Uniquely Durham Story Ideas

Durham doesn't fit the mold. That's exactly the point. This is a city built on bold ideas, deep roots and people who aren't afraid to do things differently. From groundbreaking research and championship athletics to a food scene that's rewriting Southern cuisine and a creative community that thrives on collaboration, Durham has stories worth telling. We're here to help you find them.

Dive into what makes the Bull City distinct, and let us know how we can help you tell Durham's story.

Get to Know Durham, NC

Perhaps you’ve heard about Durham’s celebrated food scene, top-notch universities or start up culture. Maybe you’ve heard that we’re a mid-sized southern city with a cosmopolitan streak – cool and cultured, with grit. We’re all that and more.

Durham's History

The red brick warehouses and rustic tobacco factories that once housed the world’s largest tobacco company now form the American Tobacco Campus, a live-work-play destination brimming with energy and entertainment. Head to campus for Bantu tapas at Ekhaya, Puerto Rican soul food at Boricua Soul, MICHELIN-recognized Cajun-inspired cuisine at Seraphine and cocktails at The Waiting Room. Nearby, the Durham Food Hall and Brightleaf District pulse with creativity as downtown landmarks that have been repurposed as destinations for visitation. Durham's history of innovation is becoming more visitor-friendly than ever as HUB RTP reimagines the largest research park in the country as a destination for meetings, dining, shopping, recreation and more.

Durham is the only county in North Carolina with three state historic sites. Duke Homestead, home of the self-made tobacco tycoon Washington Duke, features a restored mid-1800s home, tobacco barns, an original tobacco factory and a museum. Historic Stagville, one of the largest plantations in the South, is now dedicated to the preservation and study of the lives and cultures of the enslaved people who lived there. Bennett Place, site of the largest troop surrender and effective end of the Civil War, tells a little-known story of American history.

Boutique Hotels

Downtown Durham has three boutique hotels. Unscripted Durham is the latest to open in a renovated mid-century motor lodge. The hotel also has 74 rooms, a pool deck, bar and ground-floor taproom. Across the street, The Durham is an independent hotel inhabiting a resurrected mid-century Home Savings Bank building. The 53-room hotel has a breathtaking rooftop and is a cultural hub for our vibrant and engaged downtown community. And 21c Museum Hotel has restored the historic Hill Building into a 125-room boutique hotel. The hotel features a restaurant and lounge called Counting House and a 24/7 museum with curated, rotating exhibits of contemporary art.

Black-Owned Businesses

From the post-Civil War rise of Black Wall Street and Hayti to today’s thriving creative and entrepreneurial scene, Durham’s Black community has always been a driving force. More than 170 Black-owned businesses now call Durham home – from the Beyoncé-endorsed Bright Black candle studio to the James Beard Award-winning Saltbox Seafood Joint. Visitors can explore artistic sanctuaries like NorthStar Church of the Arts, book a stay at Morehead Manor Bed & Breakfast, or discover it all through our new African American Heritage Guide – a tribute to the legacy, innovation and cultural richness embedded in Durham’s DNA.

The Tastiest Town in the South

Whether you’re craving rooftop cocktails or whole hog barbecue, Durham’s food and drink scene delivers depth and flavor at every turn. Durham's chefs offer up a diversity of flavors inspired by cultures and cuisines from around the world. They cook from memory, heart and tradition with skill and training elevating every course. Our award-winning restaurants and chefs and MICHELIN Guide-reconized restaurants are found around every corner, and they're just part of the story.

Dine on fresh-caught seafood at Saltbox Seafood Joint, refined tempura at M Tempura, or Spanish tapas at Mateo. Sip gin from Durham Distillery or solar-powered bourbon from Mystic Farm. Explore the craft beer scene at Fullsteam and Ponysaurus, and don’t miss the inventive, foraged cocktails at Kingfisher. From James Beard-nominated chefs to backyard BBQ joints and mead-sake hybrids at Ment Beverage Co., Durham tastes like nowhere else.