Nice waterfront area near Raleigh?

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Can any of you recommend a nice place for a day trip?

Looking to be within 1.5 hours of Raleigh.

I’m looking for a place along water where my wife and I can take a walk with our dog, and find some outdoor dog-friendly dining (even if that means takeaway food and park benches).

Bonus if there is some car-based sightseeing worth doing. My wife likes to take drives through nice old farms or neighborhoods that have been kept up.

Thanks!
 
Be interested to see what others post up.As far as dog walking near water you have Lake Wheeler and Lake Johnson(better suited for walking) on the south/west side of Raleigh.Not much for food unless you bring your own.
 
Durant Nature Preserve, Wilkerson Nature Preserve, or for more hiking, the Mountains-to-the-Sea trail. My dogs are well familiar with them all. Best place to eat with your dog is the Players Retreat near the NC State Bell Tower https://www.playersretreat.com/. Call to make sure of availability with COVID
 
Having spent my high school and college years in southeastern Virginia, this is something I’ve always missed here.
 
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Bumping this thread…

Aside from going to the seashore, any good shopping/eating places along the shore of a river or lake?
 
Hyco lake boat/access and camp ground has some short trails near the water and park area. Food is kinda limited but easy to pack a lunch or pick up something on the way up. There is a few choices around but not many and not sure how pet friendly they are you would have to research that.
 
Harris Lake Park off US1 has some nice open areas as well as wood trails. Quite a few eating places in Holly Springs allow dogs on outside patio. Black Dog Bottle shop is nice to get food somewhere and bring it inside with dog to eat
 
Thanks everyone!

Let's shift the focus from nature walks, to food-without-bringing-a-dog.

If we leave the dog home, and now just go to a nice spot with the primary focus of eating in view of the water, and maybe something else nice making it worth going to the area, then what do we have for options?

For this request, the "must haves" are:
- Nice view of water (lake, river)
- Place to sit down and eat near that view
- less than 1 3/4 hours from Ralieh (which puts the entire Atlantic coast out of reach, but Washington and New Bern are just past that limit).



The answer might be "that just doesn't exist". But someone may have an overlooked secret.

The closest we've found is Lost Paddles Pizza in Lillington.
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Lillington isn't fancy. I don't need fancy. There is also nothing else really around this restaurant. But it is on the river, has a view, and has food, so it checks all the boxes.
 
Lake Gaston is nice and there’s plenty of places to walk your dog. Some decent restaurants but it depends on which side of the lake you stay on as it can be a some what long drive to get across depending on where you are
 
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Me. said:
Thanks everyone!

Let's shift the focus from nature walks, to food-without-bringing-a-dog.

If we leave the dog home, and now just go to a nice spot with the primary focus of eating in view of the water, and maybe something else nice making it worth going to the area, then what do we have for options?

For this request, the "must haves" are:
- Nice view of water (lake, river)
- Place to sit down and eat near that view
- less than 1 3/4 hours from Ralieh (which puts the entire Atlantic coast out of reach, but Washington and New Bern are just past that limit).



The answer might be "that just doesn't exist". But someone may have an overlooked secret.

The closest we've found is Lost Paddles Pizza in Lillington.
View attachment 643213
View attachment 643214


Lillington isn't fancy. I don't need fancy. There is also nothing else really around this restaurant. But it is on the river, has a view, and has food, so it checks all the boxes.
Click to expand...
Last time I checked, the restaurant was closed.
 
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The Eno is great for hiking, but given that almost all of it is protected and/or part of the state park, there are no restaurants that sit by the river. That said, if 'close' is close enough, there are plenty of eateries in Hillsborough that are a 5-minute walk to the river, and there's a nice trail that parallels the river.
 
Me. said:
Thanks everyone!

Let's shift the focus from nature walks, to food-without-bringing-a-dog.

If we leave the dog home, and now just go to a nice spot with the primary focus of eating in view of the water, and maybe something else nice making it worth going to the area, then what do we have for options?

For this request, the "must haves" are:
- Nice view of water (lake, river)
- Place to sit down and eat near that view
- less than 1 3/4 hours from Ralieh (which puts the entire Atlantic coast out of reach, but Washington and New Bern are just past that limit).



The answer might be "that just doesn't exist". But someone may have an overlooked secret.

