I recently took a short weekend trip to Durham, NC, and had a blast! It is a fabulous town for foodies, and boasts amazing outdoor activities as well. It feels like a big small town, one that is on the verge of major growth, but in a cool, creative way. I spent two days there, and in that time I ate some amazing food, got to walk in a gorgeous botanical garden, and stayed in a bed & breakfast for the very first time. I walked downtown, sampled the local culture, and felt at home. Durham is a short 3 hour drive from my home, so I know I will be visiting again soon! Want to go for yourself? Here are a few fabulous things to see and do in Durham, North Carolina that are perfect for anyone wanting to take a trip.
Eat downtown
I adore creative, out of the box restaurants, and Durham has them in spades! This town has become known for its trendy food scene, with a really diverse variety of places to eat all within walking distance of each other. One thing I always like to see in places I visit is a nice variety of vegetarian options for us, and I am happy to say that most of the restaurants I checked menus for had more than just one meatless option.
We visited Toast and Bull City Burger & Brewery on our trip, which were both fantastic, but Bull City Brewery was my favorite. We ate on their patio, which was basically a large alley decorated with string lights, and the ambiance was fabulous! We both ate veggie burgers that were made there (not bought), and from the first bite I knew I wanted to go back many, many times. I am a big supporter of self sustainability, and not only do they use natural, mostly local non-gmo ingredients, they have their own garden to pick from right on the patio!
Spend the night at The Arrowhead Inn
We usually stay in full service hotels when we travel, but since this trip was all about trying new things, I decided to check out what local inns Durham had to offer. There were a few, but when I came across The Arrowhead Inn I thought it would be perfect for us. It sits on lush green grounds with plenty of areas outdoors to sit, swing, dine, and play.
This gorgeous historical inn has 7 rooms/suites, a cottage, and a cabin available to book. We stayed in the Duke Suite, and it was such a great decision! They do dinner on reservation, but they do provide guests with gourmet breakfast prepared by an all star chef in the mornings which is included in your room. If you are looking for something romantic, they offer couple’s packages, massage, and more.
Sara P. Duke Gardens
The Sara P. Duke Gardens are a great way to spend an afternoon, and if you are a nature lover, this is a must! We walked around for a couple of hours, and I wish we could have stayed there longer! The gardens are free to visit, and you can stay as long as you like, which is great when you want to relax and soak in the plant life. There are so many different types of plants, flowers, and unique little areas that really make this place a great destination. They offer guided tours, wedding options, and feature a gift shop and cafe as well.
Go to the roof of The Durham Hotel
If we hadn’t stayed at the Arrowhead, this would have been our home for the weekend. The Durham is a gorgeous modern hotel in the heart of Downtown Durham. From the moment you walk in, you know this place is special, and they have all kinds of fun things to see, eat, and find here.
Even if you don’t plan to stay here, you MUST do one thing: head to the roof. Their rooftop restaurant/bar/hangout area has the most gorgeous view in the entire town, and is worth having a drink and relaxing while you look over downtown. We didn’t get to eat there because the open air restaurant area was full, but we did get to check out the spectacular view.
That was all we could pack in for this weekend, but there are so many more great things to see and do in Durham that I will definitely be back! Now, check out this short video of a few things we did:
