Raleigh Convention Center – Things To Do With Your Team

You and your team will feel right at home during your visit to the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since opening in September 2008, the Raleigh Convention Center has been welcoming and accommodating groups of anywhere from 50 to 5,000 people, making sure that everyone’s needs are met by providing excellent amenities and services.

The facility itself is equally as impressive as their dedication to ensuring that all of the visitors to the convention center are cared for. The Raleigh Convention Center is more than double the size of the convention center it replaced, which was erected in 1977 and demolished in 2006. The current convention center is comprised of three levels and 500,000 square feet of space. It features a 150,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 20 meeting rooms, and an elegant, 32,000-square-foot ballroom.

The convention center’s exterior is also adorned with a large public art piece called the Cree Shimmer Wall, which spans 9,284 square feet on the west side of the facility. The Cree Shimmer Wall is made up of 79,464 light and dark aluminum square pixels that change shape and disappear as they flap in the wind. The wall depicts an image of an oak tree, in reference to Raleigh’s nickname, the “City of Oaks.” The Cree Shimmer Wall is only one of the many incredible things that can be found in close proximity to the Raleigh Convention Center however. A short walk from the convention center is all it will take for you and your team to experience some of the best attractions and dining options that the City of Oaks has to offer.

Things to Do

Marbles Kids Museum

Marbles Kids Museum is a renowned Raleigh attraction where your team will enjoy an enriching learning experience that won’t feel like a learning experience because they’ll be too busy having fun! Opened in 2007, Marbles Kids Museum has been a destination for hands-on, minds-on learning for over a decade. At Marbles Kids Museum, children are inspired to imagine, discover, and learn through a variety of extraordinary themed exhibits, daily programs, special events, and even educational and feature films on a larger-than-life IMAX screen.

Some of the exhibits offered at Marbles Kids Museum include Moneypalooza, which brings to life the importance of establishing responsible money habits through innovative and high-energy activities; IdeaWorks, where imagination takes center stage as kids design, create, and build structures, vehicles, simple machines, and everyday products; and TreeTunes, one of the museum’s newest exhibits where your team can tap into their inner musical genius as they explore melodies and get inspired by the great outdoors. Further enhance your team’s time at Marbles Kids Museum by visiting Marbles Corner Store, stocked with innovative, educational, and whimsical merchandise, and the museum’s Café, which serves local, farm-fresh food. Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to book their visit to Marbles Kids Museum at least three days in advance. 201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Considering that it’s the largest museum of its kind in the Southeast, you can be sure that there will be something for everyone at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Located near the Raleigh Convention Center, it features four floors of exhibits, live animals, 3D movies, three gift stores, and two cafes. A stunning 70-foot diameter globe nestled at the center of the museum’s façade houses a three-story theater where guests can enjoy live programming and movies projected onto its giant screen. While at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, you and your team can also observe real-life scientists at work in five glass-walled research labs.

You can also get the chance to be scientists too in the museum’s three Investigate Labs, where you’ll perform interesting experiments designed and led by museum educators. Some of the museum’s most notable features include the world’s most complete Acrocanthosaurus skeleton; the skeleton of a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex; a 10,000-gallon aquarium; a two-story waterfall; walk-through dioramas; and a tranquil butterfly room that also houses a two-toed sloth. Groups of 10 or more must schedule their visit to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in advance through the Capital Area Visitor Services. 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601

North Carolina Museum of History

At the North Carolina Museum of History, you and your team can explore North Carolina’s past spanning as far back as 14,000 years ago. Their collection of more than 350,000 artifacts tells the story of North Carolina from the state’s earliest inhabitants to the 20th century. The museum’s award-winning, signature exhibit The Story of North Carolina traces life in North Carolina for thousands of years through fascinating artifacts and captivating multimedia presentations displayed in an interactive format that’s suited for guests of all ages. Other exhibits highlight the state’s military history, sports heroes, decorative arts, and more. The North Carolina Museum of History also features a gift shop and a restaurant, Pharaoh’s at the Museum. Admission to the museum is free. Groups of 10 or more people must schedule their visit at least two weeks in advance. 5 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Pullen Park

Although it’s located a fair distance from the Raleigh Convention Center at just under a mile and a half away, Pullen Park is an iconic Raleigh destination that’s definitely worth visiting if you and your team have the time. Located next to North Carolina State University just west of downtown Raleigh, Pullen Park dates all the way back to 1887 when Richard Stanhope Pullen donated farmland to the City of Raleigh to be used as a park. Admission to Pullen Park is free, but some of the attractions at the park require a nominal fee.

