Dinosaurs are coming to Raleigh

Stand next to life-sized dinosaurs this weekend at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Dino and Dragon Stroll Raleigh will be held Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 12-13) at the convention center. As the name implies, it is a walk-through event. Strollers and wagons are welcome.

Dino Stroll describes itself giving visitors a chance to walk through the "Mesozoic Era with prehistoric dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, and enter the Dragon’s Den which is surrounded by some fantastical, legendary fire-breathing dragons."

The event includes a 20-foot-tall Brachiosaurus and a massive Mamenchisaurus that stands more than 2 stories high and 60 feet long. Other notable dinosaurs include a mammoth Spinosaurus that is also 2 stories high and over 45 feet long, and a 28-foot-tall T-Rex that is more than 60 feet long.

Tickets are only being sold online. They are $26.99 for adults and children ages 2 to 17 year old. Those with a military ID and children under the age of 2 are admitted for free. Tickets are being sold in 30-minute time slots starting at 10 a.m. each day.

There is a sensory-friendly option at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. This session will include a "sensory modified setting with sound and light adjustments designed to be less stimulating and overwhelming." But be warned that the full experience with lights and sound starts at 9:45 a.m.

Note that there are activities, rides and attractions that are not included in your admission ticket, so you will have to pay for your child to participate in them.

Masks are required inside the venue for everyone ages 2 and older, per the City of Raleigh's mandate. There is a exemption for parents who are struggling to get their children to wear a face mask. Children under the age of 5 who are not able to keep a mask on are exempt from the city's mandate.