Durham is the gritty, creative corner of the Research Triangle, forming one of three points alongside Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Once known primarily as a tobacco town -- the old Lucky Strike factory still dominates the skyline -- Durham has reinvented itself around Duke University, a booming food scene, and one of the most interesting downtown revivals in the South.
The American Tobacco Campus, a redeveloped warehouse district along the railroad tracks, is the heart of the new Durham -- restaurants, offices, and the minor league baseball stadium where the Durham Bulls play. The food scene is exceptional for a city this size, with more than 300 restaurants ranging from North Carolina barbecue to Ethiopian and Caribbean.
Duke University's campus is worth a visit even if you have no connection to the school. The Duke Chapel, a Gothic limestone tower, is one of the most striking buildings in the state, and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens offer 55 acres of landscaped grounds that are free and open to the public. Don't miss the historic Black Wall Street on Parrish Street downtown for the story of how Durham became the wealthiest centre of Black American business in the early twentieth century.