Waterfalls & hidden gems: Most Instagram-worthy spots near Raleigh
With beautiful spring and summer weather on the horizon, you may be looking to get out of the house and explore. Whether you're searching for the perfect photography location or just want to go for a walk in some of Raleigh's most beautiful locations – here are some of the most Instagram-worthy spots in the Raleigh area.
1. North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art is, not surprisingly, full of beautiful locations – both indoor and out.
There are always interactive exhibits outside – like their giant metal brain, their enormous science-fiction rings, their ever-popular 'Hobbit house' and a literal 'talk bubble' that encourages you to pose with a friend or loved one.
You can see here that I'm all my dog Willow ever talks about!
The museum has rotating exhibits that feature unique photographic opportunities as well – including unusual uses of light, shadow, sound and flowers. Their You Are Here: Light, Color and Sound experience brought incredible opportunities for surreal photos. Their Art in Bloom also brings unique photography opportunities.
While their rotating exhibits bring a string of temporary photographic opportunities – and you can always check their current and upcoming exhibits on the NC Museum of Art's website.
Their rolling, grassy field is always perfect for a beautiful day outside, and it includes enchanting natural spaces like gardens, wooden bridges and even a weeping willow over a bubbling stream.
Plus, the NC Museum of Art has several Instagram-worthy views and secret messages you can only see from above. Take a look!
2. Pullen Park
If you're looking for blue skies, arched bridges and gazebos over a sparkling lake, Pullen Park offers countless Instagram-worthy spots.
Pullen's meandering pathways and ornate gardens are perfect for a day outdoors – and they've been drawing crowds for more than century.
Their historic, century-old carousel offers a colorful and artful backdrop for any photo; plus, it's just fun to ride on a beautiful spring day!
Plus, the park has several 'hidden' locations that are as aesthetic as they are fascinating: Take a selfie with Andy Griffith and Opie alongside a monument that has quite a history of drama and intrigue – including causing strife between Raleigh and Mt. Airy.
There's also a 'secret garden' that hides the historic remnants of an era when Pullen Park had its own zoo. Today the lovely circular garden is planted in the footprint of the old alligator pit.
Pullen Park is located at 520 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606.
3. Historic Yates Mill County Park
Take a selfie with history!
If you visit the beautiful trails and dazzling lake in the woods surrounding Yates Mill, you'll almost always see several people stopping to pose for a picture on the rocks.
Featuring one of the only waterfalls in Raleigh, couples can often be seen snapping engagement photos with the water rushing in the background.
Even if you're not there for photography, the hiking trails and scenic views offer a perfect mixture of nature and history.
The Historic Yates Mill County Park is located at 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603.
4. WRAL Azalea Gardens
The WRAL Azalea Gardens have been open since the 1950s, when a thousand colorful azalea bushes were planted outside the WRAL studio.
In the decades since then, WRAL's gardens have become a popular springtime destination near downtown Raleigh, with thousands of visitors coming for picnics and walks, to snap prom or quinceañera photos, or even to celebrate a wedding.
The meandering pathways surrounded by dozens of colorful petals offer the perfect floral backdrop. Many families also love posing with the ornate fountain tucked away in the foliage and hedges.
Even better, WRAL currently has a very unique photo opportunity already drawing crowds: Our 'once-in-a-century' blooming of the enormous century plant. These rare plants look like something out of Jurassic Park. Already around 10 feet tall, the blooming plant is expected to grow to over 20 feet before bursting into yellow flowers. It'll only last a few weeks, and then the plant dies – so this photo opp is limited!
Here's everything you need to know about visiting the WRAL Azalea Gardens -- and here's everything you need to know about visiting our century plant!
The WRAL Azalea Gardens are located at 2619 Western Blvd, Raleigh, NC.
5. Lassiter Mill
Did you know a beautiful waterfall is hidden right in the middle of a Raleigh neighborhood?
Another blend of history and nature, this hidden gem is tucked away inside the Beltline at the intersection of Lassiter Mill Road and Lassiter Falls Circle.
