things to do in Raleigh NC

Spring Break Staycation Family Fun Ideas For Raleigh,NC |#Travel #Raleigh #NC #FamilyFun

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It’s Spring Break for my 2nd Grader and we are kicking it off by playing tourist in our own backyard! Our staycation in Raleigh,NC ..where ALL ARE WELCOME..will be filled with simple pleasures, plus mother and daughter bonding time. We’ll be having fun while hanging in Downtown Raleigh in the Glenwood South neighborhood, and some other favorite ‘Random Raleigh‘ spots. I am excited to share these Spring Break Staycation Family Fun Ideas For Raleigh,NC with you! Enjoy!

Downtown Raleigh/Glenwood South

Raleigh,NC consistently ranks in the top 5 in quality of life index of American Cities and since living here for the last 4 years, it is easy to see why! There is access to so much and the cost of living is pretty good. Downtown Raleigh puts locals and visitors in the center of it all. One of Raleigh’s Downtown neighborhoods, Glenwood South, is known locally as the premier entertainment district where restaurants of every budget and cuisine coexist with nightclubs. However if you arrive on a Sunday like we did, you’ll find a quieter side of Glenwood South with locals walking their dogs and offerings for the entire family. Check out my photo gallery from our stay in Downtown Raleigh/Glenwood South full photo gallery >>here.

EAT | La Santa Modern Mexican Food

My idea of a great staycation involves having time to siesta, fiesta and enjoy good food! We found that we could do all that just blocks away from our hotel at La Santa Modern Mexican Food, located at 222 Glenwood Avenue #107. From their house made guacomole, tasty dishes created using recipes from the owner’s mother, margaritas featuring fresh juices and craft cocktails, everything here is done so deliciously! The décor is eclectic with a laid back upscale cantina vibe. Their carnitas tacos are incredible and they have a great ninos {kids} menu also. Great service, fresh food and amazing drinks is why families would enjoy dining at La Santa.

STAY | Hampton Inn & Suites Raleigh Downtown

In a previous post about Hampton Inn & Suites Raleigh Downtown, located at 600 Glenwood Ave, I shared a list of my favorite features about this hotel property, which included convenient location, clean and spacious rooms, free breakfast, fitness center/pool. During that stay with my husband, we did not get a chance to use the pool due to maintanence. However, I learned that the indoor pool was heated and getting new patio furniture for the Spring. So here we are back with our daughter, who came ready to to get her mermaid on! The pool area was clean, intimate, and relaxing enough for me to sit poolside and read while they had fun in the pool! This hotel is ideal for families looking to enjoy some poolside fun no matter what season it is!

PLAY | North Carolina Museum of History

Did you know that Raleigh is often called the “Smithsonian of The South”? We have world class museums downtown, one of them being the North Carolina Museum Of History, located at 5 E. Edenton St.! Admission is FREE and it offers so much for the entire family to enjoy! Our favorites were the special art exhibition by Durham, NC native Ernie Barnes and a gallery dedicated to children that allows them to have interactive fun learning and listening from the oral history of North Carolinians.There were also lots of hands on areas so my daughter could actually touch some things in a normally hands off kind of place! We even made a souvenir penny in the shape of North Carolina.

EAT | Demo’s Pizzeria and Deli

Strolling the shops of Glenwood Ave can work up an appetite and we knew just the place to stop for a casual bite! DeMos Pizzeria and Deli, located at 222 Glenwood #121, offers NY style thin crust pizza and also a full service deli offering Boars Head Products. My husband/daughter shared a cheese pizza [read my full review of DeMo’s >>here] and I had a specialty sandwich called the San Fran, made with turkey, avocado, bacon, tomato and pepper jack cheese. It was so good! Great family-friendly environment and attentive staff makes DeMo’s Pizzeria and Deli one of our local favorites.

