Our Staycation in Raleigh, NC
V and I have done quite a bit of traveling this year. So, when it came time to plan his birthday weekend, we decided a staycation was the move. By renting an Airbnb in our city, we could get “away” without all the travel time and gas money (or plane fare). We knew we wanted to stay near the Village District/downtown area because a) we really enjoy that part of town, and b) while it’s not terribly far from our house, it’s also not incredibly convenient. So, we typically only make it out that way once a month or so. We LUCKED OUT in terms of our Airbnb. The location was PERFECT - about a mile from downtown and within walking distance of the Village District (though we didn’t walk because it was 800 degrees outside). The Vintage Mod Pad, as it was called, was seriously the cutest Airbnb ever. I love a midcentury modern vibe, and this place had it! Plus, they had a diffuser/salt lamp with essential oils in the kitchen and crystals scattered throughout the apartment. Right up my alley.
I fell in love with this place as soon as I saw the pictures online, and it was every bit as charming in person. For a full video tour, check out my Instagram.
Just minutes from both the Village District and downtown Raleigh, our food options were essentially endless. Below is a list of the restaurants we ate at over the weekend. Every single one was delicious!
Tazza Kitchen (10/10) - Amazing cocktails, a large variety of food options and the most delicious margherita pizza in all the land. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. We will definitely be visiting again. I would recommend making a reservation, especially if you’ll be going on a Friday night like we did. Location: Village District
Tupelo Honey Cafe (10/10) - THIS is the place to brunch. I’m not a huge fan of chicken, but V got their famous chicken and waffles and loved them. His meal looked delicious. I played it safe with a traditional breakfast of bacon, eggs and potatoes - also delicious. And, their biscuits…the biggest, fluffiest biscuits that you ever did see. We also enjoyed a round of peach mimosas. Highly recommend! I’d suggest making a reservation if you plan on going for Saturday brunch. Location: Village District
La Santa (8/10) - This was my first visit to La Santa, and it was very yummy. I give it an 8/10 only because I feel like Tazza Kitchen and Tupelo Honey Cafe are on another level, but La Santa was very good as well. We visited on Saturday night, and it was pretty packed. However, we put our name in and by the time we had gone to the bar and gotten a drink, our table was ready. As far as I know they don’t take reservations. Location: downtown Raleigh
Poole’side Pies (11/10) - I know, I know…but THIS PLACE y’all…it was seriously better than the best. I’m not typically a big fan of eggs benedict, but let me tell you…I was BLOWN AWAY. A friend had told me how amazing this dish was, and the waitress confirmed I had to get it. My mouth is watering just typing this. It was BEYOND yummy. I ate every single bite. We also had some yummy cocktails. We went on a Sunday morning for brunch and there was no wait at all. I was actually shocked. I cannot wait to go back here! Location: downtown Raleigh.
Ajisai (5/10) - It’s not that the sushi was bad, this meal just didn’t really compare to the other meals we’d had by this point in the weekend. I would definitely eat here again, but with all the other options nearby it wouldn’t be my first choice. We went on a Sunday night and didn’t have to wait to be seated. I don’t believe they take reservations, but there is a lot of outdoor seating (and some indoor). Location: Village District
The Flying Biscuit Cafe (7/10 - but, the mimosa flight gets a 10/10) - To be fair…I ordered eggs benedict again, the morning after Poole’side. That really wasn’t fair to The Flying Biscuit Cafe. It was good, but didn’t compare to Poole’side’s. They did have mimosa flights though…and that’s important. The flight comes with four different flavors of mimosas, and they are all yummy! We were there on Monday morning. So, there wasn’t a wait, but I imagine it might get a little crazier on weekend mornings. Location: Village District
Okay, let’s chat dessert. We may or may not have visited Tiff’s Treats twice. And, we may or may not have bought a dozen cookies each time. And, we may or may not have eaten every single one before the weekend was over. These cookies are next-level good! The snickerdoodle is to die for. I also loved the sugar and the lemon. V really liked the oatmeal chocolate chip too. I would HIGHLY recommend stopping in if you are in the Village District area. We also grabbed Goodberry’s one night. If you’re not from around here, Goodberry’s is a frozen custard shop. I LOVE me some Goodberry’s. Way better than ice cream in my opinion. There are multiple locations around Raleigh, including the one we visited in the Village District.
We kept it pretty low-key for the majority of this trip - playing games at the Airbnb…well, actually just one game - The Game, getting to bed at a reasonable hour and meandering around the countless shops at the Village District. But, we also attended two different events going on in Raleigh this particular weekend: the NC Vintage Bazaar at the Raleigh Convention Center in downtown and the Art of the Brick LEGO exhibit located on Glenwood Avenue. There is always something going on in downtown Raleigh. These two events just so happened to be going on during our staycation.
I think my favorite thing about our staycation was realizing how much fun we could have in our own city. By staying in a different part of town we really did feel like we were “away” - just without having to take a roadtrip or catch a flight. I would definitely recommend trying a staycation the next time you’re in the mood to get away, but not in the mood to spend a lot of time and money to get somewhere. Also, this is NOT a sponsored post, but gosh Airbnb is just the best!
Happy “trip” planning!
-D
