The Bull City beckons with all kinds of ways to experience the distinct charm unique to Durham. Our team at NC Pro Realty has curated a list of some our favorite spots to get you better acquainted with this amazing city!
Explore fifty-five acres of botanic beauty at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, nestled on the campus of Duke University. Five miles of paths and walkways meander through four distinct gardens, offering a stunning display of horticultural splendor. Pause under the wisteria-covered pergola as you admire the historic Terrace gardens, filled with a diverse abundance of perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs and trees. Gaze in wonder at the Carnivorous Plant Bog in the H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, teeming with hungry plant species native to North Carolina. Learn about Japanese culture as you observe a Japanese Tea Gathering at the W.L. Culberson Asiatic Arboretum. Transport yourself to an English cottage garden with a stroll through the Page-Rollins White Garden. The gardens welcome guests daily from 8 am to dusk and charge no admission, so plan for many return visits to this beautiful slice of paradise!
Where can you find a two-story science center, one of the largest butterfly conservatories on the East Coast and over 84 acres of outdoor exhibits within five miles of downtown Durham? We won’t keep you in suspense: all this and more can be found at the acclaimed interactive science park that is the NC Museum of Life and Science. Dig for ancient fossils along the Dinosaur Trail or climb aboard the Ellerbe Creek Railway, a scale replica C.P. Huntington locomotive that carries you on a scenic 10-minute ride through the museum grounds. Prepare to be dazzled in the Magic Wings Butterfly House, a 35-foot tall glass conservatory where hundreds of tropical butterflies swoop and glide in a lush rainforest environment. Perform your own outdoor concert in the Sound Garden and climb up into the Treehouse Village for a unique perspective. Observe rescued black bears, lemurs and endangered red wolves in their outdoor safe havens and get up close and personal with the animals in The Farmyard. With so many engaging exhibits, you should definitely plan for plenty of time to explore!
Pay a visit to the American Tobacco Campus, where history, entertainment and dining all converge in one unique and unforgettable setting. Enjoy a live performance at the Durham Performing Arts Center which hosts touring Broadway productions, high-profile concerts, family shows and the American Dance Festival. Root for the home team at Durham Bulls Athletic Park! This 360-degree ballpark was designed so that every seat offers a great view of the field. Be sure to give a wave to the famous giant Snorting Bull above the scoreboard! Stroll along the campus filled with refurbished historic factory buildings and take a peek into the small cedar shake cabin of the late Burt’s Bees founder. Worked up an appetite? Grab a bite at one of the many stellar restaurants onsite.
Get back to nature with a visit to Eno River State Park. Nearly 30 miles of trails offer something for everyone, whether you fancy a short nature walk or a more challenging hike that gets your heart pumping. Gorgeous scenery greets you in the form of the swiftly rolling Eno River, mature forests, stone-lined river bluffs covered in flowering shrubs, giant boulders and rock outcroppings and even a historic mill. Hike the 1.5-mile Buckwater Creek Trail, where a stone staircase leads hikers over a rock outcrop and offers a view of the river’s mighty rapids. Up for a challenge? Take the challenging climb up the Cox Mountain Trail which takes you across the river via a suspension foot bridge and up a steep trail through scenic hardwood forest.
Dive into history at Duke Homestead State Historic Site and Tobacco Museum. Stroll the grounds and see the historic home, farm and tobacco factory buildings of Washington Duke and his family and learn about the integral role the Duke family played in shaping Durham’s history. Explore on your own or take one of the daily guided tours for a more in-depth study of Washington Duke’s 1852 home, a tobacco curing barn, a tobacco pack house and a tobacco factory dating to 1869. Continue your walk through history at Stagville State Historic Site where you can tour what remains of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina, including original slave quarters, a giant barn, and the Bennehan family house, dating back to the 1700s.
Searching for a truly divine experience? Experience the grandeur of the Duke University Chapel. Marvel at this intricate architectural wonder constructed in the English Gothic tradition. Contemplate the artistry and skill that created the chapel’s seventy-seven stained glass windows from more than one million pieces of glass. Gaze in awe at the 210-foot tall tower that houses the 50-bell carillon - the largest bell weighs 11,200 pounds! The carillon plays regularly at 5 pm on weekdays. Four magnificent pipe organs grace the interior of the chapel and you’re in luck if you visit during the academic years, Tuesday through Thursday at 12:30 pm: the chapel organist and other local organists perform an open rehearsal, allowing you to fully appreciate the pipe organs in all their glory.
No matter where you head first, Durham is ready to greet you with its unique blend of history, hospitality and innovation! So, get out the door and start exploring!
