Durham (North Carolina)

Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the one with the grittier, more working-class image. A city of just over 300,000 residents in 2026, Durham has moved beyond a "tobacco town" with a prestigious university at its center to become a regionally and nationally recognized symbol of urban renewal, gentrification, technology and diversity. Durham's vibrant African-American community was historically pioneering in United States Black culture, from the arts to finance. These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a much more high-profile (and expensive) identity. Thanks to local anchor Duke University, a thriving, research-driven medical and tech industry has taken root. The city has also emerged as a cultural center for the region, with a lively theater scene and a trendy arts community that has reinforced Durham's popularity in national cultural circles. And while the city lacks the political clout of Raleigh or the college town atmosphere of Chapel Hill, some of the Triangle's most interesting and exciting attractions are to be found here. This is a growing city with a fascinating past. Natives and newcomers both love it hard. And it's complicated. Even down to the city's recent hometown gesture. == Understand == Durham owes much of its wealth and history to tobacco. Through the second half of the 19th century, Washington Duke and his family grew from a single farm into American Tobacco, which controlled 90% of all cigarette production for the United States. The Duke family donated money to Trinity College, which in 1924 was renamed Duke University. In the early 20th century, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, Mechanics & Farmers Bank, and Mutual Savings & Loan were founded in Durham by African-Americans. These prominent companies drew more African-American investment to Durham, to the point that Durham's Parrish Street neighborhood became known as "Black Wall Street." NC Mutual Life continues to this day as the oldest and largest African-American-owned life insurance company in the nation and as a visible part of the Durham skyline. The last cigarette rolled out of Durham in 2000. Many of the old factory and warehouse structures have been converted into housing, retail, restaurant and office spaces. The city has changed its motto from "City of Tobacco" to "City of Medicine," based on the high concentration of medical practitioners and researchers at Duke and in Research Triangle Park, the Durham County special tax district formed in 1959 to attract high-tech jobs to the area. Durham has a progressive, trendy arts culture. It is an eclectic blend of blue-collar, middle-class and nouveau riche. The streetscape and its underlying socioeconomic histories can vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, sometimes from block to block. From the time-honored soul food joints of the Southside to the hipster cafes of Downtown and the student-friendly dives on Ninth Street, the city exists as a patchwork reflecting its complex composition. You'll find old hippies, ex-cons, tech bros, immigrants and genteel Southerners in a generally happy co-existence. The area has a very active gay community which stages a famed regional film festival and an annual LGBT Pride march. Politically the area is dominated by Democratic politics in an otherwise Republican-leaning state. Expect progressive, far-left politics in both the people and businesses in Durham. == Get in == === By car === Durham is served by a freeway system centered on I-85, I-40 and US 15-501. Interstates are up to national standard but smaller arterials like the latter and the Durham Freeway (NC-147) are antiquated in design and have short on- and off-ramps, which can lead to risky merging. If you wish to rent a car, car rental options at RDU Airport are plentiful and range from $20 to $50 per day, with whole-week rentals significantly discounted. Drivers in Durham and the Triangle region as a whole can be politely assessed as "assertive." Expect 5-10 mph over the posted speed limits and tailgating if you fail to achieve this. Do not honk at other drivers, unless in immediate danger of a collision. Otherwise, this can be construed as an unnecessary act of aggression, as with many other places in the South. === By air === The nearest commercial airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU IATA), southeast of Durham in Morrisville, just off I-40. RDU has two terminals; Terminal 1 services budget