Got Tweens or Teens? Here's How to Blow off Steam in Durham

Let’s face it, entertaining tweens and teens is a unique challenge. Too grown up for some things, but not grown up enough for others. Luckily, Durham has such a diverse array of activities and attractions, you're bound to find something that will pique your teens interests. Whether your child is off for summer or winter break, or you all just need to get out of town for a weekend, the Bull City is a great place to find find fun, engaging, maybe even educational things to do together.

Get Outside

The American Tobacco Trail is an uninterrupted 22.6-mile trail, 12 of which are in Durham. It runs along an abandoned railroad bed originally built for the American Tobacco Company in the 1970s. The trail is a 10-foot wide asphalt paved greenway with loose gravel shoulders and a pedestrian bridge over I-40 that connects the northern and southern segments of the trail.

You could spend an entire day exploring this trail and the stops you can find along it. Explore the trail on foot or a bicycle, hopping off and on the trail as you pass points of interest. Start at The American Tobacco Campus and make your way down the path in time to stop at the legendary Chicken Hut for lunch at the Fayetteville St crossing. Follow the trail further south for food at Bua Thai or Nantucket Grill and then a sweet treat at Dulce Cafe. Alternatively, you could plan to walk the trail and then have a picnic at Satellite Park.

While you’re out and about walking, here's a guide to explore all of downtown Durham by foot, whether you have a spare hour or an entire afternoon.

In Northern Durham, Eno River State Park and Little River Regional Park & Natural Area feature hiking and biking trails along winding rivers and hills. The Eno River flows through Durham for 33 miles before eventually ending up in Falls Lake on the eastern edge, with entry through one of five access points. Little River Regional Park & Natural Area boasts 391 acres of park and natural area developed from tobacco farmland with seven miles of hiking trails, eight miles of single-track mountain biking trails, and a birding trail taking you through hardwood forest and around the flowing waters.

West Point on the Eno City Park includes a historic mill and farmhouse surrounded by trails with beautiful views of the Eno River. There are also urban pathways lined with nature preserves, trails through protected forests, and more.

Love the water? Frog Hollow Outdoors hosts canoeing and paddling excursions in and around Durham’s waterways and nature areas, rock climbing, hiking, and backpacking too. Or grab your favorite bait and head to Falls Lake or to Little River Lake for dock or bank fishing.

If your tween or teen is into something a little bit more active, shoot hoops at one of Durham’s public basketball courts, whack a tennis ball or perfect your swing at Durham’s seven public and semiprivate golf courses that feature a diverse range of course settings.

Educate Without a Screen

Don’t @ me. Yes, the Museum of Life + Science is a hit with the under 12 crowd (that dinosaur trail, am I right?), but that doesn’t mean that the wild lemurs, black bears, and red wolves don’t deserve a look in for your tween or teen, too. Another highlight for all ages is the Ellerbee Creek Railway, an old-time train ride that does two laps of the museum’s gorgeous natural surrounds.

Durham’s local history museum, the Museum of Durham History features exhibits on Black Wall Street, North Carolina Mutual, and a timeline featuring key historical figures and pivotal moments of Durham’s history. Be sure to check out their website for information on rotating exhibits, upcoming events, and their Durham Stories series.

Bring History to Life

Fun fact, Durham is the only county in North Carolina with three state historic sites. What's even better is that admission is free, though donations are welcomed and encouraged.

Historic Stagville was one of the largest plantations in the South, with 900 enslaved people and 30,000 acres. Today the site is devoted to the preservation and study of African American culture and offers free tours of the original slave quarters, barn, and the Bennehan family house.

The Duke Homestead State Historic Site, home of the self-made tobacco tycoon Washington Duke, features a restored mid-1800s home, tobacco barns, an original tobacco factory, and a museum. The site interprets the early farming life of the Duke family and the beginnings of their tobacco manufacturing business on the property after the Civil War.

Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnson met at the Bennett farmstead in 1865 to arrange the largest troop surrender of the Civil War, 17 days after General Lee’s surrender. Today, Bennett Place Historic Site includes a tour of the reconstructed farmhouse, outbuildings, an interpretive center, and museum.

An African American entrepreneurial enclave that developed along Parrish Street in the early 20th Century, it was nationally cited as one of three such areas to be exceptionally prosperous. Black businesses such as the NC Mutual Life Insurance Company, M&F Bank, and others were established here. Later known as Black Wall Street, the area created an unprecedented black middle class acclaimed by black scholars Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. Look for the bronze sculpture commemorating the history of the street and read more in our African American Heritage Guide.

Engage the Art Enthusiast

Duke University’s focal point for visual arts is the 65,000 square-foot, Rafael Viñoly-designed Nasher Museum of Art. With a permanent collection that includes Medieval art, pre-Columbian American works, classical pieces, and an ever-growing list of modern and contemporary works, the Nasher is always an exciting and fascinating destination (their sculpture garden is a must too).

Next to the Duke Arts Annex on Gattis St, you'll find a unique art exhibit called Satellite Park. Eight decommissioned satellites, which delivered educational programming for Duke Cable Television in the 1990s, were transformed by local artists to create a one-of-a-kind community park in Durham’s Burch Avenue neighborhood. The park is open from dawn until dusk.