The closest we've found is Lost Paddles Pizza in Lillington.
View attachment 643213
View attachment 643214


Lillington isn't fancy. I don't need fancy. There is also nothing else really around this restaurant. But it is on the river, has a view, and has food, so it checks all the boxes.
Click to expand...
The BBQ joint that used to be there was good, the seafood joint didn't last long and wasn't so hot. I'll have to look at the menu for this one. There is good pizza close...
 
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If I want a view of the lake and good eats....

I pack a cooler, table and chairs then head out to the lake for better view, less people, noise.
Pack the boat and find an island or cove.

Sorry to say not many places to eat on the lake.

Several you can go eat then short walk to see any view you want.
 
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Me. said:
Thanks everyone!

Let's shift the focus from nature walks, to food-without-bringing-a-dog.

If we leave the dog home, and now just go to a nice spot with the primary focus of eating in view of the water, and maybe something else nice making it worth going to the area, then what do we have for options?

For this request, the "must haves" are:
- Nice view of water (lake, river)
- Place to sit down and eat near that view
- less than 1 3/4 hours from Ralieh (which puts the entire Atlantic coast out of reach, but Washington and New Bern are just past that limit).



The answer might be "that just doesn't exist". But someone may have an overlooked secret.

The closest we've found is Lost Paddles Pizza in Lillington.


Lillington isn't fancy. I don't need fancy. There is also nothing else really around this restaurant. But it is on the river, has a view, and has food, so it checks all the boxes.
Click to expand...
Okay. I am gonna break my rule against divulging my honey holes in public. But in (little) Washington, there is a magical place called "Backwater Jack's Tiki Bar & Grill". It sits kinda between the Pamlico River and Runyon Creek. Sit upstairs and you'll have a nice (near waterfront) view of the Pamlico River. They have basic pub/bar type food (burgers, beer, etc.), which used to be pretty good - though I have not been there recently if that has changed for better or worse. It also has a live music stage and usually has a local band or two on weekends.

But that's not the best part. The best part is that it sits right next to the public boat ramp. So not only do you get a nice fresh burger, cold beer, river view and live music, you also get to watch the entire spectrum of human emotion and entertainment value of a public boat ramp play out before your very eyes: suspense, ignorance, anger, comedy, fear, conflict, drama, engineering failures, loss, tragedy, romance, domestic assault, mature themes, adult language, nudity, etc. It can be glorious on a good (or bad) day. I once watched a local guy pull a 24 foot cabin cruiser out of that creek driving a 1998 Mustang convertible with a trailer hitch.

Spend the day strolling the beach and splashing around in the river at Goose Creek State Park. Then hit BJTB&G at about take out time for a burger, beer and the floor show. It's a good day.
 
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East of Here said:
Okay. I am gonna break my rule against divulging my honey holes in public. But in (little) Washington, there is a magical place called "Backwater Jack's Tiki Bar & Grill". It sits kinda between the Pamlico River and Runyon Creek. Sit upstairs and you'll have a nice (near waterfront) view of the Pamlico River. They have basic pub/bar type food (burgers, beer, etc.), which used to be pretty good - though I have not been there recently if that has changed for better or worse. It also has a live music stage and usually has a local band or two on weekends.

But that's not the best part. The best part is that it sits right next to the public boat ramp. So not only do you get a nice fresh burger, cold beer, river view and live music, you also get to watch the entire spectrum of human emotion and entertainment value of a public boat ramp play out before your very eyes: suspense, ignorance, anger, comedy, fear, conflict, drama, engineering failures, loss, tragedy, romance, domestic assault, mature themes, adult language, nudity, etc. It can be glorious on a good (or bad) day. I once watched a local guy pull a 24 foot cabin cruiser out of that creek driving a 1998 Mustang convertible with a trailer hitch.

Spend the day strolling the beach and splashing around in the river at Goose Creek State Park. Then hit BJTB&G at about take out time for a burger, beer and the floor show. It's a good day.
Click to expand...
We go there every time we are in that area. Decent Shrimp Burger.
 
Me. said:
We checked out Washington on a day trip, along with New Bern.

Those were nice little spots. but definitely a commitment to drive time.
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Roger that. Would the Roanke River/ Kerr reservoir be a bit closer? I went through that area last September on my way to Farmville via R15. Clarksville may have potential.
 
