June 11, 2024

Today’s Forecast

84º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 5:58 a.m. | Sunset 8:31 p.m.

🌳 Isn’t this tree-mendous?

The pier at Lake Wheeler Park’s boat ramp.

Take in the views at Lake Wheeler Park. | Photo by RALtoday

Whether you’re looking for a place to play with the kiddos or to decompress with some off-screen time, Raleigh features more than 200 parks and recreational spots to enjoy.

Ready to plan your trip to the park? Grab your shades and trusty water bottle — here are some of Oak City’s best:

Nature parks

Blue Jay Point County Park, 3200 Pleasant Union Church Rd.
With 236 acres of hiking trails, open fields, fishing spots, and even a treetop adventure park, there is lots of scenery to take in from below… and above.

JC Raulston Arboretum, NC State University, 4415 Beryl Rd.
Sprawling 10.5 acres near NC State, the arboretum is home to more than 8,000 different types of plants — learn about the arboretum’s history. Psst... no pets or service animals are allowed at the arboretum.

A wooden gazebo at JC Raulston Arboretum is adorned with white flowers and greenery. — JC Raulston Arboretum has many features for your photo shoot.
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Photo by RALtoday

Family parks

Downtown Cary Park, 327 S. Academy St., Cary
Located in the heart of our neighbor to the west, this park features an elaborate playground, impressive waterfront views, and a dog park + bar with beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options.

Laurel Hills Park, 3808 Edwards Mill Rd.
The Sassafras All Children Playground was designed to be inclusive to children of all abilities. Additional amenities include a small pond with a boardwalk, shelters, basketball courts, and fields.

A large playground. — The Sassafras All Children’s Playground is accessible to people with disabilities.
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Photo by RALtoday

Sports parks

Baileywick Park, 9501 Baileywick Rd.
The park’s newly renovated pavilion includes covered pickleball courts and a court for futsal, a sport similar to soccer played on a hardcourt.

Buffaloe Road Athletic Park, 5900 Buffaloe Rd.
Used for many NCAA sports and special events, facilities include an aquatic center, outdoor track, fields, trails, and playgrounds.

Millbrook Exchange Tennis Center, 1905 Spring Forest Rd.
This tennis hangout has 23 lighted hard surface courts and ball machines available.

28 more parks to explore

Asked

What is your favorite park activity to do in our city?

A. Walking my dog
B. Spending time with the kiddos
C. Having a picnic
D. Jogging or working out

Park your answer here

Events

Tuesday, June 11

Beer and Banjos | Tuesday, June 11 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Transfer Co. Food Hall, 500 E. Davie St., Raleigh | Free | Head to the back patio for a live outdoor banjo show.

Wednesday, June 12

Girls Night Out: Sip N Shop | Wednesday, June 12 | 6-9 p.m. | AVA Rooftop Bar, 301 Fenton Gateway Dr., Cary | Free | Take your pick from local women-owned businesses while sipping $7 espresso martinis.
Little Fentonian Flicks | Wednesday, June 12 | Fenton, 201 Fenton Gateway Dr., Cary | Free | Watch “Minions: The Rise of Gru” on the lawn of this shopping center.

Thursday, June 13

Melissa B. Jacoby: “Unjust Debts” | Thursday, June 13 | 7-8 p.m. | Quail Ridge Books, 4209, Lassiter Mill Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh | Free to RSVP | Learn about the hidden role of bankruptcy in America from this expert author — a book purchase is $28.
Gary Clark Jr. | Thursday, June 13 | 8 p.m. | Red Hat Amphitheater, 500 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh | $40-$155 | This blues, rock, soul, and hip hop musician will rock Raleigh.

Friday, June 14

Moore Square Market | Friday, June 14 | 3-8 p.m. | Moore Square, 201 S. Blount St., Raleigh | Free | Shop artisanal finds and choose bites from local food trucks at this homegrown market.
Poetry Night + Open Mic | Friday, June 14 | 6 p.m. | The Raleigh Times Bar, 14 E. Hargett St., Raleigh | Free entry | Local creatives will flock to this eatery for a night of poetry + open mics.

