Gay Friendly Raleigh

Dynamic, Unexpected, Smart and Celebratory--just a few of the words you might be surprised to hear when talking about the Raleigh area. North Carolina’s Capital City is quickly shedding the Mayberry image and embracing a fun, lively, welcoming vibe that makes Raleigh a one-of-a-kind capital and cultural center--no matter what culture you come from. Endless hot spots, gay and lesbian nightspots, historical treasures and incredible area-wide celebrations are just a few of the reasons this area is turning into one of the country’s trendiest destinations.

No matter your reason for visiting the Raleigh area we have it all… a reason why we’re constantly named everything from Best City to Live, Work and Play, Best American City for Singles or Best Place to Do Business, just to name a few. We’ve also been called the “City of Oaks” based on our penchant for green space, the “Smithsonian of the South” for our high caliber of free museums and the “Silicon Valley of the East” paying homage to our cutting-edge tech scene (eight schools, colleges and universities call the Raleigh area home, Research Triangle Park is in our backyard and even a group called Triangle Area Gay Scientists meets monthly here).

Gay Friendly Raleigh also claims the best in performing arts, calling itself home to the nationally acclaimed Carolina Ballet, America's next great orchestra (North Carolina Symphony), the region’s top professional theatre (North Carolina Theatre) and Broadway touring productions (Broadway Series South). All these larger arts programs are bolstered by a thriving community of smaller galleries, events, collections and independent performances—some of them GLBT-owned and gay-themed.

Whether you're in the mood for a canoeing or sailing excursion with a partner, taking a solo nature hike through the woods or having a foursome of golf in the summer sun, the Raleigh area is the perfect place to spend time outdoors--with more than 43,000 acres of award-winning parks and 41 miles of greenway trails. Raleigh is also home to award-winning gardens like N.C. State University’s J.C. Raulston Arboretum, an internationally recognized collection of more than 5,000 plants, established by the gay botanist whose name it now bears.

Just outside the city of Raleigh are 11 neighboring cities and towns that make up Greater Raleigh. Each has its own personality, charming visitors with historic downtowns, tree-lined main streets or some of the best recreation in the state. These suburbs and outlying areas are perfect for a unique day-trip--as well as a night-trip! One of the area’s hottest new GLBT nightclubs, Icon, is found in nearby Cary, featuring hip-hop, R&B, reggae DJ mixes… and did we mention go-go boys?
But if you are looking for more traditional small-town life, like the soda fountain, local winery or greasy spoon, we’ve got those covered, too!


Rest Your Head – Gay-Friendly Raleigh Hotels

Where you stay is as important as what you do while you’re here. It’s got to fit your style, your location and, of course, your budget. That’s why you’ll find more than 130 options in Greater Raleigh. From luxurious, full-service hotels to romantic bed-and-breakfast inns, you can relax in the certainty that your expectations will be met.

If you’re looking to stay where you can feel the heartbeat of the city, downtown Raleigh is where you want to be. Within easy walking distance or within access of the R-LINE, downtown Raleigh’s free circulator service, hitting the best restaurants and trendiest nightlife in the area’s hottest districts like Glenwood South, Fayetteville Street and the Warehouse District is a breeze.

Want to be where the college-crowd hangs? Hotels in the West Raleigh/N.C. State University area appeal to guests who want a convenient location surrounded by laid-back restaurants, bars and nightlife catering to a younger generation (and the hot college boys). The N.C. State University area is also near to Cameron Village, an outdoor shopping destination with unique, locally owned boutiques and restaurants. Plus the Cameron Village neighborhood is home to Cameron Park Inn, one of the area’s award-winning bed and breakfasts.

Minutes from downtown Raleigh is Cary, home to the area’s only Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond property, The Umstead Hotel and Spa. Take a break from everyday life and experience a unique hotel that embraces its natural environment and appreciates art--the owner’s private collection adorns the walls of the hotel’s public spaces and oversized guest rooms.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes hot deals from area hotels for GLBT visitors, so check there on the latest offerings for your travel dates.


Places to Go, People to See in Gay Friendly Raleigh

The Raleigh area has no shortage of activities catering to both gay and straight visitors. From world-class museums to performing arts, a calendar chock full of festivals and events, not to mention some of the hottest nightlife around.

Start your visit to the area at the Greater Raleigh Visitor Information Center in downtown Raleigh for advice on where to go, what to do, events and festivals and, of course, an Official Visitors Guide, the perfect tool to help you make the most of your time here.

Popular Gay-Friendly Neighborhoods of Raleigh

Five Points - Old tradition mingles with new vitality in this quaint, quirky district. Some of the most unique restaurants and shops in the city are found here. This is where life is simple, locals linger over a slice of pizza at sidewalk cafés, trend-seekers shop at boutiques, diners with a sweet-tooth indulge in heavenly desserts and shoppers wonder about the history of the shop with the pig chandelier.

Glenwood South - Burgeoning with eclectic restaurants and spirited nightlife, this corner of town attracts the young and the young at heart. The night air is charged with energy; live music spills out of bars and gives Glenwood Avenue a soundtrack of all its own. The perfect place for bar-hopping with mixed crowds, Glenwood South is Raleigh’s trendiest district and truly defines what it means to live for the weekend.

