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Around the Triangle . . .
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Raleigh is North Carolina's capital as well as home to St. Mary's College, Peace College, Meredith College, St. Augustine's College, Shaw University and the North Carolina State University. Take the time to visit the Governor's Mansion, 200 N. Blount Street, home to Gov. James B. Hunt and his family. It's an outstanding example of Queen Anne Cottage Victorian architecture. Call (919) 733-3456 for tour information. You can also tour the State Capitol building in downtown Raleigh on Edenton Street; call (919) 733-4994. For more information about state government sites, contact the Capital Area Visitor Center, 301 N. Blount Street, (919) 733-3456, or the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, 225 Hillsborough Street, (800) 849-8499. North Carolina State University Arboretum, 4301 Berry Road, is worth a visit, especially in the fall and spring; call (919) 515-2011. The North Carolina Symphony is based in Raleigh and plays concerts in various locations around Raleigh and the Triangle; call the Symphony office at (919) 733-2750 for information on upcoming concerts. The North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Avenue, houses permanent displays of the state's art collection, as well as a number of changing exhibitions. There's a gift shop and cafe on site. Call (919) 833-1935 for more information. Admission is free, and daily tours are offered at 1:30 PM. Durham is perhaps best known for tobacco processing and as the location of the best movie ever about baseball, Bull Durham. The movie starred Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. Sadly, the ballpark where the movie was filmed is no longer used. The Durham Bulls now play in a new stadium at 409 Blackwell St. (919) 687-6500. There's also minor-league play by the Carolina Mudcats, who play AA ball in Zebulon at Five County Stadium, (919) 269-2287. If you're not in the mood for baseball or golf, then start with a visit to Duke University (for general information on touring campus sites, call (919) 684-8111). You can take in the faux Gothic architecture (the chapel is modeled after Princeton University's) in addition to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, located adjacent to the campus, a 55-acre bouquet of daffodils, pansies and students from New Jersey (who seemingly comprise a disproportionate amount of Duke's enrollment). Call the Duke Gardens Office at (919) 684-3698. You might also want to visit the Duke Homestead and Tobacco Museum, a state historic site. This attraction is housed in the former home of Washington Duke, father of the tobacco trade, and is located at 2828 Duke Homestead Road; you'll learn a lot about the influence of tobacco on the local economy. Call (919) 477-5498. West Point on the Eno, on Cole Mill Road, is part of the Eno River City Park and is a pleasant and quiet retreat from the city. The park covers 400 acres and is full of wildlife. You can enjoy camping, fishing, rafting, picnicking, hiking and general solitude. Call (919) 471-1623. Another excellent museum is the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, where you'll find hands-on exhibits, live experiments and wildlife. Call (919) 220-5429. The museum is located at 433 Murray Avenue. Durham is also a major center for medicine; naturally, we hope that you've come to Durham for golf and not for a visit to one of the area's healthcare facilities. Chapel Hill is where author Scott Martin spent four extremely studious and serious years at the University of North Carolina. You should visit Morehead Planetarium, one of the finest in the country; call (919) 549-6863. You'll find the building on E. Franklin Street; look for the lovely rose garden out front. While you're in the vicinity, cruise down Franklin Street to take in the general ambiance of one of the prettiest and most eclectic college towns in America. If you want to tour the campus of the University of North Carolina, call (919) 962-2211. Those of you who love flowers, trees and shrubberies should visit the Coker Arboretum in the North Carolina Botanical Garden on the N.C. 15-501 By-pass. Call (919) 962-0522 for more information. Art lovers should visit the Ackland Art Museum on S. Columbia Street near the junction of Franklin Street. There's a permanent collection of European and American art in addition to a fine collection of sculpture dating from the Renaissance to the present. For more information about Chapel Hill and Orange County, contact the Chapel Hill and Orange County Visitors Bureau, 105 N. Columbia Street, (919) 968-2060. |