carriers like Southwest, while the more modern and architecturally impressive Terminal 2 services major domestic airlines and international carriers like Air France, Icelandair and Lufthansa. RDU also has rental car services and overnight car parking. GoTriangle regional buses offer limited connections onward to other parts of the area via the Regional Transit Center in RTP but taxis and Uber/Lyft are the most convenient options if not driving one's self. === By train === Amtrak's Carolinian and Piedmont lines stop in Durham. The Carolinian runs once daily north to New York City and south to Charlotte, while Piedmont services offer multiple trips daily toward Raleigh and Charlotte. The 1 Amtrak station downtown is very no-frills but does include a waiting area. There is a walkable connection to the Durham Station Transportation Center across Chapel Hill Street. === By bus === Inter-city buses arrive and depart Durham from the 2 Durham Station Transportation Center, 515 W Pettigrew St, near the Amtrak station. Greyhound. Direct service from Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, other cities in North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, as well as connecting service to many other cities. (updated May 2023) Megabus. Service from Washington, D.C., Richmond, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Columbia, Athens, and Atlanta. Buses stop just outside the station near the Willard Street entrance. Fares from $1. (updated May 2023) GoTriangle, ☏ +1 919 485-RIDE (7433). Routes between Durham to Chapel Hill (routes #400 and #405) and the Research Triangle Park (#700), where you can transfer to Raleigh and RDU. Stops are marked by signs bearing the GoTriangle logo. Service is fairly reliable, with buses running all day on the weekdays and weekends, but there is no service on some holidays. $2.50 per trip, $5.00 for a day pass. GoTriangle uses the Umo app for digital payment. (updated Apr 2026) == Get around == === By car === Like Atlanta's infamous "Peachtree", Durham has a number of synonymous roadways, in some cases miles from each other. This can easily confuse visitors. The most notorious are Chapel Hill Road, Street and Boulevard. Likewise, University Drive and Duke University Road are relatively different thoroughfares, in diverging areas. Thankfully technology has rendered this issue largely irrelevant but when in doubt, ask any convenience store clerk and they'll point you where you need to go. Parking can be an issue on weekends and during evening hours in and around Downtown and Duke University's campuses. Be mindful of parking in residential zones in Downtown neighborhoods for extended periods without a permit. Never park against signed regulations on the campuses of Duke or NCCU. You will get a ticket or get towed, 24/7. A Durham curiosity exists downtown on South Gregson Street immediately south of West Peabody Street; many over-height vehicles have hit an abnormally low iron railroad bridge notoriously nicknamed The Can Opener, which has been raised slightly in response yet still occasionally claims the roofs of trucks and RVs. Avoid this stretch completely if the height of your vehicle is in any way in question. === By bus === GoDurham offers extensive bus service throughout the city with hourly or half-hourly frequency on most lines. Buses are comfortable and all converge on the Durham Station Transportation Center on West Chapel Hill Street, downtown. GoDurham buses are fare-free through June 2027. Duke Transit offers free high-capacity, frequent bus service 24/7/365 between Duke's East and West campuses, as well as between West Campus and Central Campus, Duke Hospital and various parking areas for the latter's employees. While available to anyone, Durham visitors would need to be in very specific use cases to take advantage of it. GoTriangle runs regional commuter buses with half-hourly and hourly service from the downtown Transportation Center, Duke's West Campus and southwest Durham neighborhoods to Raleigh, Chapel Hill and RTP. Buses are WiFi-equipped and comfortable. $2.50 per ride or capped at $5.00 daily. GoTriangle utilizes the Umo app for digital payment. GoDurham and GoTriangle buses have racks that can accommodate at least two bicycles on the front of the vehicle. == See == 1 Duke University. One of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United States, Duke University possesses beautiful Gothic architecture. Duke is sometimes referred to as either the "Harvard" or the "Yale" of the South. 