Cary travel guide

Cary Tourism | Cary Guide

You're Going to Love Cary

With a population of 135,234, Cary is a must-see destination in North Carolina, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Cary deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Cary

If you’re looking for affordable options, Dean's Kitchen + Bar (formally Dean's Seafood Grill & Bar) (1080 Darrington Dr) and Lugano Ristorante (1060 Darrington Dr) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Catalan Tapas Bar (4214 NW Cary Pkwy) and Saffron Indian Cuisine (2048 Kildaire Farm Rd) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Cary.

When to visit Cary

Cary in December
Estimated hotel price
$142
1 night at 3-star hotel
Cary in December
Estimated hotel price
$142
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Cary in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 32 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 5.2″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Cary, with an average rainfall of 3″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Cary

Plane

When flying to Cary, you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 6 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Cary include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Cary departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 05m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Cary. The train journey from Cary to Greensboro takes 1h 18m and costs around $12 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Charlotte, expect to pay about $28 for a 2h 43m trip. The train station in Cary is called Cary, and is located 0.2 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Cary is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 122 miles from Cary. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Dollar, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Cary, including CoachRun, Greyhound and Tornado Bus. From Greensboro, the bus ride to Cary takes 90 miles and will cost you around $35. From Charlotte, the ticket costs about $72 for a journey of 160 miles.

Plane

When flying to Cary, you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 6 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Cary include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Cary departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 05m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Cary. The train journey from Cary to Greensboro takes 1h 18m and costs around $12 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Charlotte, expect to pay about $28 for a 2h 43m trip. The train station in Cary is called Cary, and is located 0.2 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Cary is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 122 miles from Cary. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Dollar, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Cary, including CoachRun, Greyhound and Tornado Bus. From Greensboro, the bus ride to Cary takes 90 miles and will cost you around $35. From Charlotte, the ticket costs about $72 for a journey of 160 miles.

Airlines serving Cary

Lufthansa
Good (4,688 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (951 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,573 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,608 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,280 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,597 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,113 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,953 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,441 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,925 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (226 reviews)
Finnair
Good (864 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,175 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,712 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (834 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Cary

Average rates range from around $172 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $463 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Cary

Most booked hotels in Cary

Hyatt House Raleigh / RDU / Brier Creek
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 1442 reviews)
$148+
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Raleigh - Cary
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 207 reviews)
$142+
Hyatt Place Raleigh/Cary
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1183 reviews)
$132+
Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Cary
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 184 reviews)
$140+
Ramada by Wyndham Raleigh
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1462 reviews)
$78+
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson RaleighDurham Air
3 stars
Excellent (8, 1624 reviews)
$121+

Renting a car in Cary

Renting a car in Cary costs $56 per day, on average, or $112 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Cary.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Cary (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Cary is Standard (Chevrolet Express or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford EcoSport or similar) are, on average, 51% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Cary costs $56 per day, on average, or $112 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Cary.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Cary (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Cary is Standard (Chevrolet Express or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford EcoSport or similar) are, on average, 51% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.