People First Tourism in Raleigh

Visiting the people and places that create community in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Have you ever traveled somewhere new, hit all the tourist hot spots, and left feeling kind of empty? I’m glad I saw the Mona Lisa in Paris and the canals in Venice, but they didn’t change my life or probably anyone else’s for that matter.  

I decided to take a different approach on a trip to Raleigh in April. What’s special about this place you might not find on a “Top Ten” list? I had a hunch that it might be the people themselves, not just the places.

While this is a unique way to travel, I am not the only one with a desire to connect with the local community and support the small, independent places that make up the city. A company doing just that is People First Tourism “is a social venture born out of sustainable tourism research from NC State University.” Based out of Raleigh, North Carolina, they “seek a world where travelers develop deep connections with their hosts, are transformed by the genuine local cultures they experience, and improve the lives of the people they visit”. This vision is exactly how I aimed to travel on my recent trip to Raleigh. Here’s what I found, all in the easily walkable downtown.