2 Nasher Museum of Art, 2001 Campus Drive (at the corner of Anderson St and Duke University Rd), ☏ +1 919 684-5135. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM (Th until 9PM), Su noon-5PM, M closed. The museum features world-class classical to contemporary works and has hosted some major names in art. Don't miss the giant face-mask. Free admission for all. (updated Feb 2026) 3 Duke Gardens (Sarah P. Duke Gardens), 420 Anderson St, ☏ +1 919 684-3698. 8AM–dusk. One of the premier public gardens in the U.S., and with more than 5 mi (8.0 km) of walkways and paths. Beautiful flowers in the spring. Free entry, but parking costs $2. (updated Apr 2023) 4 Duke Lemur Center, 3705 Erwin Road, ☏ +1 919 489-3364. Tours are by appointment only, gift shop open daily 9:30AM-4PM. See the largest collection of lemurs outside of Madagascar. Scheduling your tour at least two weeks in advance is recommended, but they can sometimes accommodate last-minute additions. Tours $12 adults, $9 children/seniors/students/military. 5 Museum of Life and Science, 433 W. Murray Ave, ☏ +1 919 220-5429. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Spend a day with kids exploring interactive exhibits at this museum. Space vehicles, farm animals, playground, drum area, physics display, maps and globes, butterfly house, bugs, and now with bears and lemurs. $14 adults, $11 seniors/military, $10 children. 6 Bennett Place, 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd, ☏ +1 919 383-4345. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su-M closed. This simple farmhouse was situated between Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's headquarters in Greensboro, and Union Gen. William T. Sherman's headquarters in Raleigh. In April 1865, the two commanders met at the Bennett Place, where they signed surrender papers for Southern armies in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. It was the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War, coming 17 days after General Lee surrendered at Appomattox. Free, donations accepted. 7 Historic Stagville, 5828 Old Oxford Highway, ☏ +1 919 620-0120. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su-M closed. Comprises the remains of North Carolina's largest pre-Civil War plantation and one of the South's largest. It once belonged to the Bennehan-Cameron family, whose combined holdings totaled approximately 900 slaves and almost 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) by 1860. Today, Stagville consists of 71 acres (29 hectares), on three tracts. On this land stand the late 18th-century Bennehan House, four rare slave houses, a pre-Revolutionary War farmer's house, a huge timber framed barn built by skilled slave craftsmen, and the Bennehan Family cemetery. Free. 8 Duke Homestead, 2828 Duke Homestead Rd, ☏ +1 919 477-5498. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su M closed. Features the Duke family's mid 1800s home, tobacco barns and cigarette factory. == Do == 1 Durham Bulls, ☏ +1 919 687-6500. The Durham Bulls are one of the most popular minor league baseball teams in America, due to the 1987 movie Bull Durham, filmed largely at the old Durham Athletic Park. They play now in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park which was designed by the architects of Baltimore's Camden Yards. Tickets are $5 and up. The Duke University Blue Devils and North Carolina Central University Eagles provide lots of opportunity for spectators through their men's and women's sports programs. Go watch a Duke men's basketball game if you visit during basketball season. Tickets are extremely hard to get but can be found via online ticketing websites. If you are a college basketball fan, seeing a game at Cameron is a bucket-list item. Your best bet may be between December 15th and January 1st, when students are gone. Duke's football team has also rapidly improved, with the team winning the outright ACC title in 2025; a general admission ticket can be a fun and affordable afternoon or evening out. Wallace-Wade Stadium (site of the relocated Rose Bowl during WW2) is a wonderful place to see a football game in autumn. 2 Carolina Theatre, 309 W Morgan St, ☏ +1 919 560-3030. A historic theater that hosts many independent films and plays. 