Fayetteville Street - Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street district epitomizes a cosmopolitan Southern city, setting the scene with distinctive restaurants and impressive skyscrapers mixed among restored historic buildings. Fayetteville Street gives the district a tourist vibe, alluring families and couples alike. The vista and venues that stretch from the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts to City Plaza to the N.C. State Capitol are grand enough to host big city events; you'll want to see the shows, dine at one of the street cafes and end your evening with a nightcap.

Warehouse District - This district, characterized by its row of massive brick structures standing side-by-side and defining “urban hip,” is primed with potential. The Warehouse District is a corner of Raleigh that branches off from the city’s main downtown strip, and its buzz grows louder by the day. People in-the-know stop for dinner and late-night cocktails at some of the area’s hottest venues. Home to the area’s most gay-friendly nightspots, the Warehouse District offers a diversity of people, places and restaurants for any interest or budget.

North Carolina Museum of Art

One of the most important and distinguished museums in the South is in the final stage of a three-year expansion and will reopen to the public in April 2010, following a seven-month closure. The completed expansion will dramatically transform the visitor experience of the Museum, which, sited in a 164-acre park in Raleigh, offers a unique blend of art, architecture, and nature.

The collection spans more than 5,000 years of history. Particular strengths include European painting, Egyptian funerary art, ancient Greek and Roman sculpture and vase painting, American art of the 18th through 20th centuries, international contemporary art and Jewish ceremonial objects.

In addition to these impressive collections, the N.C. Museum of Art has acquired 30 Rodin sculptures for permanent display. Your visit doesn’t stop inside the walls of the museum. More than 164 acres of greenways, outdoor art and a state-of-the-art outdoor amphitheatre make up the campus.


Gay-Friendly Dining

Sweet tea, barbecue, home-style vegetables – perhaps this is what your mind conjures up when you think about dining in the South. And while you’ll still find these native dishes in abundance, savvy and cultured dining clientele will also find some innovative dining experiences in a uniquely charming setting.
Restaurants in the Raleigh area are making a name for themselves on a national level by being in the forefront of the farm-to-fork movement. Many locally owned restaurants have made the commitment to use locally sourced products and ingredients in their dishes. Zely and Ritz, a Glenwood South restaurant, even has its own farm where all the meat, chicken and vegetables on their menu are sourced.

PrideCityGuide.com and The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau provides a listing of local restaurants that are GLBT-owned or especially friendly, so check there when searching for just the right meal.

We Hope to See You Soon

With more than $3 billion in development taking place, North Carolina’s Capital City is changing from a sleepy Southern Mayberry to a sought-after destination with world-class museums, culinary superstars and a never-ending calendar of cultural events, gay-friendly festivals and events and a variety of accommodation options from super-luxury to comfortable affordability.

A common reaction to the Raleigh area from gay and lesbian visitors is that the destination is open and welcoming--maybe unexpectedly so given historic perceptions of North Carolina and the South--and that our GLBT culture is surprisingly well-integrated into the whole. While large-scale GLBT events, such as N.C. PrideFest are hosted here, visiting Greater Raleigh is just as much about joining in our mainstream celebrations and experiencing the many historic or cosmopolitan things to see and do.
The Raleigh, N.C., area truly is lively, uniquely welcoming and friendly for all!

Gay Raleigh Nightlife

Dynamic and unique are two words that describe the GLBT nightlife scene in the Raleigh area. From dance clubs and wine bars to drag shows and karaoke, North Carolina’s Capital City offers a diverse range of after-hours options. If you’re looking to explore all of downtown Raleigh’s nightlife options no worries--there is a six-block area in the trendy and hip Warehouse District which is home to many of the gay-dedicated clubs.

Here’s a look at a few of our area’s GLBT options. Check out visitRaleigh.com for a complete listing of area nightlife.

If you’re looking for one of the most established clubs in Raleigh, Legends is where you want to be. This venue offers club-goers a variety of choices depending on the mood. A high-energy dance floor (complete with cages), low-key and intimate lounge, outdoor patio, game room and the View’s Spotlight Theatre make this complex a popular place to see and be seen, especially for the younger crowd. www.legends-club.com

From bear crowds and leather to every kind of queen, Flex Nightclub and Bar is a favorite with the somewhat older male crowd. Offering a weekly line-up of popular events including karaoke, County Dance Night and the ever-popular Trailer Park Prize Night officiated by local celebrity Mary K-Mart, Flex is a local hot-spot. www.flex-club.com

For 33 years the Capital Corral, or CCs to the locals, has been a fundamental part of the burgeoning GLBT nightlife scene. While a high-energy dance floor and an upscale lounge offer drink specials and entertainment nightly, Saturday night is the time to see the area’s top performers take the stage in the Piano Lounge for intimate cabaret-style entertainment. www.cc-raleigh.com

The newest venue on the club scene is Tantra Ultra Lounge and Nightclub, which is quickly setting a new standard for Raleigh nightlife. The atmosphere is trendy, hip and electric with waterfalls, chandeliers, glass fire pits, lava bar surfaces and an indoor jellyfish tank… not to mention glass-enclosed VIP rooms. Dress code is strictly enforced, so dress to impress. www.tantraraleigh.com

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