Central Park District
From Saturday farmers' markets to late-night live shows, this creative district celebrates Durham's independent spirit with locally owned spots, women-led distilleries and a community park that brings everyone together.
North of the City Center, the Central Park District is, naturally, home to Durham Central Park, a community-focused, five-acre municipal park that boasts a playground, skate park, covered pavilion, art studios, public art and a spacious grassy lawn. Every week, thousands of people shop at the farmers’ market and attend events,like free summer movies on the lawn and concerts. If you’re looking for a place where something is always happening, Central Park is your best bet.
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Durham Farmers’ MarketOpen in Central Park each Saturday morning and Wednesday evenings, April through November, and every Saturday year-round, The Durham Farmers’ Market…
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Sauna House DurhamSauna House is a relaxing, spa-like space with multiple saunas and cold plunge pools, plus a tea bar, private rooms and…
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Welcome Tattoo Walk-In SaturdaysWalk-In Saturdays are the perfect opportunity to get tattooed by our talented artists without the need for an appointment. Here’s everything…
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Motorco Music HallA small venue in a 1930s-era breadmaking facility and car dealership, this concert hall has an industrial vibe and hosts acts…
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Boxcar Bar + ArcadeBoxcar is a gamer’s paradise where vintage pinball and arcade games share space with interactive racing games, Dance Dance Revolution, air…
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Urban Axes DurhamAt the Durham location of the small chain that helped popularize axe throwing as a social and team-building activity as well…
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Nanny Goat Market (Downtown Durham)Nanny Goat is a fun little “boutique bodega” in the Central Park District that mixes everyday essentials with local goodies, grab‑and‑go…
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Durham Central ParkMake your way to Durham Central Park, a five-acre green space overflowing with public art. Numerous murals dot the park and…
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Durham Food HallDurham's first food hall concept has a range of vendors that any palate will appreciate. The casual, modern space has a…
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Ex-Voto Cocina NixtamalFounders Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis have sold over 50,000 handcrafted crunchwraps and burritos since opening -- if you need to…
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Liturgy Beverage CompanyLocated in the Durham Food Hall, Liturgy Beverage Company is a specialty coffee shop focused on connecting farmers' work with the…
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Foster Street CoffeeSnag a coveted seat for an expertly crafted brew among scores of coffee dates and telecommuters at this Central Park gathering…
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TaTacoTaTaco is the most classic Mexican of of Oscar Diaz’s restaurants. Come here for towering Caesar salads, stacked enchiladas, Diaz's mother’s…
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Nectar CaféThe owners of Nectar Café know how create a cozy and welcoming café vibe because they’ve successfully done so for years…
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Hutchins GarageYou had us at fried chicken pie! Tucked away on Geer St., Hutchins Garage operates out of a converted garage space…
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Delancey TavernBrought to you by the owners of Bull McCabe's and Hutchins Garage, Delancey Tavern serves elevated American cuisine with a creative…
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Cocoa Cinnamon — Geer StAt the corner of Foster and Geer Streets, Cocoa Cinnamon’s original location is the perfect spot to recharge and experience community…
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DSSOLVR Durham"Brewed until surreal," Asheville's Dssolvr opened a taproom in Durham in 2023. Here, you'll find a range of beer styles, including…
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Kotuku Surf ClubKotuku Surf Club, open to those 23 and up, has a sprawling outdoor area that often hosts food trucks, DJs and…
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The Old North BarStep into the Old North Bar for the experience of having a drink at your home away from home. Equal parts…
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LouElla Wine, Beer & BeverageEqual parts wine shop, bar and community hangout, LouElla offers a large selection of wines, expertly curated craft and international beers…
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The Glass Jug Beer Lab — DowntownThis popular craft brewery, bar and beer and wine bottle shop has locations next to Durham Central Park and in South…
Things To Do In The Central Park District
On the northern side of the Central Park District, you’ll find a hotbed of live music, bars, restaurants and the Historic Durham Athletic Park, featured in the 1988 hit movie “Bull Durham.” This district also extends to the popular intersection of Rigsbee Avenue and Geer Street, lined with local favorite watering holes and eateries. Keep reading for more specifics.
