There's So Much to Do!

Arts & Culture: From local theatrical performances to nationally renowned artists, Raleigh has something for everyone. The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts is home to the North Carolina Symphony and the Carolina Ballet. You can find national touring acts at the Red Hat Amphitheater, PNC Arena, or the JS Dorton Arena. Raleigh is also home to numerous museums, like the NC Museum of Art, the NC Museum of History, or the NC Museum of Natural Science. And of course, there are a wealth of local art galleries, unique museums, and small local performing arts venues to see and explore.

Entertainment & Nightlife: Looking for a little excitement? Head to Downtown Raleigh! From local live music and laid-back sports bars to exciting clubs and outstanding events, you’ll find it all on Fayetteville Street or Glenwood Ave. And don’t forget about some of Raleigh’s most exciting annual events, like the World Beer Festival, Artsplosure, the World Bluegrass Festival, Hopscotch Music Festival, First Night Raleigh—or the hugely popular NC State Fair.

Sports: Love sports? Come to Raleigh! Catch a pro hockey Hurricanes game or an NC State basketball game at the PNC Arena. Enjoy college football rivalry at the Carter-Finley Stadium, or enjoy a baseball game at Doak Field. You can even catch a pro soccer game at WakeMed Soccer Park, where the Carolina Railhawks play.

The Parks are Beautiful

With over 8,000 acres of parkland, 80 miles of greenways, 20 community centers, and a wealth of public lakes, aquatics facilities, and recreational programs, the city of Raleigh makes it easy to get and stay active, indoors and outside. Some of its largest parks include William B. Umstead State Park, Crabtree Lake, and Lake Johnson, where you can find everything from hiking and biking to boating and fishing. Raleigh is even home to a BMX championship race track and an arboretum. And of course, there are numerous recreational and cultural classes offered through the city, as well as sports leagues for all ages.

Employment Options Abound

One of the reasons new residents choose Raleigh? Because of all the outstanding career opportunities that await. Raleigh’s major industries include banking and financial, technical, medical, electronic and telecommunications, and pharmaceutical and healthcare research. Some companies headquartered in Raleigh include BB&T Insurance, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Carquest, First Citizens BancShares, Golden Corral, Martin Marietta Materials, Red Hat, and Lulu.

Additionally, the nearby Research Triangle Park, a major center for high-tech and biotech research, offers a wealth of nationally and internationally-prominent companies, some of which are the largest employers of the area. Top employers in Raleigh include Wake County Public Schools, IBM, WakeMed Health, NC State, Cisco, Rex Healthcare, SAS, GlaxoSmithKline, Duke Energy, Fidelity Investments, RTI Internationa, Lenovo, Wells Fargo, and Verizon.

The Schools are Top-Notch

Raleigh public school students are served by Wake County Public Schools, which was rated the #5 Best School District in North Carolina by school-rater Niche.com. Niche also ranked it the #4 Most Diverse district, the #6 District with the Best Teachers, and the #7 District with the Best Athletics.

Additionally, Raleigh is home to several institutes of continuing education, both public and private. The largest and most prominent are North Carolina State University and Wake Technical Community College.