Cary
Introduction
Cary is a town in North Carolina, spread across Wake, Chatham, and Durham counties, and it forms part of the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area. That puts it within easy reach of the state capital region while keeping its own municipal identity.
It is one of the larger municipalities in North Carolina, and its population has continued to grow in recent years. For a traveler, that means a sizable, established town rather than a small stopover, with the surrounding Triangle area close at hand.
Getting there
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) sits about 9 miles (13 km) from Cary and is served by all major U.S. airlines, including Southwest, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. Direct flights connect to most major hubs, among them Atlanta, Washington-Dulles, Baltimore-Washington, Chicago (Midway and O'Hare), New York City (LaGuardia), Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Phoenix, plus a limited number of international destinations such as London, Paris, and Toronto. Most other major U.S. cities are reachable with a single connecting flight.
By car, Interstate 40 runs just north of Cary, heading west toward Durham, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Asheville, and east about two and a half hours to Wilmington and the North Carolina Beaches. Interstate 440 forms the inner loop around Raleigh, while NC 540, a toll road through Western Cary, eventually becomes Interstate 540, Raleigh's outer beltway. US 1 passes through Cary along the Eastern Seaboard, and US 64 serves the south of town, linking Raleigh with Asheboro. Amtrak's Carolinian/Piedmont service and the Silver Service both stop in Cary at the train station on North Academy Street, and GoTriangle buses connect Cary with Raleigh, the Regional Transit Center, Durham, Chapel Hill, and other Triangle towns.
Getting around
Cary is a spread-out Southern town, so plan your trip around a car rather than fighting it. You can walk the immediate downtown area, which is compact enough to explore on foot, but for the rest of the town the practical choice is to drive. If you need a rental, several car rental locations are available nearby at RDU International Airport.
If you would rather not drive, local bus service is provided by GoCary, and the town is also served by the affiliated Research Triangle regional system, GoTriangle, which connects to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the Regional Transit Center. Within Cary, GoCary lines 1 and 2 are loop routes, while lines 3 through 6 terminate at the train station — useful if you are combining bus and rail travel. That station, at 211 North Academy Street, is served by Amtrak: the Carolinian/Piedmont service and the Silver Service, linking Cary to Charlotte and the rest of North Carolina as well as the Northeast Corridor and Florida.
Where to stay
Lodging in Cary centers on a single upscale option: The Umstead Hotel & Spa, on Woodland Pond Drive. It pairs rooms with a spa, making it a comfortable base if you want to build your stay around quiet, resort-style amenities rather than a downtown location.
Food & drink
For a modest-sized Southern city, Cary offers a surprisingly broad spread of international cooking. You can build a meal around Venezuelan arepas at Guasaca, a local chain that keeps vegetarian and vegan diners in mind, or settle in for hot pot at So Hot. Sushi Thai covers both Japanese and Thai menus, while Himalayan Nepali Cuisine serves the cooking of the Himalayas. For something quicker, Hot Breads Cafe is an option, and Crosstown Pub & Grill gives you a straightforward pub meal. Cary isn't a city of traditional bars, but taverns and pubs turn up here and there among the residential streets. Two local craft breweries anchor the drinking side: Bond Brothers Beer Company sits in the heart of downtown Cary, and Fortnight Brewing Company pairs its beer with visiting food trucks. For coffee, La Farm Bakery runs two locations — one downtown and one along Cary Parkway — combining an espresso bar with a French-American cafe menu and bakery counter.What to see and do
Downtown Cary revolves around the Cary Arts Center on Dry Avenue, the hub of local arts activity, where you can take in performances, browse the gallery, join a class, or attend one of the many events held throughout the year. For live entertainment on a bigger scale, head to the Koka Booth Amphitheatre, a performance venue that hosts a range of cultural events, including Diwali celebrations and a Dragon Boat Festival. If you would rather be outdoors, Cary has plenty of options. Fred G. Bond Metro Park spreads across a large area and offers walking trails, a lake with a boathouse, an amphitheater, athletic fields, a playground, and picnic spots. Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, home to the Stevens Nature Center, has trails winding along Swift Creek through a landscape of plants and trees uncommon to the North Carolina piedmont, with good chances for bird and wildlife viewing and nature programs scheduled through the year. Lake Crabtree County Park, though entered from nearby Morrisville, lies largely within Cary and provides a network of short hiking and mountain-biking trails plus one long loop that circles the entire lake. Some trails into William B. Umstead Park also begin from Cary. Sports fans can catch professional soccer from April through October, when North Carolina FC and the North Carolina Courage both play their seasons at WakeMed Soccer Park, a stadium within a larger multi-use complex. Golfers will find public and private courses around town, among them MacGregor Downs Country Club, set on the shores of Lake MacGregor, and Lochmere Golf Club.Three days in Cary
Day one: Start by getting your bearings in Cary, which spreads across Wake and Chatham counties within North Carolina's Triangle region. Use the town as your base and spend the afternoon wandering its neighbourhoods before heading to nearby Raleigh or Durham for the evening, since both are close enough to pair with Cary on the same day.
Day two: Turn your attention to the wider Triangle. Chapel Hill sits within easy reach, and Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and the state capital of Raleigh make good day trips if you want to see more of the region. If you are arriving by air, Durham International Airport (RDU) is the local gateway, with Southwest, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines among the carriers serving it.
Day three: If you are flying out, note that RDU offers direct routes to a long list of destinations, including Atlanta, Washington Dulles, Baltimore, Chicago Midway and O'Hare, New York City's LaGuardia, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas Fort Worth, and Phoenix, as well as international service to London, Paris, and Toronto. Most travellers reach Cary by Interstate, and the town's position between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill makes it a convenient final stop before you leave the Triangle.