As a WPU student, you’re just a short walk — or scooter or bike ride — from the state capitol, museums, music halls, restaurants and cafes, theaters and nightlife – and more outside-the-classroom learning opportunities than you can imagine.
Technically, our campus is 21 acres, although it feels bigger. Surrounded by beautiful oak trees in a park-like setting, Peace is an historic landmark in downtown Raleigh. To familiarize yourself with the neighborhood and the surrounding areas, you might want to download the Go Downtown Raleigh app: via Apple store or Google Play.
Raleigh is consistently regarded as one of the best places to live & attend college in the U.S.
Getting Around
Every inch of Raleigh is easily accessible from WPU. Connect to restaurants, retail and entertainment venues, museums, and hotels.
- Ride the GoRaleigh Bus for free.
- Rent a Citrix Cycle electric or non-electric bike. The nearest docking station is next door to campus at Seaboard.
- Rent a scooter using your smartphone. Check for Lime, Bolt, and Gotcha.
- Take the train for a weekend adventure. Raleigh Union Station, which is serviced by Amtrak, is less than two miles from campus and offers a 15% college student discount.
- RDU International Airport is also just a 20-minute drive by car.
The other cities in the Research Triangle, Durham and Chapel Hill, are just about a half hour’s drive. For an easy day trip or weekend getaway, the mountains and Atlantic beaches are within a three-hour drive.
Raleigh, NC consistently ranks as one of the best places to live and work.
These are just some of the most recent rankings:
- Raleigh ranks 15th Most Pet-Friendly Cities – WalletHub 2020
- Raleigh ranks in top 10 Most Recession-Resistant Cities – Smartasset 2020
- Raleigh named one of the best state capitals to call home – Wallet Hub 2020
- Raleigh ranks in 10 Best Cities in the U.S. to Move to Right Now – Curbed 2020
- Raleigh ranks second on Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index for 2020 – Numbeo 2020
- Raleigh ranks among Top 10 Best Cities to Work from Home – smartasset 2020
- Raleigh among ‘most livable’ up-and-coming markets for tech jobs – Zillow, January 2020
For additional Raleigh, NC Awards + Accolades
Eat-Play-Shop
You might begin exploring the neighborhood adjacent to campus by heading to Seaboard Station, right on Peace Street. Seaboard features unique specialty shops, a full-service grocery (coming soon!), a fitness center and plenty of options for dining.
- RetailYou can enjoy exceptional shopping in any part of the city, from North Hills to the exclusive shops and boutiques of The Village District. While these shopping areas have excellent food options, your choices are nearly limitless.
- DiningThe burgeoning Raleigh food scene makes finding great dining options a snap. With 1,200 restaurants of all shapes and sizes in the area, you might want to begin by searching the Visit Raleigh online restaurant guide.
- Fun ActivitiesHave some free time? Raleigh boasts world-class museums, professional baseball, NHL hockey and every genre of live music – and that’s just the beginning. When it comes to area events, cultural and leisure activities, we suggest starting with that same source. Visit Raleigh compiles a huge list of things to do in and around town, so there truly is something for everyone.
“Skip Lollapalozza and head to Hopscotch.”
Huffington Post
140 bands. 12 venues.
Quickly turning into one of the biggest, eclectic music festivals in the country – with artists such as Big Boi, The Flaming Lips, Gary Clark Jr., Young Thug, and more – Hopscotch is a fuse of music and design over four days across downtown Raleigh.
See why Hopscotch is one the nation’s best music festivals