Originally known as the 'Great Falls of Crabtree,' this section of creek has been used as a mill site even before the City of Raleigh existed. Today, you can see remnants of a mill, including a grand stretch of falls reaching across the entire body of water. Beautiful homes surround the site, which today serves as a popular city park.
6. Boylan Bridge
If you want a skyline shot of Raleigh, this is one of the most popular places to snap that photo.
Boylan Bridge offers sweeping views of Raleigh, including the iconic shimmer wall on the convention center, the glowing point of the PNC building and the train tracks entering the historic warehouse district. The view is equally aesthetic on a sunny day with blue skies, during a dazzling purple sunset or with the glowing lights at night.
Bonus: You can stand on the bridge and pose with the city skyline behind you.
7. Annie Louise Wilkerson Nature Preserve
Blue skies, rolling green fields, giant boulders, nature trails and even a secret fairy garden – there's plenty to see and photograph at the Annie Louise Wilkerson Nature Preserve. Deer frolic past. A tranquil lake sits in the distance.
A doctor who delivered more than 8,000 babies in Raleigh donated her home and land to become a nature preserve after she died. Now, her scenic home sits frozen in time for thousands of locals to explore and enjoy.
Wilkerson's home and farm, which she bought in 1953, sat on over 150 acres of land near Falls Lake. Today, her farm and house are still there – and her land has become yet another gift for Raleigh's mothers and children.
When she passed away in 2005, she left the entire site to the City of Raleigh. She required the land remain mostly untouched so generations of future children could roam the wild, open landscape where Wilkerson once gathered her own nephews and nieces.
There's even a secret trail that leads to a fairy village in the forest – a quiet haven of magic amidst a busy world.
The Annie Louise Wilkerson Nature Preserve is located at 5229 Awls Haven Dr, Raleigh, NC 27614.
8. Dix Park
Like many locations on this list, Dix Park offers multiple sites worthy of Instagram photography.
Every summer, thousands of people come from across the Triangle to see the incredible sunflower fields. Often, families come wearing their finest yellow dress to match the aesthetic and snap everything from family photos to Instagram-worthy feature images.
Even when the sunflowers aren't in bloom, however, there's plenty to see at Dix Park. Their field offers a beautiful view of Raleigh's skyline. It's the perfect place to snap a photo with a unique and scenic backdrop.
Dix Park can be found at 1030 Richardson Dr, Raleigh, NC 27603.
Honorable mentions - not far from Raleigh
Not far from Raleigh is a world of Instagram-worthy spots in the Triangle area - they're worth the day trip if you enjoy traveling!
Cary Town Hall campus: With hedge mazes, public art, picturesque water features and gardens and even a redwood forest, the Town Hall campus in Cary is one of the most beautiful town halls you'll ever see.
It's not technically in Raleigh, but it's only 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh – not far to drive for the experience!
With tropical trees, historic buildings and beautiful artwork, the scenic stroll is worth the trip.
Occoneechee Speedway: The abandoned remnants of an entire 1940s NASCAR speedway frozen in time on a hiking trail.
Its located near the Eno River and can be found at 320 Elizabeth Brady Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278.
Rocky Mount Mills: These historic mills sit on the very 'Rocky Mound' for which the city gets its name. Preserved and renovated, these mills have become a hotspot for visitors, including trendy breweries and restaurants.
They even have a tiny home hotel so you can stay on campus and enjoy the aesthetic a little longer.
Secret garden in Tarboro: Did you know North Carolina has its very own 'secret garden'? Enclosed in a gothic-style churchyard, the ground and graves alike are cloaked in ivy. Century-old trees, crooked with age, create a green dome that, in some places, blocks the sky.
The Calvary Episcopal Churchyard is located at 411 E Church St, Tarboro, NC 27886.
What did we miss?
Do you have an incredible Raleigh view that you think we should have included? Let us know about it! Email hleah@wral.com.
