What’s to love about the Triangle area? Everything.

The buzz about Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill continues to grow as new companies continue to choose the Triangle as their home. There are many reasons the Triangle area of North Carolina attracts 5,000 new residents each month. 

The Triangle consistently earns accolades for all it offers. Together, Raleigh and Durham earned the 2021-22 ranking #2 Best Place to Live by U.S. News & World Report based upon surveys of resident happiness, affordability, the quality of healthcare, the job market, and more. If you’re wondering what it is about the Triangle area that makes it such a hot spot, here are just a few of the reasons you’ll love it. 

If you’re a sports fan, Raleigh-Durham is the place to be for world-class athletics that span from the professional and semi-pro to college and amateur sports teams. For baseball fans, two Minor League Baseball teams are found in the Triangle: the Durham Bulls and the Carolina Mudcats in Zebulon. Hockey fans know how high-energy games can be watching the Carolina Hurricanes. Meanwhile, soccer fans will love catching a North Carolina Football Club or women’s North Carolina Courage match.

The area’s three major universities, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, are outstanding Atlantic Coast Conference members, which are storied basketball schools. Yet the 12 colleges and universities and eight community colleges across the Triangle have collegiate sports like football, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, and more that provide opportunities to enjoy athletics throughout the seasons.

The Triangle also boasts several amateur leagues, from Olympic-style curling to something a little quirkier: the Carolina Roller Derby. The area is a sports lover’s dream come true.

If you’re a foodie, the Triangle is the place to be. Local chefs across the region are earning their stripes, becoming known across the U.S. as top restauranteurs. They are shaping both the way North Carolinians eat and the culture of the Raleigh-Durham area.

Seafood restaurants are leading the way across the Triangle, with Raleigh hotspots The Cortez and St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar already making a name for themselves. Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham brings a seafood shack with a fresh, upscale twist. Raleigh staple and James Beard award winner Ashley Christianson has long led the Raleigh food scene, with everything from pizza to southern delicacies to contemporary cuisine to comfort food on the menus across her five restaurants. The entire region has an enviable culinary landscape, from upscale restaurants in Hillsborough to traditional steakhouses in Zebulon.

For late-night dates or nights out with friends, the cocktail and bar scene is inspired in the Triangle, too. Head down to Pittsboro’s Chatham Beverage District, home to award-winning honey winemaker Starrlight Mead and Fair Game Beverage Company Wine and Spirits, North Carolina’s 13th legal distillery. In Durham, Alley Twenty Six has been featured in Vogue and Travel & Leisure for their outstanding craft cocktails. Whether you’re a beer or whiskey connoisseur or a lover of wine and cocktails, you’ll find your new favorite haunt in the Triangle.

No matter what you’re into, there’s a stage you’ll want to visit somewhere in the Triangle. After all, the performing arts are everywhere, giving you every opportunity to be entertained. There’s truly something for everyone, from the ballet to a dive bar to an amphitheater.

Raleigh is home to world-class performing arts, including the North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Theatre, the North Carolina Opera, and the Carolina Ballet. The Triangle’s major universities also ensure the arts are thriving across the cities. Duke Arts spaces within the Duke University campus feature art galleries, theaters, and auditoriums for music, dance, plays, events, and more. Likewise, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Performing Arts provides a venue for the community to enjoy renowned performers and artists. Within Raleigh itself, NC State provides even more opportunities to catch a show, art exhibit, or performance.

Rolling Stone has also given the Triangle high praise for live music that’s readily available across the area. From Cary’s 7,000 seat Koka Booth Amphitheatre to downtown Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater to legendary independent music venue Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, you can find a show you won’t want to miss nearly any day of the week.

One of the most significant benefits of the Triangle area is how great it is for well-being. Thanks to top-ranked medical centers and a plethora of recreational areas that ensure your health stays a top priority.

Duke Health and the University of North Carolina Medical Center are world-renowned medical centers that consistently rank at the top in the nation. No matter what part of the Triangle you call home, there’s phenomenal healthcare right around the corner.

The Triangle also has 180 miles of greenway trails connecting its cities and providing a beautiful place to escape for exercise. The Triangle’s many outdoor areas offer countless ways to relax. Whether it’s enjoying the historic Sarah P. Duke Gardens, boating at the nearby Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, or spending time with your dog at Raleigh’s Dorthea Dix Park, you’ll find all you need for a sound heart and mind. 

The Jim Allen Group provides access to information on this blog/website as a public service for educational purposes only. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all of the information made available is current, accurate, and complete…[read more]