Raleigh, together · Raleigh · October 2–6, 2026
Friday, October 2
Fly in, check in, eat nearby, sleep early.
Travel day · Early night. Times are Eastern unless a flight time is marked PT or CT.
Later arrival after the flight delay. Keep dinner simple and wind down at the hotel.
5:15–6:09 AM PT · Capitol Hill → SeaTac by light rail
Be on the platform by 5:15 AM for the 5:28 AM southbound 1 Line train.
Take the 1 Line toward Federal Way. Friday’s timetable lists Capitol Hill at 5:28 AM and SeaTac/Airport at 6:09 AM: a 41-minute ride.
Allow another 15–20 minutes to walk through the airport garage to the terminal. Estimated terminal arrival is around 6:25–6:30 AM for the revised 8:15 AM flight.
This plan allows about 1 hour 45 minutes at the terminal before departure. Confirm airline check-in and bag-drop guidance, and check service alerts and live arrivals before leaving home. Times checked October 1 for Friday, October 2, 2026.
Around 6:30 AM PT · Arrive at SEA
Estimated terminal arrival after the light rail ride and walk.
A planning buffer based on the revised departure, not an airline check-in deadline. Confirm airport arrival guidance with American before leaving; allow extra time to reach Capitol Hill station and for bags.
Seattle is three hours behind Raleigh. Flight times use each airport’s local time.
8:15 AM PT · Seattle → Charlotte → Raleigh
AA 381 delayed; rebooked onto AA 1904 · 7 hrs 28 mins total.
AA 381: SEA 8:15 AM Pacific → CLT 4:25 PM Eastern.
Charlotte connection: 1 hour 20 minutes.
AA 1904: CLT 5:45 PM Eastern → RDU 6:43 PM Eastern. Replaces AA 1894.
Updated from American’s delay and rebooking emails on October 1, 2026; latest notice at 4:07 PM Pacific. AA 381 is delayed for crew rest. Get a new boarding pass for each passenger and check the American app for current status and gates.
During the flight · Optional: flight review
30 minutes with familiar notes, only if you feel rested.
Only if you feel rested. No new material on a travel day.
6:43–7:45 PM · Land at RDU
Collect bags and head to North Hills.
Allow time to leave the airport, then a planning allowance of 30–45 minutes for the transfer. The exam email gives this range for travel between the hotel and RDU; actual traffic varies.
Around 7:45 PM is an estimated hotel arrival, allowing time for bags and the transfer.
Around 7:45 PM · Hotel check-in
Check in at Hyatt House Raleigh North Hills.
Your confirmation lists October 2–6: four nights, two guests, one king bed. Check-in starts at 3 PM; Tuesday checkout is noon.
Bring photo ID and a card for incidentals. Keep your booking confirmation handy.
Room and tax are prepaid through Chase Travel. Have the primary guest on the confirmation present for check-in; if arriving separately, arrange access with the hotel ahead of time.
If further flight delays push arrival very late, contact the hotel to confirm your arrival plans.
Around 8:00 PM · Dinner at The Cowfish
A simple nearby dinner after check-in; burgers or sushi if you feel up to it.
Locally owned, at 4208 Six Forks Road. A burger or one roll keeps it around $20–30 per person.
Keep dinner flexible if the flight or transfer runs later. First Friday is on downtown tonight; skip it and rest.
Cowfish lists Friday hours until 10 PM, checked October 1. Allow for a wait; if arrival runs late, choose a quick meal or takeaway instead.
Around 9:00 PM · Pick up a few snacks
A quick North Hills stop after dinner, or use the hotel market.
Harris Teeter North Hills is at 120 Saint Albans Drive, Suite 100, near the hotel. Allow about 15–20 minutes to shop; keep it flexible if dinner runs long.
Keep the haul small for two: a few pieces of fruit, four granola bars, a small bag of nuts or crackers, and water. Save some for study breaks and Tuesday’s tight airport connection.
