I wouldn’t downplay how nice it is to have excellent beaches and solid hiking (Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain, Morrow Mountain) within day trip range and solid mountain things in the Appalachians within easy weekend range.
Denver and Seattle have bigger mountains, and we don’t have a beach in the city like California or Florida (or New York), but in terms of an accessible balance of both Raleigh is about as strong as it comes.
Maybe Sacramento has us beat but… it’s Sacramento. Snooze.
I don’t think we have huge ticket items right in the middle of downtown, but I wouldn’t discount our greenway system and the trails that are scattered throughout the city. One of my favorite things about Raleigh is the greenway system and how it connects various green spaces to downtown areas in a way that doesn’t feel very city like.
I’m not sure if that’s what they were alluding to, but that’s what I immediately thought of.
Have you spent a lot of time in Denver? It’s essentially in the desert of the front range, the mountains are over an hour away and the major ones are almost 2 hours away. If that’s the case Raleigh can claim the beaches at 1.5 hours away.
I honestly wish we would actually advertise that geographical feature more. How many major cities in the country can claim easy day trips to either the beach or the mountains? Almost none.
The foothills are a day trip. The mountains really aren’t.
I like being able to drive everywhere. 
& @Vatnos I will say, if you just get up at 4AM and have your hiking gear packed and ready to roll, a day trip to say Linville Gorge, Stone Mountain or Grandfather Mountain is not infeasible! I’ve done it many a time!
4 months ago I made it to Sugar Mountain loaded down with bikes and gear, in under 3 hours. Yes it is.
Granted I left the house around 6am to avoid any traffic, but I rode a full day until the park closed and still made it home for dinner. That’s an easy day trip.
Hell yeah bruv!!! I should mention - it’s an “easy” day trip, to those who truly want to experience a good mountain day hike - for someone just wanting to go drive around the mountains and walk around leisurely, sure, getting up at 4 or 5AM to drive 3ish hours then drive back later the same day doesn’t sound quite as enticing. The one WNC mountain trip I can say with confidence is NOT a “day trip” would be Great Smoky Mountains National Park - not only is that a solid 5 hour drive just to get to the damn NC entrance to the park, it’s also so vast and varied in its offerings that it simply demands a minimum 3 day trip - though I like to have 4-5 days so I can get some rest in between longer (12-15 mile) hikes.
I personally prefer overnights to day trips, (immersion, ya know?) but it is possible to do in a looong day if that’s your thing…
If the reason to live in Raleigh is places other than Raleigh, then we shouldn’t be #1 - that’s really my point. Charlotte is much closer to the mountains and yet they weren’t mentioned as a plus for Charlotte. My sense in Denver was a very outdoorsy healthy vibe, along with Boulder but that could be because it’s what I want to see! Raleigh (itself, not a place 4 hours away from Raleigh) is more about eating/drinking as noted in the article (bar scene and restaurants).
The greenways are fine, but with a speed limit and fighting for space with kids, walkers and dogs, I do not use them for cycling (which I do for fitness, not leisure).
My point is just that we shouldn’t be #1 because of something that takes 4 hours to drive to. Climate, cost of living, museums, educated population - these are the things that are specifically related to Raleigh.
I agree that saying we have mountains but not counting it for Charlotte is a bit of a stretch. But I would disagree that having features in general proximity to a city don’t impact the experience of living in that city. Dubai might be a crazy city, but it’s in the middle of the desert in a very challenging region. No one is going to Dubai for its proximal offerings. However, for American cities, especially the smaller ones like Raleigh, having other things to do within a few hours drive is key. It’s one of my favorite things about living in Raleigh, that I can get away to another city or the mountains or beach without much effort. If I lived in Kansas City, that wouldn’t be a thing.
Also, the greenways are great if you like walking or jogging, which I do. And our climate allows us to use them nearly year-round. I imagine it’d be frustrating if you’re trying to use them as commuter bike lanes on a sunny Saturday morning, though.
100% agree. I love being outside and being able getting out of the city to enjoy scenic places. To use a recent example on another thread, I love visiting Houston, but it would seriously negatively impact my quality of life that within a 2.5 hour radius is… more flat wet exburbs. It’s a very relevant factor.
If you look at 4-5 hour radius (weekend getaway) Raleigh is amazingly well situated: beaches from Delaware to Charleston and Savannah, Wilmington, Asheville, Boone, Washington DC ,and a ton of places in between.
Raleigh : Quite the Diversity of Access
Alternatively, all your hearts desires a half day away… 
charlotte sux. We’re #1! We’re #1!!!
I have done this but calling it a day trip is a stretch. Only for the hardcore.
Well if you’re calling me hardcore, I’ll take that as a compliment 
Bless their hearts. 
Kerr lake is actually a pleasant northward drive at about 45 min to an hour away depending where you launch. nice shoreline for kayaking.