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Discover Raleigh: Top 7 Amazing Fun Facts About North Carolina's Hidden Gem

illustration of raleigh-nc
Get ready to be charmed by the hidden gems and quirky trivia that make Raleigh, NC more than just your average capital city!

1. Tree Game of Thrones

Once boasting a real-life game of thrones amongst its barky brethren, Raleigh, NC seems to have missed the memo on Arbor Day at times: The city's former regal residents include the Nash Square willow oak, which reigned for over a century before getting the axe in 2019, and a 100-foot-tall red oak that withstood two centuries of rule before yielding to nature in 1991 – their legacies live on through plaques honoring their splendiferous timber (found at Nash Square and the intersection of N. Blount and E. North streets, respectively). Let's give it up for Raleigh's noble oaks!
Source => raltoday.6amcity.com

2. Brewery Extravaganza

If Raleigh were a frat party, it'd be the one with the seemingly endless craft beer keg line: The lively city boasts over 15 unique breweries within its limits, each offering a distinct style and personality, paired with scrumptious grub - making for an ideal hangout or low-key date spot.
Source => nctripping.com

3. IBM's Youthful Innovation

They say big things come in small packages, and Raleigh's IBM campus is proof that age ain't nothing but a number: Celebrating 50 years in 2015, IBM's Research Triangle Park campus is a hotbed for innovation, cognitive computing, and data science, attracting clients from start-ups to Fortune 500 giants and diverse talent from fresh-faced grads to seasoned pros.
Source => rtp.org

4. North Carolina State Fair

Step right up, folks, to the grandest show in the Tar Heel state, where pigs race, cakes get frosted, and your waistline surrenders to funnel cakes, all in the name of hogs and horticulture: Raleigh's North Carolina State Fair, dating back to 1853, has been entertaining and educating millions over its eleven-day fiesta, highlighting agricultural wonders, carnival rides, and good ol' country tunes.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Smithsonian of the South

5. Smithsonian of the South

If you're looking for a "marvelous" experience that's less about superheroes and more about "art"-ifacts, Raleigh has got you covered: boasting the moniker "Smithsonian of the South", this city's downtown is a treasure trove of museums, featuring the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of History, and Marbles Kids Museum, many of which are free and just a leisurely stroll away from each other.
Source => thisisraleigh.com

6. Big Acorn Drop

When life gives you acorns, you make one really big acorn and drop it from a great height: Raleigh, North Carolina ceremoniously rings in the New Year with a colossal acorn made of copper and steel, which was crafted by sculptor David Benson over 30 years ago for the city's bicentennial celebration and has since become a beloved symbol of the "City of Oaks".
Source => abc11.com

7. Corporate Playground

Raleigh, North Carolina might as well be a giant playground for global corporations, out spreading their roots like an army of ambitious, globalizing dandelions: Over 700 international companies have planted themselves in Raleigh and the surrounding Research Triangle Region, thanks to the fertile ground of 17 colleges and universities, competitive cost of living, diverse economic climate, and robust infrastructure – sprinkled with an enticing dust of 76 new folks moving in daily.
Source => researchtriangle.org

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