Update: As someone who values local businesses, I am saddened that my relationship with this venue…read morehas ended this way. I did everything 'right' by buying my season tickets the first day of subscriber pre-sales (September 9th) and selecting a specific seat for my needs. Only to show up for my performance to learn that my seat had been changed. Instead of enjoying a performance of my favorite show, I was forced into a position that shouldn't have happened. There has been a complete lack of transparency or any communication from the venue, from my seat being changed in January 2026 without my knowledge, to another refund I received 'out of the blue' that I had already attended. Was this unexpected refund for a past show an attempt to cover the taxes and fees they withheld from the first refund? Or was it an attempt to avoid apologizing for the original error? Over the years, I shared 157 photos and many reviews to support this venue's growth. I have removed most of these photos. I will leave the documentation of my seating error. I also organized group outings to the venue, which led others to purchase tickets. One person's voice matters. I hope my experience ensures that future subscribers are treated with the respect that their loyalty deserves, rather than being treated as a single seat that can be moved to accommodate a more lucrative sale. Update: Management stepped up and provided me with a full refund for the season, including the performances I've seen, excluding taxes and fees. This was after the box office called me a liar and unkind, not in the spirit of the show. Kindness starts with respecting your customers and believing them when they have the evidence in hand, with the paper-timed-stamp ticket. I have uploaded photos showing my original September 9, 2025, purchase date and the handwritten seat change forced upon me at check-in as proof." Then, with the Ludus system, they likely know who moved my season seat to sell two seats together. "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." Theatre Raleigh does not seem to respect its season ticket holders or donors. When I select a seat with my season ticket package, that is the seat I expect to sit in for the show. I specifically chose aisle seats as my preference, and the extra room helps with my knee injury. So I was upset when I arrived at a performance and was told my seat had been moved. Usually, it has been from a changed seating chart, but in my last performance, the actual seat number was changed. The aisle seat I had purchased on the first day of season-ticket sales was occupied by another patron. It appears that someone at the box office chose to relocate my seat so that two seats were available for sale together when individual tickets went on sale in January. So this tells me that they do not value season ticket holders and are more concerned about another sale. This was the final straw for me, and I cannot recommend this theatre to others. It feels like a slap in the face as a donor to be treated with such disdain. Granted, I am a low-level donor. When I complained at the show that my seat, purchased in September 2025, had been moved from the aisle, I was told the show was sold out. No, that is not acceptable. I will support and donate to other performing arts organizations that better value and recognize their patrons, and walk away from those that treat me like a transaction. I can no longer donate to an organization that prioritizes last-minute sales over the explicit seat selections of its long-term supporters.

Theater and music lovers, this is the place for you! Performances of the highest caliber, whether…read moreit's cabaret type shows or full blown productions, this is where you can see them in an intimate environment. Think Below 54 in NYC, only better. We have seen amazing performers like Stephanie J Block and Norm Lewis and amazing shows like Once, Bridges of Madison County and most recently Waitress. Absolutely everything we have seen here is outstanding. To say that Lauren Kennedy knows how to run a Theater and bring theater lovers what they want is an understatement. Highly recommend keeping an eye on their website for what's coming up next.

I stumbled upon this gem of a history lesson by accident while walking to downtown from our Airbnb…read more Catherine gave my son and I a great tour and history of Raleigh. I'm a history buff and she was able to keep me interested in an area of the country I know little of. Always fun to learn local history. It's free and enjoyable.

