In a little over three hours, you can be on the North Carolina coast where you ll find some of the cleanest, least crowded beaches on the Atlantic. Four hours to the west will get you to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smokies with opportunities for hiking, fishing and skiing. North Carolina has an exceptional highway system which offers easy access to a number of large lakes and beautiful state parks for hiking and camping in close proximity to Durham. From Durham, Atlanta is six hours south by car and Washington, DC is five hours north. In Durham, spring comes early, fall lasts into November and you can usually expect at least one good snowfall each winter.
Temperatures are moderate throughout the year, allowing outdoor recreation all year long.
Overall, the cost of living in Durham is very reasonable compared to the major metropolitan centers of the Northeast, West, and Southwest.