If you’re in Raleigh with children, you can have a lot of fun, because there are many great things to do in Raleigh with kids.
From riding a classic carousel that’s on the National Register of Historic Places to learning about natural history at a museum to bowling, the family-friendly activities in the city are very fun.
It may be hard to decide what to do if you’re in the city with children, and to help you out, I made this Raleigh things to do with kids guide. I included a large variety of both fun and educational activities, and many of these activities aren’t only fun for kids but also for the whole family.
Things To Do in Raleigh With Kids
Visit the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is a museum that you can find in downtown Raleigh. It is a natural history museum where you can find all kinds of interesting exhibits through which children can learn new things.
In total, there are seven floors with interactive exhibits, which makes it possible to learn about a huge variety of aspects of science.
The museum has many permanent exhibits. For example, there is one permanent exhibit that is dedicated to gemstones that were found in the state of North Carolina.
The “Prehistoric North Carolina” is another interesting exhibit to visit with children. You can learn about various animals that used to live in the state of North Carolina, including the Thescelosaurus and the Giant Ground Sloth.
In addition to that, there are special exhibitions that are at the museum for a limited amount of time.
Address: 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Play Miniature Golf at ParTee Shack
ParTee Shack is a great place to go to if you’re looking for fun family-friendly activities in Raleigh. It is an indoor entertainment venue that is located at 5300 Fayetteville Road.
You can find a variety of attractions at ParTee Shack.
For example, there are three 18-hole miniature golf courses at the ParTee Shack. These are miniature golf courses with unique obstacles, including a zip-line and a pinball machine.
In addition to that, there is an arcade at ParTee Shack where you can play more than 30 different games, including classic and modern games.
You can also get great food and drinks at ParTee Shack, which makes your experience even more fun.
Address: 5300 Fayetteville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603
Go to the Pullen Park Carousel
Pullen Park is a wonderful park in the city of Raleigh where you can find a variety of attractions.
One of the attractions that you can find at Pullen Park is the Pullen Park Carousel. This carousel, the Gustave A. Dentzel Carousel, dates back to the year 1911 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
To ride the carousel, there is a price of 2 dollars per person. Children under one year can ride the carousel for free with a paying adult.
You should also keep in mind that the hours of the carousel vary by season.
Go to the Marbles Kids Museum
The Marbles Kids Museum is a children’s museum that is located in downtown Raleigh.
At the museum, you can find many hands-on exhibits that make it possible for children to learn while having a fun time.
For example, there is one exhibit, which is called “Stepnotes”, where children can play a very large piano that is also a staircase.
Another exhibit, “Kid Grid”, makes it possible for children to learn about electricity by switching on devices, plugging in an electric car, and doing a variety of other activities.
There’s also a fun exhibit where kids can learn about water using a very fun water table.
Address: 201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Go to a Family Event at the PNC Arena
The PNC Arena is an indoor arena that you can find in the city of Raleigh. The arena has a capacity of 18,500 people and is used for various sporting events.
The arena is the home of the Carolina Hurricanes, which is a team that competes in the National Hockey League.
Attending one of the sporting events is a fun thing to do with kids in Raleigh, but besides that, there are also other events that are great for the whole family that take place at the PNC Arena.
For example, you can sometimes go to a show of “Disney On Ice” at the arena, and there are many other events that are great.
Address: 1400 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
Bowl at Stars and Strikes
Stars and Strikes Raleigh is a bowling alley with modern bowling lanes, including lanes with bumpers, making it a great place for bowling with kids.
In addition to that, there is a large arcade at the bowling alley with all sorts of games, there is a laser tag arena, and there are other fun attractions.
The bowling alley also has great kids meals, including a meal that includes a burger and a meal with pizza.
There are sometimes special nights at the bowling alley, including nights during which you can go here for a discounted price.
Address: 4020 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604
Go to Urban Air Adventure & Trampoline Park Raleigh
Urban Air Adventure Park Raleigh is a fun indoor adventure park that is located at 7810 Poyner Pond Circle and going there is one of the best things to do in Raleigh with kids as there’s a variety of attractions that are fun for children.
One of the attractions that you can find here is the large trampoline area, where you can find wall-to-wall trampolines that children can jump on.
There is also a drop zone that is fun and there is an obstacle course.
Furthermore, there is an indoor playground and it is possible to play virtual reality games at the park.
You can also enjoy delicious pizza at the park.
