If you’re traveling to the Research Triangle for business, you’ve probably defaulted to downtown Raleigh or Durham hotels. Here’s a better strategy: stay in Cary. You’ll be closer to RTP, minutes from the airport, and surrounded by better food and quieter neighborhoods. Let me explain.
The Geography Advantage
Research Triangle Park sits just 7 miles from Cary—a 20-35 minute commute depending on traffic. That’s often faster than staying in Raleigh or Durham and fighting I-40 from the other direction.
From my Cary Hideaway, you’re also approximately 10-12 miles from RDU International Airport (15-20 minutes). For early morning flights or late arrivals, that proximity matters.
Understanding Research Triangle Park
RTP isn’t just locally significant—it’s the largest research park in the United States. The numbers: 7,000 acres, 375+ companies, 60,000+ employees, and $6 billion in combined annual research expenditures when you include the three anchor universities (Duke, UNC, NC State).
Major RTP tenants:
- IBM (historic largest tenant)
- Cisco Systems (~5,000 employees)
- GlaxoSmithKline (R&D center)
- Biogen, Lenovo, NetApp, United Therapeutics
Recent investments from Apple ($1B campus), Google ($1B engineering hub), and Microsoft (development center with 2,500+ employees) signal continued growth.
Companies Based in Cary Itself
If your meetings are at SAS Institute, you’re already in the right place. Their 900-acre world headquarters at 100 SAS Campus Drive employs 5,200 people locally. SAS is the world’s largest privately-held software company.
Epic Games (creator of Fortnite and Unreal Engine) is headquartered at 620 Crossroads Blvd and is currently building an expanded campus on the former Cary Towne Center site.
Coworking Options for Remote Work
Need a desk between meetings or a professional space for a video call? Cary delivers:
- Cary Founded (Downtown): Dedicated offices, hot desks, meeting rooms, and event space with an entrepreneurship focus
- Frontier RTP: Free coworking space on the RTP campus with wet labs and networking events—yes, free
- HQ Workspaces: Flexible terms, hot desks starting at 30 minutes, virtual offices
- Towerview Office Park: Private offices and conference rooms
Day passes average around $25 at most locations.
Where to Work Informally
When you just need WiFi and good coffee:
- BREW Coffee Bar (Downtown Cary): Impressive latte art, serves beer and wine too, open until 6 PM
- Coffee Studio (Downtown Cary Park): Excellent flat whites, house-made syrups, next to the new park
- La Farm Bakery (Cary Parkway): Stone-walled café with James Beard-recognized pastries
- Crema Coffee Roaster: On-site roasting, Korean-style breads meet French pastries
Business Dining Worth Knowing
Client dinner? These won’t disappoint:
- Herons at The Umstead: Five-Diamond dining, seasonal tasting menus, garden views
- MC Restaurant: Modern Asian in a historic cottage, weekly changing menu
- Peck & Plume (The Mayton Hotel): Modern American with Southern flair
- Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen: Classic Southern with local ingredients
For casual team meals: La Farm Bakery, Scratch Kitchen, or the authentic international options at H Mart’s food court.
Evening Entertainment
After-hours drinks? Try Bond Brothers Beer Company (USA Today’s Best New Brewery), Vicious Fishes and South Line in the West End district, or The Williams House for craft cocktails in a restored historic building.
Why Choose Cary Over Raleigh/Durham
Hotels here are often more affordable, parking is easier, and neighborhoods are quieter. More importantly, Cary’s central location means you’re equidistant to meetings across the Triangle.
For extended stays, my Cary Hideaway offers what hotels can’t: space to spread out, a real kitchen, laundry, and a residential neighborhood. When you’re here for a week of meetings, that home base makes all the difference.
Cary is the Triangle’s best-kept business travel secret. Now you know.
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