The store’s detail section lists daily hours of 6 AM–11 PM, checked October 1. Confirm current hours before heading over.
If you are tired, arriving late, or the weather is poor, use Hyatt House’s 24-hour H Market for a few grab-and-go snacks. Selection varies; you can make the grocery stop Saturday morning instead.
Around 10:00 PM · Bed
Get onto Eastern time. No studying tonight.
After the delayed travel day, wind down after dinner and aim for a full night’s sleep.
Raleigh, together · Raleigh · October 2–6, 2026
Saturday, October 3
Two morning study blocks, lunch and the museum, then optional music, coffee, or Florida at Missouri at 3:30 PM EDT on ABC.
3 hrs study · 3 hrs exploring. Times are Eastern unless a flight time is marked PT or CT.
Stop studying at 12:15. Florida at Missouri kicks off at 3:30 PM EDT on ABC; choose your afternoon around it.
8:00–8:45 AM · Optional: farmers’ market
Midtown Farmers’ Market, a 5-minute walk from the hotel.
A producers-only market in the Commons at North Hills, Saturdays 8 AM–noon, April through November. Pick up coffee, fruit, or a pastry for the study break.
Keep it to a loop and be back at your desk by 9 AM. Skip it if you would rather sleep in.
9:00–10:30 AM · Study: caries, prevention, growth
Build full care plans and explain them to a parent.
Steps, cases, and readings are on the session page. Take a real 15-minute break at 10:30.
10:45 AM–12:15 PM · Study: trauma, pulp, pathology
Work through the decision points out loud.
Say the answers out loud. Stop at 12:15; lunch is part of the plan.
12:15–12:45 PM · Head downtown
Close the notes at 12:15, then take Uber or Lyft to Daily Planet Cafe.
Set the destination to Daily Planet Cafe, 121 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27603, in the Nature Research Center. Check that the dropoff pin is at the café’s Jones Street address.
Request the ride at 12:15. The 12:15–12:45 window allows 30 minutes for pickup, the drive, and traffic; it is a planning buffer, not a guaranteed arrival time. Festival closures can add delays. Check the app’s pickup estimate and fare before booking; shorten the museum visit if lunch runs late.
12:45–1:45 PM · Lunch at Daily Planet Cafe
Inside the science museum, downtown.
Sandwiches and salads in the Nature Research Center, 121 West Jones Street. Saturday 9 AM–5 PM · $12–20 per person.
1:45–3:00 PM · Museum of Natural Sciences
Free. Stay as long as it holds your interest.
A relaxed visit of about 1¼ hours, with permission to leave sooner. General admission is free; special exhibitions may cost extra.
The downtown museum lists Tuesday–Sunday hours of 10 AM–5 PM. Address: 11 West Jones Street.
Check current museum notices before visiting.
Use the live weather suggestions above to choose between a longer indoor visit and the outdoor stops. Skip the outdoor festival stops during storms.
3:00–4:00 PM · Optional: State Capitol and a coffee
One block from the museum; an alternative to the festival or football.
Self-guided visits, Saturday 10 AM–5 PM. Skip it if you would rather linger over coffee.
If watching Florida at Missouri matters today, leave time to get settled before the 3:30 PM EDT kickoff on ABC. A watch location has not been chosen.
3:00–4:00 PM · Optional: Raleigh Wide Open
Swap Capitol/coffee for a festival walk. Staying past 3:30 overlaps the Gators kickoff.
From the museum, walk south toward Fayetteville Street at Hargett Street, about 10–15 minutes estimated. PineCone Stage is the northernmost festival stage, just south of Hargett.
Arriving around 3:10–3:15 leaves the end of The Onlies’ 2:45–3:30 PM set at PineCone Stage, then time to browse. Saturday’s festival runs noon–11 PM along Fayetteville Street; admission is free, with no tickets or wristbands.
This is a choice, not an added commitment. The full set ends at Florida’s 3:30 PM EDT kickoff on ABC, so allow time to leave earlier if you choose the game. Capitol/coffee is another option.
