Things to Do in Raleigh

Rainbow Lanes Family Fun Center invites pin shattering on more than 30 automatic scoring lanes. Between frames, patrons can crack cue on one of the alley's eight pool tables, improve motor coordination in Rainbow's arcade, try the miniature Himalaya ride, or chat with an experienced pro-shop worker about the days when balls rolled uphill both ways.

One of the few original theaters in Durham to remain in operation, the Carolina Theatre has endured more than 85 years of history in its quest to entertain. The venue's main room, Fletcher Hall, rose in popularity during World War II, when soldiers from Camp Butner arrived by bus to watch films on its colossal screen. In the last three decades, ongoing renovations have restored the venue to its original glory while propelling it into contemporary times with the addition of modern accoutrements, including two upstairs movie screens, stage-level dressing rooms, and landing pads on the roof for skateboard hovercrafts.

Drum guru Kevin Rader-Rhodenbaugh began teaching to transfer his love of music to others, helping students tap into the world’s natural rhythms through exploration of the drums’ beat-making capabilities. Preaching patience, discipline, and dedication, Kevin tailors lessons to individual students, teaching music notation and body control. Learning unfolds in RimShot Drum Studios, where two drum sets, a professional-grade sound system, and in-house electric guitars help students hone rapid-fire rolls or break Buddy Rich’s world record for longest solo without a bathroom break.

In 1947, the North Carolina Museum of Art made its initial acquisition, hauling in 139 works of European and American art purchased with state funds. In the 65 years since, the museum’s collection has continued to balloon, and today features pieces that range from Egyptian funerary art to sculpture and vase paintings from Greece and Rome. The 164-acre campus surrounds visitors with creativity around every corner, including across the museum park, where more than a dozen works showcase inspirations that were culled from the natural world or extracted from the brains of scarecrows who donated their bodies to science.

During summer months, the Arts in the Museum Park festival series organizes week after week of music and film events. On the weekends, rather than sewing their socks together, siblings can get closer with Family Fun Saturdays. Free guided tours weave guests through the museum’s halls daily. Visits can be capped off with a stop at the museum gift shop or at the elegant Iris restaurant, which dishes out contemporary American cuisine with regional and international twists.

Lunar Mini Golf's two 18-hole indoor courses whisks putters away to a black-lit labyrinth sculpted through a phosphorescent dreamscape of vibrant murals and neon obstacles. Tiny neon walls frame the pitch-black corridors of each hole, which gives the impression that patrons are rolling orbs across the rayless expanse of the cosmos or through their neighbors' radioactive crawlspaces. Clubbers clad in white will shine like gleaming apparitions as they read tricky breaks and keep the yips at bay, and Lunar Mini Golf offers glowing necklaces for clients to wear to capitalize on the visually mesmerizing lure of the black lights. Catering to large groups, Lunar Mini Golf also features a complimentary party zone available upon request for birthdays, corporate gatherings, and ceremonies unveiling new neon eyebrow tattoos.