Local life
Things to Do in Raleigh & Johnston County: A Local's 2026 Guide
One of the best parts of my job is showing people what life looks like here outside of the house hunt. Whether you're relocating or just looking for a new weekend plan, here are the parks, trails, museums and festivals I point people to in Raleigh and Johnston County, with current dates and links so you can plan.
What are the best free things to do in Raleigh?
Start with Dix Park, the NC Museum of Art's Museum Park, the Capital Area Greenway and the free state museums downtown.
Dorothea Dix Park
The City of Raleigh acquired the 308-acre Dix Park site in 2015, and it's now one of the city's largest parks, with big open lawns, historic buildings and skyline views. It also connects to the Rocky Branch greenway trail.
North Carolina Museum of Art
The NCMA's People's Collection and its 164-acre Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park are free. The park has outdoor art, gardens and 4.7 miles of trails, and it's open daily from dawn to dusk.
Downtown museums
The NC Museum of Natural Sciences and the NC Museum of History are right downtown, with free general admission (some special exhibits charge).
Where can you walk, run or bike in Raleigh?
The Capital Area Greenway: more than 117 miles of trails, including the 27.5-mile Neuse River Trail.
The greenway system includes 28 named trails. A few favorites: the Neuse River Trail from Falls Lake Dam to the Wake/Johnston County line, the Crabtree Creek Trail (18 miles) toward William B. Umstead State Park, and loops around Lake Johnson and Shelley Lake. Trails are open dawn to dusk. Umstead itself is a large state park between Raleigh and Durham with hiking, biking and bridle trails.
What is Pullen Park?
Pullen Park is North Carolina's first public park, founded in 1887, with a carousel, a train, pedal boats and Theatre in the Park.
The City of Raleigh says it's the fifth-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. Ride tickets are $2 per person, so it's an easy, inexpensive afternoon near NC State's campus.
What events happen in Raleigh in 2026?
The N.C. State Fair runs October 15–25, 2026, and the 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade is Saturday, November 21, 2026.
The State Fair fills the fairgrounds on Blue Ridge Road with rides, livestock, competitions and fair food. The Christmas Parade steps off downtown at 9:30 a.m. and is free to watch. For sports, the Carolina Hurricanes play at Lenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena), and you can catch ACC college sports at NC State or a short drive away in Durham and Chapel Hill.
What is there to do in Johnston County?
Rivers, history and small-town festivals: the Clayton River Walk, Bentonville Battlefield, Howell Woods, the Ava Gardner Museum and Carolina Premium Outlets.
Clayton River Walk on the Neuse
A paved, roughly 4-mile trail along the Neuse River that's part of both the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the East Coast Greenway. The Town of Clayton connects it to downtown via the Sam's Branch Greenway.
Bentonville Battlefield
Near Four Oaks, this state historic site marks North Carolina's largest Civil War battle, fought March 19–21, 1865. There are hiking trails and a driving tour.
Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center
Run by Johnston Community College, Howell Woods covers 2,800+ acres between the Neuse River and Hannah and Mill creeks, with trails for hiking, horseback riding and biking, plus canoeing, fishing, camping and live exhibits of native reptiles and birds of prey.
Downtown Smithfield
Visit the Ava Gardner Museum, walk the Neuse Riverwalk or Buffalo Creek Greenway, and shop Carolina Premium Outlets right off I-95.
What festivals does Johnston County have?
Two big ones: Smithfield's Ham & Yam Festival each spring and Benson Mule Days each September.
The Ham & Yam Festival celebrated its 40th year on May 2, 2026, with a 5K, 200+ vendors, a car show and live music on multiple stages; the next one is scheduled for May 1, 2027. Benson Mule Days dates to 1949 and is held around the fourth Saturday of September (September 24–27 in 2026), with rodeos, mule competitions, carnival rides and a big Saturday parade.
How should I plan a scouting weekend before I move?
Pair one Raleigh day with one Johnston County day, and fit a house tour or two around the places you'd actually go.