Schedule checked October 3, 2026 on the live official page, which flags Saturday changes. Recheck it before walking over; skip outdoor stops during storms.
3:30 PM EDT · Optional: Florida at Missouri · ABC
Kickoff at 3:30. Choose football or the downtown afternoon options.
Florida’s official broadcast notice confirms Saturday, October 3 kickoff at 3:30 PM Eastern on ABC. Raleigh is on EDT today (America/New_York). Checked October 3, 2026.
If you choose to watch, plan where and allow time to get there before kickoff. No watch venue or reservation is assumed. The game may run into the 4:00–6:30 hotel rest block; keep that block flexible.
4:00–6:30 PM · Back to the hotel
Rest before dinner.
Keep this as open time, or adjust it if you choose to watch the game. There is no additional study assignment today.
6:30 PM onward · Dinner at The BBQ Lab
North Carolina barbecue in North Hills.
Try a pork plate with sides for a straightforward local meal. Budget: $15–25 per person.
The restaurant lists Saturday service from 11 AM–9 PM, but smoked meats can sell out. Go a little earlier if a particular item matters to you.
Aim to start winding down around 9 PM.
7:45–8:45 PM · Optional: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
City Plaza Stage after BBQ Lab, if you feel like another trip downtown.
The live Saturday schedule lists The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys at City Plaza Stage from 7:45–8:45 PM. Checked October 3, 2026.
Keep the 6:30 PM BBQ Lab dinner. If you choose this set, check your ride estimate after dinner and allow time for pickup, traffic, and the walk to City Plaza. The festival’s suggested rideshare dropoff near City Plaza is Fayetteville Street just north of Lenoir Street, across from the Marriott.
This adds a second downtown trip and pushes back the 9 PM wind-down. Skip it for hotel rest; attending is optional and nothing is reserved.
Raleigh, together · Raleigh · October 2–6, 2026
Sunday, October 4
A mock run in the morning, the art museum in the afternoon.
2 hrs 45 mins study · 2 hrs exploring. Times are Eastern unless a flight time is marked PT or CT.
Studying ends at 5 PM. Nothing new after that.
9:00–10:30 AM · Study: mock cases
Behavior guidance and special health care needs, no notes.
No looking things up mid-case. Debrief at the end.
10:45–11:30 AM · Study: safety and 2026 updates
Sedation, emergencies, and what changed in the manual.
Includes a 10-minute skim of the 2026 manual updates. No new resources.
11:30 AM–1 PM · Brunch at Coquette
French brasserie in North Hills.
A French brasserie in North Hills at 4351 The Circle. Choose one brunch main for a relaxed sit-down meal. Budget: $18–28 per person.
Aim to eat at 11:30 AM and leave around 12:30 PM for the museum at 2110 Blue Ridge Road. Check brunch availability ahead; shorten the museum visit if lunch runs long.
1:00–3:00 PM · NC Museum of Art
Galleries plus the outdoor Museum Park. Free.
Pick a few galleries and a short sculpture-park loop. Galleries Wed–Sun 10 AM–5 PM; park dawn to dusk. Free.
Use the live weather suggestions above to decide whether to include the sculpture park. Favor indoor galleries during rain and skip outdoor walks during storms.
3:00–4:00 PM · Back to the hotel
Rest.
Leave the rest of the afternoon deliberately light.
4:00–4:20 PM · Walk the route to the exam
Five minutes each way to the AIME Center.
The exam email says 4208 Six Forks Road is less than 0.2 miles and a five-minute walk from Hyatt House.
Locate the entrance from outside. This route check does not assume access to the testing center on Sunday.
4:30–5:00 PM · Study: final recap
Read the one-page sheet, lay out ID and clothes.
Read your one-page sheet, lay out ID and outfit, then put it all away.
6:00–7:30 PM · Dinner at Vivace
Italian in North Hills. Eat early.
