Oakwood Neighborhood Guide

Oakwood is one of Raleigh's oldest and most intact historic neighborhoods, a walkable enclave of Victorian and turn-of-the-century homes sitting just east of downtown. Residents here tend to know their houses the way others know their cars, down to the construction year and the original owner's name, and that kind of investment shows in the carefully maintained front porches and original hardwood floors that define the streets. The neighborhood is anchored by Oakwood Cemetery to the south, one of the city's most significant historic landmarks, and draws visitors each year for its popular candlelit Christmas tours. The trade-off for all that charm and proximity to downtown is a tight residential grid where street parking becomes a genuine competition any time the neighborhood draws a crowd.