Summer is here, making it the perfect time to seize the day... by starting in the morning! If you live in the Triangle, you likely already know how popular downtown Cary has become over the last few years. No matter where you live here, it’s easy to get to since it’s right in the center of the Triangle. So after sleeping as late as possible and still having time left to get out and enjoy the morning, it’s an easy spot to head to. Here are a few things to do to get out and start enjoying your morning!

Have a Coffee

Downtown Cary has a large number of coffee shops! My two favorites are Esteamed and BREW. Both have seasonal drinks such as Esteamed’s Honey Bee, Berry Patch Brew, Lavender Latte, and Orange Blossom. If you go to BREW, you’ll also see seasonal flavors or their year-round signature drink, Black & Coke, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Other coffee shops in the area that I frequent are The Williams House, 317 Market, and Coffee Studio. If you want coffee and a fresh pastry, stop by one of three local bakeries: La Farm, Once in a Blue Moon, or Annelore’s.

Photo courtesy of Drew Swinford

Grab a Bite

I’ve yet to have a bad meal in downtown Cary, so I can confidently say that you’ll enjoy whatever you get. That said, there aren’t many breakfast options—plenty for lunch and dinner, but not much for breakfast. However, the breakfast spots that are open pack a punch!

La Farm, previously mentioned, is an amazing local bakery with breakfast sandwiches. If you’re feeling fancy, Peck & Plume at The Mayton is a beautiful spot to get a good (but pricey) meal. The crown jewel of Cary breakfast sandwiches is Big Dom’s Bagel Shop. They bake their bagels in-house and serve them hot. Get yours with cream cheese, sausage and egg, or any of their other more fanciful options. When you get there and see the inevitably long line, it’s worth the wait.

Get a Book

If reading in the morning is your thing, the Cary Regional Library is the place for you. After years of buying books I wanted to read, I finally got a library card. They almost always have the book I’m looking for; if they don’t, they likely have it at another location, and it can be sent to the Cary library. They have plenty of space at the library to sit and read, or you can go to the park next door. Speaking of which…

Photo courtesy of Drew Swinford

Take a Walk

Downtown Cary Park opened in late 2023, but while it’s new, it has quickly become part of the fabric of the Triangle. It’s at the center of what helped transform downtown Cary from a place you’d drive through without noticing into one of the Triangle’s essential hotspots.

Whether you’re looking for a leisurely stroll with a coffee and a breakfast sandwich, a chair to sit and read, green space for a picnic, wine, beer, a play area for the kids, or even just some of the most picturesque views in the Triangle, Downtown Cary Park is the perfect place to spend your perfect morning!

Pick a Vendor

On Saturday mornings along Park Street, behind The Mayton and to the side of Downtown Cary Park, you’ll find the Cary Farmers Market! This treasure is a cute little spot with friendly vendors selling bread, local honey, produce, grass-fed beef, handicrafts, and more! If you don’t want to buy breakfast but would rather go home and make it after a morning at the park, stop by the market, pick up your groceries, and go enjoy what you bought!

Sure, going out at night with your friends to downtown Raleigh or Durham is a guaranteed good time. But after a hard workweek, if you want to make sure you enjoy every bit of your weekend, the only way to do that is by doing something in the mornings. If you live at either Camden Asbury Village or Camden Westwood, it’s a quick seven-minute drive to get to downtown Cary. Or, conveniently, GoCary is a free, clean, and easy bus system to use and has stops near both communities! If you want to switch things up from a Cary morning to a Raleigh morning, here are some of my recommendations to make the most of your mornings there!