14 Top Attractions & Things to Do in Durham, NC
You need not look far for Durham NC entertainment. This pedestrian-, bike-, and dog-friendly community packs urban amenities into a small space. In Durham, famous sights are close together, allowing you more experiences throughout your stay.
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November 15, 2023
Durham, NC, Most Well Konw Attractions and Things To Do in 2025/2026
You need not look far for Durham NC entertainment. This pedestrian-, bike-, and dog-friendly community packs urban amenities into a small space. In Durham, famous sights are close together, allowing you more experiences throughout your stay.
The American Tobacco Campus, a modern urban enclave with activities, entertainment, and recreation, is set against the historical backdrop of the train stop and tobacco manufacturing facilities. Duke University, the city’s main employer, dominates. Duke’s Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Nasher Museum of Art, and Duke Chapel make planning a day of Duke-related activities easy.
Start your Durham NC adventure at CCB square, where you may take a picture with “Major,” the bronze bull. Before walking, get oriented here. Explore Durham’s top sights and activities with our thorough guide.
1. The Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Start your Duke University day in Sarah P. Duke Gardens and work your way to Duke Chapel. Sarah P. Duke Gardens, one of Durham’s top attractions, is known for its stunning floral displays, among the best in the US.
These 55-acre Duke University gardens offer free relaxation. Visitors can explore the Historic Gardens, Native Plants, and Asiatic Arboretum, which feature a variety of plant species, elegant fountains, koi ponds, and intricate landscaping along more than five kilometers of pathways.
A guided walking tour or self-guided garden map investigation is enriching. A guided trolley trip, offered for a price, is ideal for families or people who want to see everything in one day.
The gardens offer landscaping and wildlife photography lessons and talks. While exploring this lush paradise, see the Duke University Chapel, a stunning architectural masterpiece shown on “you are here” maps along the well-worn walkways.
2. The American Tobacco Campus
The American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham NC is a dynamic mix of eating, green spaces, water features, recreational sports facilities, and entertainment. The Lucky Strike cigarette factory facility has been transformed into a one-million-square-foot neighborhood that welcomes locals and visitors.
The business-leisure complex hosts events, concerts, and block parties almost every night. Food trucks and tapas are served alongside Durham Bulls Athletic Park baseball games, unexpected basketball matches, peaceful reading nooks along the artificial stream, and intriguing documentary theater evenings.
Burt’s Bees’ offices are located in this vibrant area, adding to the campus’s charm. Concerts under the Lucky Strike smokestack cement the American Tobacco Campus’s cultural diversity.
3. Performance at the Durham Performing Arts Center
Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) ranks third in ticket sales worldwide, establishing itself as a cultural hub. This 2,700-seat theater offers Broadway shows like Hamilton and other performers.
DPAC caters to varied artistic preferences with over 200 annual concerts, comedy, dance, and theater acts. The center’s modern angles and glass walls contribute to its appeal beyond its great performance.
Create a memorable evening by including a pre-show dinner at one of DPAC’s many restaurants. Many restaurants, from informal to expensive, offer pre-show eating deals, enriching the cultural and culinary experience.
4. The Bennett Place Historic Site
The largest Civil War troop surrender took place at Bennett Place Historic Site, a must-see for history buffs. Artifacts from the last weeks of the Civil War and Bennett’s family recollections are at the museum.
The museum features immersive displays about the 1865 Civil War’s end, including Confederate General Joseph Johnston and Union General William Sherman’s Bennett Place conference in Durham NC. Here, Carolinas, Florida, and Georgia troops surrendered. Site admission is free, and guided tours start every hour.
Walk the Bennett Family’s nature route through woodlands and fields to extend your visit. Although only 15 minutes long, the walk provides a deep and comprehensive experience of the Bennett family’s vast farmstead and its historical significance.
5. The Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Visitors to Durham must see Durham Bulls Athletic Park, a top attraction. Home to the Durham Bulls minor league baseball team, the ballpark promises an amazing experience. Beyond the game, the facility offers unique fan involvement and cuisine beyond hot dogs.
The bull billboard atop the stadium draws attention during home runs. A free steak meal is awarded to players who hit the bull, adding spice to the frenzy. For baseball fans and baseball-themed movie fans, the original stadium location, the Durham Bulls’ home for nearly 50 years, and the filming site for Bull Durham is a mile away.
6. The Museum of Life & Science
The Museum of Life & Science’s popularity as a Durham family attraction is obvious the moment you enter. The museum seamlessly accommodates youngsters and adults with its endless activities, hands-on experiments, and interactive exhibitions.
On display at this science museum are displays on weather, space exploration, mathematics, health, and lab areas for experiments and lectures. A specialized area introduces visitors to native North Carolina wildlife like the scream and barred owl, which are rarely seen unless on nocturnal hikes in the forests.
A large outdoor area features rescued lemurs, black bears, and a popular butterfly conservatory. The museum is worth a long visit, so plan a break at one of its two cafes.
