Raleigh and the Triangle - A Visitor's and Local's Guide

[ripham23232]

Beer league wise the closest rink is probably going to be Cary for you... the ice sucks there, but the leagues are fairly decent. Don't think there's a rink down by you or one in the works unfortunately.

Out that way there's a ton of cheap golf options. I hit the par 3 (Knights Play) every once in a while to work on my short game, it's actually a really solid layout in that regard. 27 holes (unless they've expanded recently expanded) and it's usually in extremely good condition.

Aviator, Draft Line (soon to become Mason Jar), CBC, Bombshell, and Fainting Goat are all down in the Holy Springs/Fuquay area so there's some good beer to be had down there. Not quite as good as you'll find off of Glenwood in Raleigh but then again I'm bias in that regard. Tyler's in Apex is the best beer bar in that part of the County, easily.

I'm not super up on what else is going on in the Holly Springs/Fuquay area, Sens is probably the best one to fill in about that part of the county. I'm more familiar with Apex, Durham, and the Brier Creek area of Raleigh.

Awesome info. Thank you! A little hockey, little golf, and beer. What could be better?

In terms of watching sports, if you're a baseball fan, there's a collegiate summer wooden bat league team in Holly Springs, the Holly Springs Salamanders and just down the road in Buies Creek, the High-A affiliate of the Astros will be playing their first couple seasons at Campbell University's ballpark before they relocate to a new park in Fayetteville. The Astros play in the Carolina League. The other teams in that league and their affiliates are:

• Carolina Mudcats (Brewers)
• Down East Wood Ducks (Rangers)
• Frederick Keys (Orioles)
• Lynchburg Hillcats (Indians)
• Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs)
• Potomac Nationals (Nationals)
• Salem Red Sox (Red Sox)
• Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals)
• Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox)

Funny you should mention it, the Astros are actually why I'm moving. I've worked for a AA team in the Texas League for a number of years and have accepted a job with the new Astros team.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Beer league wise the closest rink is probably going to be Cary for you... the ice sucks there, but the leagues are fairly decent. Don't think there's a rink down by you or one in the works unfortunately.

There's a beer league team down your way called the FireAntz that you might be able to hook up with.

They're pretty serious about it, I hear.

Also: I worked for the Durham Bulls many years ago. Nothing like a MiLB front office, LOL.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

In terms of watching sports, if you're a baseball fan, there's a collegiate summer wooden bat league team in Holly Springs, the Holly Springs Salamanders and just down the road in Buies Creek, the High-A affiliate of the Astros will be playing their first couple seasons at Campbell University's ballpark before they relocate to a new park in Fayetteville. The Astros play in the Carolina League. The other teams in that league and their affiliates are:

• Carolina Mudcats (Brewers)
• Down East Wood Ducks (Rangers)
• Frederick Keys (Orioles)
• Lynchburg Hillcats (Indians)
• Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs)
• Potomac Nationals (Nationals)
• Salem Red Sox (Red Sox)
• Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals)
• Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox)

Steve Bryant is a thieving jackal, the Mudcats are *******, and Five County is Field of Dreams without the ghosts or the dreams.

Kinston Indians forever. NEVAR FORGET

 

[raynman]

Steve Bryant is a thieving jackal, the Mudcats are *******, and Five County is Field of Dreams without the ghosts or the dreams.

Kinston Indians forever. NEVAR FORGET

For real. I only went to a handful of games but I always heard some good stories. I remember listening to some old timers talk about how Cecil Fielder would hit bombs over the old warehouses. From behind home plate those warehouses looked a mile away.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

For real. I only went to a handful of games but I always heard some good stories. I remember listening to some old timers talk about how Cecil Fielder would hit bombs over the old warehouses. From behind home plate those warehouses looked a mile away.

Kinston was the heart of the old Carolina League. It really was. Great fans, great ballpark. Like the old DAP except a little more country. Loved driving down there to watch games, even when the Bulls got mollywhopped -- which it seems like they almost always did. Those Indians teams were pretty damned great.

Oh well. Old times.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Steve Bryant is a thieving jackal, the Mudcats are *******, and Five County is Field of Dreams without the ghosts or the dreams.

Kinston Indians forever. NEVAR FORGET

Kinston was the heart of the old Carolina League. It really was. Great fans, great ballpark. Like the old DAP except a little more country. Loved driving down there to watch games, even when the Bulls got mollywhopped -- which it seems like they almost always did. Those Indians teams were pretty damned great.

Oh well. Old times.

New times, too, Hank. The Wood Ducks are the new Kinston team. I don't know why the powers that be chose "Down East" as the team name, but whatever.

Anyway I've put a little work into the OP - I've updated the brewery listing thanks to thinkingcake's input and have that updated. My next steps are to update the food truck list (some really good ones aren't on the list!) and change over the restaurant and sightseeing links to have the name as the hyperlink so as to hopefully make it a little less overwhelming!