3 Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St, ☏ +1 919 680-2787. A frequent stop for touring Broadway shows, as well as many other high-end acts. Ticket prices range from $30-$120 depending on the show. Buy in advance. Check out the local art scene during Durham's Third Friday Art Walk, often featuring live music and a myriad of food trucks, in addition to open studios and galleries throughout downtown. Listen to live music at 4 The Pinhook, 5 Motorco, 6 Historic American Tobacco Campus or other local venues (the Independent Weekly is a good source of local happenings. 7 Sky Zone Durham. Explore the 8 Duke Forest. 9 Eno River State Park. A wooded, hilly area centered around the Eno River. Go for a hike on one of the trails or for a canoe ride on the river. Campsites are also available. (updated Mar 2018) 10 West Point on the Eno. A city park adjacent to Eno River State Park. West Point has an old-fashioned corn mill that still sells fresh cornmeal. (updated Apr 2026) Bike or roller-blade on the American Tobacco Trail. It's a paved-over railway line that extends from downtown Durham, near the ball park all the way to Raleigh. Attend one of the renowned annual festivals. Each April is the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the country's largest such festival, and each summer is the country's largest contemporary dance festival, American Dance Festival. Check out Ninth Street, a pedestrian friendly street with a variety of eating, shopping, and entertainment options. Play on many different golf courses from 11 Hillandale Golf to 12 Willowhaven to the 13 Duke University Golf Club among many more. Walk! You'll be amazed that considering Durham is mostly car-centric, thousands of citizens head out to get their steps at all hours daily, from mild winter to oppressive, humid summer. Popular trails and paths include the circumference of Duke's East Campus, the American Tobacco Trail snaking from downtown southwest and the Al Buehler Cross-Country Trail in the Duke Forest neighborhood just southwest of the university. == Buy == 1 The Streets at Southpoint, off of Interstate 40. The largest and most varied mall in the area, if not the whole state. It mixes indoor and outdoor shopping and dining, in a setting that tries to recapture the spirit of old downtown Durham. 2 Brightleaf Square. Just west of downtown Durham, is built in a restored tobacco warehouse. It houses boutique shops and several nationally-renowned restaurants. Ninth Street, near the Duke campus, has boutique stores catering to a college crowd. Look for bookstores, clothing stores, an art gallery or two, and an upscale toy store. 3 The Clock Depot, 3400 Westgate Dr (in Westgate Shopping Center), ☏ +1 919-402-8714. 10AM-6PM. Family-owned clock shop featuring new grandfather clocks. 4 The Scrap Exchange, 2050 Chapel Hill Road (Lakewood Shopping Center), ☏ +1 919 688-6960. Su–F 11AM–7PM, Sa 10AM–7PM. A non-profit selling all sorts of industrial and office surplus materials, ready to be recycled as supplies for crafts and other projects. A good place for creative people. (updated Jan 2018) 5 Atomic Empire, 3400 Westgate Dr (in Westgate Shopping Center), toll-free: +1-800-918-3985. 11AM–6PM. Big game store with board games, RPGs, miniatures, and other collectibles. (updated May 2020) 6 Li Ming's Global Mart (黎明超市), 3400 Westgate Dr (in Westgate Shopping Center), ☏ +1 919 401-5212. 9AM–9PM daily. The Triangle's premier Asian supermarket, with an emphasis on Chinese products. If you're looking for lychees, Sichuan peppers, red bean buns, or a dozen flavors of mochi, this is the place to go. (updated May 2020) == Eat == Durham is a terrific city for food, and if you search around enough, you'll find no need to go to Chapel Hill or Raleigh to cater to your tastes. From time-tested burger shacks to upscale eateries, it's easy to find unique places all over the city. === Budget === 1 Bahn's Cuisine, 750 9th St, ☏ +1 919 286-5073. Most of the week this is an average Chinese takeout place; however, on Wednesday and Saturday they serve Vietnamese home cooking and soups. A local hangout since 1985. The locals can tell you're "not from around here" if you order Chinese on those days. There are both vegetarian and vegan plates. The "#8 Vegetarian plate" of fried tofu and a vegetable roll is the most popular dish on Saturdays and to a lesser degree on Mondays. The "Pork Bun" is a good choice for small children as is the Satay Chicken (they'll frequently make adapted portions for children). It is cash only: plates and sides are $2-6. 