The 5 Best Rooftops & Roof Decks in Raleigh
Raleigh looks pretty good from street level, but sometimes you need a higher vantage point. From downtown terraces overlooking the skyline to polished rooftop restaurants in North Hills, these are five of our favorite places to get above it all.
1. The Willard Rooftop Lounge
Perched atop the AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown, The Willard combines sweeping city views with cocktails, small plates and a sophisticated atmosphere. Multiple outdoor terraces make it an especially good pick for sunset drinks, date night or kicking off an evening downtown. It remains one of Raleigh's signature rooftop experiences.
2. Urban Oak Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Fourteen stories above downtown, Urban Oak gives Raleigh a genuinely elevated rooftop experience. Firepits, contemporary furnishings and wraparound views set the scene, while cocktails, bubbly, flatbreads and sliders make it easy to settle in for the evening. It's particularly convenient before or after a show at Red Hat Amphitheater.
3. Level7 Rooftop
North Hills has its own rooftop destination at Level7. Located atop the AC Hotel, the lounge pairs elevated views with cocktails and comfortable seating, giving Midtown Raleigh a stylish alternative to the downtown rooftop circuit.
4. RH Rooftop Restaurant at RH Raleigh
Come for lunch or dinner and stay for the setting. RH Rooftop Restaurant brings a more design-forward approach to rooftop dining, making it a natural choice for brunches, celebrations and date nights where the surroundings matter almost as much as what's on the table. It was also singled out by Best of Raleigh for its aesthetic setting.
5. The Raleigh Times
A longtime downtown favorite, Raleigh Times occupies the former home of its namesake newspaper and adds a rooftop component to one of the city's most recognizable bars. It's a good choice when you want something more casual: grab a beer, head upstairs and take in downtown from above.
