Road Trip Destination: Raleigh/Durham, N.C.
North Carolina is bordered by the magnificent Appalachians in the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast, but a bustling area in the middle of the state is just as impressive.
State capital Raleigh and the other members of the Research Triangle — Durham and Chapel Hill — form an area that has been growing steadily in size and attractiveness.
There is competition among the cities, but Ryan Smith says that is just fine. “We're still the Triangle,” says the director of communications from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We complement each other.”
Smith believes since the Raleigh Convention Center opened in 2008, downtown has become an “entirely different city.” She says the demands of people visiting for conventions has created a call for restaurants and clubs. There is a populous eager for “places to hear music, places to have something to eat.”
Besides high-tech companies, the eight colleges and universities in Raleigh produce a well-educated work force. But, she adds, don't forget about the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill or Duke University in Duke.
Bob Karlovits is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at bkarlovits@tribweb.com or 412-320-7852.
Harmony of the highway
Symphony orchestras often do more than let a group of musicians make beautiful music together.
They can be the source of civic concerts that define the summer, or they can serve as unifying forces throughout a region.
The North Carolina Symphony Orchestra offers a traditional classical series in the fall-through-spring season in Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh. But it also takes on a special role in offering outdoor Summerfest Concerts at the Koko Booth Amphitheatre at nearby Cary's Symphony Lake and taking its program on the road frequently.
Appearances at places such as Chapel Hill, Fayetteville and Wilmington make it, indeed, a North Carolina orchestra.
Details: 919-733-2750 or www.ncsymphony.org
The curtain always is going up
Competition always elevates the level of performance, and that creates a big victory for theater-lovers in the Research Triangle area.
The Progress Energy Center in Raleigh is home to a number of venues, including that of the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. But it also has Memorial Auditorium, which has been a performance home to legendary performers such as Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Itzhak Perlman and shows such as “Les Miserables,” “Miss Saigon” and “The Lion King.” This season's Broadway South series will include the new “Catch Me If You Can,” “Nerds” and “Shrek the Musical.”
Just a few miles away, the Durham Performing Arts Center was opened in 2008 to provide an even-larger home for touring companies and shows. Meat Loaf is there Sunday evening, Fiona Apple will be singing in September and “War Horse,” the play that was the inspiration for the film, will open in November.
Details: www.progressenergycenter.com of 919-996-8700 or www.dpacnc.com 919-688-3722
Putting a victory on the line
Cities often are measured by the teams that wear their colors.
The Duke University Blue Devils play in nearby Durham and the University of North Carolina's Tar Heels at Chapel Hill, but the Raleigh area has plenty in uniform.
The Carolina Hurricanes play National Hockey League games at PNC Arena in Raleigh. Details: hurricanes.nhl.com or 919-467-7825
But the exploits of the North Carolina State Wolfpack are the source of more passion. Their basketball and football teams have storied histories. (Can you say Michael Jordan?) When they take on Duke or the University of North Carolina, other events lose luster. Details: www.gopack.com or 919-865-1510
Baseball also comes into play in two nearby towns. The Carolina Mudcats, a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, play in Zebulon (919-269-2287 or carolinamudcats.com). The Durham Bulls, a AAA franchise of the Tampa Bay Rays, play in the Durham Athletic Park. (Details: 919-687-6500 or www.mlb.com/index.jsp?sid=t234.)
Harvest all year
Farmers markets are a huge part of the summer in Pittsburgh and our surrounding communities.
But Western Pennsylvania's markets have a hard time rivaling the gigantic Raleigh Farmers Market run by the state Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.
The site sprawls over 30,000 square feet, 15,600 of which is in a covered, climate-controlled area. There also is a building for larger dealers to load up trucks, and a wholesale area for restaurants and groceries.
Two acres are given to sales of architectural display articles, trellises, pottery, furniture, iron and woodwork.
There also is a grill serving breakfast and lunch, along with a seafood restaurant.
Because of the mild North Carolina climate, it is open all year, seven days a week.
Even if farm goods are not a big part of your menu, the size of the assortment is worth a look.
Details: www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/raleigh/ or 919-722-7417
Overflowing with breweries
North Carolina is the home of 62 craft breweries, and Raleigh has 11 of them.
Sumit Vohra, owner of Lonerider Brewing in Raleigh, says the combination of an enthusiastic clientele and a forward-looking state legislature has made that market thrive.
New sales and franchising laws allow more varied activities. And, the legislature approved the creation of beer that is 15 percent alcohol, he adds, allowing for a drink that is vastly different from the usual 5 percent brew.
Actions like that and a busy marketplace also have led to plans by Sierra Nevada and New Belgian to establish East Coast breweries in the state, he says.
“Right now, this is the place is to be if you like beer,” says Vohra, also on the board of the North Carolina Brewers Guild.
Brad Wynn, one of the owners of Raleigh's Big Boss Brewing, likens the popularity of craft beers to the love of buying fresh vegetables from local farmers.
“There is a definite anti-big-guy attitude and a different perception of what beer is supposed to taste like,” he says.
Details: www.ncbeer.org
A new role for tobacco
Just as renewed brownfield areas have been part of the renewal of Pittsburgh, the American Tobacco Historic District has become a must-visit site in Durham.
Located near the smokestack-dominated home of American Tobacco, the district is near the Durham Performing Arts Center and the home of the Durham Bulls baseball team. It provides a place for dinner and drinks before and after events, a home to the public radio station, WUNC-FM, green space for walks and an onsite YMCA.
The redesigned industrial space has won awards as the best redevelopment project, best mixed-use project and best-renovated commercial property.
Its Bay 7 provides a rental space for corporate parties, weddings and other large get-togethers.
The historic district is simply a cool place to hang.
Details: www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com of 919-433-1566
Southern cooking
Taste Carolina gives tourists more than a few facts to chew on.
The company that was inspired by a visit from some “foodie” relatives of Lesley Stracks-Mullen arranges walking tours that visit restaurants and sample the area's best delights.
Stracks-Mullen was finishing her MBA at the University of North Carolina when the relatives visited. She arranged an eating tour for them, found it a lot of fun, and found an idea for a business.
Tours take place in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Generally, they are of about 12 to 15 people, she says. But she has had some business groups of 40 to 50 and recently had one of 160. They cost $44.98.
Details: www.tastecarolina.net or 919-237-2254