Here's the weekend I'd suggest if you're visiting from out of state. Saturday morning: walk or bike a stretch of the Neuse River Trail or the Rocky Branch Trail through Dix Park, then grab lunch downtown and pop into the free state museums. Saturday afternoon: drive the commute you'd really make, at the hour you'd really make it, and tour a few homes along the way. Sunday: head to Clayton for Main Street and the River Walk, or to Smithfield for the Neuse Riverwalk and the Ava Gardner Museum, then swing by Bentonville Battlefield or Howell Woods if you love the outdoors.
The beaches and the mountains are each a few hours' drive away, so plenty of locals plan long weekends in both directions. If you can't make the trip, I'm happy to do live video tours of homes and a video drive of the area for you.
What does a year of local events look like?
Here's a quick seasonal calendar to plan around.
| When | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (May 1, 2027) | Ham & Yam Festival | Downtown Smithfield |
| Year-round | Greenways, Dix Park, NCMA Museum Park | Raleigh |
| Year-round | Clayton River Walk, Howell Woods, Bentonville Battlefield | Johnston County |
| September (Sept. 24–27, 2026) | Benson Mule Days | Benson |
| October (Oct. 15–25, 2026) | N.C. State Fair | Raleigh |
| November (Nov. 21, 2026) | Raleigh Christmas Parade | Downtown Raleigh |
Thinking about where to live near the things you love? My relocation page has town-by-town summaries with drive times, and my posts on living in Raleigh and moving to Johnston County go deeper.
Fair housing note: I describe areas by features like amenities, home styles, commute and cost. I don't suggest who should or shouldn't live anywhere. Please visit, explore and decide for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 N.C. State Fair?
October 15–25, 2026, at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
Is the North Carolina Museum of Art free?
Yes. Admission to the People's Collection and the 164-acre Museum Park is free; some special exhibitions and programs charge.
How long are Raleigh's greenway trails?
The City of Raleigh reports more than 117 miles of Capital Area Greenway trails across 28 trails, including the 27.5-mile Neuse River Trail.
When is the Ham & Yam Festival?
The 2027 Ham & Yam Festival is scheduled for May 1, 2027, in downtown Smithfield.
What is the Clayton River Walk?
A paved trail of about 4 miles along the Neuse River in Clayton, part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and East Coast Greenway.
About the author
I'm Sam Palmieri, a North Carolina real estate broker (NC Lic. 362778) with Anna Powell Real Estate | eXp Realty. I'm a former NYPD officer, an ex-Director of Marketing for an eXp mega team and an eXp Con speaker, and I relocated from New York to North Carolina myself. More about me.
Have questions about your move?
Text or call me at (718) 419-0176, book a free consult, or grab my free guide with town-by-town details.
Sources
- City of Raleigh, Dix Park — raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/places/dix-park
- North Carolina Museum of Art, Museum Park — ncartmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/museum-park
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences — naturalsciences.org
- City of Raleigh, Capital Area Greenway Trails — raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/all-about-raleighs-greenways/trails
- City of Raleigh, 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update (Aug. 2025), Parks, Recreation & Open Space — user-2081353526.cld.bz/2030ComprehensivePlanUpdate/229
- NC State Parks, William B. Umstead State Park — www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/william-b-umstead-state-park
- City of Raleigh, Pullen Park — raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/places/pullen-park
- NC Department of Agriculture, N.C. State Fair (Oct. 15–25, 2026) — www.ncagr.gov/divisions/ncstatefair
- Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, Raleigh Christmas Parade — grma.org/christmas-parade
- Lenovo Center, Venue Facts & History — www.lenovocenter.com/arena-info/venue-facts-history
- Town of Clayton, Greenways & Trails — www.claytonnc.gov/244/Greenways-Trails
- NC Historic Sites, Bentonville Battlefield — historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefield
- Johnston Community College, About Howell Woods — johnstoncc.edu/howellwoods/about.aspx
- Ava Gardner Museum, Smithfield — www.johnstoncountync.org/ava-gardner
- Downtown Smithfield, Ham & Yam Festival — downtownsmithfield.com/ham-yam-festival
- Benson Mule Days, About — bensonmuledays.com/about
Researched October 2026. Figures change; please verify with the source before relying on them.