There’s plenty to see in the Triangle and often the best vantage point is on foot. Read on for a day by day list of free (or pay-what-you-want) guided walking tours throughout the Triangle.
A walking tour can be a great way to get some exercise, as well as to learn about a place that’s new to you–or a place that you thought you knew pretty well! There are tours of cities and towns, as well as parks and natural areas.
Free and pay-what-you-can tours take place in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill…and we’re adding them all the time. Keep reading for a list of some of the organizations offering tours, followed by a day by day list!
Please consider offering your tour guide a tip, especially if the tour is described as pay-what-you-can. $15 or $20 per adult is considered a typical amount.
And click on each link to find out the length and difficulty of the tour, and whether reservations are required.
Know of other free (or pay-what-you-can) tours that should be on our list? Let us know!
Walking Tours in the Triangle
Free Chapel Hill Walking Tours
Free walking tours of Chapel Hill take place on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and leave from outside Morehead Planetarium. Each tour is about an hours and twenty minutes, and is about 1.25 miles. It’s an easy walk and accessible to wheelchairs. Registration is required.
Raleigh Walking Tours
Raleigh Walking Tours offers pay-what-you-can tours in Downtown Raleigh, including a Haunted History Tour, True Crimes and Curious Tales Tour, History of Oakwood Neighborhood Tour, and two different Downtown Murals and Public Art Tours. Register in advance. These tours often sell out.
Preservation Durham
Preservation Durham offers free walking tours and a free biking tour on Saturday mornings from April to November:
- 1st Saturday of month: Murals By Bike
- 2nd Saturday of month: Downtown Durham Tobacco Heritage Walking Tours
- 3rd Saturday of month: Downtown Durham Civil Rights History Walking Tour
- 4th Saturday of month: Historic Architecture and Historic Landscapes Walking Tour
Advance registration is required.
Tobacco Road Walking Tours
Tobacco Road Tours offers pay-what-you-can walking tours in Raleigh and Durham every weekend, through mid-November. The tours are 90 minutes long. Registration is required. They also offer reasonably priced ghost tours.
Heart of the Hill
Heart of the Hill is a partnership of Chapel Hill Historical Society and Preservation Chapel Hill. They offer several free tours in the fall and spring. Advance registration is required and they fill up very quickly.
