This North Carolina city is 13 miles southeast of Raleigh and is part of the Raleigh - Durham - Chapel Hill metro area. Clayton was established around 1770 by Governor William Tryon's troops. The town was incorporated in the late 1800s after the arrival of the North Carolina Railroad and was named after Senator John Clayton. In the early 20th century the town became a major market for tobacco, cotton and watermelons. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, located in nearby Raleigh, is the oldest and the largest museum of its kind in the Southeast. It attracts 1.2 million visitors annually. The museum's campus consists of the Nature Exploration Center and the Nature Research Center on Jones Street in downtown Raleigh, the Prairie Ridge Ecostation satellite facility and outdoor classroom in northwest Raleigh near William B. Umstead State Park, and the North Carolina Museum of Forestry located in Whiteville.
Clemmons Educational State Forest features self-guided nature trails with audio exhibit stations and the Forestry Exhibit Center with interactive exhibits about the ecology of forests, soil, water, wildlife and the state's cultural history. There are four main trails with eight miles of hiking available. William B. Umstead State Park also covers 5,439 acres nestled between the expanding cities of Raleigh, Cary and Durham. Keep the children amused with excursions to Marbles Kids Museum and Playspace Children's Museum. Grownup museums include the North Carolina Museum of Art and North Carolina Museum of History, which showcases artifacts which reflect the area's history, culture and arts. Colleges near Clayton are Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, and Shaw University. No matter where you go or what activities you undertake in this Carolina city, you’ll have a convenient location to rest and recharge when you stay at one of our Choice Hotels in Clayton, NC. Book a room online now!