American Tobacco Campus
Step into Durham's most dynamic district, where century-old tobacco warehouses have been reborn as a thriving destination packed with world-class performances, international flavors and unmistakable Southern charm.
Just south of the City Center District and north of the Durham Freeway sits the American Tobacco District.
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Durham Bulls Athletic ParkDurham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the Triple-A Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, hosts more than just baseball. The new…
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Durham Performing Arts CenterWith a mission of presenting one-of-a-kind live entertainment events, DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, hosts over 180 performances a year, including…
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American Tobacco CampusAmerican Tobacco Campus, or ATC, is a revitalized historic campus featuring creative office space, restaurants, shopping, and more.Birthed from the American…
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American Tobacco Campus AmphitheatreOutdoor venue on the American Tobacco Campus, seating more than 2,000 in front of a stage beneath the Lucky Strike Water…
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Bay 7 at American Tobacco CampusCentury old brick and wood steeped in American history, along with panoramic windows and a wraparound balcony make Bay 7 at…
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Old Bull BuildingThe Old Bull Building is an 1874 Italianate-style brick tobacco warehouse. The bull comes from William T. Blackwell’s brand of Genuine…
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State of GolfLocated in the American Tobacco Campus, State of Golf opened in June 2024. With three indoor golf simulators available for booking…
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Burt’s Bees CabinA fun attraction on the American Tobacco Campus, find a cedar shake cabin that serves as a historic monument to the…
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Lucky Strike TowerStanding as a nod to Durham’s past and a symbol of its present, the Lucky Strike Water Tower looks over the…
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Parker and OtisGifts. Goods. Grub... and it's all great. Jennings Brody has created an oasis of delightful food with fresh, local ingredients and…
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Boricua SoulHusband and wife team Toriano and Serena Fredericks have been melding their Puerto Rican and African American heritage into delightful bites…
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Ment Beverage Co.Honeygirl Meadery got a major “glow up” at the end of 2024 by moving and expanding their facilities and offerings under…
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EkhayaEkhaya is a beautiful, intimate spot in American Tobacco Campus from chef and restauranteur couple Chef Zweli and Leonardo Williams. Enjoy…
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SeraphineEnjoy Louisiana-style cuisine at Seraphine. The restaurant includes a cozy patio with ironwork details in the heart of American Tobacco Campus…
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NanaSteakNanasteak is a cherished and well-respected restaurant perfect for a special occasion. Serving steakhouse classics in an upscale setting, plus an…
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QueenBurgerThere’s been an influx of new openings at American Tobacco Campus (ATC), including the highly anticipated addition of QueenBurger, owned by…
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Milkshake FactoryDoes it get any better than a heaping handspun milkshake made with homemade ice cream? Well, at Milkshake Factory, it does…
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Tobacco Road Sports CaféYou know the sports bar that has wall-to-wall TVs, overloaded nachos, a great beer selection and comfy chairs? Tobacco Road is…
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Lutra Café & BakeryLutra Bakery recently announced their upcoming storefront in American Tobacco Campus. They’ll be joined by Durham classic, Fullsteam Brewery, as the…
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The LennyThe Lenny is a rooftop restaurant and bar experience in downtown Durham, NC with brasserie-style plates. A bold bar menu turns…
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The Waiting RoomThis cozy bar at American Tobacco Campus was designed to be a place to relax before a dinner reservation or after…
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Press Coffee, Crepes & CocktailsIf you want to visit France without planning an entire vacation, we can help. Press is a European-inspired coffeehouse offering quality…
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Tobacco Road Sports CaféTobacco Road offers scratch-made, locally grown food in an atmosphere that caters to sports fans and foodies. Offering a unique dining…
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Aloft Durham DowntownWhether you’re visiting DPAC for a show, catching a Durham Bulls game, or taking in the downtown vibe, we are located…
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Springhill Suites by Marriott Durham City ViewJust one block from downtown, the all-suite Durham City hotel seamlessly blends design and functionality, offering the modern amenities you need…
Known as a bustling industrial center that once housed one of the world’s largest corporations and shipped tobacco products worldwide, the former American Tobacco manufacturing plant has been transformed into the American Tobacco Historic District, a thriving mixed-use destination where visitors and residents come to live, work and play. Historic warehouses now welcome world-class dining, boutique shopping and live entertainment alongside urban housing and office space. The campus attracts innovative companies drawn to its dynamic energy and architectural character, where century-old brick and steel frame a modern community. Full of fascinating history and meticulously preserved industrial architecture, American Tobacco Campus is a downtown destination that tells Durham's story of reinvention– where the past isn't preserved behind glass, but lives and breathes in every restaurant, office and gathering space.
Things To Do At American Tobacco Campus
Anchored by over one million square feet of multi-use space, DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) define this district’s energy. DPAC isn’t just another performing arts center, it’s consistently ranked one of the top venues in the country, bringing Broadway blockbusters, hometown favorites like Sylvan Esso, chart-topping musical acts like Jason Isbell, world-class comedy like Nick Offerman and Seth Myers to thought-provoking conversations from speakers like Vice President Kamala Harris to Durham’s doorstep.
