Raleigh,
North Carolina,
is as gracious a city as its namesake, Sir Walter Raleigh.
Raleigh, NC, is a 'Happening' Place!
Long noted as
one of the best areas for quality of life in the United
States, the
Raleigh Business community is
a Community in and of itself, joining together in fun, fun
projects that can only increase enjoyment for residents and
tourist alike, as well as raise Raleigh's business profile.
Contests and events are frequent (currently: "Collect
cards from select Downtown Raleigh businesses to create the
best poker hand in Raleigh and you'll have a chance to win a
trip to Las Vegas.") Shopping and
restaurants
in downtown Raleigh are first rate. As a community,
Raleigh hosts exciting and fun events such as an official
Oscar Night® America party on Sunday, February 29,
2004 from 7:00 pm until the Best Picture Award is given.
ALLTEL Pavilion
is one of the most technologically advanced and
successful amphitheatres in the world; it seats 20,00
comfortably and is strikingly beautiful. The acoustic
accomplishments are the best in the world and the Pavilion has
actually proven so popular that it now has an online
community.
Arts
lovers in Raleigh also boast of the
BTI
Center for the Performing Arts, which
includes Fletcher Opera Theater, designed for opera, dance,
and theatrical productions (featuring
Carolina Ballet, the National Opera Company
and the
A.
J. Fletcher Opera Institute); Kennedy
Theater (featuring
Burning Coal Theatre); The Lichtin Plaza (a
2 acre venue for festivals, concerts, and social functions);
and the Meymandi Concert Hall featuring the
North Carolina Symphony.
Special Note: Robert Weiss, Artistic
Director of Carolina Ballet in Raleigh, has rocked the world
of Ballet with a stunning new production of The Nutcracker,
which he created to honor the memory of
George Balanchine.
Sports
fans will be delighted with
NCSU
Wolfpack Athletics,
Carolina Hurricanes and the
RBC
Center and for
nature lovers and outdoor activities, there are
Raleigh Parks & Recreation,
Lake
Wheeler,
Lake
Johnson, and Pullen
Park. The Capital Area Greenway, a system
of public recreation trails providing walking, jogging,
hiking, fishing, picnicking, and outdoor activities, is framed
by the Neuse River, Walnut and Crabtree Creeks and their
tributaries.
Raleigh and North Carolina
have a rich and
intricate history,
as highlighted in
NC
Museum of Natural Sciences,
NC
Museum of History, and the
Raleigh City Museum.
While
there, do not miss the
State Capitol,
a National Historic Landmark, the
North Carolina
Executive Mansion, the
North Carolina Solar Center,
Historic Oak View County Park,
or the
Ray
Price Legends of Harley Drag Racing Museum.
Raleigh's population of 276,093 (2003), enjoy a world-class
economic vitality. Raleigh is just west of North Carolina's
Research Triangle Park, and is the largest of 12
municipalities making up the Triangle metropolitan area in
Wake County.
