Experience Raleigh Through the Wolfpack’s Eyes

We know moving away from home for college is a big decision. So we hit the streets, the trails and even the paddle boat ponds to help you get a feel for the city we love: Raleigh, North Carolina. The City of Oaks. One third of the Research Triangle. Home to the NC State Wolfpack — which, we hope, will soon include you.

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Craft a College Town Collage

Raleigh isn’t only home to the Wolfpack. It’s also home to four other universities and a community college.

• Meredith College
• Shaw University
• Saint Augustine’s University
• Wake Technical Community College
• William Peace University

That touring-college-campuses movie montage experience you’re having as you cruise around Raleigh? That’s real life.

This abundance of colleges offers more than a strong Gen Z demographic. Thanks to the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges program, enrolled students at NC State can register for courses offered at any of the other five Raleigh colleges — and vice versa — and easily receive transfer credit. So if you’re interested in a subject you can’t find here, be sure to chat with your advisor and browse those other course catalogs.

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Embrace Your Walking Era

There are lots of great places you can easily get to on foot from our campus. We’re bordered on the north side by Hillsborough Street, which is rich with local businesses, quick-service restaurants, coffee shops, a bite-size Target and several iconic used book stores.

To the east you’ll find Pullen Park, a nostalgic paradise of paddle boats, tiny trains, picnic shelters and an old-timey carousel piping out tinny Victorian music at all hours of the day. It’s easy to cross the street and see the world in sepia tones for a while.

We’re also located within walking distance of Raleigh Little Theatre (home to the Raleigh Rose Garden, which is stunning year-round) and Theatre in the Park, for those whose thirst for theater requires more quenching than our University Theatre alone can provide. You can quickly find your way to the Village District for more shopping and dining options, or escape to Lake Raleigh on Centennial Campus for hiking, disc golf and restoration.

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Seek New Experiences

There’s no shortage of new and interesting things to do in Raleigh, if you know where to look. There are so many festivals here. We’re home to both the North Carolina State Fair and the North Carolina State Farmers Market. Both are essential Raleigh experiences. Both are deeply rooted in our state’s agriculture. But only one will let you taste an ostrich smashburger, a dill pickle donut and something that we suspect is aptly named “the slop bucket.”

You can — and we strongly encourage you to — attend plenty of Wolfpack athletic events to cheer on our 22 Division I varsity teams or our 50+ club teams. But for those who view sports as a lifestyle, Raleigh is also home to North Carolina’s professional hockey team, the Carolina Hurricanes, and its professional women’s soccer team, the North Carolina Courage, plus several minor league teams.

​​Downtown, there’s a lot to explore — parks, restaurants, concert venues, shopping districts, museums, historic neighborhoods and more — plus access to transportation to take you farther afield. The new Raleigh Union Station is a hub for Amtrak routes that can take you to many destinations, including Charlotte, Florida, Washington D.C. or New York. 

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Get Some Fresh Air

Perhaps the most surprising thing about our fair city is just how much of it is green — it’s called a “city in a park” for good reason. Connecting with nature is easy, right here on campus or within a short drive. With lakes, rivers, botanical gardens, parks and over 100 miles of greenway trails, there’s an adventure for everyone here.

Adjacent to Centennial Campus is Dorothea Dix Park. Idyllic picnic spots, skyline views, a dog park, iconic sunflower selfie backdrops and a calendar packed full of events make it a convenient outdoor escape. You can also take a quick trip to Yates Mill County Park to explore the hiking trails, followed by ice cream at our Howling Cow Dairy Education Center and Creamery. Say hi to the cows for us.

Other nearby nature experiences include our JC Raulston Arboretum for anyone who loves a stroll through a beautiful garden, and Lake Johnson for boat rentals and scenic walking and hiking trails.

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Unleash Your Creativity

You might not guess it based on our reputation as a strong STEM school, but the arts are thriving and open to everyone here at NC State. We’re also surrounded by a vibrant arts community in the Triangle. Raleigh has art museums and galleries, concert venues and theaters of all sizes, craft studios and fairs, events and networks for creators. When you’re looking for ways to engage your creative side or soak up the creativity of others, you don’t have to look far.

The North Carolina Museum of Art, located near the College of Veterinary Medicine, boasts two buildings that encompass its permanent and visiting collections, plus 164 acres of outdoor parks and trails with works of art to discover along your route. The Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh, Artspace artist studios, First Friday downtown arts showcases, and our own Gregg Museum of Art & Design and Crafts Center are sources of inspiration and reflection.

There’s always music to enjoy in Raleigh, too. The Department of Performing Arts and Technology and NC State LIVE present dozens of music or dance concerts each semester, right here on campus. Venturing farther afield, you’ll find indoor and outdoor venues ranging from intimate to mammoth, the North Carolina Symphony and Carolina Ballet, and annual music festivals like Hopscotch or Dreamville. 

And all of this is just the beginning. Raleigh is a city bursting with opportunities for students and young professionals, alike. Come and see for yourself.