This Backyard Adventure is all about choices. We are offering a menu of possibilities, including a wide variety of lunch options and a choice of North Carolina’s finest museums.

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Special note: Depending on which options you choose, you may want to bring your bike or catch the bus. Or both. Cycling between many of these destinations is a breeze and Raleigh has the R-Line, a free eco-friendly bus that loops through downtown every 10-15 minutes.

First, choose between either the North Carolina Museum of Art or the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Hmmm…tough choice.

The art collections of the State of North Carolina, housed at the North Carolina Museum of Art, span more than 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt to the present, making it one of the premier art museums in the region. In 1999, the museum opened the Museum Park, 164 acres of open areas, streams, and woodlands filled with trails and monumental works of art. Artists are actively involved in the ecological restoration of the Park’s landscape and the integration of art into its natural systems.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the largest natural history museum in the Southeast, provides a venue to look at the natural world through North Carolina’s own backyard. By looking closely at the geography, geology, plants and animals of North Carolina, we are able to understand the world, our place in it and our global connections. Travel from the mountains to the sea, take a trip back in time to prehistoric North Carolina, and visit the living conservatory all in a few hours.

Now let’s figure out where to eat. Check out the TLC Staff Guide to Raleigh restaurants. While TLC staff work throughout the Triangle in six counties, all of us make our way to headquarters in the renovated Pilot Mill building near downtown Raleigh at least a couple times each month, so we are familiar with some dining options in the capital city. Consult this interactive map to find out where your favorite TLC staffers like to eat and why. 

Cap off your Adventure by visiting the museum you didn’t choose earlier, or with a special event or trip to Pullen Park.

For a special event, might we suggest…

Margaret Reid Wildflower Garden special tours

A private garden, the Margaret Reid Wildflower Garden is open to the public on Easter Sunday. Protected by TLC with a conservation easement, this garden is a haven for many of the Piedmont’s native plants. From the mid-1940s until her death in 1995, Margaret Reid created an exceptional wildflower garden containing more than 400 species of plants. With the permission of landowners, Margaret Reid rescued plants for half a century from sites that were about to be developed. Her plants used to live where Cameron Village, Crabtree Valley Mall and other large developments now stand. The garden is only open occasionally for special events, so take advantage of this opportunity to see a unique perspective of Raleigh history.

Directions: 1439 Dixie Trail
From Wade Ave, turn north onto Dixie Trail. Reid Garden is on the left at the corner of Lewis Farm Rd (3rd left), entrance on Lewis Farm Rd. Please park on the street on Lewis Farm Rd.

Pullen Park
Created in 1887, Pullen Park is the 14th oldest amusement park in the world. Featuring a carousel, train, pedal boats and a large pond, you’re sure to find excitement any time of year.

Best time to visit: Anytime, but keep in mind the Reid Garden is open Easter Sunday. You don’t want to miss this! 

Photo by Jennifer Peterson