The minimum age is 14. 323 Blake St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Frankie’s Fun Park

Frankie’s Fun Park offers fun for everyone. This popular Raleigh amusement park features everything from laser tag, mini golf, go-karts, batting cages, bumper boats, and arcade games to amusement rides like the Sidewinder, Spider Web, Sky Trail and Dropzone. Best of all, there’s no admission price to enter Frankie’s Fun Park. You pay per activity, so how much fun you have is entirely up to you. 11190 Fun Park Dr, Raleigh, NC 27617

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Go Ape

For an outdoor activity in Raleigh that’s as unique as it is thrilling, you’ve got to Go Ape. A cut above your everyday zip line course, Go Ape is a two to three hour-long journey that will take you and your team through the dense foliage that makes up a forest canopy. While on this journey you’ll take on suspended obstacles and of course zip lines, all while taking in an unforgettable view.

The Go Ape course in Raleigh offers a fully immersive outdoor experience with five action-packed treetop obstacle course sections that will lead to soaring heights. Go on an outdoor adventure worth talking about while in Raleigh and Go Ape! 3200 Pleasant Union Church Rd, Raleigh, NC 27614

Buffaloe Lanes North

Buffaloe Lanes North in Raleigh is one of five Buffaloe Lanes Family Entertainment Centers. These fantastic, family-friendly entertainment have been bringing people together over the classic game of bowling for more than 35 years. Since all Buffaloe Lanes Centers are clean, alcohol-free, and smoke-free facilities with a friendly atmosphere dedicated to family values you can definitely feel comfortable bringing your team there for a few hours of fun. 5900 Oak Forest Dr, Raleigh, NC 27616

Lake Johnson Park

Lake Johnson Park is a public park in Raleigh that’s popular among locals, especially during the summer months. The park features more than five miles of walking trails that wind around a serene lake, past picnic shelters, a boardwalk, a public pool, and boat launches, making it a great place to go and stretch your legs. You and your team can even rent canoes, kayaks, sunfish, paddle boats and stand-up paddle boards are available through the park office.

The park is also a popular fishing destination. Come by the park’s Waterfront Center to rent a boat and check out a free rod and reel, or just to grab a little snack before you hit the trail. Lake Johnson Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. The park is closed on Mondays from October through April. 4601 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606

The Raleigh-Durham area in central North Carolina is not only scenic but also happens to be full of great attractions, activities, and restaurants serving local favorites like barbeque and fried fish. There’s no doubt that your team is going to enjoy being in the land of powerhouse schools like UNC, NC State, and Duke University.