Random Raleigh

The City of Raleigh has earned the reputation of being one of the best places to live in the USA. There is a celebrated food scene, we have the largest research park [RTP] in the nation, and the diversity of culture and art that I can expose my child to is why we are happy to be here in the state capital. During Spring Break, we had the opportunity to visit a dairy farm…

and enjoyed admiring art around town, like the Raleigh ArtBeats Sidewalk Murals

..plus, had fun discovering many of the IG worthy murals we have in Raleigh!

Our main goal for this Spring Break Staycation was to simply have family fun with each other outdoors and teach our girl how to ride her bike without training wheels. Mission complete! We have many biking trails and beautiful parks here. We utilized Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department as a guide for fun and free things to do like the Pop-Up Studio Free Art for Kids Program and where to go for outdoor recreation like bike riding or simply blowing bubbles in the park!

I hope you enjoyed reading my Spring Break Staycation Family Fun Ideas For Raleigh,NC and will consider visiting if you are a tourist or revisiting some places like a tourist if you are a local. Whether your kid is on Spring Break, Track Out or you are curious what to do on a weekend, take the time this Spring to get outside and explore Raleigh, NC ….where all are welcome!

#FamilyFun | 5 Reasons To See UniverSoul Circus @UniverSoulCirc | March 20-31,2019 in #RaleighNC

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Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to attend opening night as a blogger in the Raleigh/Durham area. All opinions are 100% my own.

Hey Raleigh, NC, Get ready for the triumphant return of America’s No. 1 Circus! Universoul Circus is back, now in its 26th year, to give you live family entertainment extravaganza! If you have never been before, or maybe you are a returning fan like me, I am here to share 5 Reasons To See Universoul Circus with your family and friends!

1. DIVERSITY

FACT: There are 13+ Countries Represented at UniverSoul Circus! Enjoy one-of-a-kind performances from around the world – all coming together as one under a single ring big top. Led by Ringmaster Lucky from South Africa and his long time Sidekick Zeke, the 2019 edition of UniverSoul Circus features contortionists from Guinea, Skaters from Cuba, Daredevil Motorcyclists from the United States, a High Wire Act from Colombia and Gabon, Trampoline Acrobats from Cuba and Ethiopia, Teeterboard Drillers from Mongolia, Solo Trapeze from Brazil, Trick Rescue Pooches from Colombia and Russia, a Cossack Horse Act from Kazakhstan, Cuba, Guinea and Mexico, Fresh the Clownsss from the United States, and many more surprises!

Teeterboard Drillers from Mongolia | Photo Credit: UniverSoul Circus

2. SIGHTS

UniverSoul Circus is rated as one of the top two circuses in America along with Cirque du Soleil and one of the reasons is because of all the exciting and electrifying acts! This once in a lifetime thrill-a-minute spectacle comes at you like a high-speed rollercoaster! If you like thrills and live entertainment, UniverSoul Circus has all of that!

Daredevil Motorcyclists from the United States | Photo Credit: UniverSoul Circus

3. SOUNDS

Celebrating 26 amazing years in 2019, UniverSoul Circus is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. It embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. FACT: There are over 11+ Performing Acts!

Photo Credit | UniverSoul Circus

4. SOUL

Celebrated around the world for spreading a soulful dose of unity, inclusion and diversity under its red and yellow striped big top, UniverSoul Circus was created in 1994 by a man named Cedric Walker who had a vision of creating a circus with an inclusive, jovial and soulful atmosphere. Participants are immersed into a global dimension, drawing multicultural, multinational, and multigenerational bonding through performance art for all people to enjoy and be entertained.

5. FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN

The last time my family and I attended was the Summer of 2017 and we had so much fun! [You can read my 2017 recap>>>here]. UniverSoul’s fresh approach to family friendly live entertainment has garnered it a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top ten most requested family events. When people ask me how is it? I simply say it’s a good time for all ages and encourage them to see for themselves why UniverSoul Circus is the #BestCircusEver!