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Welcome to Buggs Island Brewing - Buggs Island Brewing

buggsislandbrewing.com buggsislandbrewing.com

www.pointelakegaston.com

The Pointe at Lake Gaston

The Pointe restaurant located at Lake Gaston in North Carolina provides causal waterfront dining with flip flop elegance. Open all year offering live music and entertainment, catering, and more.
www.pointelakegaston.com www.pointelakegaston.com

WatersView Restaurant - Home

Watersview Restaurant offers steaks, seafood, pasta & chicken all expertly prepared by our culinary team at Lake Gaston
watersviewrestaurant.com
 
Buoy’s bar and grill at hyco lake has a view of the water with inside and outside seating and it usually steady traffic on the weekends. Sometimes music in the evenings, it just down the road from the camp ground i mentioned earlier just was not sure about the pet possibility. Maybe/ maybe not. Also have ice cream in the marina/gas station next door. Only restaurant there that i know of on the water.
 
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East of Here said:
Okay. I am gonna break my rule against divulging my honey holes in public. But in (little) Washington, there is a magical place called "Backwater Jack's Tiki Bar & Grill". It sits kinda between the Pamlico River and Runyon Creek. Sit upstairs and you'll have a nice (near waterfront) view of the Pamlico River. They have basic pub/bar type food (burgers, beer, etc.), which used to be pretty good - though I have not been there recently if that has changed for better or worse. It also has a live music stage and usually has a local band or two on weekends.

But that's not the best part. The best part is that it sits right next to the public boat ramp. So not only do you get a nice fresh burger, cold beer, river view and live music, you also get to watch the entire spectrum of human emotion and entertainment value of a public boat ramp play out before your very eyes: suspense, ignorance, anger, comedy, fear, conflict, drama, engineering failures, loss, tragedy, romance, domestic assault, mature themes, adult language, nudity, etc. It can be glorious on a good (or bad) day. I once watched a local guy pull a 24 foot cabin cruiser out of that creek driving a 1998 Mustang convertible with a trailer hitch.

Spend the day strolling the beach and splashing around in the river at Goose Creek State Park. Then hit BJTB&G at about take out time for a burger, beer and the floor show. It's a good day.
Click to expand...

I approve of this plan. I once watched a bunch of loons try to tow a van and some jet ski’s an idiot sank almost all the way at a boat launch. They finally got a big truck and some chains and got it out, but forgot it was on a levee and let if keep going. Down. Into the parking lot. It bounced off 3 cars before stopping. It was awesome. My only regret is there were no cell phone cameras then. Dudes wife/girlfriend was smoking hot. I told my single friend that was with me that there was never a better time to go make a move, the guy had proven is worthlessness.
 
mj1angier said:

Welcome to Buggs Island Brewing - Buggs Island Brewing

buggsislandbrewing.com buggsislandbrewing.com

www.pointelakegaston.com

The Pointe at Lake Gaston

The Pointe restaurant located at Lake Gaston in North Carolina provides causal waterfront dining with flip flop elegance. Open all year offering live music and entertainment, catering, and more.
www.pointelakegaston.com www.pointelakegaston.com

WatersView Restaurant - Home

Watersview Restaurant offers steaks, seafood, pasta & chicken all expertly prepared by our culinary team at Lake Gaston
watersviewrestaurant.com
Click to expand...

That last one has cast iron sweet potato cornbread and smoked wings. That might be the answer to the question right there.
 
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CZfool68 said:
I approve of this plan. I once watched a bunch of loons try to tow a van and some jet ski’s an idiot sank almost all the way at a boat launch. They finally got a big truck and some chains and got it out, but forgot it was on a levee and let if keep going. Down. Into the parking lot. It bounced off 3 cars before stopping. It was awesome. My only regret is there were no cell phone cameras then. Dudes wife/girlfriend was smoking hot. I told my single friend that was with me that there was never a better time to go make a move, the guy had proven is worthlessness.
Click to expand...

I've seen 3 vehicles completely sunk off of boat ramps over the years. Once, we watched a dude reef his 4X4 F-150 extended cab and boat trailer about 10-15 feet deep off the end of the ramp while trying to put in a small bay boat. He was already a bit fragile about that, but then he really flipped out when we backed down and started to put our boat in right over the top of his sunken truck. My father told him to pound sand because he was not blocking the ramp anymore and that his truck wasn't going to get any wetter by us driving our boat over top of it on our way to go fishing.
 
Clarksville, VA is an hour from my house in N Raleigh. It sits on Kerr Lake, 850 miles of shoreline. I spent a lot of time near Ivy Hill, Island Creek and Satterwhite Point.
 
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