Plus, creative ice cream, demolished bridge + Mia Hamm.
 
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Today’s Forecast

71º | 3% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:04 a.m. | Sunset 7:09 p.m.

 

🌹 Will you accept this date idea?

A bustling restaurant's bar with a mural of a heron above liquor bottles.
If the way to your date’s heart is through the stomach, give Figulina a taste. | Photo by Jeff Bramwell
Kids, this is the story of how I met your mother, and it was all thanks to RALtoday.

OK, so maybe that’s not exactly how the 2000s sitcom went, but if Ted Mosby had consulted us for date night ideas, we could’ve shaved the show down to two seasons (and saved his kids a lot of time).

Regardless, whether you’ve met “the one” or are hoping to impress someone new, we’ve got 40+ local date night ideas that are legen — wait for it — dary.

For the ones who want a night out on the town

  • Remember your date forever by painting pottery at Klaystationor reenact “Ghost” with a wheel throwing class.
  • Cozy up with drinks and desserts at Bittersweet’s bar. Plus, this cocktail + dessert lounge earned a semifinalist spot in the 2024 James Beard Awards.
  • If you’re feeling ready to show off your artistic side, bring a bottle to Wine & Design at Raleigh Union Station to prove you know how to color outside the lines.

If the way to their heart is through their stomach

  • Grab a bev at Dram & Draught, and if you get hungry, order a pie from Vic’s Pizzeria next door to enjoy at the bar.
  • Order some unique pastas to “Lady and the Tramp” and try the community table for a communal dining experience at one of Raleigh’s hottest spots — Figulina.
An beautiful afternoon tea spread with white China, heart-shaped cookies, tea, and sandwiches on a white table cloth.

How romantic is this setup from Fearrington House?

|

Photo by RALtoday

If you want an “old fashioned”-style date

  • Take a day trip to Fearrington Village for a romantic, relaxing stroll through the grounds, afternoon tea, a visit with the belted sheep, and a trip to the world-class spa. Psst... if it works out, this village would make for an unforgettable wedding.
  • Walk through Historic Oakwood for a glance at some of Raleigh’s oldest homes.
  • Want Paris vibes on a Raleigh budget? Spend the day shopping + eating through Lafayette Village, including Simply Crepes, Jubala Coffee, and countless boutiques.
 
Asked
 

What’s your go-to activity for a memorable date?


A. Romantic candlelit dinner
B. Cozy movie night at home
C. Adventurous outdoor activity
D. Other
 
 
Events
 
Monday, Sept. 23
  • Cupcake Decorating | Monday, Sept. 23 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Wyntons World Cooking School, Cary | $70 | Learn how to frost, mold, and pipe buttercream for perfect cupcakes.
  • Bingo Night | Monday, Sept. 23 | 7-9 p.m. | The Longleaf Hotel | Free | Play bingo in this chic lounge with fab prizes and a lively host.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
  • Public Library Pop-up | Tuesday, Sept. 24 | Times vary | Dorothea Dix Park | Free | Families can come for an interactive story time and sign up for library cards at the park.
  • IBMA Bluegrass Ramble | Tuesday, Sept. 24 | The Pour House Music Hall | Free | The bluegrass fun will start early at this pre-fest ramble with plenty of folksy strings + lyrics.
Wednesday, Sept. 25
  • Pests 101 | Wednesday, Sept. 25 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Copperline Plant Co. | $35 | Learn how to properly identify and eradicate houseplant pests + make your own insecticidal soap to take home.
Thursday, Sept. 26
  • Abbey Road: Tribute to the Beatles | Thursday, Sept. 26 | 8-10 p.m. | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts | $20+ | Watch John, George, Paul, and Ringo perform The Beatles’ greatest hits.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
 
SPONSORED
Giveaway
 

Enter to win our $1,000 Winter Staycay + New Eats Giveaway

graphic promoting the winter staycay and new eats giveaway
This stay + play giveaway will let you uniquely experience the hotel and rooftop bar while they’re still brand new (as in, newly opened this fall). | Photo provided by McKibbon Hospitality/Graphic by RALtoday
Consider this your sign to grab a friend or significant other to be among the first to experience Raleigh’s newest hotel + rooftop restaurant.

