Durham

In 2017, Durham was named the best U.S. city for young people by Growella. Durham strikes a happy medium between the city feel of Raleigh and the small town vibe of Chapel Hill. In the past few years, Durham has become an increasingly popular spot to call home. To learn more about Durham, check out the information below.

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Background Information

Durham is the fourth-largest city in North Carolina, with a population of around 250,000. Durham is located in central North Carolina, within 30 minutes of the rest of the Triangle. The beach is around 2 1/2 hours east, and the mountains are about 3 1/2 hours west.

The Triangle has a public transportation system, GoTriangle, that connects Durham to Raleigh and Chapel Hill. Durham also has a bus system, GoDurham. A train station is located near downtown Durham, making it easy to get to cities like Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, without a car. 

Schools

Most of Durham is located in Durham County and served by Durham Public Schools. Durham is also home to the nation's first public residential high school, the North Carolina School of Science and Math, which accepts students from across the state for the last 2 years of high school. 

Charter schools in Durham include Voyager Academy (K-12) and Maureen Joy Charter School (K-8). Private schools include Camelot Academy (K-12), International Montessori School (K-5), and Carolina Friends School (K-12). 

Home to Duke University, North Carolina Central University, the first public liberal arts college for African Americans in the nation, and Durham Technical Community College, Durham is also a great spot for higher education. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University are both in the Triangle as well. 

Things to Do

Entertainment 

Durham boasts tons of options for entertainment. The Durham Performing Arts Center is a popular theater where you can watch Broadway shows, concerts, comedians, and more. The Carolina Theatre, located in downtown Durham, is an historic theater where you can watch independent films as well as older films, and concerts.    

Durham also has a great live music scene. Popular spots to catch a show include Motorco, Pinhook, and the Blue Note Grill. 

Museums

Durham is home to the Museum of Life and Science, a popular museum for families to visit with a great outdoor space. The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke features contemporary art from around the world. 

Sports

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park, located in downtown Durham, is where the Durham Bulls, a triple-A minor league baseball team, play their home games. Fans of college basketball and football can catch games at Duke and UNC.  

Outdoors

Durham boasts tons of beautiful outdoor spots for its residents to enjoy. Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a beautiful 55-acre garden with different specialized areas, including sections with native plants, plants from Southeast Asia, and an historic terrace garden. 

The American Tobacco Trail, a 26 mile rails to trails project that goes through Durham and connects many parts of the Triangle, is a popular place for biking and running. 

For hiking, the Eno River State Park hosts around 30 miles of trails on 4,200 acres. The Eno River is a popular spot for swimming in the summers as well. The Jordan Lake State Park Recreation Area is another popular spot for swimming, paddle boarding, canoeing, fishing, and hiking. 

Food & Dining

Durham is home to tons of great restaurants, and was even named the Tastiest Town in the South in 2013 by Southern Living. Popular restaurants include M Sushi, Pizzeria Toro, Mothers & Sons, and Saltbox Seafood Joint. 

In downtown Durham, the Durham Farmers Market is open year round and is a great place for produce and locally made food. The market hosts food trucks every Saturday as well. The South Durham Farmer's Market is another great spot for local produce. 

Durham also has a great beer scene, with tons of breweries. Fullsteam places a focus on Southern flavors in their beers, and Ponysaurus has one of the best outdoor spots in Durham. For cocktails, the Durham Hotel has a great rooftop bar with amazing cocktails. Other favorites include Bar Virgile and Alley 26. 

Other great spots to check out include Cocoa Cinnamon, a coffee shop with 3 locations around central Durham (one location has freshly made churros!), Bean Traders, a popular coffee shop in South Durham, the Parlour, for amazing ice cream, and Scratch, for the best brunch in Durham. 

Shopping

South Durham is home to the Streets at Southpoint, the largest mall in the area with shops like Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, and much more. The mall also has a movie theater and plenty of eating options. 

In central Durham, closer to downtown, you'll find tons of locally-owned shops. One popular areas is Brightleaf Square, where you can get antiques, vinyl, and stylish clothes. In downtown Durham, one of our favorite shops is the Zen Succulent, a beautiful plant shop.