I had never been to the Joel Lane House Museum so the Fourth of July Celebration was the perfect…read moretime. The museum offers free parking on St. Mary's Street and more parking in front of the house on West Hargett. Admission is usually charged but was free for this event as we were not given the official tour but received $4 off coupons to return for a tour. They provided Howling Cow ice cream and free lemonade too. So who was Joel Lane? Joel Lane is considering a Founding Father of North Carolina and Raleigh. He sold 1,000 acres of land to make Raleigh the State Capital. The Joel Lane Museum House is the oldest house in Raleigh and is older than Wake County. The decision to move North Carolina's Capital to Raleigh happened in the Joel Lane House. As they say "it was the room that it happened". Joel Lane was a slave holder of 43 adults and children. They are the ones who built the house and maintained the plantation, raising the livestock, cooking and caring for the Lane family. The museum provides a way for us to see how life would have been back then from the candles to the necessary to the toys they had to how they made yarn for clothing. The herb garden provided a method for medicine. The holiday event provided an overview but I am planning to return for a tour to learn more of the history and see all of the property.

The annual celebration of the arts in Historic Oakwood is organized by a group of women…read moreartists/artisans, intellectuals and philanthropists with an intense dedication to art, the community, and chosen charitable endeavors. It is one of my best events of the year, and attended by serious art lovers from near and far. Organizers are Gretchen Quinn of Gretchen Quinn Pottery and potter Helen Johnson as well as a host of volunteers. This event, held annually in May, features artist set-ups on local porches and lawns, and a drawing supporting a charity, while the surrounding area provides excellent restaurants, cafes, and eateries where visitors may grab a bite while browsing the art. (As a local artisan, I was so enamored at the success, excitement, and vision of this event that I have participated twice, in 2016 and 2017. Consequently, I recommend this event for both artists and art-lovers, as those partaking and attending have an understanding of what creative people are attempting in their artistic lives.)

This is the best festival. Art galore soap, essential oil, wood, to metal, jewelry, fiber,…read morepottery, 2D art, and so much more. It is a great day with many local businesses to stop in for coffee, lunch or a drink!

Had a great time! Would go back again. The Haunted forest was the best attraction next to the…read morehayride. Loved seeing iconic movie characters. i recommend the funnel cake fries, they were awesome.

I had SUCH a blast here!! Great walk-through trails for maximum spookiness. The actors are clearly…read morehaving lots of fun. I love to give myself over to the experience and allow myself to get scared, because how often in your adult life is it permissible to scream at the top of your lungs?? It's so much fun! My only complaint is that they sent groups in without much space in between, so we were constantly catching up with the group in front of us or had the group behind us catch up with us. I can't fault them for it though, because they have to send people through relatively quickly to keep the lines moving. Since I can't think of a solution, I won't dock a star for it. Just something to keep in mind as you're going through--I'd recommend sticking to a group size of 2-4 people, so that if you catch up with the group in front it's not a HUGE backup. Thanks so much for the great experience! I'll be back next year!

Perhaps the time to stop by here is during SPARKcon when presumably everyone will have their best…read moreon display. It kills me to give this place a low rating since anyone who can do what I cannot -- create art -- deserves all the kudos she or he can get. VAE was disappointing. The venue itself is perfect, well organized, good lighting, and with the art thoughtfully displayed. With the exception of the oil paintings of birds on wood, with the corresponding feathers in jars below; the crayon bunches spelling vandal; and the clay slab with hammerheads embedded within, there was really very little else that captured attention in such a way to make you feel the emotion of what the artist was attempting to capture. Still, I freely admit what was displayed showed a talent beyond anything I could do, but I cannot give this a higher rating without minimizing the other incredible art available in other galleries in the area. Timing is everything, and maybe my timing was off. I'll try again another day and perhaps then be able to change my rating upward.