We’ve partnered with Tempo Raleigh and Urban Oak Rooftop Bar & Lounge to host a Winter Staycay + New Eats Giveaway — giving one lucky winner a prize valued at $1,000, featuring:
  • A two-night stay to Tempo Raleigh — Downtown Raleigh’s stylish, new centrally-located hotel that opens this fall.
  • A $100 gift card to Urban Oak — Tempo Raleigh’s coming-soon rooftop bar (and Raleigh tallest rooftop dining) that will feature craft cocktails, tapas, and expansive views.
  • $50 gift card to Moonsong Cafe — Tempo Raleigh’s dawn-to-dusk cafe with breakfast and coffee in the morning + craft cocktails and bites at night.
Ready for a winter getaway without the airport hassle? Head to our RALtoday Instagram account, click on the giveaway post, and follow the instructions to enter.

The giveaway closes on Monday, Oct. 7 at noon + the winner will be announced on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
 
News Notes
 
Coming Soon
  • Durham scoop shop Simons Says Dip This will join Bloc[83] alongside tenants Dram & Draught, 321 Coffee, Vic’s Pizzeria, and more. The ice cream shop will open later this fall and feature fully customizeable cones, stuffed cookies, ‘90s-style decor, and more. (Raleigh Magazine)
Traffic
  • As you’re driving west down Hillsborough Street this week, you might notice a missing overpass. NCDOT demolished the 66-year-old 440 bridge to make way for a new roadway. This is part of NCDOT’s reconfiguration of the Beltline at Hillsborough, Wade, Western, and Jones Franklin. (The News & Observer)
Read
Ranked
  • Go Banking Rates rated Raleigh as one of five cities where you might see the most affordable home listings as a result of rates dropping. Raleigh had a 5.2% gain in affordability with healthcare, utilities, and transportation costs lower than the national standard. Learn more about Raleigh’s cost of living.
Edu
  • Renowned soccer player Mia Hamm will speak at UNC-Chapel Hill’s commencement in 2025. Hamm graduated from UNC in 1994 and led the Tar Heels to four national titles in soccer.
Real Estate
Try This
Wellness
  • See results sooner when you pair your existing skin treatments with Synergy’s new LighStim LED Therapy. This synergistic enhancement promotes quicker recovery, reduces inflammation, and even smooths fine lines over time. See it in action.*
Job
  • Lyft’s Women+ Connect empowers women and nonbinary drivers. New drivers (of any gender) earn a $400 bonus for 40 rides in seven days. Terms apply.*
 
 
Asked
 

🎡 What do you want to know ahead of the NC State Fair?

A ton of people at the NC State Fair.
What is your favorite part of this Raleigh tradition? | Photo by Justin Kase Conder via NC State Fair
A gleaming Ferris wheel, the smell of fried food, shrieks of glee, thousands of North Carolinians from across the state: We can picture the NC State Fair now. Luckily, those sights, sounds, and smells aren’t too far away.

The fair kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 17, and we have to know: What do you want to know before the fair starts? If you’re a foodie and have to know all the best bites, a planner who has to know just the right day, time, and parking lot to maximize your fun, or a historian who is curious about how much the state fair has changed since 1853 — trust us, we get it.

Submit what you have to know before you go, and you just might see it in an upcoming RALtoday newsletter.
 
The Buy
 
This suede leather car coat — it’s the perfect fall transition piece as we head into the new season.
 
 
The Wrap
 
Allie Remhof

Today’s edition by:
Allie

From the editor
At the official renaming of the Lenovo Center last week, Gov. Roy Cooper made a strong case for an MLB team coming to Raleigh over Charlotte. “Raleigh is the place that really wants it,” Cooper said, according to WRAL. You can get more involved with the grassroots movement by joining MLB Raleigh and sporting some cool 919 merch.
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