Local institutions offer world-class educational opportunity: Duke University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Meredith College, North Carolina Central University, and Peace College have world-wide reputations for excellence in their fields.

The world-class economic vitality, didn't just happen.  Created in 1959, the Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the most successful planned research park in the United States.  Originally 7,000 acres of North Carolina pine forest (8 miles x 2 miles in area), it may well be the largest in the United States also.  131 organizations are located in the Triangle, and about half of the employees there work for multinational corporations.  Estimates are that the 45,000 employees total payroll is $2.7 billion.  As envisioned by business, academia and industry leader in this area, R&D related organizations account for more than 90% of usage of the Park.

Cultural and recreational facilities include dazzling multimedia star shows at Morehead Planetarium , world-class traveling exhibitions at the North Carolina Museum of Art, the world's only Acrocanthosaurus skeleton at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, NC Sports Hall of Fame,  and an exhibit on moonshine at the North Carolina Museum of History, and butterflies and bugs at the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science.

The climate allows a world-class community quality of outdoor life with hiking trails, cycling trails, campsites, boating, picnicking and fishing for 10 months every year.  Raleigh Parks & Recreation, Lake Wheeler,  Lake Johnson, and  Pullen Park take excellent advantage of the Neuse River, Walnut and Crabtree Creeks and their tributaries, and are fairly connected by the Capital Area Greenway.  Both beaches (the Atlantic Ocean) and mountains (the Great Smoky Mountains ) are within a day's drive.

College and professional athletics are hosted in the world-class RBC Center by the NCSU Wolfpack football and the Carolina Hurricanes hockey home teams.  Less than 2 1/2 hours away, is Charlotte, with its NFL and NBA franchises.

Cultural institutions in the Triangle are also world-class. The new ALLTEL Pavilion is not only successful and beautiful, it boats the best acoustics in the world and seats over 20,000. The BTI Center for the Performing Arts includes Fletcher Opera Theater, for opera, dance, and theatrical productions (featuring Carolina Ballet, the National Opera Company and the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute); Kennedy Theater (featuring Burning Coal Theatre); The Lichtin Plaza (a 2 acre venue for festivals, concerts, and social functions; and the Meymandi Concert Hall featuring the North Carolina Symphony).  The Artistic Director of Carolina Ballet in Raleigh, Robert Weiss, has single-handedly revitalized Ballet with a stunning new innovative production of The Nutcracker.  Working from Tchaikovsky and Petipa's original production notes, Weiss created the production to honor the memory of George Balanchine.