Discover Wake: Nature, Art and History

Wake offers a range of themes for planning your trip: water and nature, trails through landscapes, art, and historic places. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can first decide which focus will shape your trip. For nature lovers, there are bodies of water, trails, and plant collections to choose from; cultural destinations range from outdoor art to museums and history.

Water, Nature and Trails

In Wake County, William B. Umstead State Park has three man-made lakes and their tributaries, which are suitable for fishing. Falls Lake State Recreation Area is located in Durham and Wake Counties and offers seven access areas to the reservoir. A section of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail passes through the area. Gas-powered motors are not allowed on Beaverdam Lake at Falls Lake, making the area suitable for paddling. This offers different ways to enjoy the area: fishing at the lakes and tributaries in Umstead State Park, or paddling on Beaverdam Lake, where motors are prohibited.

The Museum Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art has 4.7 miles of recreational trails. They pass through natural areas and lead to specially commissioned works of art. The Capital Area Reedy Creek Greenway leaves Museum Park and continues to Umstead State Park. The JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University is a public garden and a living laboratory. Its diverse plant collection includes species adapted to the southeastern United States.

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve is home to a distinctive community of Canadian hemlocks and other mountain plant species. The preserve provides access to about three miles of paved nature trails with mulch surfaces. Wake County has more than 250 parks and over 100 miles of paved greenway trails in total. Historic Yates Mill County Park is a 174-acre wildlife park with hiking trails and a 24-acre pond. Historic Yates Mill is the last remaining gristmill in Wake County.

Art, Museums and History

The North Carolina Museum of Art has more than a dozen galleries featuring works from around the world and a variety of art forms. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has four levels of exhibits and is the largest natural history museum in the southeastern United States. The world’s most complete known Acrocanthosaurus skeleton is on display in the Nature Exploration Center. The Nature Research Center features laboratories, weather centers, exhibits on oceans, fossils, and space, as well as a 10,000-gallon aquarium.

Mordecai Historic Park includes the Mordecai House, dating to around 1785, and the birthplace of President Andrew Johnson. Historic Raleigh Trolley Tours depart from Mordecai Historic Park every Saturday from March through December. Check current departure details before your trip. Pullen Park is the first public park in North Carolina and the fifth-oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States. Pullen Arts Center offers programs in pottery, jewelry making, painting, printmaking, book design, drawing, textile arts, weaving, and glass art.

Named for John P. “Top” Greene, the Cultural Center features historical exhibits and offers programs on the history and culture of the South Park and East Raleigh neighborhoods. The City of Raleigh Museum offers educational programs and tours. For a culinary and hands-on experience, visit the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, which offers fresh, locally grown produce, plants, shops, restaurants, and crafts year-round.

Discover more destinations: Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Morrisville, Apex, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Fuquay-Varina, Wendell.

For the broader travel overview: North Carolina.