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2019 DTR Holiday Hub

Downtown Voices

Downtown Raleigh Holiday Hub

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and Downtown Raleigh has everything you need to fill your heart with holiday cheer! From shopping and dining to shows and magical experiences, there is something for everyone in downtown.

Use this Holiday Hub to help you find the best places to shop, where to eat, how to park, what parties to attend, and more. Bookmark this page and then scroll down for links to our Downtown Raleigh Gift Guides, parking tutorials, and events calendar. Questions? Email us at marketing@downtownraleigh.org.

 

Shopping

Did you know that 93% of downtown stores are independent and locally owned? That's more than anywhere else in the entire region! From apparel and decor to furniture and specialty goods, there is also an incredible wealth of variety. To help you sort through it, we're publishing gift guides so you don't have to feel lost navigating the assortment of stores.

DTR Gift Guide: For Women
DTR Gift Guide: For Men
DTR Gift Guide: For Kids
DTR Gift Guide: For Hosts/Hostesses
DTR Gift Guide: For Those with Everything

Want hands-on help? Join one of the special holiday DTR Independent Shops FREE Guided Shopping Tours for specific suggestions from the shop owners and managers themselves!

 

Parking & Other Transportation

So maybe you've heard that parking downtown is difficult - but it actually isn't! In fact, if you're heading downtown on the weekends, all of the street parking is free all day and the decks are free until 5:00 pm. 

We put together a tutorial video for how to find the closest parking to where you want to go. But in case you're more of a reader, this is what to do:

  1. In the Search bar of the website, search for the business you'd like to visit. 
  2. Select that page. From there, you will find that business's street address, hours, website, and other information.
  3. If you're viewing on a mobile device, scroll down past the map. If viewing on a desktop, look to the right hand side of the page below the map. It will list the four closest parking areas (either decks or surface lots) to that location. You can choose one by clicking its title. 
  4. From the parking area's page, you can then choose the Map It button which will open Google Maps and give you step by step directions of how to get there.
  5. See! Easy!

Once you've parked, you can take the R-Line Downtown Circulator for free to other locations downtown. There are lots of other ways to get in and around downtown, from GoTriangle bus service to Citrix Cycles. Check out the Get Around tab of our website for more info. 

 

Dining

Not only do we have the most independent retailers in the region, we also have more Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Best in Class restaurants than any other submarket in the Triangle. With over 150 restaurants to choose from in Downtown Raleigh, you'll be hard pressed to head home hungry after a day of exploring. If you do, you're doing it wrong. 

You can find the best and closest spots for dining the same way you find parking - through our website! It's listed in the same area below the map, along with other nearby shopping and attractions. You can also search by district to see all of the restaurants within the district you're in at that moment. 

 

Events

Our Downtown Events Calendar is full of everything happening in downtown, from city-wide festivals to your favorite local karaoke night. We recently added a Holiday tab at the top so you can easily find holiday-themed events.

And if you have one yourself that you'd like to share, you can submit it here. Only requirements for events to live on our calendar is they must happen in Downtown Raleigh and be open to the public. 

 

Ambassadors & Other Resources

We know that finding your way around downtown can be confusing if you've never done it before. That's where our Ambassadors can come in to help. Our Community & Engagement and Safety Ambassadors provide support throughout downtown should you need directions to a restaurant, an escorted safe walk back to your car, or even help jumping your battery. Look for the blue shirts with the DRA logo or call (919) 368-7962 for help. 

The Raleigh Police Department has also published tips for increasing holiday safety in downtown. You can read them in full here.

 

Holiday Magic

With the Downtown Raleigh Christmas Tree in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and beautifully lit snowflakes lining Fayetteville Street, downtown is a magical place to walk around at night. Individual businesses and buildings have decorated their windows, and the State Capitol will light its tree on December 12. So grab some hot chocolate and stroll along. You won't regret it.

 

Did we miss anything? Let us know by emailing Katie Bailey at marketing@downtownraleigh.org. Happy Holidays, DTR!