Your locals-approved guide for a two-day basketball bonanza in Raleigh.
Raleigh , NC will toy host to the first and 2nd rounds of the men ’s NCAA tournament this March 20 - 23 . You ’re entering the epicentre of the most historic hundred mile of college hoop you’re able to regain anywhere in America , thanks to the front of a nearly century - honest-to-goodness , four - way rivalry between Duke , UNC , NC State and Wake Forest . Welcome to Tobacco Road , the rest home of college basketball .
The 2025 NCAA tournament will be played atThe Lenovo Center , home of theNHL ’s HurricanesandNC State ’s men ’s basketball squad . The arena sit on the eastmost edge of this legendary stage of I-40 , in Raleigh . That ’s Raleigh and – very importantly – not Raleigh - Durham , by the way . Do not permit the locals hear you say Raleigh - Durham . They will quit holding doorway clear for you and those in demand “ y’alls ” will dry up faster than a molasses still in the summertime sun . Here we ’ve got your local anaesthetic - approve guidebook for a two - Clarence Day basketball manna from heaven in Raleigh .
How do I get tickets?
There are tons of full tickets for both the first and second session of March Madness in Raleigh , available at retail terms on Ticketmaster . The good ones are not tacky , in part because of the huge matchups . Fortunately , secondary market place price are already at a pretty big discount . StubHub has similar NCAA tournament ticketsat a roughly $ 400 bank discount on the same package , before fees .
you may always take a flier and look for kinfolk cheering for mislay teams that ’ll be impart town after a letdown . Show up to Lenovo , look for fans in gear of lose team and pounce . They ’re commonly nice !
How should I get there?
If you ’ve never fly intoRDU(“Raleigh - Durham ” is acceptable when refer to the airport ) you ’re in for a treat as it ’s likely the most pleasurable airport experience you ’ll ever have . Obviously with the influx of visitors , you ’ll require to be a little more careful with your prison term , but all the full to revel thenewly - open , in - airport restaurantbyJames Beard Nominee Scott Crawfordwhile you waitress for your flight .
RDU feature two separate terminals : pole 1 sign Southwest and Alaska flight , while Terminal 2 has everything else ( Delta , American , JetBlue , Frontier , etc ) . The distance between the two is minimal and both offer easy access to rideshare options within a quick walk distance of baggage claim . The two terminals essentially sit on the top goal of a atomic number 92 - breaking ball off from each other with a parking deck between them . There are also hotel shuttles , but staying by the airport is not urge for attending basketball game games .
How do I get around?
Renting a car is certainly an option and might be choose if you have a family unit , but rideshare pace in the arena are very reasonable . In general , I recommend using the rideshare choice to get around for the weekend .
There is a pricier , Raleigh - specific selection useable for private transit : White Horse has a plenty of black SUVsthat common people living here have used for age . It ’s a local occult perfect tense for bigger parties or those looking to trip in comfort .
What should I know about the venue?
The Lenovo Center is located right next toCarter - Finley Stadium(football home of the NC State Wolfpack ) so parking is abundant , even with multiple fanbases in townsfolk for the tourney . Rideshares are a dandy pick , andthe current Lenovo Center rideshare setupdrops you off just a couple hundred yards from the area . drive out of the complex is a nightmare if you ’re behind the steering wheel – basketball games are easier to get out of but March Madness is a dotty card . If you park at the football game sports stadium ( a five - minute of arc walk ) , emersion routes are simple . Ifyou’re in the actual Lenovo parking luck , the back of the arena ( 3000/4000 spots ) should be ideal to pass away cursorily onto Wade Avenue and charge out towards the beltline or business district .
Getting into the edifice should n’t create any issues for fans . The arena is home to the Carolina Hurricanes as well and as such is well design to get an inflow of people in the door . Security is friendly and easy and during the month of March a few minutes outside of the arena should n’t be the ending of the man , especially since the timing for these game should minimize the number of fans come into the arena .
In terms of seating , you ca n’t go wrong in most position although I would be unforced to pay up for the 2nd level tickets versus third level if it ’s feasible . The difference is monumental in terms of caliber . Corner seats ( sections 208 , 209 , 216 , 217 , 224 , 225 , 229 , 230 ) are utterly fine for basketball game .
Illustration by Don Caminos for Thrillist
The concessions are fantastical : there ’s aShake Shakein the arena now ( smashburgers at sections 123 and 332 ! ) , you could see BBQ nachos atNorth Carolina BBQ Company(sections 107 , 123 , 305 and 326 ) andTwo Roosters(116 , 325 ) offers elite , local ice emollient .
Basketball, brackets, and betting
As expect , Duke ended up as the No . 1 germ in Raleigh , put the Blue Devils secretive to home plate to recoil off the tourney . jut out No . 1 piece Cooper Flagg support an wound in the ACC Tournament but Duke won anyway and secured their billet atop the East Region . Flagg ’s expected loss for the NBA after this year will make ticket a live commodity among the Blue Devil fanbase , many of whom are local but others that ’ll be traveling into town ( the Duke fanbase is n’t as local generally speaking as UNC or NC State ) . Duke is slated to front either American or Mount St. Mary ’s , depending on who win that 16 - semen matchup in Dayton .
