How to spend an unforgettable summer day in the Triangle
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It's officially summer — one of the best times to take advantage of the Triangle's outdoor beauty and indoor escapes.
Why it matters: Whether you're welcoming visitors or simply looking to try somewhere new, these outings pair memorable experiences with great food and drink nearby.
🦥 Check out the Lemur Center
The most diverse population of lemurs outside their native Madagascar is living in an idyllic section of Duke Forest on the outskirts of Durham.
- Lemurs are some of Earth's most endangered mammals, and visiting the Duke Lemur Center makes for an excellent evening activity for wildlife lovers.
If you go: Buy tickets in advance. A two-hour basic tour is about $18 per person.
- Summer hours are 5-7pm Thursday and Friday and 10am-noon Saturday and Sunday.
- 📍 3705 Erwin Road, Durham.
We recommend these spots nearby:
- ☕️ Guglhupf for coffee and next-level baked goods.
- 🦀 Saltbox Seafood Joint for casual Carolina seafood.
- 🥪 Foster's Market for sandwiches.
⛸️ Go ice skating where the Canes practice
The dead of summer is the perfect time to cool off at the ice rink.
- Invisalign Arena — where the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes practice — offers public skates most weekends.
If you go: Expect to pay up to $16 a person. That price includes a skate rental.
- Check the public skating schedule ahead of time.
- 📍 111 Competition Center Drive, Morrisville.
We recommend these spots nearby:
- ☕️ Thousand Hills Coffee for a friendly atmosphere.
- 🥢 C&T Wok for flavorful Szechuan food.
- 🌳 Lake Crabtree for scenic walking trails or a boat ride.
🖼️ Explore the art museum grounds
The North Carolina Museum of Art is one of Raleigh's most impressive museums, and its grounds are a delight to explore.
- There are 4.7 miles of trail amid the sculptures, pond, meadows and trees. Take in a summer morning there.
- If temperatures climb too high, head indoors and peruse the galleries.
If you go: It's free and the museum has multiple guides online, including a scavenger hunt.
- 📍 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh (accessible from the Capital Area Greenway 🚲).
The NCMA Café has drinks and food, but to make more of a day of it, we recommend heading over to nearby N.C. State's Hillsborough Street:
- ☕️ Jubala for high-quality coffee and biscuits.
- 🍔 Players Retreat for good bites in an authentic atmosphere.
- 🎱 Pantana's for pool, darts and cheap drinks.
⚾️ Get the Durham Bulls experience
Summer baseball games provide a perfect dose of Americana, and no minor-league teams do it quite like the Durham Bulls.
- Get in the mood by watching "Bull Durham." The Oscar-nominated 1988 film is surprisingly raunchy and holds up well. (Amazon Prime, Pluto TV and other streaming services have it. The safe-for-TV version is on YouTube.)
If you go: Tickets are cheapest at the box office, but some games sell out.
- 🎆 Friday and Saturday games end with fireworks.
- 🌭 On Thursdays, hot dogs cost $1.
- 📍 409 Blackwell St., Durham.
We recommend these spots nearby:
- ☕️ Press for coffee and breakfast.
- 🍴 Parker & Otis for sandwiches (hello, shrimp BLT).
- 🍹 Bar Virgile for well-made cocktails.
🫐 Go berry picking
Strawberry-picking is popular throughout the Triangle, but by summer solstice, it's blueberries and blackberries that are in season.
- Eno River Farm has both, plus homemade ice cream.
If you go: The farm posts about ripeness and availability on Instagram. There is often live music.
- 📍 2127 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough.
We recommend these spots in the Hillsborough town limits:
- ☕️ Cup-A-Joe for coffee.
- 🌮 El Restaurante Ixtapa for authentic Mexican food.
- 🍻 Yonder for drinks and entertainment.
The bottom line: Use these ideas or share with visiting friends and family. And let us know what we forgot!
Go deeper: How to spend 24 hours in Raleigh