Exploring Durham

Downtown Durham is located just a short walk or bus ride from Duke’s East Campus. Home to a minor league baseball team, a major performance center and even a local museum, Durham has also been named the South's "tastiest town". It is a can't-miss part of the Duke experience. Check out this list of things to do in downtown Durham and make sure to explore on your own once you get to campus.

TV: Durham Photo Essay - Images by Duke Student Publishing Co. Duke Chronicle

Durham History Hub

Start off your exploration of the city at the Durham History Hub. Opened in October of 2013, the History Hub is the physical space of the Museum of Durham History, housed in an old bus transfer station. While the space may be small, it is filled with various permanent and rotating exhibits that provide look at the diversity of Durham, with exhibits on the people, communities and events that have shaped the city’s history.

Durham Bulls Game

Durham has been home to a minor league baseball team on and off since 1902, when the Durham Tobacconists were established. Nowadays, the Bulls play out of the recently renovated Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Bulls games are a local favorite in the spring and summer; the team was featured in a photography exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

DPAC

Motorco Music Hall is another of the establishments in the increasingly vibrant Central Park district. The large indoor space is used for concerts and other events, while the outdoor patio is a great place to hang out and grab some food or drinks.

Fullsteam

Fullsteam is located just across the street from Motorco, and is a product of the growing craft brewing industry in North Carolina. The huge tavern opens onto a side alley and out the front door, and there’s usually a food truck present. Inside, there are plenty of board games, arcade machines and even ping pong tables for entertainment for all ages. In back you can even see into the brewery, where Fullsteam’s signature Southern beers are produced.

Cocoa Cinnamon

Cocoa Cinnamon is a coffee shop also located in the Central Park District downtown. Located in a converted garage, the inside is a cozy mish-mash of sofas and tables which opens onto the outdoor picnic table-filled patio. Cocoa has some of the best coffee in Durham, with unique specialty drinks like Moctezuma (a latte with dulce de leche and cayenne pepper) and KokyTu (triple ristretto over iced cane sugar mexican coke). Another location of Cocoa Cinnamon is slated to open in spring of 2015 in Old West Durham.

Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

Get your first taste of the South at Dame’s Chicken & Waffles. It might sound like a strange combination, but the crispy fried chicken is perfectly complemented by the waffles and shmears (creamy flavored butter concoctions), which come in a variety of flavors. Try the “Frizzled Fowl”, panko-crusted chicken with almond Asian plum sauce, a blueberry waffle and maple-pecan shmear.

Intrepid Life Coffee & Sprits

Intrepid Life Coffee & Spirits is a coffee shop by day, bar by night. Located just off CCB Plaza downtown, Intrepid’s huge open space not only makes it great for studying, but also for events like dance parties and trivia. Owner Matt Victoriano is a former Marine Corps sergeant who decided to start his own business as a place in the community for people to interact, using his military training as a guide to help other lead intrepid lives.

Rose’s Meat Market and Sweet Shop

Rose’s, located just off East Campus, was opened by a chef/butcher and a pastry chef. It represents the intersection of two trades – a meat market and sweet shop. The pastries are made daily with fresh, local ingredients, and all of their meat come from local farms. Rose’s bacon selection is unparalleled; they also make their own ice creams in store.

Scratch

Scratch, a bakery located in the City Center District, is a Durham brunch favorite. Owner and chef Phoebe Lawless takes advantage of local ingredients and Southern influences in her cooking, creating amazing pies, pastries and brunch offerings. The menu changes with the seasons, but it is always guaranteed to be incredible. Summertime means local tomatoes, which are used in everything from the deceivingly simple heirloom tomato sandwich to the tomato pie. The lemon chess pie is a must have.

Bull City Burger and Brewery/Pompieri

Bull City Burger and Brewery has been a downtown fixture since 2011, with incredible burgers and sides (fried pickle chips!). March is Exotic Meat Month, with everything from snake and alligator to bison and beaver. Owner Seth Gross recently opened up another restaurant, Pompieri Pizza, just behind BCBB. Located in historic fire station #1, the pizzas are fresh, delicious and served alongside a pair of scissors – you cut your own slices at the table.

Monuts

Monuts began as a business that delivered homemade donuts by tricycle. Nowadays, it has a brick-and-mortar location on Parrish Street, and it has expanded from only donuts to include bagels and breakfast sandwiches as well, in order to appeal to a wider audience. Their donut flavors change daily, and have included chocolate earl grey, strawberry shortcake and apple cider. Their maple sriracha is a must-have on the bagel sandwiches.

The Parlour