Start your Saturday morning with a trip to the Durham Farmers' Market for fresh seasonal vegetables and locally made goods. Numerous murals dot the park and neighboring blocks, including a large magnolia mural, a mural of civil and human rights champion Pauli Murray, and a mural depicting the history of Durham using a tribal art style from India. You can relax under the shaded pavilion, explore the garden, relax on one of the benches, or picnic on the lawn. If you're looking to unwind even further, stop into Sauna House where you can loosen up in the sauna and reset in the cold plunge. If you're looking for a permanent souvenir for your Durham trip, walk just two doors down to Welcome Tattoo, which accepts walk-ins on Saturdays.
The Central Park district has no shortage of night life activities as well. Music lovers can catch a show at Motorco Music Hall. Check the calendar to see if anyone you know is playing, or take a chance and find your new favorite band. Boxcar Bar & Arcade is the place to be for arcade and console games, pinball machines, table tennis, and other activities to accompany its full bar and pizza menus. Unleash your inner lumberjack at Urban Axes and spend an hour or two throwing axes with friends.
Durham Central Park Bars & Restaurants
Head over to the Durham Food Hall to sample some of Durham’s rising culinary talent from the hall’s ten vendors. For Breakfast, Everything Bagels locally sourced, gourmet bagels and sandwiches will get your day started right. Fuel up on a hearty crunch wrap from Ex-Voto, which serves burritos and crunch wraps that have gained a loyal local following, or on fresh fish plates and sandwiches at Locals Seafood Restaurant and Market.
Pizza and burritos are best washed down with a cup of coffee from Liturgy Beverage Co. or a handcrafted cocktail from The Auctioneer Bar. The same building houses Foster Street Coffee, where you can recharge with a caffeinated beverage and a baked good of your choice.
Make your way toward Geer Street for a smorgasbord of restaurants and bars, including TaTaco, a casual Mexican concept with a full bar and fresh aguas frescas from chef Oscar Diaz, Cocoa Cinnamon, a Latina-led, women-forward coffee company that started as bikeCOFFEE – a bike with an espresso machine strapped to it at the farmers' market – and found its first brick-and-mortar home on Geer Street. It's now a community anchor where you can order local favorites like the Dr. Durham (named after Bartlett S. Durham, who donated the land for the train station) or one of the seasonal specials made with spices from around the world. and King’s Sandwich Shop, a walk-up burger stand that’s been dishing out sandwiches, hot dogs & hand-dipped milkshakes since 1942. Pro tip: Geer Street Garden is not, in fact, a garden, but a delicious spot for local grub. The specials never miss, and no trip to Durham is complete without ‘The Pile.’
Up a block, you can devour a grandma-style pizza on the lovely patio at Hutchin’s Garage – voted the best new restaurant in Durham in 2021 – or get your ‘za to-go and enjoy with friends over a bottle of wine at the LouElla Wine, Beer and Beverage, which locals swarm for a free tasting every Saturday from 2-4 p.m.
This district and the adjacent Warehouse District (link) are havens for beer lovers looking to brewery hop and taste locally made brews as well as beers from across the state. In the Central Park District, you'll find DSSOLVR from Asheville, Glass Jug Beer Lab and Durty Bull Brweing Company from Durham, plus Flying Bull, Crank Arm and Atomic Clock in the nearby Warehouse District.
If craft cocktails are more your speed, you’re in luck. With two women-owned distilleries in this district, it’s possible to taste some of Durham’s best spirits in cocktails made by expert mixologists. At Durham Distillery, schedule a tour with the makers of the award-winning Conniption Gin before stopping by its sister bar, Conniption Bar and Lounge, for a classic cocktail and light bites. Just around the corner, Liberty & Plenty Distillery shares space with The Rickhouse in an iconic, historic Durham building that was once a tobacco warehouse. Sip award-winning vodkas, rums, whiskeys, gins and more made right on premises.
Stop by Motorco's accompanying restaurant Parts & Labor for food and drinks pre- or post-show on picnic tables and stringed lights facing the street. The dishes on the food menu are flavorful, satisfying and under $10. Up the street, enjoy Kotuku Surf Club's casual outdoor space or indoor shuffleboard and darts in a darkened setting.