Address: 7810 Poyner Pond Cir, Raleigh, NC 27616
Go to Two Roosters Ice Cream for Delicious Ice Cream
Two Roosters Ice Cream is an amazing ice cream store that you can find on East Franklin Street and at several other locations in the city.
This ice cream store, which was founded in the year 2015, focuses on making high-quality and hand-made ice cream.
There are many unique and delicious flavors to choose from here, such as strawberry and honey, and the flavors can change.
In addition to scoops, you can also get delicious other treats here, including ice cream cakes and ice cream pies.
Address: 215 E Franklin St, Raleigh, NC 27604
Check Out the Family Events at a Branch of the Public Library
The Wake County Public Library is a great place to go if you want to borrow books, including books for children, but the library is also a great place because of the many events that take place at the library that are great for families.
For example, there are great storytime events for children at the library. There are also often fun and educational events, such as events during which children can learn new things using interactive play stations.
In addition to that, what makes this a great activity as well is that the events take place at several of the library’s locations, making it easy to go here for many.
Go to Frankie’s Fun Park
Frankie’s Fun Park is a fun amusement center with amazing attractions for the whole family. You can find this center at 11190 Fun Park Drive in the city of Raleigh.
One of the things that you can do at Frankie’s Fun Park is play miniature golf. There are three miniature golf courses with 54 unique holes in total. These golf courses are great for all ages.
Furthermore, there are bumper cars that are fun for both kids and adults, there is a laser tag arena, there is a spinning roller coaster, and there are many other rides and attractions. Keep in mind that there are height requirements for some of these.
Children can also go to the arcade where hundreds of arcade games can be played.
Address: 11190 Fun Park Dr, Raleigh, NC 27617
Ride the Miniature Train in Pullen Park
You can find a miniature train at Pullen Park which makes for a fun family-friendly activity in Raleigh. This miniature train is a train that is one-third the size of a real locomotive called the C.P. Huntington.
While onboard the train you ride through the park.
There are also other fun attractions at Pullen Park, including carnival games. However, keep in mind that the availability of these games varies seasonally.
Children can go here to play the games as many times as they like for a fee of 3 dollars per person.
Go to a Family Event at the JC Raulston Arboretum
The JC Raulston Arboretum is an arboretum and botanical garden that is part of the North Carolina State University. The Arboretum contains beautiful plants.
Lots of events take place at the JC Raulston Arboretum, including great events for children.
For example, there are events during which children can learn about botany through hands-on activities. Each event covers one specific topic, such as seeds.
In addition to that, there are sometimes storytime events in the garden. These events start with a guided stroll through the garden to learn about what’s happening in the garden. After that, the staff reads children’s books related to gardens, and there are other activities.
Besides these events, there are many other events that take place here throughout the year.
Address: 4415 Beryl Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606
Go to Sky Zone Raleigh
Sky Zone Raleigh is a fun indoor trampoline park that you can find in the city of Raleigh. The park is located at 2101 Westinghouse Boulevard.
At Sky Zone Raleigh, you can find various attractions that are fun for children.
There is a large freestyle jump area with wall-to-wall trampoline courts where children can jump on trampolines.
There is also a foam zone where it is possible to land in a pool of large foam squares.
You can also visit Sky Zone Raleigh with young children, as there is a special “Toddler Zone”. This is an area of the park where only toddlers are allowed to play.
Address: 2101 Westinghouse Blvd Suite 111, Raleigh, NC 27604
Check Out the North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art is an art museum that was established in the year 1956. The museum has a collection of objects from a large number of periods in time, with the total collection spanning a period of more than 5,000 years.
For example, you can find art from ancient Greece at the museum. Furthermore, there are works of art from famous European artists.
The diverse collection can be great to check out with children because the objects are very interesting and children can also learn a lot at the museum about history and countries from all around the world.
In addition to that, there are special family events that take place at the museum and these are amazing if you’re looking for things to do with kids in Raleigh.
For example, it is often possible to do a family-friendly tour. These are fun tours of about 30 minutes that cover some of the works that you can find at the museum.
Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
Visit Adventure Landing
Adventure Landing is a family entertainment center that you can find in the city.
There is a large variety of fun things to do at Adventure Landing.
For example, it is possible to go here to play miniature golf. There are three 18-hole miniature golf courses that have unique elements, such as waterfalls and mountains.
Besides that, there is an arcade where you can find more than 75 interactive arcade games, which include a large variety of types of games. The games at the arcade also are ticket redemption games.
It is also possible to play laser tag at Adventure Landing.
In addition to that, the center offers a variety of food and drink options, including great snacks and ice cream.