Soak up vibrant, bigger-than-life murals on a stroll through the Bull City with Mural Durham's Mural Map, a map that connects Durham through creativity, one mural at a time. Many of these incredible murals have a back story about Durham’s colorful past and rich heritage, while others prove for a truly Instagrammable spot!

Speaking of murals, UHill Walls is a dense, walkable art experience with over 40,000 square feet of murals on 15 contiguous acres. It is the driving force behind University Hills, a mixed-use redevelopment of a strip center with award-winning food, drink, wellness, and residential living.

Burn Off Steam

Unearth clues, crack codes, solve puzzles, and escape at one of Durham’s many escape rooms. Whether it’s from a submarine attack at Escape on Purpose, a beach rental during a hurricane at Mission X Escape, aliens from a cryogenic chamber at NC Escape, or solving a murder with Bull City Escape, there’s no shortage of options to keep minds active.

Alternatively, at Augmentality Labs tweens and teens can don a VR headset and immerse themselves into casting spells, blasting zombies, or exploring new worlds in both single and multiplayer games.

For a more classic gaming experience, head over to Boxcar Bar and Arcade. Here, you can play the classics like pinball, air hockey, Pacman and more. Did we mention they have pizza? Boxcar's pizzas and soft pretzels are the perfect snacks to fuel your teen's afternoon of arcade gaming.

Xtreme Park Adventures is the ultimate outdoor adventure destination offering fun for all ages. Current attractions include Xtreme Lazerz laser tag, Xtreme Kombat airsoft & paintball, and Xtreme Zipline. For extreme indoor adventuring, check out OC Aerial. Here, the young, energetic and fearless can channel their inner ninja warrior to tackle the aerial ropes course, zipline and more.

If you want to get active but don't want to get "extreme," rent some skates at Wheels Durham. spend the afternoon wheeling around the rink then refuel in the cafe before winning big at the arcade.

Triangle Rock Club's state-of-the-art facilities offer both lead and top rope climbing, expansive bouldering terrain, and comprehensive fitness areas. Their goal is to create a strong community of individuals who share a passion for climbing and fitness. If you're downtown, head to the Boulder Garden for bouldering and art. They also offer youth specific programs and bookings for birthday parties.

Explore Our College Town

As teens get to a certain age, college can become a main focus. With not one but three higher education options to choose from — North Carolina Central University, Duke University, and Durham Technical Community College — Durham is one of the most highly educated destinations in the country.

Founded by Dr. James E. Shepard, North Carolina Central University (NCCU) became the first state-supported liberal arts college for African Americans in the country. Today it's home to a public art museum, biomanufacturing and biomedical research institutes, an award-winning marching band and competitive athletic squads that compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. There's plenty to see on campus, so make sure you check in on all of the things to explore at NCCU before heading over.

Duke is one of the most prestigious universities in the country, with some of their most highly regarded programs being law, medicine, the humanities and social sciences. It is also home to the world-renowned Duke Lemur Center, the breathtaking Duke Chapel, the highly-curated Nasher Museum of Art, legendary Cameron Indoor Stadium and beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Follow our guide to Duke and the neighboring Ninth Street District to make sure you don't miss out on any of the cool points of interest.

Durham Tech has offered affordable and convenient career and technical education for over 50 years. They offer associate degrees that act as a springboard to four-year colleges, continuing education, certificate programs and other programs in welding, electrical systems technology, nursing, dental laboratory technology and more.

Your teen might also want to know what it's like to be a college student in Durham. Lets face it, even the most studious teen is going to spend time on things other than academics. So, let them explore Durham like a college student. Have your teen explore Durham's hottest shops and local haunts for students. Grab a coffee at Cloche Coffee or, for a truly authentic experience, a late night burrito at Cosmic Cantina.

Roam Free at Community Hubs

Durham has many community gathering places where you can let your teen roam free and do their own thing. Head to Golden Belt where you can sip on a pint at Hi-Wire while your teen gets pizza from Cugino Forno or ice cream from Two Roosters before kicking the soccer ball around with friends.

American Tobacco Campus has a lawn for lounging and its own man-made river where teens can hang out. They can grab a burger at Queenburger before perusing the shops. Make sure to wrap up the night with a milkshake from Milkshake Factory.

South Durham is home to both The Streets at Southpoint and Boxyard RTP, both hubs for shopping, eating and socializing. Teens can walk through Southpoint and shop at the stores the mall has to offer, just make sure you check the parental guidance first. At Boxyard, your teen can shop for vintage clothing or other interesting items before grabbing food at one of the unique shipping containers turned into restaurants.

Attend a Teen Friendly Event in Durham

Finding a cool event to attend can be a great way to give your teen or tween a unique experience in Durham. The Bull City hosts many events, from weekly concert series to annual festivals. Some events are seasonal, so make sure to check out our event guides for winter, spring, summer and fall.

When the weather gets nice, multiple venues around town will hold weekly concert series like Music Near the Gardens or the PLAYlist Concert Series. Also keep an eye on Durham Central Park's events schedule for the next food truck rodeo and don't forget about the skate park on the southeast corner of the park. Bond with your kids over the films of your childhood at the Carolina Theatre's Retro Film Series, which runs across 6 months every year.

Events that return to Durham every year include conventions, food festivals, and music festivals. Music festivals include Biscuits and Banjos and Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival. Durham is proud to host NC Comicon annually. Festival for the Eno is a family friendly summer event you won't want to miss.