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Raleigh, North Carolina City Guide

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Raleigh Meeting Planning

Raleigh City Skyline

Raleigh's mild, temperate climate and gracious Southern hospitality make it a favorite meeting location any time of year. An ambitious $2 billion transformation of Raleigh's downtown is securing its position as a prime destination for business, technology and tourism.

Excitement abounds in Raleigh as the face of downtown changes with multiple public art projects, the expansion of the North Carolina Museum of Art and the building of several new structures including a contemporary art museum, a new terminal at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and a Civic Plaza in front of the Capitol. These projects come on the heels of the redesign of a four-block section of Fayetteville Street, a major artery that leads to the State CapitolNorth Carolina State Capitol
North Carolina State Capitol building, which now features a wider streetscape and has reopened to vehicular traffic after years of being a pedestrian mall.

One of the crowning achievements of Raleigh's renaissance is the much-anticipated Raleigh Convention Center. Scheduled to open in September 2008, the center is conveniently located in the heart of downtown, placing convention guests within a few blocks of more than 1,000 hotel rooms, including the new 400-room Raleigh Marriott City Center located next door. Other luxurious hotels in the area bring the city's accommodations total to nearly 14,000 rooms.

The new complex's advance bookings have far exceeded expectations. The 2009 World Conference of the International Association of Science Parks, World Burn Conference and Southeast U.S./Japan Association Meeting are already on the books. The 500,000-square-foot facility features 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, 19 meeting rooms totaling 30,000 square feet, and a stately 32,000-square-foot grand ballroom. Every space, large and small, is equipped with the latest communications and production technology.

Raleigh offers several outstanding attractions that are also open to hosting meetings and events. Up to 1,500 guests can enjoy an event at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, including event space within its exhibits such as the Coastal Carolina and Mountains to the Sea exhibits. To celebrate Raleigh's rich past and enjoy its inviting outdoors, the Ellen Mordecai Historical grounds, where guests can find the birthplace of Andrew Johnson and the oldest residence in Raleigh on its original foundation, offers several sites available for private events. For dinners and cocktail receptions, Caffe Luna offers elegant rooms for private dining complete with hardwood floors and graceful archways, as well as a candlelit terrace.

Several major companies are headquartered or have significant facilities and operations in Raleigh, including Alcatel-Lucent, Siemens, Progress Energy, IBM Corporation, First Citizens Bank, Cisco Systems, Carquest, Golden Corral and Eaton Corporation. The city is also home to North Carolina State University.

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About Raleigh / Additional Info

The capital city of North Carolina, Raleigh is situated on the gently rolling hills of North Carolina's Piedmont area. Named for English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, the city was founded in 1792 after the state legislature chose the site for the capital. In addition to performing the big business of state government, Raleigh quickly emerged as a pioneer in education with the establishment of the all-female St. Mary's College in 1842. Today Raleigh is home to research powerhouse North Carolina State University and six private colleges and universities. On the business side, the city serves as the location of Triangle Research Park, one of the country's largest research parks and a major center for high-tech and biotechnology research and textile development.

Due to the success of Triangle Research Park, coupled with its rising reputation as a site for higher education, Raleigh has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country and is the 2nd most populous city in North Carolina. Over 370,000 people call the city home and over 1.5 million reside in the greater metropolitan area. In spite of its urban sprawl, which has garnered the city such accolades as the number 1 spot on Forbes' "Top 200 Best Places for Business and Careers," Raleigh remains one the South's most gracious and beautiful cities. Known as the "City of Oaks" for its numerous oak trees, Raleigh's tree-lined streets, superior cultural offerings, historic homes and buildings such as the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel hearken back to the city's simple, rural beginnings.

North Carolina Museum of History

Raleigh has more than 20 top-ranked cultural institutions that are free of charge to the public. Stroll through Greek and Roman sculptures and paintings by Claude Monet and Sandro Botticelli at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Explore the re-created interior of a 1920s North Carolina drugstore and see Richard Petty's stock car at the North Carolina Museum of History. Bask in the city's pleasant weather by stopping at one of its over 150 public parks, award-winning gardens, lakes and golf courses, from the pomegranate trees and grape arbor at the Joel Lane House Gardens to the Japanese Garden at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum. When the sun goes down, savor a delicious meal, whether at one of Carolina's trademark barbecue establishments or one of the city's emerging Italian, Mediterranean or Jamaican eateries. End the night with a stop at the trendy Warehouse District, where cavernous brick buildings now house residential lofts, art galleries, restaurants and nightlife such as White Collar Crime.

New downtown additions have created a number of entertainment options for visitors during both the day and night. The new Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, a major triumph of the city's revitalization efforts, draws enthusiastic crowds with high-caliber entertainment in four performance halls. Recent offerings have included Broadway's The Lion King at Memorial Auditorium, Beethoven's "Sixth Symphony" performed by the North Carolina Symphony at Mehmandi Concert Hall, and Madame Butterfly performed by the Opera Company of North Carolina at the Fletcher Opera Theatre. Additionally, Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty was performed by the Carolina Ballet, and the North Carolina Theatre put on a production of Peter Pan. With such wide and varied offerings, it's no surprise that Raleigh continues to garner top accolades such as the 2nd best place to live in the country in 2008 by Kiplinger.