I stumbled upon this gem of a history lesson by accident while walking to downtown from our Airbnb…read more Catherine gave my son and I a great tour and history of Raleigh. I'm a history buff and she was able to keep me interested in an area of the country I know little of. Always fun to learn local history. It's free and enjoyable.

I had never been to the Joel Lane House Museum so the Fourth of July Celebration was the perfect…read moretime. The museum offers free parking on St. Mary's Street and more parking in front of the house on West Hargett. Admission is usually charged but was free for this event as we were not given the official tour but received $4 off coupons to return for a tour. They provided Howling Cow ice cream and free lemonade too. So who was Joel Lane? Joel Lane is considering a Founding Father of North Carolina and Raleigh. He sold 1,000 acres of land to make Raleigh the State Capital. The Joel Lane Museum House is the oldest house in Raleigh and is older than Wake County. The decision to move North Carolina's Capital to Raleigh happened in the Joel Lane House. As they say "it was the room that it happened". Joel Lane was a slave holder of 43 adults and children. They are the ones who built the house and maintained the plantation, raising the livestock, cooking and caring for the Lane family. The museum provides a way for us to see how life would have been back then from the candles to the necessary to the toys they had to how they made yarn for clothing. The herb garden provided a method for medicine. The holiday event provided an overview but I am planning to return for a tour to learn more of the history and see all of the property.

The Ava Gardner Museum is a large museum located in Downtown Smithfield. It is 6,400 square feet…read moreand is dedicated to showcasing the hometown legend of Ava Gardner. I've visited the museum many times as I enjoy learning about Ava and seeing the new exhibits at the museum. There is a large parking lot behind the museum and even some spots near her mural to park for free. Parking on the street is no longer allowed, as a lot of vehicles were getting hit. But the parking is still very close by. When you arrive at the museum, you will be greeted. Admission was $14 on my visit, but they do offer military, senior and educator discounts. Your visit starts with a video of Ava's life to give you an introduction. It runs about 18 minutes, and there are many seats to pick from. The video helps tie all the exhibits together. From there, you can start exploring the museum and learn about Ava's humble beginnings. You will learn how she became an actress and star, see the dresses she wore, and learn about her three marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. The museum contains lots of poster boards to read, filled with information, many personal and film mementos, you can watch her films, look at her personal library, and see art that an artist created of her. He put "Easter eggs" into the paintings for you to find. I highly recommend visiting the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, NC. Make sure to stop in the gift shop for some mementos and other items.

Sarah is such a wonderful and welcoming docent! What a…read moredelight it was to finally make it to this wonderful museum! I've passed by the billboards so many times and today I'm so happy to check this off my wish list. It was wonderful to learn all about eva Gardner, who came from this very town and became one of Hollywood's biggest stars! I loved learning about her after Hollywood life living in Europe with her beloved corgis! So interesting to learn about the fellas that she married in the kind relationship that she had with them after parting ways. I really enjoyed seeing her amazing fashions, face-to-face! I really enjoyed seeing her personal items too! There is also a theater where you can watch a video that tells about her life and shows her living her life to the fullest! The gift shop was also filmed with many charming things! And all things were priced very reasonably. There was eva, Gardner, coffee, and soap! And of course, books, videos, and postcards! I also love the fan that could be used on hot days that featured her wonderful smile! I loved visiting here !!

This small but vital part of the community is a celebration of black contributions in American…read morehistory and at the center is the dedicated work of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. With his statue, fountain with etched in names of local leaders and bricks of influential blacks in entertainment, politics and community affairs, there is so much to see in such little space. If you are in the area, stop by.

The highlight of this memorial is the life-size statue of Dr. King. It is nice that it is set at…read moreground level, making him seem one of us and approachable. The garden portion is rather small and kind of disappointing. There is an interesting fountain, and some nice plantings around the statue and immediate area, but you can see everything in minutes, rather than hours. There is some off-street parking.

The location is central, easy to find, and visible. I enjoyed reading quotes from African Americans…read morewho helped to empower others to fight for the freedom of all people. I was honored to see a park that is dedicated to supporting African Americans instead of trying to denounce or erase African American history. The park is beautiful, clean, and sacred., I felt connected to George Floyd while reading the words, "I can't breathe! The beam is lit every evening...Pass the torch!

Freedom Park is a small one acre park located in Downtown Raleigh near the Legislative Building and…read morethe Executive Mansion. The Beacon of Freedom is what you will see first. It is lit each night. The walkways have inscriptions of quotes for some of the African Americans that helped lead the fight for freedom and equality. Along the walkways are benches if you want to sit and reflect. The park is accessible to all and has street parking as well as a nearby parking lot.

I love trains and wanted to check out this one hour train ride near Apex. It's an open car and…read morethere was a breeze. The seats are like school bus seats so it's comfy. You can bring drinks and snacks on board. The process is easy. Order tickets online and check in at will call when you arrive. They have a big outdoor train set up at the will call area and this was wonderful. We loved the short ride and makes me want to take another train trip.

New Hope Valley Railway is a relaxing and fun place to visit. The open air seating tickets are…read morereasonable to ride the historic train cars. Parking is free and there is a large lot. It is all run by volunteers who enjoy trains and share their love with the visitors. Be sure to check out the mini railroad and the museum. They have displayed the cars and parts being restored. The train cars board about 15 minutes before departure. The ride is about 20 minutes one direction then the engine is moved from one end to the other for the return trip. It is a nice little getaway to enjoy nature and trains.

The Johnston County Museum is a newer museum located in Downtown Smithfield. It is located in the…read moreformer Rose Department Store and right next to the Ava Gardner Museum. Admission to the museum is free and there is free street parking or a parking lot behind the museum. The museum is well laid out and easy to view the different sections while you learn about Johnston County. There is even a gift shop. Make sure to check out the museum while in Smithfield.

The city is known for Duke university, but I discovered this lesser known college and its art…read moremuseum. It's only a couple of miles from Duke's ostentatious art museum, but the ride over will tell you a lot about America. When I parked nearby, this museum, I saw a substantial number of people walking in the general direction and assumed that they could not possibly be going to the art museum and there must be some other attraction on campus. In fact, I had stumbled into a showcase for local schools, and the one room museum was packed. Students of all levels had the opportunity to showcase their art alongside works from professional artists that I assume are part of the standing collection. There is definitely some talent in the community, and well the space is modest and as utilitarian feel, it's value as a community center should not be underestimated. There is no charge to enter in one doesn't need to be enrolled at this college.

We had a delightful time seeing all the beautiful plants and trees. You can tell the pride of…read moreownership of the workers and volunteers! They do an excellent job! Very beautiful and a huge variation of plants! Incredible place! Highly recommend!

This is such a great garden to walk around. It is gorgeous! There are little ponds, bridges,…read moregazebos, and art pieces throughout the garden. The staff is incredibly helpful. The greenhouses are full of options for purchase. Can't wait to return!