Raleigh car-free day guide: Bikes, scooters, skates and hidden downtown gems

Gas prices keep climbing across North Carolina, including a recent stretch where prices jumped roughly 32 cents a gallon in just one week. So WRAL climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin (@thatreporter) and Raleigh creator Allison Reynolds (@raleighwanderlust) decided to ditch the car for the day and explore downtown Raleigh a different way.

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in North Carolina, accounting for more than a third of the state’s climate pollution, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. The timing also comes as North Carolina and federal leaders move to roll back some vehicle emissions rules, including plans to eliminate emissions testing in Wake and 18 other counties.

McLaughlin strapped on roller skates (she played roller derby for eight years under the name “Total Lizaster”!), while Reynolds rented a Spin e-bike through an app. The pair bounced between downtown stops using skates, bikes and scooters, with plenty of walking along the way.

Their first stop was The Newsagent's, a cozy downtown bookstore filled with collectible comics, VHS tapes, retro magazines, old-school games and shelves of quirky used books.

The pair grabbed lattes and vintage candy while browsing the shop before McLaughlin found the perfect coffee table addition: a 1970s true-crime news magazine.

By that point, something was already becoming clear. Downtown Raleigh is a lot easier to explore without a car than many people probably realize.

Without worrying about parking, traffic or moving the car between each stop, the day felt slow in a good way. Murals, side streets and little hidden shops became part of the experience instead of something flying past the window.

Their next stop, Amorino Gelato, was just about two-tenths of a mile away.

After cones of flower-shaped gelato, the two swapped wheels again and grabbed Lime scooters headed for Dorothea Dix Park.

Dockless scooters and e-bikes have become increasingly common transportation options in Raleigh and Durham. Riders can unlock them with apps like Lime or Spin, ride across the city and leave them near their destination instead of returning them to a docking station.

Most rides cost around a dollar to unlock plus a per-minute charge.

Chapel Hill takes a slightly different approach. While the town has cracked down on dockless scooters in some areas, UNC and the town still operate the Tar Heel Bikes program, a fleet of Bird e-bikes riders can unlock through an app across campus and nearby areas.

At Dix Park, McLaughlin and Reynolds explored the giant Thomas Dambo trolls tucked through trails and pine groves across the park.

Created from reclaimed wood by the internationally known recycle artist Thomas Dambo, the sculptures are designed to encourage visitors to think about environmental stewardship and the importance of protecting natural spaces.

The pair wandered through the park, relaxed in hammocks and watched the sun set over the Raleigh skyline.

Some sections of Dix Park, including around Gipson Play Plaza, are geofenced for safety, meaning scooters automatically slow down or stop operating there. Visitors can park and continue exploring on foot before grabbing another scooter later.

The environmental benefits of cutting back on driving go beyond climate change.

Cars release greenhouse gases that warm the planet, along with pollutants linked to asthma, heart disease, lung damage and cancer risks. Tiny particles from tailpipes, brakes and tires can travel deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Communities near major highways and busy traffic corridors often face higher exposure levels.

You do not have to completely ditch your car to make a difference.

Experts say some of the easiest ways to reduce emissions and save money on gas include:

• Combining errands into one trip

• Avoiding rapid acceleration and hard braking
• Keeping tires properly inflated
• Reducing idling
• Using transit or park-and-ride lots when possible
• Replacing short solo drives with walking, biking or scootering when weather allows

For McLaughlin and Reynolds, though, the biggest takeaway was simpler than emissions data or gas prices.

A car-free day made Raleigh feel a little more connected, a little less rushed and a lot more fun.