Address: 3311 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604
Go to a Family Show at the Raleigh Little Theatre
The Raleigh Little Theatre was established in the year 1936 by a group of local performers, and it is still operating, which makes it one of the oldest continuously operating community theaters in the United States.
Many different shows take place at the theater and this also includes great shows for the whole family.
For example, you can sometimes go to family musicals that are great for all ages.
In addition to that, you can sometimes go here to see a screening of a family-friendly movie, and there are lots of other events throughout the year.
Address: 301 Pogue St, Raleigh, NC 27607
See a Movie at one of the Movie Theaters in the City
Seeing a movie is a wonderful activity that you can do with kids in Raleigh, and there are many great movie theaters in the city of Raleigh that you can go to for this.
For example, you could go to Marbles IMAX, which is a movie theater that you can find at the Marbles Kids Museum. At his movie theater, there are interesting shows related to nature and space that are great for children. This also includes incredible 3D movies.
Besides that, you could also go to Regal North Hills to see one of the latest kid-friendly Hollywood movies.
Go to the Build-A-Bear Workshop
There is a Build-A-Bear workshop in the city of Raleigh. You can find this Raleigh location inside the Crabree Valley Mall.
At this well-known toy store, children can make their own stuffed animals, including teddy bears.
Kids can do this through a hands-on, interactive process during which children can select many aspects of the stuffed animal, including accessories, to customize it such that they’ll end up with a stuffed animal that they like.
In addition to that, what’s convenient is that you can find the Build-A-Bear Workshop near many stores, so you can combine going here with your kid with going to other stores.
Address: 4325 Glenwood Ave #1021, Raleigh, NC 27612
Have Fun at Chuck E. Cheese Raleigh
Chuck E. Cheese Raleigh is a fun family center that you can find on Capital Boulevard.
At this place, children can play all kinds of skill-level arcade games that are very fun and there are many different types of games to choose from.
Besides that, there are fun in-store performances at Chuck E. Cheese Raleigh as well.
Besides that, there is a menu with a variety of food options, including many types of pizza.
Address: 3501-131 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604
Go to the North Carolina Museum Of History
The North Carolina Museum of History is a wonderful history museum where you can find more than 150,000 objects. These objects cover a large variety of topics and the collection spans a period of 600 years in total.
You can see a variety of exhibits at the museum that all relate to the history of North Carolina, this also includes exhibits of old buildings and large objects.
Another exhibit is the “History in Every Direction: Tar Heel Junior Historian Association Discovery Gallery”. This is a gallery where children can learn about history through hands-on activities.
Besides that, there are great events for kids and families, and these are incredible if you are looking for things to do with kids in Raleigh. For example, it is possible to see crafts demonstrations, attend concerts, and do much more.
Address: 5 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Visit LEGO Store Crabtree
You can find a LEGO store at the Crabtree Valley Mall, and going there is a very fun kid-friendly activity in Raleigh.
At the store, you can find lots of different LEGO sets, including many that you won’t find at regular toy stores.
Besides that, children can have fun at the store because of various features. For example, there is a LEGO DUPLO play table, there is a demonstration table, and there is a pick-and-build wall.
In addition to that, it is possible to build a LEGO Minifigure at this store.
Because of the location of the store, you can also combine going here with going to other stores at the Crabtree Valley Mall, such as Build-A-Bear Raleigh.
Address: 4325 Glenwood Ave Suite 1078, Raleigh, NC 27612
Check Out DEFY Raleigh
DEFY Raleigh is a fun indoor trampoline park where you can find a lot of attractions that are great for children.
For example, there is an open jump area with wall-to-wall trampolines next to each other.
There is also an obstacle course that you can find at DEFY Raleigh.
Other fun attractions include a zip-line, an area with trapeze and aerial silks, and battle beams.
There is also a “kid jump” area for children 6 and under. You can jump with your kids in this area for free.
Furthermore, if you want to go to DEFY Raleigh several times every month, you can get a membership, which makes it possible to go here as many times as you want.
Address: 5604 Departure Dr #100, Raleigh, NC 27616
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What To Do With Kids in Raleigh Tips
To have a better experience when you are in the city with your kids, I recommend combining any of the things to do with kids in Raleigh in this article with going to a family-friendly restaurant in Raleigh. Mama Crow’s Burger & Salad has a great menu for kids.
Raleigh Things To Do With Kids Map
This was my guide to the best things to do in Raleigh with kids! I hope you liked the activities.