7. The Nasher Museum of Art
Situated on the Duke University campus, the Nasher Museum of Art stands as a diverse showcase, housing galleries adorned with an eclectic array of pre-Columbian and Meso-American artwork, classical paintings and sculptures, African masks, contemporary pieces, photography, and more.
Beyond being a repository of artistic treasures, the museum functions as an educational hub, offering classes, lectures, and film series programs focused on the visual arts. Post-gallery exploration, a delightful lunch awaits at the Nasher Café in the main lobby, featuring a menu of unique and artistic sandwiches, salads, and appetizers, ensuring a satisfying and culturally enriching visit.
8. Eno River State Park
Durham preserves and maintains approximately 30 miles of trails and natural beauty havens in Eno River State Park despite urban growth. This tranquil green space is Durham’s go-to for lunch and weekend enjoyment. Hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and fishing are popular on the Eno River, which attracts locals and visitors.
Wildflower-lined rivers flow through woodlands, cliffs, and past a historic mill. Willie Duke’s cliff, a 60-foot-high cliff surrounded by wildflowers on the lower Eno River, is a hidden gem for nature lovers. Hiking up Cox Mountain adds to Eno River State Park’s appeal for outdoor enthusiasts.
9. The Duke Lemur Center Durham NC
The Duke Lemur Center proudly maintains the largest lemur collection outside of Madagascar, giving visitors a rare chance to see these fascinating species and learn about the center’s research. Discover how the center protects this endangered species via conservation and science.
Over 39 lemur species have lived at the institution since 1966. The Division of Fossil Primates houses a rare collection of primate fossils, including 13 million-year-old New World monkey fossils found in Colombia and others dating back over 50 million years.
Regular tours are available, but those who plan ahead can reserve the habitat experience, an intimate and engaging event. Remember that space is limited and fills quickly. Most public tours are available from May to September, with fewer possibilities outside of that time. Check the center’s website and calendar for updates.
10. Stagville State Historic Site Durham NC
Stagville State Historic Site, one of three in the county, continues the legacy of the state’s largest plantation. This site captures important historical events and provides access to slaveholding data on the Bennehan-Cameron family plantations, which owned over 900 slaves.
Historic buildings including the Bennehan House, Holman House at Horton Grove, and Great Barn preserve the plantation’s identity. The four restored slave quarters on the grounds are significant. These quarters reveal slaves’ daily lives on one of North Carolina’s largest plantations. This historically rich location is explored in one-hour guided excursions throughout the day.
11. The Carolina Theatre In Durham NC
The beautifully refurbished Carolina Theatre is a cornerstone of Durham’s arts scene. The vintage-themed non-profit performance venue hosts concerts and film festivals year-round. The theater’s interior and exterior reflect its 1920s movie house roots, keeping its beauty.
The global premiere of Bull Durham NC, about the city’s beloved baseball team, was held at this historic theater. The Carolina Theatre shows a variety of films daily in addition to special performances.
Saturdays at the Carolina Theatre are extra fun for Durham families during the Family Saturday Series. The theater hosts weekly live music and storytelling performances for all ages at $5 per ticket, making them a great weekend treat for Durham families.
12. The Duke Homestead State Historic Site In Durham NC
Explore the Duke family mansion at Duke Homestead State Historic Site, painstakingly kept to reflect its 1800s grandeur when Washington Duke founded his tobacco empire. This historic event changed Durham NC and the U.S. tobacco business. Explore the Duke family farm, tobacco barns, and old factory, each a testimony to their legacy.
Once one of the wealthiest families in the US at the turn of the 20th century, the Duke family’s influence goes beyond tobacco. Visit the museum to learn about Duke University and Duke Energy’s namesake family. Take guided tours of the tobacco industry’s transformation to learn about it. Events and festivals at the homestead make learning about this important site’s history fun and immersive.
13. The Durham Farmers’ Market
Visiting the Durham Farmers’ Market on a Saturday will make your weekend morning in Durham NC memorable. Since its 1999 founding at the Pavilion at Durham Central Park, this colorful market has become a beloved part of Durham’s cultural fabric.
Local vendors set up stalls with fresh vegetables, flowers, bakery goods, honey, handcrafted goods, and artisanal meals. In support of local businesses, vendors must operate within 70 miles of Durham NC.
The Durham Farmers’ Market’s bustling vibrancy is best experienced on Saturday mornings from 8 am to noon, April through November. Wednesday afternoon markets are held regularly through September for midweek market lovers.
14. Durham’s Street Murals
A self-guided tour of Durham’s 26 exquisite murals on local buildings will delight you. The University Hill district’s 40,000 square feet of murals liven up the streets.
The region, now a mixed-use core, offers businesses, housing, social locations, restaurants, and shopping, providing a rich tapestry of artistic experiences. Mural Durham maps are available online, and a mural finder guide is available at the Discover Durham Visitor Information Center in downtown Durham NC. This useful guide lets you slowly examine and admire each mural, making your Durham NC promenade a visual treat.
