Going to be in Raleigh/Cary NC area for a conference and need recommendations.

[jc75754]

I will be in the Raleigh area for a week starting on Sunday and I have some questions, as I have never spent any time there.

Gym recommendations near the Meredith college campus.

Seafood restaurants because I can eat shrimp being away from my wife who is allergic.

Any good bars or pubs that appeal to older working class folk.

Ranges or gun stores in the area

Other sites interesting items

[BSmith]

Look into 42nd St Oyster Bar.

Triangle Shooting Academy is supposed to be cool, but looks expensive.

[BUOPtimus Prime]

Though I now live in the DC area, I grew up in NC and lived in the triangle area for over 10 years.

Gym
I have always been a member of the YMCA, and the location on Hillborough St is great. Otherwise, gyms are a dime a dozen. You can find countless cross fit or vanilla franchise gyms all over town. There is supposed to be a black iron gym downtown but I don't know the name or location. I'll try to track that down.

Seafood
Frankly, the Piedmont is the place to get the best BBQ in the country, not seafood. If I wanted fresh seafood, I would drive to the coast. 42 st oyster bar is pretty good, but any decent restaurant, of which there are plenty, should have a good seafood option or two.

Bars or pubs
Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Unfortunately this lends itself to more hip bars and young crowds. Expect craft beers and cocktails to be normal. Two exceptions are the Goat and Players Retreat which are very much local dives. Slims is also a good dive, but expect lots of young people. Raleigh Times is pretty good, tends to have more working professionals and fewer hipsters. There are tons of great bars that I frequented, but they don't quite fit what I think of as a working class dive.

Ranges and gun stores
Fuquay Gun is one of the best gun stores. Personal Defense is a gun store that has a decent indoor range. I don't personally care for their prices or customer service. They have never received a dime from me except to use their range due to its convenience.

Other sites
Dean Dome, Duke Cathedral, Natural Science Museum

[jc75754]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I signed up for a week at fitness connection so gym is covered.
I love bbq being a native I have to have the Lexington sauce and I drove looking at some of the joints down here.

I first time I have been away from my boy and wife in about 3 years for more than a day.

Cigar and beer with peace and quiet right now.

[BUOPtimus Prime]

After I wrote my last post, I thought you might be an NC native. Raleigh will definitely have the more eastern flavor compared to Lexington Style. Ole Time BBQ is my recommendation. Clyde Coopers after that, though they recently moved into a new location. Doesn't have the same greasy seats as the old place.


Thanks for all the recommendations. I signed up for a week at fitness connection so gym is covered.
I love bbq being a native I have to have the Lexington sauce and I drove looking at some of the joints down here.

I first time I have been away from my boy and wife in about 3 years for more than a day.

Cigar and beer with peace and quiet right now.

[chuckman]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I signed up for a week at fitness connection so gym is covered.
I love bbq being a native I have to have the Lexington sauce and I drove looking at some of the joints down here.

I first time I have been away from my boy and wife in about 3 years for more than a day.

Cigar and beer with peace and quiet right now.

Ugh...Lexington. Ketchup for sauce. Just kidding...The Triangle and points east are vinegar-based. The Pit is one of THE better joints in Raleigh, Old Town is good, as is Clyde Coopers, as has been mentioned.

Bars....if you want a microbrew, you can't swing a dead cat for hitting a good bar with a metric shit-ton of local beers. The Flying Saucer...you cannot go wrong. If you can't find a beer you like, then you're just SOL.