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As far as urban areas go in North Carolina, it's probably tough to beat the Triangle for flair and variety. There's plenty of down-home Southern cooking to go around, but the diverse tastes brought here by the universities mean that food lovers are well taken care of here. You'll find plenty of the chain-style eateries you might find at home, but while you're here, why not try something different: There's plenty to sample. The establishments we list here all take major credit cards unless noted otherwise. Refer to our Preface for an explanation of the pricing code. Angus Barn OK, so we'll start with something a bit traditional, something that will stick to your ribs. This is one of the busiest and most popular steakhouses in North Carolina and has been--in the same location--for more than 30 years. The restaurant is popular with business people. Bring a big appetite and leave room for a dessert. Don't even think about the word "diet." In addition to the excellent steaks here at "Beefeaters' Haven," the Angus Barn features seafood, chicken and salads. Top it all off with a fudge sundae and they will be carting you out in a wheelbarrow. The atmosphere at the Barn, as locals call it, is country elegant--we know that seems contradictory, but you'll see what we mean. While you don't have to really dress up, you'd probably feel somewhat conspicuous if you didn't gussy up at least a little bit. Est Est Est Tratoria Enter on Salisbury Street. The restaurant is popular at lunch and has become even more so in the evenings. This place is perfect for the romantic in you--and, hopefully, your current or prospective better half too. Pasta is made on the premises. Choose a fine bottle of house wine to wash down your meal. You'll find a variety of entrees that change daily, but the basic menu components include pasta, seafood and lighter meats. Greenshield's Brewery and Pub For fine handcrafted beer, you can't go wrong here. The pub is so authentic it's frequented by Anglophiles, real English people (who only drink real beer), rugby players and darts-throwers. When hunger replaces thirst, try the fish and chips or pot pies. Margaux's French cuisine in northern Raleigh? In the land of new houses and shopping centers? Two well-educated chefs turned a sporting goods store into a restaurant that's been acclaimed both in print and by word of mouth. Check it out and be sure to ask about the specials, which might range from Carolina quail to crab casserole. Anotherthyme We know locals who call this place home. The menu is varied--French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese--so you never get bored. And besides, all your friends are here, so how could you have anything but a good time. The food is prepared with always-fresh ingredients. Count this one in for lunch, dinner or even a late-night snack. You'll have a great meal at a great price. Bullock's Bar-B-Cue There just had to be an establishment with the word "Bull" in it, and this is it. Don't come here for the decor or to be coddled and "waited on." Do come for the variety and quality of the barbecue, the hush puppies and tea so sweet your spoon stands at attention. Darryl's 1890 Part of the Darryl's chain, this version offers plenty of food and plenty of ambiance in the form of secluded booths and interesting knickknacks on the walls. The multi-page menu offers everything from seafood to chicken and prime rib to massive desserts and liver-threatening frozen drinks. The restaurant is tremendously popular after football games and other events in Chapel Hill or Durham. Note that there is also a Raleigh location on U.S. Highway 70, just a few miles west of Crabtree Valley Mall. The Fairview You'll find The Fairview inside the Washington Duke Inn, which is adjacent to the majestic Duke Golf Club--a must-play in the Triangle area. Appetizers include mixed baby green salad, crab cakes and stone-baked pizza of the day. Proceed to your entree, which might be pan-seared large sea scallops, grilled breast of chicken, Colorado rack of lamb or a veal chop, all served with fresh vegetables and the latest joke about Dean Smith. Magnolia Grill When you just had your best golf day ever and it's time to celebrate, do so at the Magnolia Grill. This is one of the area's best restaurants, and it has the loyal customers to prove it. Your dining pleasure will depend on what's fresh and what's on the chef's ever-changing, always-innovative menu. The menu changes daily, but there's usually a vegetarian dish, steaks, a poultry dish and two or three seafood specialties. You should definitely leave room for dessert. The pastry chef here makes all the ice creams, sorbets and baked goods at the restaurant. Make