A Guide to Durham's Art Galleries and Museums
Art lovers will find a depth of creativity and artistry in Durham, equally inspired by local artists, extensive and thoughtfully curated... Read More
Durham's Sightseeing Tours
Find your perfect adventure and experience Durham with this list of tours in the Bull City.
Sure, it’s fun to explore Durham on your own, but an informative tour led by an expert guide with all kinds of insider knowledge that you can’t get anywhere else ... priceless.
Looking to learn more about Durham's African American history? Reserve a spot on a Whistle Stop tour. Want to simultaneously exercise and get a glimpse of some of Durham's incredible murals? Check out Preservation Durham's Murals by Bike tour.
Whether you’re visiting for a week or a weekend, or just ready to step out and discover more of the city you call home, this selection of tours will help you get up close and personal with Durham.
Whistle Stop Tours
Get ready to learn more about Durham's African American history on a storytelling tour with brief stops all around Durham.
Created by Aya Shabu in 2011, Durham's Whistle Stop walking tours strive to be a contributing voice in shaping the public memory of North Carolina’s slave past and African American achievement. With partnerships that include the Hayti Heritage Center and the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, the tours celebrate the forefathers and foremothers of Durham’s Black Wall Street, Hayti, and West End neighborhoods.
Expect to see performers and activists, scholars and public historians, natives and long-time residents coming together to preserve African American neighborhoods by sharing their stories. Reserve a spot on a custom group tour available for birthdays, family reunions, professional retreats, class field trips, and more. (Bus tours are available upon request at an additional cost.)
Their current tours include Roots & Soul: Walking With Pauli Murray, Free Soil Havens: Hayti and Haiti, Black Wall Street: The Price of Progress, and Diggable History.
Immerse yourself in Durham's Black history with Aya Shabu's Whistlestop Tours. Photo: Aya Shabu
Preservation Durham Tours
Preservation Durham has a mission to protect Durham’s historic assets and stories through education, advocacy, and action. They offer periodic, free walking tours and events centered around historic neighborhoods, sites and architecture in Durham.
Learn more about Durham's historic residents through cemetery tours like the Maplewood Cemetery Tour or the Historic Geer Cemetery Tours. Join local historian John Schlep on tours like the Neighborhoods Hike, where you can learn all about Durham's iconic neighborhoods. Those looking to also take advantage of The Bull Pen can sip on a beverage while learning about Durham's architectural history at the Cocktails and Cornices Walking Tour.
Check the site for details about upcoming events.
Tobacco Road Tours
For over 12 years, Tobacco Road Tours has provided tours, activities, and transportation services to the public. In 2009, Brad Kennedy and Lynn Lamont, both seasoned domestic and international travelers, desired to bring the history, culture, amenities, and lifestyle to guests in the Triangle. Try your best to sign up as early as possible for their popular Ghost Walk tours that sell out quickly, and check out the City of Medicine Walking Tour and the Sightseeing Bar Walk for a taste of history. Find details and book tours on their website.
Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours
Eat or drink your way through the "tastiest town in the South" (thank you for the name Southern Living) with these delicious foodie tour options!
The Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours take you around Durham and introduce you to the restaurants and people that are making Durham one of the nation’s hotspots. These tours include food tastings at five to six different restaurants and food shops, with splashes of wine and tastes of beer here and there.
Tours are offered on Saturday afternoons:
- 1:30 Durham Downtown Tasting Tour
- 3:00 Durham Downtown Evening Tasting & Drinks Tour
Schedules and menus are subject to change on a week-to-week basis based on restaurant availability. Check the website for details.
Duke & NCCU Campus Tours
North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and Duke University make Durham an epicenter of collegiate brilliance. Both universities have plenty to explore and discover, whether you're a prospective college student or just a curious city visitor.
Duke University
Take a virtual campus tour before heading there in person to get your bearings and decide what you want to see most. Use the map of campus to create your own tour, or follow our guide to Duke's campus and Ninth Street.
Duke's West Campus is a must-see in terms of Durham architecture. Photo: Bill Snead
NCCU
NCCU is offering student, family, and campus walking tours on select Mondays through Fridays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., as well as Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. If you're more interested in taking things at your own pace, follow our visitor's guide to NCCU and Fayetteville Street.
Tour NCCU's beautiful campus and learn its history. Photo: Discover Durham
Nature Tours
Escape the hustle and bustle for a taste of the outdoors on a bicycle, canoe, or kayak nature tour, with guides from Carolina Tarwheels, Two Sister's Adventure Company, and Frog Hollow Outdoors. For a more easy-going, but just as breathtaking, nature experience, take a tour of Sarah P. Duke Gardens.
Downtown Durham Walking Tour
Durham's downtown districts are filled to the brim with attractions to explore, whether you're interested in the city's past, present or future. Let us share our city with you through this online guide of Downtown Durham. From its architectural focal points and historical landmarks to its delicious restaurants and bustling bars, Downtown Durham will keep even the most curious of visitors on their toes, both literally and figuratively.
It's hard to beat a sunset tour of the Bull City. Photo: Estlin Haiss
What are you waiting for? Sign up for one of these tour-riffic tours today!
