“Raleigh is like Atlanta 20 years ago.” This statement from a friend seems true – I wasn’t in Atlanta 20 years ago but I imagine it was probably very similar. Raleigh is a great town – laid-back with good food, beer and music. Still small enough to be cozy and welcoming, but big enough to always have new things to see and do.

I have a good friend who lives in this fun place and I try to see her at least once a year. This year, Sean and I were able to go together for a weekend before a work trip for him. We took a half-day on Friday and drove up to Raleigh in plenty of time for evening festivities. We made the most of our 48 hours there in spite of some pretty chilly and rainy weather. Read on to learn what do with two days in Raleigh.

Friday night: Dinner and Drinks
We’d made dinner reservations at Bu Ku Global Street Food, but arrived with enough time to check into our hotel, freshen up and have a drink at The Hive beforehand. The atmosphere at BuKu is vibrant and energetic – with food dishes to match. I’d say it was a bit fancier than street food, but the wide variety of Pan-Asian dishes let us try lots of flavors. The sushi was also awesome – fresh and inventive, like the roll pictured below with mango on top. We had a dessert trio to end the meal, which Sean was proudly displaying for the camera.

After dinner, we walked through the rain to Paddy O’Beers, a beer shop with a little bar inside it that was pouring some tasty brews. Very chill little place to grab a nightcap.

Saturday Morning: Brunch and Museum
We started with brunch at Irregardless Cafe. This cute restaurant is near downtown and is pretty spacious inside – which means less time waiting for a table! I’d been here before, but it was Sean’s first time dining and he chose wisely for his meal. The Gravlox Salmon Bagel was amazing. I chose a Brie and Asparagus omelette which was also tasty. This place really has something for everyone – whether they are adventurous, picky or battling food allergies. It’s not cheap, but the portions are huge so expect leftovers.

The weather was still cool and rainy so we opted for some inside activities, beginning with CAM Raleigh – the Contemporary Art Museum. The museum was small, but filled with interesting pieces. We’re not knowledgeable about art at all but we did really enjoy this museum with it’s strange and unusual displays. It was inexpensive to get in, too – only $5! With some films running in the lower level, we easily spent about an hour and a half here.

Saturday afternoon: Brewery, Chocolate and Museum
CAM Raleigh is very close to Crank Arm Brewing so we went in there for a flight. The decor is cool – lots of gears, etc. and even the serving trays for flights look like gears!

We walked next door to Videri Chocolate Factory to satisfy our sweet tooth and tour their bean to bar operation. Most of the chocolate is organic/fair trade and it’s dark, velvety and luscious. I loved the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt flavor and their branding and package design. 😉

At this point, the rain was still coming down and we had plenty of time to kill before our dinner reservations. We wanted to hit another brewery or two, but also wanted to see more sights. We checked out the North Carolina Museum of History and learned about the diverse and interesting (although often violent) history of the state. The exhibit was very interactive, so it would be great for kids – lots of boxes to open, artifacts to touch, etc. Plus, it was FREE!

Saturday Evening: Breweries, Dinner and Bar-Hopping
Yes, we went out drinking. We had flights at both Trophy Brewing and Natty Green’s. Trophy’s beer is awesome. The space is small, but it’s worth squeezing in for a brew.

Natty Green’s is a fun space with pool tables, darts, etc. and a nice long beer selection. I enjoyed my flight.

By this time, we were famished and ready for our dinner at the new sit-down space for Garland. I’d been to the walk-up window previously and knew the Chicken 65 was amazing, so of course I wanted Sean to experience it, too! The space was beautiful and we had a delicious meal – including the Chicken 65 – but it was so dark none of the pictures came out. This is a great spot for Indian food and reasonably priced.

After dinner we met up with a friend of mine and some of her friends at The Raleigh Times and then went on to a few more spots. We definitely didn’t let the rain stop us from having a Saturday night on the town.

Sunday morning and lunch:
Sunday was my last day in Raleigh (Sean stayed on for a work project) and we spent the morning wandering around downtown and enjoying some sunshine after the rain. I love how walkable downtown is and there are lots of small parks tucked away with pretty flowers and trees.

We had brunch at Capital Club 16, a great little restaurant with a French bistro feel in a historic building with tall ceilings and tiled floors. I had a tasty turkey and brie sandwich and Sean had the special which was done with pork, bok choy and spatzel. Yum. They also gave us some beignets upon arrival which were a nice treat while we waited for our drinks. And that was our 48 hours in Raleigh, NC this past spring. We’ve been there on previous occasions, too so if you have questions about other spots or want more shopping or restaurant recommendations, let me know!