2 Bean Traders Coffee, 105 W NC 54 Hwy #249 (in Homestead Market), ☏ +1 919 484-2499. A locally owned and operated coffee shop which as the name indicates is also a coffee buyer/distributor of the "Bean Traders" brand of whole sale coffee beans. The coffee is excellent and the atmosphere relaxed and casual. Cookies and baked goods are also for sale. Wireless access is provided. 3 Cosmic Cantina, 1920 1/2 Perry St, ☏ +1 919 286-1875. A Duke hangout with cheap California-style burritos, cheap beer, and quick service. Entrees, if they can be called that, range from $2-6, beer is $2, soda is $1. Cosmic is open late, generally until 4AM. Durham is home to the original Cosmic Cantina, which can also now be found in Chapel Hill. 4 Elmo's Diner, 776 9th Street, ☏ +1 919 416-3823. Serves the best breakfast in Durham, as well as good comfort food and diner fare for lunch and dinner. Grab a table or sit at the bar. You may have to wait a bit on weekend mornings, but Elmo's makes coffee and newspapers available to help pass the time. 5 Guasaca, 2200 West Main Street suite A-100, ☏ +1 919-294-8939, infomain@guasaca.com. Local chain for Venezuelan arepas. Vegetarian and vegan options available. (updated Aug 2020) 6 Loco Pops, 2604 Hillsborough Rd. Serves gourmet popsicles in a variety of unusual, Mexican-inspired flavors. Try the Mexican chocolate or the mojito. Each popsicle is $1-2. 7 The Mad Hatter's Bake Shop, 1802 W Main St, ☏ +1 919 286-1987. A local bakery that has branched out into full dinner fare. Their dinners are as good as (and more creative than) their cakes and cookies. Entrees tend to be $6-8, and many are healthy and vegetarian-friendly. 8 Guglhupf, 2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, ☏ +1 919 401-2600. Eat great German fare and baked goods. 9 Pure Soul, 4125 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, ☏ +1 877 376-7685, puresoulff@gmail.com. M Tu Th F Sa 11AM–7PM, Su noon–4PM, W closed. All-vegan restaurant with plant-based interpretations of North Carolina barbecue and other comfort food. (updated Apr 2023) 10 Bullock's, 3330 Quebec Dr, ☏ +1 919 383-3211. A local tradition, serving eastern-North Carolina BBQ, sweet tea, hush puppies, and plenty of fried vegetables. Go "family style" for about $13 and eat a bit of everything. Note that eastern-NC BBQ is dry and is cooked with vinegar, and may not be what outsiders are used to. Bullock's is often crowded, but the line moves fast. Bullock's is cash only and closes at 8PM. (updated May 2025) Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration as you go further out from Downtown. Try local favorites like Alpaca, The Dog House and Cook-Out, which actually makes a respectable version of an NC BBQ sandwich! Check out the Soul Food "corridor" of sorts that stretches from the north side's Braggtown to the historically Black area of the Southside: Current Cafeteria, Blue Note Grill, It's A Southern Thing, Dame's, Let's Eat Soul Food, The Chicken Hut, and Backyard BBQ Pit are all solid options. Don't forget dessert. === Splurge === Downtown has a lot of options that will charge bigger-city prices (hey, if the apartments here can charge NYC-level rents, why not?) but may vary in quality. The areas around Five Points and Rigsbee Avenue have an abundance of bars and restaurants within walking distance. 11 Metro 8 Steakhouse, 746 9th St, ☏ +1 919 416-1700. Upscale Argentinian steakhouse. Unusually great salad and steak with great service and a romantic atmosphere. 12 Parizade, 2200 W Main St (Erwin Square, near 9th St). 13 Rue Cler, 401 E Chapel Hill St (downtown). 14 Vin Rouge, 2010 Hillsborough Rd. == Drink == Durham, despite having prestigious universities, is not a huge bar town. If a bar crawl is your thing, you will be much better served heading west to Chapel Hill, or over to Raleigh, which has very popular bars and breweries. Still, there are good times to be had in the Bull City. 1 Shooters II Saloon, 827 W Morgan St (behind Brightleaf Square). A wild-west themed bar and dance club popular with the college crowd, Shooters is famous for its mechanical bull and dancing cage. It is easy to find cheap drink specials and some new friends. Shooters is most frequented on weekend nights after 10PM. 2 Dain's Place, 9th Street. A non-smoking bar with many types of beers. It draws more the post-grad and 25-35 crowd. Great burgers and also an unusually good salad. 