Attractions at the park include a carousel built by the G. A. Dentzel Company in the early 20th century that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places; a miniature train ride that’s a near exact, one-third sized replica of the C. P. Huntington steam locomotive; pedal boats that are available for rental by the half hour; a kiddie boat ride; an aquatic center that features an Olympic size swimming pool, a warm water therapy pool, and more; and a real Norfolk Southern Railway caboose that visitors can step inside and explore. Pullen Park also boats typical park amenities like playgrounds, lighted tennis courts, walking trails, picnic areas, and two ball fields. Before you leave, be sure to take a group photo with a statue of Andy and Opie Taylor from The Andy Griffith Show located in the park. 408 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606

Places to Eat

The Pit

North Carolina is known for its legendary barbecue and the charming, down-home joints that know how to cook it right. The Pit proudly continues this tradition by serving up authentic, whole-hog, pit-cooked barbecue in a comfortable, casual setting paired with a heaping serving of Southern hospitality. The pigs used to make their delicious barbecue are all free-range and locally raised, and the freshest of the state’s bountiful produce is featured in their selection of starters, sides, and desserts. Going far beyond traditional barbecue offerings with some contemporary twists on Southern favorites, The Pit also serves Texas-style brisket, baby back ribs, barbecue turkey, fried chicken, and even a can’t miss barbecue tofu dish. 328 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Pizza La Stella

Authentic Neapolitan pizza is their passion at Pizza La Stella, located just over a five-minute walk away from the Raleigh Convention Center. All of their pizzas, in addition to many of their other flavorful dishes, are cooked in custom-made Stefano Ferrara ovens that can easily reach and stay heated to a blistering 900 degrees; the ideal temperature for cooking true Neapolitan pizzas in just under 90 seconds. You definitely won’t find any microwaves, grills, or fryers at Pizza La Stella.

In addition to pizza, the menu at Pizza La Stella also features calzones, strombolis, salads, and more. They even serve wings that have been cooked in their wood-fired ovens, topped with three kids of sauces: a lime, honey-habanero sauce; a sauce that pairs the classic taste of Dr. Pepper with a hint of lime; and “The Old-Fashioned,” a sauce that blends together the flavors of apple cider bourbon, cinnamon, and charred orange. 219 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque

Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque has been serving Carolina-style barbeque since 1938 in downtown Raleigh. They slow cook only top lean pork shoulders and hams until they are melt-in-your-mouth tender and then top them with a splash of their signature barbeque sauce. Their menu also features plenty of other Southern comfort food staples like brisket, fried and barbequed chicken, ribs, sandwiches, and of course, a wide variety of classic barbeque sides. 327 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Chuck’s

It doesn’t get much better than a juicy burger piled high with flavorful toppings and the place to go for just that in Raleigh is Chuck’s, a gourmet burger joint with a menu that’s got something for everyone. The menu at Chuck’s features a selection of distinct, mouth-watering burgers, all carefully concocted with fresh toppings like bacon-onion jam, blistered red peppers, pico de gallo, poblano pimento cheese, and more. Complimenting their 100-percent chuck mainstays are starters like hand-cut fries, fried pickle chips, and buttermilk-battered onion rings; hot dogs; salads; sandwiches; and shakes to wash it all down. 237 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Raleigh is a city that’s not just a city. Sure, it features all of the unique attractions and great local businesses that you’d expect to find in a booming urban metropolis, but that’s far from all that a city as eclectic as Raleigh has to offer you and your team during your visit to the Raleigh Convention Center. It’s also brimming with historical sites associated with the city’s centuries-long legacy as well as over 150 parks, lakes, and other natural landmarks that are exactly what one would expect to find in a place that has earned itself the nickname the “City of Oaks.”