 

[raynman]

New times, too, Hank. The Wood Ducks are the new Kinston team. I don't know why the powers that be chose "Down East" as the team name, but whatever.

Anyway I've put a little work into the OP - I've updated the brewery listing thanks to thinkingcake's input and have that updated. My next steps are to update the food truck list (some really good ones aren't on the list!) and change over the restaurant and sightseeing links to have the name as the hyperlink so as to hopefully make it a little less overwhelming!

I've heard a lot of people around here make comments about the choice of Down East. To me Down East would be like way down towards Harker's Island, but apparently a good amount of people think Down East is all of Eastern NC.

 

[HisIceness]

I never would have thought that Kinston would get another minor league team before Wilmington.

Wilmington really needs to get on the ball and build a stadium like they were going to do with the Waves about 15 years ago. I'd go to a game there in a heartbeat. Used to have a Waves hat.

Didn't know Fayetteville was getting a team too, are they expansion or are they relocating?

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I never would have thought that Kinston would get another minor league team before Wilmington.

Wilmington really needs to get on the ball and build a stadium like they were going to do with the Waves about 15 years ago. I'd go to a game there in a heartbeat. Used to have a Waves hat.

Didn't know Fayetteville was getting a team too, are they expansion or are they relocating?

Both teams are expansion teams. In practice what happened is the High-A California League contracted by 2 teams, eliminating the Bakersfield Blaze and High Desert Mavericks (both of which had stadium issues) and simultaneously the Carolina League expanded by 2 teams.

As for Wilmington, their best chance was a few years ago when the Braves were looking to purchase the Lynchburg Hillcats and relocate them to a new park in Wilmington (their Rookie League club in Danville would have then relocated to Lynchburg to fill the gap there). The voters resoundingly rejected the new park and the plan died. That said there's still some uncertainty in the CL. Potomac needs a new park like burning and from what I remember, plans to build them a new one have gone nowhere. One thing's for sure though, it'd need to be a new park. UNCW's restrictions against selling alcohol at games are what killed both the Roosters and the Wave

 

[HisIceness]

I went to a Waves game their one and only season in Wilmington and yeah, Brooks field or whatever it's called on UNC-Wilmingtons campus was just not a winner for minor-league ball. I seem to recall the plan was to play there for two years and a stadium would be built in downtown along the Cape Fear River. Not sure what happened there, I guess the owners didn't see a profit to be made and they left town.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I went to a Waves game their one and only season in Wilmington and yeah, Brooks field or whatever it's called on UNC-Wilmingtons campus was just not a winner for minor-league ball. I seem to recall the plan was to play there for two years and a stadium would be built in downtown along the Cape Fear River. Not sure what happened there, I guess the owners didn't see a profit to be made and they left town.

The Waves owner, David Heller was notorious for jumping towns when it suited him. From Wilmington, the Waves moved to Albany, GA in 2003 where they were the South Georgia Waves (not a whole lot of water near Albany, GA...). 9 days before the 2003 season was due to start he relocated the team to Columbus, GA due to disputes with the city of Albany. The team played 5 years in Columbus (a season as the Waves and then the rest of the run as the Columbus Catfish) before he sold the team to an ownership group in Bowling Green, KY where they remain to this day as the Bowling Green Hot Rods, although they've moved from the South Atlantic League to the other Low-A league, the Midwest League.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

New times, too, Hank. The Wood Ducks are the new Kinston team. I don't know why the powers that be chose "Down East" as the team name, but whatever.

Anyway I've put a little work into the OP - I've updated the brewery listing thanks to thinkingcake's input and have that updated. My next steps are to update the food truck list (some really good ones aren't on the list!) and change over the restaurant and sightseeing links to have the name as the hyperlink so as to hopefully make it a little less overwhelming!

AWESOME -- that was not at all evident, LOL

Apparently the "Down East Wood Ducks" shortens to "the DEWDs". So stupid. But fun, maybe!

Need to head down there for dinner at the Chef and the Farmer and a DEWDs game. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[raynman]

AWESOME -- that was not at all evident, LOL

Apparently the "Down East Wood Ducks" shortens to "the DEWDs". So stupid. But fun, maybe!

Need to head down there for dinner at the Chef and the Farmer and a DEWDs game. Thanks for the heads up!

While I haven't been yet, I've heard really good things about The Boiler Room. Owned by Vivien Howard and Ben Knight of the Chef and the Farmer. Right across the street too I believe.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Raleigh I will be in you tomorrow. Any bars/good food spots that anyone would recommend for early 20s guys? Any places to avoid? I read the OP but it had soooo many options I'd like to narrow it down, plus I'd rather a recent opinion. Thanks!