3 Fullsteam Brewery, 726 Rigsbee Avenue, ☏ +1 919-682-BEER (2337). Local brewery serving their own plus other NC beers. Popular among locals, large amount of seating, and usually has food trucks parked outside. Additionally, there are some nice bars near Duke's East Campus. Check out 4 The Green Room (pool hall), 5 Federal and 6 James Joyce for a diverse and mellow crowd. The downtown area of Rigsbee Avenue/Geer Street is a very popular area with young people of all walks. == Sleep == 1 Comfort Inn, 4507 NC 55/Apex Hwy, ☏ +1 919 361-2656. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Offers guests an exercise room and a business center. 2 Comfort Inn Medical Park, 1816 Hillandale Road, ☏ +1 919 471-6100. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Offers guests free shuttle service and a small meeting room. 3 Comfort Suites Raleigh Durham Airport/RTP, 5219 Page Road (Located by the Raleigh-Durham International Airport), ☏ +1 919 314-1200. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 4 Doubletree Guest Suites Raleigh/Durham, 2515 Meridian Parkway, ☏ +1 919 361-4660. All-suite atrium hotel lakeside near Research Triangle Park and ten minutes from the airport. Rooms feature refrigerator, microwave, and wetbar area. 5 Duke Tower Hotel & Condominiums, 807 W. Trinity Ave, ☏ +1 919 687-4444, toll-free: +1-866-385-3869, fax: +1 919 683-1215. 6 Hotel Indigo Raleigh Durham Airport at RTP, 151 Tatum Dr., ☏ +1 919-474-3000. 7 Durham Marriott City Center, 201 Foster St, ☏ +1 919 768-6000. The people there are friendly and provide great service. They have a shuttle to take you up to a 5 mi (8.0 km) diameter from the hotel which gets you to most places in town. Ask for the 8th floor rooms facing west. 8 Millennium Hotel Durham, 2800 Campus Walk Ave, ☏ +1 919 383-8575. Accommodations, meeting space, and dining venues about a mile from Duke University. 9 Sleep Inn, 5208 Page Rd (I-40 & Page Rd), ☏ +1 919 993-3393, fax: +1 919 314-1401. A pet-friendly hotel which offers free airport transportation. 10 SpringHill Suites, 5310 McFarland Drive, ☏ +1 919 403-1111. 11 Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, 3001 Cameron Blvd, ☏ +1 919 490-0999. 12 Marriott at Research Triangle Park, 4700 Guardian Drive, ☏ +1-919-941-6200. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. Free parking, high speed internet and offers a complimentary airport shuttle. (updated Mar 2015) == Stay safe == Durham is a safe, large city. Gentrification, urban renewal and upward trends in income have turned abandoned factory town areas into some of the most lucrative real estate in the country. Still, Durham is not a small town. It can feel rough in parts and you shouldn't leave your windows down, objects in your vehicle or your doors unlocked in any part of the city. Durham cops are professional, with exceeding standards for recruitment, but it's a busy place. Police are not standing around, even downtown; if you need them, call 911. Your biggest danger in Durham is from aggressive drivers. Do not honk at anyone unless you are in immediate danger of a collision. Road rage happens here. Note the newly constructed I-885 corridor is notorious for accidents due to poor planning. === Medical care === Durham was once known as the City of Medicine, thanks to Duke and small bio-medical startups. Now, Duke Medicine is just one of the many local HMO providers (including UNC Health and WakeMed) who anchor a region of world-leading medical and scientific research. Check with your insurance carrier if you need a primary care or emergency visit; this area is a patchwork of in-network clinics and providers. 1 Duke University Medical Center, 2301 Erwin Rd, ☏ +1 919 684-8111. Nicknamed "Big Duke" by the area's first responders, Duke University Medical Center is a Solucient Top 100 Hospital, and named one of America's Best Hospitals by US News and World Report. This is where world leaders and local hoodlums both go to receive the best care. (updated Jun 2026) == Go next == Chapel Hill, about 8 mi (13 km) from Durham, is home to the University of North Carolina (UNC-CH). Chapel Hill is a lovely town with many good restaurants and bars on Franklin Street, adjacent to the UNC campus. Just don't cheer their basketball team, ok? Hillsborough, the seat of adjacent Orange County, is a cute historic town 15 mi (24 km) away, good for a day trip or to spend a night or two. Raleigh, about 28 mi (45 km) away, the state capital. Raleigh has North Carolina State University; the state museums of art, history, and science; and the state symphony and ballet. If you think Durham has blown up, look at Raleigh. Tons of new bars and restaurants join the new buildings going up downtown almost every week.