Me and my family at UniverSoul Circus, 2017

*SobeSavvyGiveaway: I hosted a flash giveaway on Instagram and the winner(s) are…drum roll..Congrats to Meka H. and Kiara R. of Raleigh,NC

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvNP0Y_HKe3/

GET TICKETS on sale now via: www.ticketmaster.com

CONNECT:

@universoulcircus (Instagram)

@universoulcirc (Twitter)

www.facebook.com/universoulcir

www.youtube.com/universoulcircus

*Be sure to visit website to signup and become an insider and get updates for your city tour stop/dates at: www.universoulcircus.com

FOLLOW my highlights from opening night on Instagram @SobeSavvy and check out my video recap on YouTube! >> https://youtu.be/iZ_6pQQdtkU

RALEIGH:

Wednesday, March 20 thru Sunday March 31, 2019

Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

3801 Rock Quarry Rd

Raleigh, NC 27610

* Next City >>Newark,NJ on 4/3/19

HAVE YOU BEEN TO UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS BEFORE? WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT? Let me know in the comments below! See you under the Big Top!🎪

Lots of Good Vibes Only + #FamilyFun @ColorVibe5k in #Raleigh ~ Race Recap #colorvibe5k #tumeyummies

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The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh~SobeSavvy.com Recap

I couldn’t think of a more fun way to spend a bright,warm Saturday morning than to join thousands of colorful spirits in the Color Vibe 5K run in Raleigh. My family and I, aka #HeighPartyof3, were thrilled to experience this event, as it was our second 5K together. If you saw my #SobeSavvygiveaway for this event, then you know how everyone in the community gets excited for this event! We got there early and joined others in a Zumba warm up class. We danced and did some awesome moves to stretch our muscles out prior to the main event. Here is our “Before” the run + our shirts are still clean picture:

The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh “Before”

It was such a festive atmosphere at the Triangle Town Center. They had a little Color Vibe Village with all sorts of run related merchandise and also Yum E Tummie drinks to enjoy. Plenty of water was on hand and bananas to fuel us up for the run. You can also check out #tumeyummies on social media to see fun run pics before and after the race!

Say Tum-E Yummies! ~The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh

It was time. We all lined up in waves as the DJ pumped the tunes and WE WERE OFF !! This course basically took us around the entire perimeter of the huge mall parking lot with some turns along the way. While I chose to wear sunglasses (you get free ones with your Color Vibe shirt as part of your registration swag), my husband actually prefers a different kind of eyewear. SobeSavvy Tip:  Sport a pair of swimming goggles to make sure the color dust stays clear of eyes and contact lenses!

Let the Fun Begin~The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh

Our little one, aka #outandaboutAva, now age 6, is on her way to becoming a road race veteran. She did a pretty good job setting the pace for us! This is an untimed run and meant to be fun, so walking, jogging, dancing are all welcomed along the course. At some point, she got carried and treated to a piggy-back ride but hey that’s what any Dad would do for his daughter!

Run, Jog, Walk, Carry~ The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh

The color stations were a blast..LITERALLY! Yellow,Blue,Green,Purple,Pink..the powdery color dust comes of easier than you think, so embrace it! Tum-E Yummies also handed out wipes at the end of the race, but it’s best to cover your car seats in towels and/or change your tee if you want to protect your car for the ride home. But really, it was so fun and getting dirty has never been easier. The color powder is biodegradable and washes out pretty easy!

“COLORS” The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh

This was a well organized event and I would suggest you get out there and do this fun run with your friends/family. The Color Vibe Good Vibes Tour 2017 does a great job at merging fitness and fun, something me and my family enjoy doing together! WATCH video from our fun run with Color Vibe 5K Raleigh Good Vibes Tour 2017>here.  Be sure to go to their website >>http://www.thecolorvibe.com/ to see what city this fun run/walk event is coming to next!

 Hope to see you there next year!💜🏃💚

The Color Vibe 5k 2017 Raleigh ~”After”