Fun Summer Raleigh, NC Day Trips
These fun Raleigh, NC day trips are perfect for getting the kids out of the house this summer and exploring some of North Carolina’s highlights. If you or your kids are tired of the same old things around Raleigh, try one (or more!) of these manageable one-day trips this summer. We’ve kept our list to destinations within a two hour drive from the middle of Raleigh so you’ll have more time to play and less time in the car.
Durham
Drive time: 30 minutes
Maybe Durham and Raleigh are tucked into one big city for you, but if not, there’s so much that’s unique about this city and plenty to do in the summer time that makes a trip to Durham a special day.
The Museum of Life & Science is at its best in the summer, with tons of water features that will delight your kids for hours. Check out a Bulls baseball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park for some ultimate American summer vibes. It’s an incredible stadium and is ultra child friendly.
The American Tobacco District is a great place to hang out with kids – plenty of spaces to grab a drink or a bite to eat with tons of space for kids to run around. It’s one of my favorite places, it’s just so special.
West Point on the Eno is a Historic stop in Durham that offers picnic shelters, hikes, plenty of room to explore, and bathrooms! It also offers access to the Eno River – more info below!
If you’re hungry, be sure to check out Guglhuph, which may honestly be the best bakery in the Triangle. Monuts Donuts and Cocoa Cinnamon (several locations but don’t miss the churros at the Lakewood location) are other Durham favorites!
Eno River State Park
Drive time: 35 minutes
We live right by the Eno, so have several favorite locations to access this amazing NC river. Hillsborough has several fun hikes that also allow access to the river, which is our default because of the beautiful scenery, easy parking and, obviously, close proximity.
If we’re wanting a bit more adventure, we love the hikes & swimming from the Fews Ford access, or a longer hike starting at West Point on the Eno.
If you’re near Hillsborough, you could throw in a quick stop at Occoneechee Speedway or Occoneechee Mountain for more adventuring. Don’t forget Broken Spoke Farm (soft serve swirls on weekends, or cups from the freezer daily) or Whits for ice cream!
Chapel Hill
Drive time: 45 minutes
Another favorite spot (Go Heels!) we love exploring and walking around campus, especially in the summer when it is a bit more quiet than during the school year. Don’t miss Coker Arboretum, upper & lower quads, Old Well & student stores (if you’re into UNC gear).
The Chapel Hill Public Library has a huge children’s room, outdoor statues to climb on, and a storywalk along the hiking trails. Umstead Park is one of our favorite playgrounds and also offers bathrooms, basketball courts, a picnic shelter, and access to wade in Bolin Creek.
If you’re looking for indoor fun to beat the heat, Flyleaf Books is a wonderful bookstore with a great children’s section. If you have younger babes (0-5 year olds), be sure to check out The Nest for indoor play, but make sure you make a reservation!
Try Chapel Chill for delicious homemade ice cream, Joe Van Gogh if you need a coffee pit stop, or Merritt’s for their famous BLT!
Raven Rock State Park
Drive time: 1 hour
North Carolina has some incredible state parks which are often off the radar if you’re living in Raleigh. Enjoy the drive through the farm country pretty much as soon as you get out of the city. The Raven Rock trail takes you down river side to the actual Raven Rock and is perfect for kids to scamper over rocks.
On the way home, drive through Fuquay-Varina. The downtown area is a wealth of fun restaurants, breweries & coffee shops. We love Vicious Fishes for food, Aviator Brewing Co for drinks and Cultivate Coffee Roasters for coffee.
Saxapahaw
Drive time: 1 hour
Explore the adorable town of Saxapahaw, the Haw River, and don’t miss Saxapahaw Island park. Stop for some food or treats at the Saxapahaw General Store and you won’t be disappointed. This is a great stop on the way to or from Burlington or Greensboro (see below) if you’re making a day of it and want more time out of the car.
Oxford, NC + Kerr Lake
Drive time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Oxford is one of those small southern towns that you can tell was once a big deal. It’s quieter now, but still quite lovely and offers up one of our favorite NC establishments. Stop in the town for lunch at Strong Arm Baking Co – enjoy literally anything on the menu, grab a coffee and some bread for breakfast the next morning, then continue on your way to the water.
