Durham · Chapel Hill · Raleigh
Just moved to Cary?
Officially still a town, sitting between Raleigh and Research Triangle Park.
Cary is legally a town and has never renamed itself, which is a running local joke given how many people live here now. It sits between Raleigh and Research Triangle Park, in Wake County, so the schools and the county library system are the same ones Raleigh uses — but the utilities are not. Cary runs its own water, drawn from Jordan Lake and treated at the Cary/Apex plant, and bills water, sewer, and garbage together. Fred G. Bond Metro Park covers 310 acres near the middle of town, and Koka Booth Amphitheatre sits on Symphony Lake.
Happening near Cary
- Sunday, September 13His Girl Friday · Triangle
- Tuesday, September 15Grito de Independencia · Raleigh
- Wednesday, September 16Intergenerational Story Circle · Raleigh
- Friday, September 18Roll Back to the '90s · Raleigh
- Saturday, September 19919 Day at The Corner · Raleigh
🧳 Utilities & everyday essentials
Start with your street address. A mailing address alone may not tell you which government or utility serves your home.
- New to Cary?The town’s own orientation page for new residents — utilities, services, and what to set up first.
- Cary water, sewer & garbageCary bills water, sewer, and garbage together. Start residential service with the online application, or call 311.
- NCDMV new-resident checklistLicense, title, registration, and insurance requirements in one place. Check which office handles each step.
- NC voter registrationRegister, update your address, or check your registration through the State Board of Elections.
🚌 Buses, traffic & the airport
Plan the whole trip, including the ride home. Regional and local buses have separate routes, schedules, and fare policies.
- GoCaryCary’s local transit routes and connections to the regional network.
- GoTriangleRegional connections across Durham, Orange, and Wake counties, plus fares and airport-shuttle information.
- DriveNCNCDOT’s live map of crashes, road closures, work zones, and traffic conditions.
- RDU ground transportationCompare airport bus, shuttle, taxi, rental-car, and rideshare options from the airport’s own guide.
📚 Schools & libraries
Use the school district’s address lookup before making enrollment plans. For libraries, check the card policy for the system you want to use.
- Wake County school assignment lookupEnter an address to see base schools, calendars, and assignment details by school year. Cary schools are part of this district.
- Wake County Public LibrariesFind your nearest branch, card requirements, digital books, and upcoming programs.
🌳 Parks, trails & gardens
Pick an entrance before you set out. Trail conditions, parking, accessibility, and pet rules vary by location.
- American Tobacco TrailPlan a walk or bike ride along the rail-trail. Check the map for parking and changes between paved and unpaved sections.
- William B. Umstead State ParkHiking and multiuse trails between Raleigh and Cary. Use the official map to choose your entrance.
- Fred G. Bond Metro ParkCary’s largest park — trails, boating, ball fields, and the community center. Gates close at sunset.
- Jordan Lake State Recreation AreaFind swimming areas, boat access, campsites, fees, and closure notices around the lake.
🎭 Events, music & local culture
Use the Brief’s calendar for a curated starting point, then the organizer’s page for the final details.
- The Triangle Brief calendarUpcoming events across Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and the wider Triangle.
- Visit Raleigh eventsWake County’s visitor calendar, searchable by date and event type.
- Koka Booth AmphitheatreCary’s outdoor venue at Symphony Lake — concerts, movies by the lake, and the NC Symphony’s summer season.
- Triangle on the CheapAn independent local guide to free and low-cost outings. Confirm offers with the organizer.
🤝 Community help & getting involved
Find help with a practical need, a place to volunteer, or the right source during severe weather.
- NC 211Call 211 or search online for local food, housing, utility, and other community support resources. Availability depends on the program.
- Food Bank: find foodSearch the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina’s partner network. Confirm hours and requirements before traveling.
- ReadyNCOfficial North Carolina information on emergency planning, weather readiness, and disaster resources.
- Activate GoodFind Triangle volunteer opportunities by cause, date, and organization.
Also moving to…
Durham
The Bull City — Duke, downtown, and a lot of old tobacco warehouses turned into something else.
Read the guide →📚Chapel Hill
UNC's town, plus Carrboro next door — smaller, walkable, and college-town at its core.
Read the guide →🌳Raleigh
The City of Oaks — North Carolina's capital and by far the biggest of the three.
Read the guide →🏛️Hillsborough
The Orange County seat — a small historic downtown on the Eno, fifteen minutes up I-85 from Durham.
Read the guide →🌾Pittsboro
Chatham County's seat, built around a traffic circle with an 1881 courthouse in the middle of it.
Read the guide →🗺️the Triangle
Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh are three different cities that share an airport, a job market, and a lot of the same weekend plans.
Read the guide →🏡Living Here
The practical stuff for getting settled, plus the places that make it feel like home.
Browse the guide →New to the area?
Get the local rundown — news, events, and things to do — every few days.