reservations here so you won't miss the opportunity to see why the Triangle raves about this fine establishment. Aurora Trendy, and justifiably so, Aurora is not a place to be seen, because you can't be--it's very dimly lit, especially at night. You'll find some of the most acclaimed Italian food in the Triangle. Complement your veal, lamb, poultry or seafood with fresh pasta and dizzying sauces. Match it all with a hearty Italian wine and you're in for a great evening. Make a reservation here. Carolina Brewery In the now super-trendy atmosphere that befits the western section of Franklin Street, it's only appropriate that a microbrewery should set up shop. Carolina Brewery's decor is a little upscale for a brewpub, with shiny metalwork to complement the equally shiny copper kettles and other devices designed to produce that most silken and sylvan of beverages: beer. The beer here is pretty good. You might try the Copperline Amber Ale, the Franklin Street Lager, the India Pale Ale or one of the select guest beers from other microbreweries around the country. The great thing about the microbrewery is freshness, so you'll find the beer here especially palatable and varied. The food matches the ambiance and is symptomatic of the latest in microbrewery fare. You might find the cheesy creole pizza--made with fresh focaccia dough--to your liking. Or, try the marinated citrus chicken sandwich or Louisiana sausage po' boy; either is a perfect complement to your brew. The person with the slightly larger appetite might go for the Duck Trap River smoked red trout pasta or the jambalaya with andouille sausage smothered with spicy creole tomato sauce. Crook's Corner Crook's offers one of the most unique and subtly intense dining experiences anywhere. The restaurant itself, which looks like a cross between a hair salon and a former service station, is crowned with a statue of a pig. Wooden animal statuary rounds out the decor. The menu changes so rapidly, you'll never be disappointed. It might be something South American; it might be something like shrimp 'n' grits. It's always praiseworthy--and usually loud and fun. Crook's Corner is a great place for reunions of sorts. The Fearrington House One of Chapel Hill's hottest restaurants (and it's been this way for years) isn't in Chapel Hill. It's just down U.S. 15-501 in Pittsboro. The menu changes monthly, but you'll find such mildly exotic fare as boneless leg of rabbit, free range veal loin, baked snapper, roasted guinea hen, or how about the Chilean sea bass? When one author attended Chapel Hill, taking your date here was more impressive than anything, even if you were left with no money for beer for the next month. It was worth the extravagance. Pyewacket Pyewacket has been a Chapel Hill fixture with the old-Volvo-and-tweed-jacket academic crowd for years. Or at least that's how it's reputed. Actually, its popularity base has increased to include sorority women on "girls' night out" as well as business people in town to close a deal. The food is the key, and it's mostly within a vegetarian bent. Somehow, it seems light and hearty at the same time. Special entrees vary almost daily, but you can't go wrong with the seafood curry or the vegetarian lasagna. But, what we frequently find ourselves craving the most is their Morning Star salad, a worthy meal in itself. The wine list is also excellent. The Rathskeller "The Rat," in its own subterranean fashion, exudes fumes of Chapel Hill past and present. It's a major student hangout, with a large and passionate following among alumni who line up after football games for spaghetti and tea and other such basics. It's not a place for the claustrophobic, but it is a place for those whose blood runs Tar Heel blue. A must. |
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Refer to our Preface for an explanation of the pricing code. Courtyard by Marriott The Courtyard by Marriott concept is popping up all over the country and is popular with business travelers. This version might look like some of the others you've seen, but there are some important amenities to note, including an on-site gym, whirlpool room and outdoor pool. Guests also have free access to a full-scale gym with extensive facilities across the road. When you're through working out, drop by the restaurant, serving breakfast and light dinners, and the bar. Staff members are quite friendly here. Due to the large volume of business travelers in the area, you should definitely book ahead for a room. Hilton Convention Center Convenient to Raleigh Community Hospital, and very near the Beltline (I-440), this popular and glitzy hotel boasts 338 rooms and quite a few large-scale political parties. On the special