Make Your Group Meeting a Smashing Success in Durham

Whether you’re bringing a group to Durham for a corporate event, a conference or a meeting, there’s no shortage of activities to keep your guests happy and having a great time. Durham is ideally situated in the Triangle region of North Carolina and is an easily accessible East Coast destination known for its history of innovation and entrepreneurship. The culture and creativity here make it an inspiring place to gather for a productive and engaging event balanced with the convenience and fun of a mid-sized city with plenty of memorable things to do outside the meeting room.

Curate magical evenings full of memories in Durham’s bustling and creative districts. Your group will enjoy Durham as they savor a delicious dinner in a private dining room, cheer together at a baseball game or sip drinks at a rooftop bar. There are so many things to do in Durham with a group that your guests will be begging to come back again and again.

Discover more about what Durham has to offer your group in the Meeting Planner's Guide.

Bring a Local Celebrity to Your Meeting

Make your meeting one your group won’t forget with a visit from Wool E. Bull. While the Durham Bulls baseball team’s mascot is known for racing around the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in a go-kart, his appearance at your event will include lots of high fives and photo ops. Learn more about booking Wool E. Bull for your event.

Roses are red, violets are blue. Invite the Poetry Fox to your meeting and he’ll write poems for you, too! The Poetry Fox, a performative art staple at Durham events and Durham’s current Poet Laureate, is a giant fox who writes custom poems on a vintage typewriter. Guests will take home a poem, no matter from where they roam.

14 Fun Group Activities in Durham

Once the day’s main meetings or events are done, there’s so much for your group to do and see! Find a teambuilding activity or get to know your group better as you discover all that Durham has to offer.

1. Hang With Lemurs at the Duke Lemur Center

Did you know that the Duke Lemur Center, in Durham, NC is home to the largest number of lemurs outside of their native Madagascar? And did you also know that lemurs are the most endangered mammal on earth? Don’t miss a chance for your group to see more than 200 animals from 13 different species on a group tour at this research and conservation center. There are several tour options, including an opportunity to walk with lemurs inside of their enclosures. Be sure to reserve in advance.

2. Explore the Museum of Life and Science

Why let the kids have all the fun? Tap into your inner child while you visit a butterfly house, climb through treehouses, and see rare red wolves. Ride a train, see a space capsule or walk through an urban wetland. With more than 20 exhibits both indoors and outdoors, your group will be thrilled at how much there is to discover. The museum also has private event space and offers group reservations.

3. Discover Durham’s Public Art

Get outside and see what makes Durham unique through the lens of its public art. Don’t miss the iconic bronze Major the Bull statue in the city’s center, the Durham Civil Rights mural next to the Durham Art Guild or the neon Old Bull sign that overlooks the American Tobacco Campus. View the Public Art & Inspiration Guide for more.

4. Take a Campus Tour of Duke University and Hold Court at the Duke Basketball Museum & Sports Hall of Fame

Don’t miss a chance to tour Duke University’s beautiful campus. See the towering gothic Duke Chapel, walk past fan-famous Cameron Indoor Stadium or enjoy the spectacular rotunda in Baldwin Auditorium. Student tours are available through undergraduate admissions but if you’re not going to college soon, take a self-guided tour on an iOs or Android device. Sports fans will also enjoy the Duke Basketball Museum & Sports Hall of Fame, which highlights the achievements of Duke athletics across 26 teams and 13 national championships. See trophies and sports memorabilia along with video displays. Whether your group cheers for Duke or not, everyone will be able to appreciate the accomplishments of Duke’s student athletes, both past and present.

5. Hang out at a Rooftop Bar

Take your group up above it all and find the best views of the city. Sip on craft cocktails from a bird’s eye view at The Lenny, which has views of downtown and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Enjoy the Velvet Hippo, an irreverent, sober-friendly, neighborhood bar for dog-lovers on a rooftop patio. Go up on The Roof at the Durham Hotel for delightful sunset views from a historic mid-century modern former home savings and loan building.

6. Stroll Through the Sarah P. Duke Gardens

Young and old alike will enjoy the stunning 55-acre botanical gardens on the campus of Duke University. See native plants, an Asiatic garden, a formal terraced garden, koi ponds, and more. The hardest part of this activity will be keeping your group together because there’s so much to explore! Construction on a new visitor center may cause parking disruptions, so check the website until the Garden Gateway opens in spring 2026.

7. Bank on the Vault at the 21c Museum Hotel

Explore the labyrinthian 21c Museum Hotel, a boutique hotel located in a former bank building. The hotel’s Counting House Restaurant has private dining for up to 32, and the bar and restaurant can accommodate even larger groups. The former basement-level bank vault has been preserved, and guests can walk through metal gates and experience the room full of (empty) safe deposit boxes. Guests can also view artwork for free at the museum, which is accessible at all hours of the day and night.

8. Reflect at Art Exhibits at the Nasher Museum of Art

Have an inspiring experience at Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art. Celebrating 20 years, the museum features contemporary art from diverse and historically underrepresented artists. The museum values accessibility, which means that it is free and open to the public. Its permanent collection and rotating exhibits from established and up-and-coming artists mean there’s always something new to see. If you work up an appetite, stop by the museum’s cafe for a mediterranean-inspired meal. Construction may cause parking disruptions, so check the website before you go.

9. Sip and Stroll through the Bullpen Social District

Enjoy your drink on the go, within the boundaries of the Bullpen. Durham’s new social district invites you to shop, walk or enjoy an outdoor performance with an alcoholic beverage in-hand. Walk inside of participating shops and restaurants and order a drink in a to-go container. Learn more about participating businesses at the official Social District Guide from Downtown Durham, Inc.

10. Be Dazzled by Broadway at Durham Performing Arts Center, DPAC

Does your group love to sing showtunes? Do they like to be entertained? Take them to a Broadway show at DPAC. Consistently ranked among the top five theaters and performing arts centers in the United States, DPAC provides an experience like no other. Fan-favorites have included shows like The Lion King, Hamilton and Wicked as well as touring musical acts, comedians and more.

11. Shop Local at Boxyard RTP and get ready for Hub RTP

At Boxyard RTP, discover unique small businesses housed in stacked shipping containers for a one-of-a-kind shopping, dining and entertainment experience. Try Korean or Southern barbeque, sip on beer from a local brewery, or get your group to try an escape room. Hub RTP is an up-and-coming district adjacent to Boxyard RTP which will be a city-inspired live/work/play destination and is sure to be a place for groups to explore in years to come.

13. See a Durham Bulls Baseball Game

Take your group out to a ball game! From May through September, don’t miss the famed triple-A team, as they deliver an entertaining evening in the heart of downtown Durham. Watch mascot Wool E. Bull in action as he gets the crowd cheering and see the smoke pour out of a billboard bull’s nose when a Bulls player hits a homerun. Buy your group some peanuts and crackerjacks and root for the home team. Your group won’t care if you ever get back.

14. Play a Round of Golf

Gather your group for a tee time and play a round of golf. Choose Between live or simulation golf experiences depending on what fits your group’s needs. Head outdoors for award-winning courses like the Duke University Golf Club, Hillandale Golf Club or The Crossings Golf Club. Head indoors for virtual play at State of Golf, Golf Tec Durham, or Topgolf Durham. With so many golf options, it won’t be hard for your group to get into the swing of things.

It’s easy to see why your group meeting is sure to be a success in Durham. With team-building activities, private dining, entertainment and fun for all ages, a trip to Durham is exactly what your group has been looking for. For more information, contact the Discover Durham sales team, subscribe to meeting planner communications, or submit a RFP.