Introduction to Durham
Durham, North Carolina has an active and vibrant community that results in the city consistently being ranked as one of the top places to live in the country. It has been rated number one out of 274 other counties of similar size on the Creativity Index from Carnegie Mellon University. The area is home to Research Triangle Park, Duke University, North Carolina Central, as well as historic homes, tree-lined streets, and a number of notable golf courses. Money Magazine has voted Durham one of the Best Places to Live in the South. Durham’s history is rich and its future is progressive, with an emphasis on high technology, education, and medicine. The city is known as the City of Medicine.
Durham Culture
There is quite a range of cultural activities and resources in Durham. The city has numerous jazz festivals, blues festivals, symphony concerts, and art exhibitions to choose from. The American Dance Festival and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival happen here every year. The Carolina Theatre resides at the center of Durham’s cultural scene, with live performances and films from around the world. The city is host to an annual Gay and Lesbian film festival, drawing people from across the country. The culinary offerings of the city are plentiful and delicious, including restaurants in the Ninth Street, Brightleaf, and University Drive areas of town.
Durham Sports and Leisure
For baseball fans, Durham has the Duke University Blue Devils, which play from February to May. The Durham Bulls baseball club is a popular minor league team that plays in Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which was designed by the architects of Baltimore’s Camden Yards. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is also home to the USA Olympic Baseball Team and other national teams. For Basketball, there’s the Duke University Blue Devils and the North Carolina Central University Eagles team, which play in Division I and Division II, respectively. For football fans, the Blue Devils and the Eagles both deliver, and football can be seen at both O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium and Wallace Wade Stadium. The city also has Duke University LaCrosse, Crystal Downs Polo, and soccer at Kosken Stadium and Wallace Wade Stadium.
Durham Outdoors
There are many outdoor activities to enjoy in and around the city of Durham. The American Tobacco Trail has 12 miles of trails from downtown to the county line that offer residents good access for biking, hiking, walking, or jogging. At Eno River State Park, visitors can enjoy bird-watching, canoeing, rafting, fishing, and hiking. Crane Creek Ranch has English and western horseback riding lessons, as well as leased horses, pasture boarding, and acres of riding trails. Boating, sailing, fishing, hiking, and rock hounding can be enjoyed at the Flat River.
Durham at Night
There is an abundance and variety of nightlife in the city of Durham to satisfy just about anyone. There’s the All People’s Grill that features live blues every Saturday night. Arnie’s Place has billiards, a bar and grill, darts, and karaoke. The Blayloc Café is a martini bar serving pizza, soups, salads, and sandwiches and featuring artwork and photography on the walls. The Broad Street Café has cozy chairs that patrons can curl up in and drink a steamy latte or have a slice of cheesecake.
