As soon as I saw the Adirondack chairs sprawled on the back lawn of the Oakwood Inn, I knew I was going to feel at home in Raleigh. Born and raised in the Piedmont of North Carolina, I'd never ventured beyond a pass through the state capital on my way to the coast. What a shame. Teeming with history, elegance and trendy sophistication, this is the Old South at its best.
Most attractions are free.
Across from the grill stand a ghostly, blue-lit substation and the original Power House that provided electricity for Raleigh residents during the early 1900s. This charming neighborhood lined with Victorian homes in Easter egg colors is a history lesson in itself. Equally educational and fascinating is Oakwood Cemetery, the final resting place of 2,800 Confederate soldiers, five Civil War generals and numerous U.S. senators and North Carolina governors. Then, to downtown. The Plaza also is a haven for Raleigh's principal business, state government.