West Durham is a popular part of Durham due to its convenience to Duke and Chapel Hill. The area features several established neighborhoods as well as many new home communities. To learn more about living in West Durham, check out the information below, including popular things to do. Check out popular neighborhoods in West Durham, as well as in other parts of Durham, by browsing the sidebar to the right. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the most recent homes for sale in West Durham.
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West Durham is generally known as the area west of downtown Durham, bordering Chapel Hill. The area is especially convenient for employees of Duke. From West Durham, you can easily be in downtown Durham in under 15 minutes, downtown Chapel Hill in 20-25 minutes, and RTP in under 20 minutes.
West Durham offers easy access to tons of outdoor activities, while still being convenient to downtown Durham and Chapel Hill.
One of the best parts about living in West Durham is the easy access to some of the area's best hiking trails. Duke Forest, a 7,000 acre forest owned and managed by Duke University, is the main spot in West Durham for hiking, biking, fishing, and more. Many neighborhoods in West Durham are in walking distance to Duke Forest. Another spot for hiking is the Hollow Rock Nature Park, a 75 acre park that borders Duke Forest and has more beautiful trails to explore. Located in Chapel Hill, just a few minutes from West Durham, is the Johnston Mill Nature Preserve. The 296-acre nature preserve is home to about 3.5 miles of hiking trails. Finally, the Eno River State Park is located just a few minutes north of West Durham. The park — with almost 4,000 acres of woodlands — is the most popular spot in Durham to hike, swim, canoe, fish and more.
West Durham is also home to the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, which is bordered by a popular 3 mile trail, the Al Buehler Cross Country Trail. The 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. In addition to the Washington Duke golf course, Croasdaile Country Club, located just north of I-85, is home to another beautiful golf course. Members of Croasdaile can also take advantage of the 6 tennis courts, outdoor pool, and dining.
Hollow Rock Racquet & Swim Club is the best spot for tennis in Durham, with 22 courts. Hollow Rock is also home to multiple pools, including a recreational pool, year-round lap pool, and wading pool. Another popular spot with an outdoor pool is the Levin Jewish Community Center.
Our favorite spot in West Durham is Sarah P. Duke Gardens, a beautiful 55-acre garden open to the public - for free! -year-round. Duke Gardens offers 5 miles of walking paths to explore the gardens. Within Duke Gardens are several separate sections, including the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants and Culberson Asiatic Arboretum. Duke Gardens also offers tons of classes for adults as well as children, school programs, day camps, and more.
West Durham offers lots of options for indoor fitness as well. The Levin Jewish Community Center offers a fitness center, group fitness classes, and a pilates studio. There are also plenty of yoga studios, gyms, boot camp classes, and more near West Durham.
Living in West Durham offers easy access to the exciting food scene in downtown Durham. Some of our favorite spots to eat downtown include Alley 26 and M Kokko. Downtown Durham is home to a weekly, year-round farmers' market that features local produce, meat, seafood, dairy products, coffee, baked goods, and more. Ninth Street, which is between Duke's East and West Campuses, is another great spot to eat. Popular restaurants on Ninth Street include Monuts and Zenfish. There is also a Whole Foods near Ninth Street.
Also nearby is the quickly growing area of Lakewood, which is home to several new restaurants and cafes, including the Lakewood, County Fare, and Cocoa Cinnamon. The area is also home to several established restaurants, including Foster's Market, Guglhupf, and Nana's.
West Durham is also conveniently located near 15-501, a main highway that runs through Durham that has many popular restaurants/food options, including Starbucks, Chipotle, Kanki, and much more. There are several major shopping centers in this area with grocery options including a Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, and more.
West Durham is just a short drive (about 15 minutes) from Hillsborough, which also boasts a thriving food scene. Popular restaurants include La Place and Panciuto.
West Durham is conveniently located within an easy drive to some of the Triangle's best shopping. The Streets of Southpoint, the Triangle's top location for shopping, dining, and entertainment, is about a 15-20 minute drive. You'll also find Costco, Wal-Mart, Petco, Target, T.J. Maxx, and much more within a 10-15 minute drive.
West Durham is home to Durham's top art museum, Nasher Museum of Art. Bennett Place, a state historic sight, is also located in West Durham. Just a short drive away is one of the Triangle's best science museums, the Museum of Life and Science. The museum features interactive exhibits and tons of outdoor exhibits and activities.
There are several concert venues within a short drive of West Durham, including Motorco Music Hall and Carolina Theatre. Cat's Cradle, the Triangle's top venue for indie bands, is just 20-25 minutes south in Carrboro.
In downtown Durham, you'll find the Durham Performing Arts Center, a theater that hosts over 180 performances a year, including Broadway shows.
Popular neighborhoods in West Durham include:
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