Car Rental in Raleigh

Why rent a car in Raleigh?

The capital of North Carolina is the key city in the Research Triangle. There are four first-tier universities in the area, each of which is worth visiting on its own. Whether you’re looking to watch college sports or just visit some chic cities, the area has plenty to offer. There’s lots to see and do, and it’s easy to get to other parts of the state from there being roughly midway between the mountains and the seas.

Top ways to enter Raleigh

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is the main way travelers reach the Research Triangle Area. It is a focus city for Delta Airlines and has connections with many cities along the east coast, but also some on the west coast and even Cancun and Ryekabivk (Iceland). All of the rental suppliers are located on the ground of the airport, but you’ll need a shuttle to reach them. They are currently combining shuttle services, so you might take one of a different company to reach yours. 

Amtrak calls at Union Station in Raleigh. There are multiple trains per day to Charlotte. And one toward New York and Miami (you can reach Washington D.C., Charleston, Columbia, and Savannah on the way). If you arrive by train, you’ll have to pick up your rental car in downtown Raleigh. Some rental suppliers are within walking distance of the station. You can easily get a taxi to them, too. 

Raleigh is easy to reach by road from cities near and far. I-40 connects it with Asheville. I-85 with Charlotte and Richmond, and I-95 can bring you from cities up and down the east coast.

City facts

Raleigh is both the capital of North Carolina and a major city of the Research Triangle. It’s called that because there are four tier-1 research universities in it. North Carolina State University is in Ralegh itself, Duke University is in Durham, the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill is just south of Durham, and Wake Forest University is just north of Raleigh.

Top sights and activities

• North Carolina State Capitol - Take a self-guided tour of the capitol Monday through Saturday and see where the laws of the state are made. 
• Museums -There are plenty in the state capital., as one would expect. Some of the highlights are the N.C Museum of Art, N.C. Museum of History, and N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. You can also visit the Governor’s Mansion. These all have free entrance.
• Sports - College football is an institution in the South. And with four major universities in the area, there is plenty of it in the fall. All teams play in the ACC. Of course, that conference is perhaps better known for basketball, and all of the universities have historic teams in the sport. The Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL also play in Raleigh.

Traffic and parking

To park in downtown Raleigh, you’ll either need to use a metered spot on the street or park in a garage. Most meters take credit cards, so you don’t need to have change to feed them. Parking is free in the evening and on weekends unless there’s an event. You shouldn’t have to worry about paying for parking if your hotel isn’t downtown. 

Traffic isn’t all that bad outside of rush hour. You should be able to get to Chapel Hill in less than 45 minutes. Just leave a little extra time and you should be fine.

Toll roads

There’s one toll road in the Research Triangle, the Triangle Expressway. It runs from I-40 down to US Highway 1 southwest of Raleigh. It is all-electronic, so paying for it in a rental car is tricky. You may be able to use your own transponder from your state (E-Z Pass, SunPass, or Peach Pass), otherwise, you may have to pay for the rental company’s toll package if you plan to use that road. It is, of course, unlikely you’ll need to use it as a visitor, so you can plan to avoid it and not worry about how to pay for it. 

There is another toll road in Charlotte (the Monroe Expressway), but you likewise would almost certainly not need to use it.

Ideas for day trips

Durham - Home of Duke University, Durham is a trendy place with many good restaurants, theaters, and art galleries. You should definitely visit when in the area and make sure to see the campus of the university. 

Chapel Hill - The University of North Carolina’s main campus is in Chapel Hill, just south of Durham. It’s another trendy, university town where you’ll find plenty of good food and art. 

Wake Forest - Of all the cities in the area, Wake Forest probably has the best-preserved downtown. You can, of course, visit the university, too. 

Falls Lake - Between Durham and Wake Forest, Falls Lake has plenty of recreation areas for visitors to have a picnic, swim, or take a boat ride on the lake. You can also hike and camp around the lake.

Further destinations

• Charlotte - The largest city in North Carolina is just a two-and-a-half-hour drive along I-85. The Queen City has a lovely skyline and lots to do including Discovery Place Science and Carowinds, a large theme park on the border with South Carolina. 
• Wilmington - Drive two hours southeast of Raleigh to reach the riverfront city of Wilmington. The city has a lovely riverwalk, a few museums, and the Battleship North Carolina, which you can visit to see the inside of a WW2 battleship. The real reason to visit the town though is that it serves as the gateway to Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure Beaches. At the end of the road lies the North Carolina Aquarium.
• The Outer Banks - Head east from Raleigh to the fabled Outer Banks. Cape Hatteras is probably the best-known location, but you’ll find surfing, beaches, and lighthouses up and down the barrier islands. You can also visit Kitty Hawk and Roanoke, where there’s an outdoor musical about the colony in the summer. 
• The Appalachian Mountains - A three-hour drive west of Raleigh, Boone is the gateway to the Appalachian Mountains in the northern part of North Carolina. YOu can also head to Asheville further south and start from there. Hiking, camping, and learning about Appalachain life are all things you can do in the mountains. If you don’t want to do any of that, you can always simply drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy the views.

Car rental prices in Raleigh

• Large cars - from $39 per day
• Premium cars - from $63 per day
• SUVs - from $48 per day
• Medium cars - from $37 per day
• Small cars - from $37 per day
• Vans - from $77 per day
• Convertibles - from $141 per day