More to do in the 919

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Playoffs

The Wolfpack is headed to Omaha. NC State baseball beat Georgia 8-5 and is going to the College World Series in Nebraska. The Wolfpack beat the Bulldogs 18-1 Saturday, and Georgia responded with an 11-2 win Sunday. The Pack will bat against No. 2 Kentucky Saturday, June 15. (ESPN)

Sports

Last night, the NC Courage lost to the US Women’s national soccer team at The Soccer Tournament at WakeMed Soccer Park. On the men’s side, La Bombonera took it all score — both teams are going home with $1 million.

Coming Soon

A trendy ear piercing studio will join Village District’s lineup. Rowan will set up shop next to Uniquities and offer hypoallergenic jewelry and piercings for all ages by licensed nurses. You might also know Rowan for its stores in Winston-Salem and Charlotte. (The News & Observer)

Try This

In honor of Father’s Day, Makers Alley retailers will throw a family cookout event this Saturday, April 15 at North Hills Innovation District. Expect scoops from Bold Batch Creamery, bourbon tasting, complimentary drinks, and food truck Ty’s All Natural all just for dad.

Raleighite

Local golfer Ryan Gerard won the BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Thornblade Club in Greenville, South Carolina last weekend. Hailing from Raleigh, Gerard won the tourney by six shots in the company of pro golfers and celebrities. (Greenville News)

Ranked

Raleigh ranked as the No. 3 best city to rent in according to a recent Forbes Advisor survey. Oak City ranked particularly well in availability and amenities, and Durham and Winston-Salem also ranked in the top 10. It’s a good time to rent in the Tar Heel State.

Eat

Brunch just got better. Wow your friends and family with this one-pan chicken and waffle casserole — a delicious and satisfying take on the classic combination that’s both savory and sweet.*

Giveaway

Get ready to shop till you (flip) flop this sunny season with North Hills’ $750 Shopping Spree Summer Giveaway. Enter on our Instagram now through June 17 for a chance to win gift cards, concert tickets, pizza + more.*

Real Estate

Whether looking to impress your customers or want to work in a dream location, the Dr. Watson Inn at Flowers Plantation offers a truly unique, historic setting that’s available for rent as a commercial office space. See the beautiful 3,000 sqft space — perfect for a law firm, accountant + more.*

Finance

Expert tip: During economic times like these, balance transfers can really make a difference. By simply transferring your existing credit card balances to this card, you’ll give yourself 18 months to pay it off — without interest. (Bonus: Earn 2% cash back on everyday purchases while you’re at it.)*

Wellness

Looking for a game-changing night of sleep? Fall asleep + wake up rested with Cornbread Hemp’s CBD Sleep Gummies. Get 30% off a $55 minimum purchase with code CBDSLEEP30.*

The Buy

A cute swimsuit cover that combines the classic look of a button down shirt with extra length so everything’s covered.

Asked

Where do you go for a $12 lunch in Raleigh?

All this for under $12? Eat your heart out. | Photo by The Pit BBQ

We’re working on updating our $12 lunch guide and wanted to know: What’s missing from our current list? Keep in mind that the prices, restaurants, and offerings might have changed from when we last updated our City Guide — be on the lookout for fresh new deals soon.

Sound off in our survey with your favorite local lunch spots with tacos, pizza, sandwiches — you name it, we’ll try to include it. Bonus points if you include your favorite order that comes to less than $12.

Let's lunch

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Allie

From the editor

I hope you didn’t mind the sports-heavy newsletter today, but central NC is the place to be for sports right now. We didn’t even mention the 124th U.S. Open, which has taken over Pinehurst ~90 minutes down the road. Danyale and I will be going to watch some practice rounds later this week, so let us know who we should be on the lookout for, besides a surprise Tiger Woods appearance.

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