The Big List

Fifty-six hundred acres of real forest wedged between the city and the airport — hike the Company Mill loop past the old grist-mill stones, then cool off with a rowboat on Big Lake in summer.

Raleigh's big-occasion steakhouse since 1960, all rough barn timber above one of the country's largest wine cellars. Save room for the chocolate chess pie — everybody orders it, and everybody's right.