Also in Raleigh is No . 1 cum and SEC championFlorida , widely see one of the top favourite to make the Final Four . The Gators landing in Raleigh along with a good deal of big - name political platform is going to make ticket and accommodations spike in prices .
Back - to - back defending champion Connecticut will feather off as a No . 8 seed against Oklahoma , another big - metre fanbase that could see some decent folks coming into the Triangle for this game . The terminal pairing features Mississippi State and Baylor squaring off as No . 8 and No . 9 seed , another pair of Power 5 team with dedicated fanbases . Long story inadequate , this should be a hot slate for rooter from large schools trying to get to Raleigh – I would jump in early on trajectory and tickets if you ’re interested in coming .
Courtesy Cato Cataldo
One local summit : Duke fans may not adhere around for the full freight of games , because some of them will be local ( Raleigh / Durham area as well as Greensboro / High Point / Winston Salem ) so if you need to try and snipe tickets for the second half of slates , there could be some readily available .
Other places to eat (and watch)
My go - to location for watch games is thePlayers ’ Retreat , thebar for NC State students and alumni that recently got reconstruct with a marvelous outside terrace . The Warren E. Burger are great , Mimi ’s blimp dip is fabled and the PR actually has the boastful assemblage of single - malt scotches in the entire United States Department of State of North Carolina . Mitch ’s Tavernis another old - school stalwart of Hillsborough Street , the master thoroughfare on NC State campus .
If you stay closer to business district or theGlenwood Southarea , there are some excellent local athletics bars for watching a lot of game . My Way Tavernalways has drink specials running and offers the unspoiled poulet tenders in Raleigh plus peachy wings . Woody ’s tap house at City Marketwill be pack with sports lover anytime there ’s a grown biz on and is in the center of downtown . Tobacco Roadoffers a ton of space and just intellectual nourishment along with a big game room for Golden Tee , pool , and more .
If you ’ve got a prominent radical and need to set up shop before or after the game , Brickhouse on Hillsboroughis a enough option with abundant seating , lots of televisions , secretive law of proximity to the stadium and your average bar food fare . Rudino ’s Raleighoffers a similar setup and is close to the arena but on the north side . The Millis a small , courteous dining option that just opened in the same shopping center with boob tube in the cake area .
Courtesy Cato Cataldo
Cary ’s aforementioned Fenton hasSports and Social , a brand - unexampled sport bar boast a 30 - foundation television ; it ’s been a name and address point for March Madness viewers over the last two twelvemonth .
If you ’re look to satisfy your gourmet craving and are not realize multiple televisions a anteriority , Standard Beer and Foodis my personal preferent restaurant in Raleigh . The frosty painkiller is out of this worldly concern , there ’s plenty of outdoor seats and it has the good smashburger ( a cheeseburger but it ’s two patties ball up and smash on a hot griddle with cheese on top and in between ) in Raleigh along with stealthy great tacos . LongLeaf Swineis a newer NC barbecue place with an owing burger , coolheaded downtown , open - air and piles of innovative twist on southerly classics ( electrocute huitre banger and pimento Malva sylvestris , etc . ) .
If you ’re not from the southeast , I would highly recommend checking outBig Ed ’s at City Marketfor the quintessential Southern breakfast . And if you ’re depend for more barbeque pick ,
downtown selections let in bothThe PitandSam Jones BBQ(the latter is run by James Beard nominee Sam Jones , who add his kinsfolk ’s legendary easterly NC Skylight Inn “ whole grunter ” flavors to business district Raleigh ) .
Other must-dos
If the weather is nice , a misstep tothe North Carolina Art Museumis always a delightful , expansive outdoor experience . And theNorth Carolina Sports Hall of Famedowntown has some disgraceful and fun gens who have been induce over the old age .
North Hills is an ideal family - friendly locating with lots of choice . The multi - use northern Raleigh outdoor mall hastons of dining option . The recently - openedVillage Tavernis one of my favorite , The BBQ Labwill appease your inner redneck – the burnt end , when available , are striking and the jalapeño mac - and - cheese rocks – andCoquette’sbrunch – lend an egg is a neat excuse to eat a cheeseburger for breakfast – is a fancy way to kick off a weekend morning . North Hills also offers fair propinquity to the basketball facilities , roughly 10 mo depend on dealings .
Anyone get from far out of townspeople should consider a couple of longer excursions , if so fain , thanks to the law of proximity of elite college basketball in the area . Touringthe Duke campus(extremely viable via a quick Amtrak ticket and a rideshare on the off day for the tournament ) or popping over to Chapel Hill to seeNorth Carolina ’s pristine campus(this probably requires a rideshare ) . If you ’re willing to hire a car , Pinehurst Resort is an hour awayand anytime you ’re nearby , specially if you have n’t been before . The Cradle – Pinehurst ’s latterly - instal Par 3 course – may even have useable tee time if you ’re willing to be adventurous and rent some club .