I really enjoy stopping by the VAE (Visual Art Exchange), although I admit, I usually go by during…read moreRaleigh's First Friday Art Walks. I really enjoy that VAE changes their exhibits, sometimes by extreme measures, with the different artists they bring in. The large space is divided partially by a wall and they also have an area in the back called "The Cube" that always features one exhibit. The artist that ends up in the cube is usually a little more "modern" then those in the larger space. I've seen a whole variety of works, everything from puppets to hanging pieces of brush to animated short films, the list goes on. I love that VAE rotates their galleries monthly and is always bringing in a variety of artists. I've seen a lot of photography, mixed media and oils, it's definitely always unique, beautiful and covers a spectrum of work. I truly think that each gallery change provides something for everyone, but even if you aren't a fan of the work one month, I HIGHLY encourage you to return and give it another try the next month. The works of art are usually all for sale, plus they'll sometimes have local pop-up shops in the gallery. Their website is a wonderful source too for all things happening. Plus, if you go early enough on First Friday, they'll have wine and sparkling juices, a nice treat to sip on while you enjoy the gallery. VAE also helps put on PBaRt every year, a once a year event that benefits Raleigh's SparkCON. Unfortunately, if you're reading this review and it's current, you JUST missed it (it was last weekend!) But definitely put it on your agenda for next year, it is a AWESOME event! VAE is definitely more of a "traditional" art gallery then DesignBox next door [not that the pieces are always tradition]. If you're looking for more artistic ideas and gadgets, I encourage you to check out the studio next door!

I have driven past this location several times. Even stopped to walk the dog and never, ever…read morenoticed the Sertoma Arts Center adjacent to the Shelley Lake Park. What a shame. This is a cool place. The draw for me, was the Arts Fair featuring a few intrepid artists peddling their wares. I suspect some or most had taken classes at the arts center and had a mix of eagerness and new skills to make talking to them all the more enjoyable. There was an artist who specialized in lithographs, whose work was erie and cool. Also a couple of book/journal makers who were eager and interested in talking to you about how they make what they make. Refreshing and worth a visit.

We booked a standard smash with a windshield upgrade with a custom message - the experience was…read morevery friendly and professional from start to finish. We watched the training video and our room was ready for us to let loose some anger, sadness and hurt. We didn't hook this to celebrate, we booked this to try to work out some trauma (a bit different than some other reviews). It was therapeutic and we had a good time, plus a few tears mixed in. It's pricey (my total was $218!) but it's a one and done and we really went nuts in there, including playing rage metal!

I work right next door to iSmash so I've been wanting to go since they started building it…read more We finally visited for my birthday and did the standard smash with the birthday add-on and the starter splatter. On Wednesdays, you can get 20% off for doing both so this was a good deal considering how much we were already spending. The staff are all very nice, welcoming, and helpful. We started with the rage room and were led to a room where we watched a safety video and changed into our gear. There are clean jumpsuits, masks, goggles, and gloves. Once you've used the equipment/clothing, there are bins for you to put them in to be cleaned. The rage room was SO much fun and quite the workout. With the birthday add-on, we had a windshield, confetti bottle, and powder bomb to hit. The 35 minutes doesn't seem like a lot but trust me! Between two people, this was a perfect amount of time. They give you different tools to smash stuff with like a mallet, bats, and crowbars. After changing out of our gear, we grabbed a couple of beers at the bar to cool down before going to our paint room. The beer is cold and super affordable. When we were ready, we walked to another room to watch another safety video and to get into our painting gear (it costs $5 for a hairnet, shoe covers, and a poncho, which I recommend getting). The splatter room was amazing! It was fun throwing paint at our canvases and feeling creative while we were under a black light. One of the little additions I loved to both of the experiences is that they have a speaker in each room where you can listen to your own music and get inspired or just let it all out. I will absolutely come back here!!

I love the Pullen Arts Center! I've taken two different classes here and have thoroughly enjoyed…read morethem both. The prices are super reasonable and there are tons of classes to choose from! A little bit of something for everyone. The facility is a newer build so the studio spaces are also very nice. With the completion of select classes you get the opportunity to become a member. I'm planning on getting my yearly membership so I can keep creating and honing my skills.

Remarkable drawing class with the incredibly talented Traci Fracasso. She is the real deal both as…read morean artist and a teacher. She is rigorous but kind, informative and motivating. I learned a lot in the class and want to keep learning. The Pullen Arts Center is also an amazing work space and gallery. Just a great experience all around.