Durham, North Carolina is a vibrant city with a rich history and plenty of attractions to explore. From the Durham Bulls Athletic Park to the 21c Museum Hotel, there's something for everyone in downtown Durham. But what can you do in just 24 hours? In this article, we'll explore the best things to do in downtown Durham and provide tips on how to make the most of your time. Composed of seven subdistricts that add up to one square mile, the city center is easy to explore on foot, by car, or on wheels.
The woman-owned company, run by Lynn Woods, Downtown Durham, Inc. (DDI) is a 501 (c) 6 organization that was formed in 1993 to serve as a catalyst for downtown revitalization. Durham's tireless communities of color thrived in cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Richmond, Virginia, driving construction in Durham's early years. The DPAC (Durham Center for the Performing Arts) is one of the country's leading performing arts centers and when it reopens you won't want to miss the opportunity to see a concert, a comedy show, a dance performance, or a Broadway musical in this luxurious setting.
Their advice will help you find the best things to do in downtown Durham in the best possible way for 24 hours in Durham. Home of the Durham Bulls baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays' Triple-A minor league baseball team, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) is a state-of-the-art 10,000-seat stadium that opened in 1995. Brightleaf Square is probably the best example of converted tobacco warehouses in the city and it's one of the best things to do in downtown Durham. Unfortunately, urban renewal projects in Durham in the 1950s led to the creation of a highway right in the center of the neighborhood. Built in 1926, the theater was Durham's main foreign film and art show in the 1940s and 1950s, and hosted stars such as Katharine Hepburn and Ronald Reagan.
You may not have read about it in your school textbooks but Durham had an unapologetic position as a successful urban epicenter at the turn of the century. This was due to businesses thriving in the area after the Civil War. I also recommend that you spend 24 hours with the best things to do in downtown Durham at the 21c Museum Hotel. It'll be hard to find a focal point (there are five), but this iconic intersection is at the heart of downtown Durham's best restaurants.
But sadly, I don't have enough time to tell you exactly how to get from your house to your one day of exploring downtown Durham. Walk up the small hill to the Durham Art Center to Five Points intersection where you can see a civil rights mural depicting some of those who brought justice to Durham and the South. You won't see pre-war architecture during your itinerary about the best things to do in downtown Durham because it was never destroyed by General Sherman or anything like that.
