Getting There

U.S. 64 and U.S. 70 run east and west from Raleigh; U.S. 1 runs north and south, joining I-85, which runs northeast and is joined by I-40 to the west and I-95 to the east. U.S. 401 also runs northeast and southwest. The AAA is represented by the Carolina Motor Club, 2301 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607 (tel. 919/832-0543; or visit their website).

The Raleigh/Durham International Airport is about 15 miles west of Raleigh, just off I-40. Major airlines serving the airport from out-of-state destinations include Air Tran (tel. 800/825-8538), American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300), Continental Airlines (tel. 800/525-0280), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212), Northwest Airlines (tel. 800/225-2525), United Airlines (tel. 800/241-6522), US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322), America West (tel. 800/235-9392), Southwest Airlines (tel. 800/435-9792), Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262), and Jet Blue (tel. 800/538-2538).

Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL) provides rail service to and from New York and Washington, D.C., to the north, and to and from Florida to the south, with one train daily from each direction.

Visitor Information

Contact the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, 421 Fayetteville St. Mall, Suite 1505, Raleigh, NC 27601-1755 (tel. 800/849-8499 or 919/834-5900). Hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. Capital Area Visitor Services, in the lobby of the North Carolina Museum of History, 5 E. Edenton St. (tel. 866/724-8687 or 919/807-7950; or visit their website), provides information about the state-government complex, local attractions, and historic sites; bus-route brochures are available. The center is open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, and Sunday 1 to 3pm.

Special Events

In mid-February, the Home and Garden Show draws serious gardeners from all over the South; call tel. 919/831-6011 for details. In mid-October, the North Carolina State Fair also draws crowds from all over with its livestock competitions, culinary bake-offs, and cornpone charm. The fairgrounds are located 5 miles west of town on I-440 and then 1 mile west on N.C. 54. For exact dates, call tel. 919/733-2145. In early December, the city hosts an old-fashioned Holiday Festival at the North Carolina Museum of Art (tel. 919/839-6262).