8 days in Raleigh Itinerary

For those not from the South, Raleigh might be one of the region's better-kept travel secrets.

Get out of town with these interesting Raleigh side-trips: North Carolina Botanical Garden (in Chapel Hill), Durham (Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Duke University Chapel, &more) and Airborne and Special Operations Museum (in Fayetteville). There's still lots to do: learn more about the world around you at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, get to know the resident critters at North Carolina Zoo, walk around Pullen Park, and look for all kinds of wild species at Conservators Center.

For more things to do, traveler tips, maps, and more tourist information, go to the Raleigh online itinerary builder.

In August, plan for daily highs up to 88°F, and evening lows to 69°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 2nd (Mon) so you can travel back home.