Top Sanford Venues

• Spaces for 500 Guests
• 1 Hotel
• 1 Ballroom

The DoubleTree by Hilton Raleigh - Brownstone - University sits on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, North Carolina, within reach of North Carolina State University and the surrounding downtown area. The hotel offers roughly 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, anchored by its Presidential Ballroom. For weddings and receptions, the property hosts both indoor and outdoor celebrations, pairing a waterfront patio with adjoining banquet and reception space for ceremonies and receptions of up to 500 guests. The Presidential Ballroom, the largest room on site, can be divided into smaller rooms for more intimate gatherings or run as several concurrent events. Couples marrying at the hotel receive a complimentary suite for the wedding night with breakfast, and out-of-town guests can reserve discounted room rates. The venue's sales and catering staff bring more than 20 years of experience planning weddings and special events.

• Spaces for 100 Guests

• Spaces for 80 Guests

Taverna Agora is an authentic Greek kitchen and bar in Downtown Raleigh, rooted in the tradition of Greece's communal gathering places. Founded by Lou Moshakos — a native of Lykovrisi, a small village outside of Sparta — the restaurant draws on his heritage and deep love for food, people, and entertaining. The menu balances old-world flavors with modern flair, including hand-crafted cocktails, a gourmet marketplace, and Sunday brunch. For private events, Taverna Agora offers a cozy first-floor dining room and an award-winning rooftop patio that accommodates up to 100 guests across its private and semi-private spaces. The rooftop is open-air during warmer months and glass-enclosed and heated in colder months, providing a distinctive outdoor atmosphere year-round. The venue's private events team works with groups to customize layouts and menus, with options ranging from display tables and buffets to plated sit-down dinners. The restaurant hosts rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, weddings, corporate gatherings, holiday parties, and birthdays.

• Spaces for 150 Guests

Vidrio is a Mediterranean restaurant and private event venue in the Glenwood South neighborhood of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. The restaurant's name translates to "glass" in Spanish, a nod to the distinctive aesthetic throughout the space: the interior features contemporary art and shimmering glass pieces suspended throughout, bringing a vibrant, metropolitan character to the 500 Glenwood building. The second floor houses private event spaces designed for gatherings of all styles and sizes, from intimate dinners to full-floor receptions for up to 250 guests. Multiple rooms and semi-private areas offer flexibility for weddings, corporate functions, rehearsal dinners, and social celebrations. A dedicated event manager works with clients on menu design, room layout, vendor coordination, and day-of execution. The venue includes an elevator for guest accessibility, valet parking, and a full bar with an extensive wine selection recognized by Wine Spectator.

• Spaces for 180-500 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 1 Outdoor
• 3 Total Spaces

Marbles Kids Museum is a nonprofit children's museum and event venue in the heart of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 2007, the museum features two floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits and a full-scale IMAX theater — and each of those spaces opens to private rental for events ranging from corporate meetings and luncheons to formal galas and wedding celebrations. Events take place across three main rental spaces. Curiosity Square, the main lobby and surrounding first-floor exhibit area, offers an open-concept layout with soaring ceilings, vibrant colors, and access to an outdoor courtyard, accommodating up to 250 guests banquet-style or 500 for a standing reception. Zanzibar A/B is a 3,456-square-foot room with African wood-carved doors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and built-in projection and audio systems — divisible for smaller cocktail gatherings or opened fully for receptions of up to 250. The IMAX building houses Marbles IMAX, which seats 272 for private screenings, presentations, and events on a four-story-tall screen.

• Spaces for 20-800 Guests
• 1 Ballroom
• 1 Theater
• 2 Meeting Spaces

The Durham Armory is a community and private event venue in downtown Durham, North Carolina, managed by the City of Durham Parks & Recreation Department as part of the Durham Convention & Arts Complex. Its main ballroom and auditorium accommodates up to 585 guests, with additional balcony seating for 314, making it a flexible setting for weddings, concerts, and fundraisers as well as seminars, meetings, retreats, and family reunions. Two meeting rooms, the Birch Room and the Oak Room, host smaller gatherings of 20 and 30. On-site amenities include a large kitchen equipped with an industrial stove, double sink, microwave, refrigerator, and ice machine, along with heating and air conditioning, a coatroom, a snack bar, and ample surrounding parking. Tables and seating are provided, and events are booked at least 45 days in advance on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Spaces for 120 Guests

• Spaces for 120 Guests