executive floor, you'll have access to a private cocktail bar; your room will be a little larger than a regular room, plus you'll have an ironing board and a few other bells and whistles at your disposal. The standard rooms are comfortable as well, and all are equipped with coffee makers. Guests receive a free copy of USA Today each morning. Other amenities include a workout room, an indoor pool and a whirlpool. If you're in the mood to boogie, venture forth into Bowties night club, where the price of admission is free if you're staying at the hotel. Enjoy the full-service restaurant; otherwise try one of the 30 restaurants within an hour's drive of the hotel. Arrowhead Inn This wonderful bed and breakfast inn features eight guest rooms and is convenient to everywhere in Durham. Relax in the parlor with a game or some light TV. You'll also get a hearty breakfast when you awaken from a peaceful slumber. Brownstone-Medcenter Inn As you enter Durham, the signs tell you that Durham is the City of Medicine; it's also the city of cigarettes. Go figure. Anyway, here's a hotel that has developed to serve those visiting the extensive and well-known medical center. It's also a good place for golfers visiting Durham's golf courses. Here at the Brownstone, you'll find 140 elegant Colonial-design rooms, extensive dining facilities, a banquet room with space for you and 129 of your closest friends, an indoor pool, cable TV (with ESPN), sauna, whirlpool and beauty and barber shop. When you've had enough healthy living for the day, Burley's lounge features beer, wine, vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, tequila and other medicinal potions. Holiday Inn Durham Part of the worldwide chain, the Holiday Inn Durham offers 168 comfortable rooms (and two suites) with a full range of amenities. Included in your bill is cable TV (with HBO, Showtime and ESPN), access to the swimming pool, plus access to Jamie's Restaurant and Lounge. The hotel also offers services for the business traveler, including fax and copy service and a meeting room that can contain (well, maybe) 200 business people. Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club This 171-room hotel cost roughly $16 million to build, so it had better be nice, right? Well this is one of the finest places in Durham. We've already raved about the golf course, so why not rave about the hotel that dominates the 9th hole, a dangerous par 5. Service is a key at Washington Duke--room service, turndown service and just the right touches of white-glove style to keep you content. You can relax in their acclaimed restaurant, The Fairview, and enjoy an after-dinner drink in the Bull Durham Lounge. If golf is not your game, you can play tennis, take to the Duke Forest jogging trails or try out the swimming pool. For the business traveler, suites and meeting facilities also are available. The Carolina Inn Venerable and storied, this is the inn of the University of North Carolina. In 1995, this accommodation underwent a series of changes and improvements to equip it for latter part of the 20th century and prepare it for the 21st. The inn opened in 1924, so it needed some work. You'll love the architecture, designed to resemble Mount Vernon. Amenities in the completely renovated rooms include coffee machines, cable TV and desks. The inn is within walking distance of downtown Chapel Hill and all of its attractions. Fearrington House Country Inn Okay, we know this inn isn't in Chapel Hill proper, but it's less than 10 minutes away, and the experience you'll have at this charming spot is more than worth the drive. The 15 suites at Fearrington House are the definition of luxury but are presented without any of the highbrow attitude that too often accompanies an accommodation of this quality. Each room is unique, with beautiful antiques collected by the owners during trips to Europe. And the surrounding landscaping takes full advantage of the relaxing countryside that once was home to a dairy farm. You'll also enjoy afternoon teas and a complimentary breakfast served in the on-site restaurant that has been commended by both Gourmet and Food and Wine magazines. Even if you don't stay the night, dinner here is an experience you'll want to add to your list. Holiday Inn of Chapel Hill Looking for a clean, comfortable hotel that won't take up all your golf money? This is a great choice. It's near a shopping mall and the UNC campus, and offers easy access to I-40, so scooting around the Triangle is convenient. Teddy's restaurant is on-site, and plenty of other good eateries are also nearby. During warmer months, relax in the outdoor pool after your golf round. |
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