Pizza or pasta at 4209 Lassiter Mill Road · $20–30 per person. Eat around 6, in bed by 10.
Published Sunday dinner hours are 5–9 PM, checked October 1. Reserve an indoor table if you want a set dinner time; this itinerary is a suggestion, not a reservation.
Raleigh, together · Raleigh · October 2–6, 2026
Monday, October 5
A short review in the morning. Registration at 2:45 PM.
45 mins study. Times are Eastern unless a flight time is marked PT or CT.
Registration is at 2:45 PM. Leave the hotel around 2:25 PM.
8:00–9:00 AM · Breakfast
At or near the hotel.
Stay around the hotel this morning. Allow time to eat and get ready without rushing.
9:00–9:45 AM · Study: warm-up
Recap sheet and one or two familiar cases.
Recap sheet and one or two comfortable cases. Notes close at 9:45 AM.
9:45–11:30 AM · Free time
Stay near the hotel. No sightseeing.
Keep the morning free of sightseeing appointments and additional mock exams.
11:30 AM–12:30 PM · Lunch at Happy + Hale
Bowls and salads, next to the hotel.
Bowls and salads at 200 Park at North Hills Street, open 8 AM–8 PM · $14–20 per person.
Choose something familiar and be back by 12:30 PM.
12:30–2:25 PM · Get ready
Photo ID, clothes, and your latest exam email.
Bring government photo ID. Phone, keys, and watch go in a locker for the whole exam; leave everything else at the hotel.
Eat something before you leave; a light snack is provided in the exam room.
2:25–2:45 PM · Walk to the AIME Center
Wait in the lobby for the ABPD escort.
Allow a comfortable margin for a walk described in the email as less than five minutes.
Wait in the lobby for an ABPD representative to escort candidates to registration. Registration is scheduled for 2:45 PM.
2:45–~6:30 PM · ABPD Oral Clinical Examination
Session 3 · AIME Center, 4208 Six Forks Road.
Registration, orientation, then two segments of up to 1 hr 15 min with a short break. Allow about four hours.
Back at the hotel around 6:15–6:45 PM.
Around 7:00–7:30 PM · Dinner at Sitti
Lebanese, downtown. The exam is done.
Share mezze downtown at 135 South Wilmington Street · $25–40 per person. Monday 11 AM–9 PM.
Book for 7:30 PM and allow 20–30 minutes for a rideshare. Too tired? Vivace in North Hills is the easy backup.
Raleigh, together · Raleigh · October 2–6, 2026
Tuesday, October 6
Breakfast, pack, and leave for RDU at 11.
Travel day · No studying. Times are Eastern unless a flight time is marked PT or CT.
Leave the hotel around 11 AM. Your DFW connection is 51 minutes.
8:30–9:30 AM · Breakfast
In North Hills.
Keep the morning close to the hotel. No studying scheduled.
9:30–10:45 AM · Pack and check out
Checkout is noon; leave earlier.
The confirmation lists noon checkout, but this plan leaves earlier for a comfortable airport buffer.
Check the room, chargers, ID, and boarding passes.
11:00–11:45 AM · Leave for RDU
Leave North Hills for RDU around 11 AM.
Allow 30–45 minutes for the transfer. Target RDU by 11:45 AM, about 2½ hours before departure.
Recheck traffic and airline guidance that morning, especially if checking bags.
2:13 PM ET · Raleigh → Dallas → Seattle
AA 2693, then AA 1483 · 8 hrs 31 mins total.
AA 2693: RDU 2:13 PM ET → DFW 4:30 PM CT. AA 1483: DFW 5:21 PM CT → SEA 7:44 PM PT.
The DFW connection is 51 minutes. Eat at RDU and go straight to the next gate.
These are the saved return-flight times. Recheck both flights, seats, and gates in the American app before travel; delays or a gate change can make this connection tighter.
7:44 PM PT · Back in Seattle
Scheduled arrival at SEA.
Allow time for deplaning, baggage, and your onward journey home.
