Living in the Triangle

Shopping centers. The newly renovated North Hills Mall and Triangle Towne Center, featuring Saks Fifth Avenue, add to the high-end shopping experiences that can be found in Raleigh. And The Streets at Southpoint does the same for Durham.

Antiquing. With a number of antique shops in its downtown area, Historic Pittsboro is one of the most popular places to find the perfect old dresser for your guest bedroom, hutch for your kitchen or any other piece of furniture you can imagine for any room of the house. Don’t miss “Beggars and Choosers!”

Outlets. Morrisville is home to the Triangle’s largest retail outlet center, Prime Outlets, which features more than 50 manufacturer-owned outlet stores.

Just desserts. Take care of that sweet tooth with Goodberry’s Frozen Custard, with locations in Durham, Raleigh and Cary.

ACC sports. The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area has a rich and unique tradition in collegiate athletics. Duke University, N.C. State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provide locals with ACC excitement year-round-from football to soccer to the fabled “Tobacco Road” basketball.

Golfing. One of the favorite pastimes for many who live in this area. Some of the most beautiful courses in the nation can be found right here, including the exquisite Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club in Durham and the legendary Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill.

Take in an evening outdoor concert at Regency Park in Cary. There’s nothing like sipping Sauvignon Blanc while listening to the croons of the likes of Harry Connick Jr. or K.D. lang.

Museums offer a great way to pass a Triangle afternoon. Check out Exploris in Raleigh, the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, or the Art, History or Science Museums in Raleigh. All feature exhibits that rival museums nationwide.

With a unique combination of local theater groups, such as Raleigh Little Theatre and Theatre in the Park, and the performance offerings of the local colleges and universities, Wake County is fertile ground for theater buffs.

Umstead Park, off of Highway 70 in Raleigh is a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon exploring nature.

The new American Tobacco Trail offers two dozen miles on which you can bike, hike or roller blade. It currently runs from downtown Durham through the Southpoint Mall area in Durham, and will eventually run through parts of Chatham and Wake counties.

Parrish Womble Park in Holly Springs comprises 46 acres of space for recreational activities, such as volleyball and soccer.

people-watching.

Same goes for North Churton Street in Hillsborough, with lots of smart little cafes and shops. Check out the James Pharmacy and the Hillsborough Wine Company.

Enjoying a movie in summer is never quite so satisfying as when you’re doing it outdoors…on a quilt… with a picnic basket and good friends. Do it all summer long at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Grab a cup of java at any one of dozens of coffeehouses in the Triangle area. Not only are there an abundance of Starbuck’s around, but unique shops as loaded with character as they are beans. Check out Ooh La Latte on Broad Street in Durham.

After Hours on Thursday afternoons are great fun all over the Triangle. That’s if you like live music, dancing and beer or wine, of course. In Durham, it’s Durham Alive After Five at the Bulls ballpark; Weaver Street Market in Carrboro; or Live After Five in downtown Raleigh.

So, that’s it…our take on the 25 Great Things to Do in the Triangle. Now, if we just had room to list the other 1,763!