Then there’s the Durham Bulls. This is world-famous Minor League baseball – a team immortalized in the film that jumpstarted the careers of Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins and beloved far beyond North Carolina. And Durham Bulls Athletic Park is the bucket-list ballpark that brings that legacy to life with every crack of the bat. Games are fun for the whole family throughout the season, especially if you stay for the weekly fireworks display after Friday night games, and annual special events like the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration, Bark in the Park (where well-behaved pups are invited) and more are worth planning a trip around. Whether you're a kid experiencing your first game or an adult who's been coming for decades, a Bulls game is pure Durham: accessible, committed to local and impossible not to love, no matter how much you actually care about baseball.
Beyond the marquee venues, the restored historic tobacco factory buzzes with life year-round. Outside Burt's Bees' global headquarters, the actual cabin where founder Burt Shavitz lived in Maine invites guests to learn about bees and peek into his secluded life. Summer brings a calendar of free concerts and events curated by Duke Arts Presents on the lawn, where a man-made river flows nearby (follow the flow upstream to find with kid-friendly stepping stones near the historic rail car). Winter transforms the campus into a holiday wonderland of lights. Year round, you can shop local vendors at monthly Night Markets or gather for creative pop-ups at a variety of campus events. Find your center at a yoga class at Yoga Off East, all while surrounded by the iconic Lucky Strike water tower and the flashing Old Bull sign on downtown Durham's oldest standing building. This is where Durham's past and present don't just coexist, they celebrate together.
Restaurants And Bars At ATC
Along the flowing, man-made river, ATC is a destination for flavor seekers and food enthusiasts, where a diversity of cuisines intermingle on sidewalk patios overlooking the iconic scenery. Head to Parker and Otis, a gourmet eatery, coffee and gift shop, for breakfast, lunch and an assortment cookbooks, gifts and specialty food items.
Across the way, you’ll find Boricua Soul, the brainchild of a husband-and-wife duo that serves a fusion of Caribbean and Southern flavors in a casual environment. Grab your food to-go and enjoy it with a drink at Ment Beverage Co. where 24 taps pour craft beer and cider alongside award-winning mead – yes, mead, the ancient honey wine that's having a modern moment – plus Durham's only local sake, made with NC rice, and non-alcoholic options for every palate.
For upscale dining, Ekhaya brings Bantu fusion tapas to a slick setting filled with the flavors and relics of chef Zweli Williams’s upbringing in southeastern Africa. MICHELIN Guide-recommended Seraphine delivers New Orleans-inspired staples like Dragos-style oysters, gumbo, boudin and more that transport you straight to the French Quarter.
NanaSteak offers classic steakhouse excellence beneath high ceilings flooded with natural light. Durham Magazine's Best Restaurant 2024 features a subtle nod to the building's industrial past with a bar top inlaid with tobacco leaves, plus an award-winning wine list.
Craving something more casual? Queenburger serves up satisfying smashburgers and fries while interior photos tell the story of the concept’s roots as a COVID-era backyard project, while Milkshake Factory satisfies your sweet tooth. Tobacco Road Sports Café offers views over the ballpark that can't be beat, and Moe's Southwest Grill provides a familiar favorite for picky eaters or quick family meals.
With a menu boasting European-inspired coffees, crepes and craft cocktails, Press Coffee, Crepes & Cocktails is the perfect spot to refuel any time of day before exploring the American Tobacco Trail.
For a nightcap or a quick drink before a show at DPAC, stop by The Waiting Room. The cozy room with plush furniture will make you want to stay a while, to say nothing of the creative and expertly made cocktails.
And there's more coming: Fullsteam Brewery, Lutra Bakery and East of Texas are set to join the campus in 2026, ensuring American Tobacco Campus continues to evolve as Durham's premier destination for gathering, eating and celebrating.
Places To Stay In ATC
Now that you've discovered all of ATC's restaurants, bars and attractions, you'll need a place to wind down. Luckily, Aloft Durham Downtown offers that and more. Comfortable rooms, an entertainment-themed lobby, indoor pool and more make it the place to stay in ATC. A location adjacent to both ATC and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park make it a no brainer for anyone who wants to park the car once and spend the weekend enjoying all the convenience offered by ATC.
American Tobacco Campus isn't just a destination, it's proof that Durham knows how to honor its roots while building something entirely new. Whether you're catching a game, seeing a show, savoring a meal or simply wandering the brick pathways beneath the Lucky Strike tower, you're experiencing a place where history and innovation don't compete, they collaborate.
Parking At ATC
Three parking decks at American Tobacco Campus provide complimentary parking for up to two hours (event days may vary). You'll find the North Deck at 305 W. Pettigrew St., South Deck at 653 Jackie Robinson Dr. and East Deck at 305 W. Mangum St. Pay via the stations in each garage or through the ParkMobile App. For complete parking tips throughout Durham – including strategies for DPAC shows and other events – check out our parking guide.
















