 

[HisIceness]

You like beer? Raleigh Beer Garden. Do it man.

 

[DaveG]

Raleigh I will be in you tomorrow. Any bars/good food spots that anyone would recommend for early 20s guys? Any places to avoid? I read the OP but it had soooo many options I'd like to narrow it down, plus I'd rather a recent opinion. Thanks!

Where are you staying at is my first question? Raleigh Beer Garden is the place to hit if you're near downtown.

Up by Brier Creek? Carolina Ale House, Lynnwood Grill, Brier Creek Beer Garden, or even drop by the brewery I work at up at Gizmo Brew Works, we usually have a good food truck out on Fridays.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Where are you staying at is my first question? Raleigh Beer Garden is the place to hit if you're near downtown.

Up by Brier Creek? Carolina Ale House, Lynnwood Grill, Brier Creek Beer Garden, or even drop by the brewery I work at up at Gizmo Brew Works, we usually have a good food truck out on Fridays.

Around Battery Heights or Tupper place if that makes sense to you?

 

[DaveG]

Yeah that's right downtown, so definitely the Raleigh Beer Garden. I'd add Trophy Brewing and Pizza to that as well but if you want to catch a game that won't be the place to do it.

 

[Spurgeon46]

Hello Everyone,

Wild fan attending first game at PNC tonight. If I go down to the arena and try to scalp a single ticket but don't find one I'm interested in - am I able to buy a ticket straight off stubhub and scan a QR code on my phone to get in the arena? Or do they only accept printed, formal tickets?

 

[RodTheBawd]

95% you can scan a QR code on your phone. I'd just buy one ahead of time on stubhub, you're not going to get a better price from a scalper. Pretty desperate guys that attempt to scalp tickets to Canes games these days. Might be able to offer some of that sweet Raleigh meth.

 

[TamaTavares]

My girlfriend got me tickets to tomorrow's game and a weekend in Raleigh as a bday present. I love hockey and want to hit up as many nhl arenas as possible, so this will be my first time in the area. We'll be there pretty much all day tomorrow..looking for recommendations of other hockey related things in the area, vegan friendly places to eat, breweries or places with a large selection of local beers, museums, weird/odd attractions/exhibits, record shops, used book and movie shops, large thrift shops..anything like that. Nerdy stuff is welcome..also, is there a selection of Whalers merch in town, or are they not really acknowledged?
Thanks in advance. Looking forward to it!

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

My girlfriend got me tickets to tomorrow's game and a weekend in Raleigh as a bday present. I love hockey and want to hit up as many nhl arenas as possible, so this will be my first time in the area. We'll be there pretty much all day tomorrow..looking for recommendations of other hockey related things

I'm not aware of much other hockey related things.

vegan friendly places to eat,

This place was outstanding, and I'm not a Vegan or Vegetarian: http://thefictionkitchen.com/

Bida Manda is another place that I think is Vegan friendly, but I've found it tough to get in to.

Irregardless Cafe and Remedy Diner both cater to vegetarians, but not sure if they are Vegan, but you can check them out.

breweries or places with a large selection of local beers,

Too many to count and depends where you are staying. Raleigh Beer Garden and Flying Saucer both downtown and both have a huge selection. There are a number of breweries in the area so it depends where you are staying.

, is there a selection of Whalers merch in town, or are they not really acknowledged?

Nope, there is little to none. In fact, other than seeing some guys wearing their old sweaters at Canes games, I don't think I've ever seen Whaler stuff.

EDIT: Re: Museums, it depends what you are into. There's the NC Museum of Natural Science and the NC Museum of History right near each other downtown. Further out and very near the Arena, there is the NC Museum of Art. It's a nice museum if you are interested in Art.

 

[TamaTavares]

Thanks, buddy! Fiction Kitchen was on my list already..good to hear it's recommended! Ill look into the others you mentioned!
We are staying in a hotel a few blocks from the arena. Beer Garden sounds like a good spot for a drink or two before the game.

 

[DaleCooper]

Irregardless Cafe has vegan options and is just fantastic. A Raleigh institution. They've been there for 40 years and were doing "farm to table" before the phrase was even coined. I believe it was the first vegetarian restaurant in the area and was a real oasis decades before the great Raleigh restaurant scene of today developed.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Irregardless Cafe has vegan options and is just fantastic. A Raleigh institution. They've been there for 40 years and were doing "farm to table" before the phrase was even coined. I believe it was the first vegetarian restaurant in the area and was a real oasis decades before the great Raleigh restaurant scene of today developed.

I like going there for the Jazz also, if that's your thing. Although I've only eaten there a couple of times, I've been more impressed with the food at Fiction Kitchen than Irregardless, but both were very good and obviously, tastes are personal.