Storm Chasers ‘23: The ‘Canes fan travel guide to Raleigh, NC

This is a summer series for Miami Hurricanes fans who plan on attending away games for the 2023 season. The ‘Canes have five away games in ‘23, taking trips to: Philadelphia, PA; Chapel Hill, NC; Raleigh, NC; Boston, MA; and Tallahassee, FL.

Different contributors from around the country will offer their answers to set up Miami Hurricanes fans for the perfect trip to watch the ‘Canes beat the home team. For Raleigh and the NC State Wolfpack, my wife and I will give you the full tour of The Oak City.

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Miami @ NC State, Saturday, November 4th

Early November in Raleigh should be perfect weather for South Floridians looking for fall. It will be cold at night and much warmer (and usually sunny) during the day. Just keep in mind that NC State doesn’t play football on campus. Carter-Finley Stadium and the PNC Arena are close but not on site.

The best pizza close to campus and the best campus area bar

For non-traditional pizza close to campus you have Trophy Brewing which has the more fancy speciality pizza options as well as their own beer which is amazing. Go to the Morgan Street location for pizza, beer, and to be close to campus.

The best pizza is on the the best strip away from campus

If you’re looking for a traditional style of pizza, Oakwood Pizza Box is the way to go. It’s on Person Street where there are bars, restaurants, ice cream, and Krispy Kreme.

Two Roosters ice cream has both regular and dairy free options as well as pints and cones.

For a fancier option, there’s Jolie, a french restaurant with a rooftop dining area. Jolie serves steak, pork, duck, cheese, and desserts. If you’re not looking for french cuisine and would rather stay American, Crawford & Son is a great option for a fancier sit down, and The Standard is an option if you’re looking for more bar type food.

Person Street also has Yellow Dog Bread Co., a great place for “white cheddar rosemary scone” for savory, and the sticky buns if you’re going for sweet. The almond croissant is another sweet option.

Once you’re full from ice cream, duck, and baked goods- Person Street Bar is a nice spot to hangout and have some drinks after hours. The Station has outdoor seating, good food, and puts games on their outdoor bar TV.

William & Company (WilCo) has craft cocktails and margaritas. Pelagic is a bottle shop right by Jolie. Wine Authorities is like the Rose Apothecary from Schitt’s Creek with fancy wine and cheese options.

Best breakfast place for the next morning?

A Place at The Table on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh is the best breakfast spot in the area. Also, it’s for a great cause. Table is a ‘pay what you can’ cafe serving the Raleigh area for over five years. They’ve been featured on the Kelly Clarkson show and Good Morning America.

I would recommend the build your own (cheddar) biscuit sandwich, but the huevos rancheros is another great breakfast option. You have to try one of their homemade pop-tarts, the cheese grits, and of course a Table cinnamon roll.

Any hotel recommendations, or Air B&B neighborhoods?

Of course I’m obviously a little partial to Person Street if you can find an AirB&B in that area. The Longleaf Hotel and Lounge is a great option because it’s not just a modernized old school hotel, it also has a bar and outdoor patio to enjoy live music.

The Longleaf and the Person Street Krispy Kreme (which has been there since 1970) aren’t even a mile apart (15 minute walk) so they’re basically the same area of town.

Best place to watch the other games?

The Players Retreat is THE NC State bar near campus. It’s a bar food, shots, and beers type of place. The PR has been the campus bar since 1951.

Is there a prime tailgating location for game day?

There’s tailgating at Carter-Finley, as well as in lots on campus, but the campus and the stadium are about three miles apart so don’t plan to walk the trip to the game.

What is the first place you would take someone from out of town to see/eat/visit?

Raleigh is a very cool city. You have a ton of live music, pro ice hockey, the Durham Bulls just one city over and plenty to do and see. Sadly the other Hurricanes are on the road over the weekend playing the Panthers and Lightning down in Florida.

You can always check out VAE which is a really cool art space in downtown close to Table.

For a food option off the beaten path- if you love Mexican food check out Chilango Tacos Bar & Grill. I recommend the torta and enchiladas. The red salsa is very spicy, the green is my choice as a lightweight in the spice game. After Chilango you can hit up the Panderia La Espiga only a couple of doors down for donuts, cookies and other desserts.

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The Wrap

The Raleigh and Wake County areas are huge so there are other spots to checkout. If you’re in your 20’s “Glenwood South” is a nice spot and MoJoe’s is a great burger place in that area. If you prefer to stay downtown, there’s Watts and Ward and Death and Taxes as well as The Raleigh Times and other cool bars and restaurants.

Oh, and of course if you want to get a training session in- there’s EB Athletics, LLC. We’ll get you right on Friday and Saturday (before noon) but never on a Sunday.