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area sits on the border with Virginia and is our favorite of the lakes close to Raleigh. Click here to read about all of the public access points. We recommend the Hibernia access point for swimming, boating, and a wonderful view of the lake. Satterwhite Point also offers bathrooms, a playground, and a handicap accessible beach.
Greensboro
Drive time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Greensboro offers some excellent museum opportunities, with the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the Greensboro Science Center & the Greensboro History Museum. Depending on your group’s ages and interests, a museum day could be the perfect antidote for sweltering summer temperatures.
If you’re looking to embrace the heat, try out the Junior Ranger program at the Guilford County Courthouse, which explores an important Revolutionary War battle or thrill your kids with a trip to Wet ‘n’ Wild Emerald Point, a water park that’s been around for many of my own childhood summers. It’s… well, a water park, but your kids will flip for it. Do it for the kids.
Check out downtown Greensboro for interesting restaurants, including Awoo Coffee for an afternoon pick me up.
Burlington
Drive time: 1 hour 15 minutes
The Burlington City Park and the Children’s Museum of Alamance County are two can’t miss spots if you’re headed West. If you’re a Raleigh local, think of the Children’s Museum as Marbles lite. In my experience it was much less crowded and much easier to keep up with multiple children as there was only 1 exit – praise!
Asheboro, North Carolina Zoo
Drive time: 1 hour 25 minutes
The North Carolina Zoo is just far away enough that it is easy to forget about and requires a full-fledged day trip to visit.
The Zoo is huge, so make sure you’re prepared for a lot of walking. Strollers, hats, sunscreen, lots of water bottles are all recommended. The food on site is nothing to worry about missing and, of course, quite pricey. This is the perfect place to pack a lunch so you don’t have to wait in line for food you’ll feel meh about.
Quick tip: The Zoo states that they will limit visitors if capacity in the parking lots are reached, so make sure you arrive as early as you can and check their website/social media if you’re planning to come later in the day
Uwharrie National Forest
Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Somewhat of a hidden gem, head here if you love hiking or mountain biking. You’ll be heading back in the same direction as the zoo, but it would be impossible to do both in the same day. There are so many trails to explore, as well as campgrounds and swimming areas that would make for a great summer day trip. King’s Mountain Point has a swimming beach and picnic areas, the best way to wrap up a sweaty summer hike or bike ride.
CC Favorite: On your way to the forest, you’ll pass through the adorable town of Carthage, which makes for a great pit stop.
Hanging Rock State Park
Driving time: 2 hours
These last two trips come with a bit more time in the car but are worth it. You’ll immediately feel immersed in the mountain-side of the state while knocking off at least an hour from your drive time to the Appalachian mountains. Hanging Rock, located in the small town of Danbury, NC, is a really beautiful area and offers some incredible hiking opportunities perfectly suited for kids. We love the Hanging Rock, Hidden Falls and Window Falls trails. Bonus points if you can make your day trip an overnight and camp in the state park – it’s affordable and there are plenty of trails to make up two days of activities.
Surf City or Wrightsville Beach
Drive time: 2+ hours
Perhaps one of the most popular Raleigh day trips, this quick two-hour drive will deliver you to the ocean, and that’s pretty cool. Wrightsville is exactly 2 hours from Raleigh and is a great beach, but often more crowded than some of the lesser known NC coastal spots.
Surf City is one of our favorite beaches and only adds 11 minutes of drive time from the Raleigh area, so this gets our vote if we’re headed East for the day. I know we’re breaking our 2 hour radius here, but honestly the 11 minutes are worth it for fewer crowds, in my opinion!
Both beaches offer paid public parking and plenty of delicious food & treats. Don’t miss our post all about Surf City for our favorite local stops!
It’s also possible to combine some time on the beach with a stop at the famous Battleship North Carolina. Kids will have a lot of fun exploring the decks and inner workings of the huge ship.
If you’re living in or visiting the area, we hope this list will inspire you to get out and enjoy some of these fun summer day trips from Raleigh, NC. Happy summer!
Looking for other things to do in North Carolina this summer? Check out these posts…
5 Hikes to do with Kids in Hillsborough, NC
