Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and seat of Wake County. Raleigh is one of the three cities with Durham and Chapel Hill that's known as the "Research Triangle." It's known as such because North Carolina State University, Duke University and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill make up the three major research universities. As you may imagine, Raleigh is home then to a number of students and outstanding professors who are known internationally for their expertise. You may not know that Raleigh also has both historical and cultural attractions.

Raleigh is founded in 1792 and named for Sir Walter Raleigh who was a famous aristocrat and explorer. The Downtown region of Raleigh is home to lots of attractions like the North Carolina State Capital, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and Museum of History. For history buffs who want to learn more about the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh City Museum in the historic Briggs Hardware Building on Fayetteville Street offers an unique view inside the growth and roots of the ever changing city. Peace College, Shaw University, Wake Technical Community College, and Strayer University are a few of the institutions of higher learning available. There are over 8,100 acres of park land in Raleigh. That even includes a championship BMX racetrack, botanical gardens, arboretum, and 22 staffed community centers.