Explore Durham, NC like a local artist

Brightleaf Square and the Chesterfield: tobacco warehouses turned into shopping and offices

It’s no secret that we Durhamites are quite proud of our city. We have loved this place since before the high rises and fancy apartments sprouted like weeds all over downtown. In spite of the changes we still love it here. The small town feel, the indie food scene, the casual attitude: they’re all still here, for now. Compared to big cities, the prices are really reasonable and most things are in walking distance, not to mention parking is doable. If you want to experience this jewel of a city like a local artist, I will tell you how to browse art supplies saved from going to the landfill, sip a martini in a former coffin shop, and pose as a robber breaking into a Jazz Age bank vault.

You can wake up and go to sleep surrounded by art in one of the boutique hotels downtown. I have stayed in each of them and can vouch for the comfy beds, eye for design, and location in the middle of the fun stuff. The Unscripted Hotel overlooks the main square which means great people watching from your hotel room or the rooftop pool and patio. This is where you must stay in the summer, case closed. This was a motel in the 60’s and they kept the retro vibe and original plunge pool but added graffiti-style art in the parking deck and stairwell. You don’t have to stay here to enjoy the pool; just order food and cocktails from the patio bar and servers will bring it to you poolside. On weekends there are DJ’s. It’s the closest you will get to South Beach without having to deal with Florida drivers.

Across the street is The Durham Hotel. The design team from Commune transformed this mid-century bank building into a geometric, primary-colored, modern dream. The lobby is gorgeous and the rooms are so calming, with original art in each one. My favorite parts of staying here are the locally-made zero-waste Fillaree bath products and the freshly ground Counter Culture coffee delivered to your door in the morning. The very best views of Durham and sunset are found at the rooftop lounge here. The rooftop gets crowded on weekends, so go early or mid-week if you can.

The other former-bank-turned-hotel in downtown is 21C Museum Hotel and is literally a small art museum inside a hotel. Nods to the building’s Art Deco architecture and Durham’s tobacco-fueled past are found throughout (there is an art installation in the restaurant made entirely from cigarettes). It’s a glamorous place to stay but the hotel’s public spaces are open for all to enjoy. You may wonder if this building was designed by the same architects that did the Empire State Building (it was). The restaurant, bar, and front desk are full of contemporary art, some specially commissioned for the hotel. There are galleries on the first two floors that rotate exhibits several times a year. Because of the pandemic you have to make an appointment to view the art nowadays but previously it was open to the public 24/7. I used to drop in during my lunch break! Upon visiting, you must use the restrooms here on the 2nd floor. Lastly, venture down to the basement level for a real surprise: the original bank vault is now a cozy lounge. Be sure to follow the narrow mirrored passage ways around the vault room that served as surveillance for potential break-ins. Photo ops abound here and throughout this whole hotel.

walking down to Central Park

Now that we know where to stay, here are things to do around town. Any Saturday visit to Durham must include a walk through the farmer’s market just two blocks from the main square. North Carolina is full of farms and you can see that at the market, as well as things brewed and baked locally. Right next to the market are food trucks and artisans, some of which are potters I am honored to call friends. (You won’t find me there, though, as I don’t do mornings). This whole area is called Central Park and it is my favorite spot for people watching in Durham. Come in the afternoon or evening, park your picnic blanket on the grass (or grab an outside table at the Glass Jug) and watch the parade of locals having fun: break dancers, skaters, circus performers, dog walkers, and boxers (I have seen all of the above.) You can even get take out from the Durham Food Hall across the street.

If you are an artist yourself or you are big into sustainability, you absolutely must check out the Scrap Exchange. It’s a short drive from downtown and is unlike any other place I have seen. The Scrap takes donations of crafting materials, fabric, yarn, leftover lab supplies, bubble wrap, wine corks, etc., and organizes them for artists, teachers, and crafters to shop at low prices. When I look for buckets, packing supplies, and containers for the studio, I go here first. They also have a tiny gallery here and other examples throughout the warehouse showing how you can creatively reuse materials in your own work.

Bibliophiles make sure to visit the newly renovated public library downtown, complete with colorful reading nooks, a rooftop terrace, and lots of spots for snapping photos. My favorite place to treat myself, Letters Bookshop, just moved into a gorgeous historic building downtown. They sell used and new books and their “staff picks” have short reviews for each one, helping me always pick good reads.

You can shop local art at the Artisan Market at 305, Cecy’s Gallery, Horse & Buggy Press, and Indio. I often get Durham-themed gifts at Bulldega, which also is a small but well-stocked grocery store with an reliable wine and beer selection. Another fun little grocery store with local flavor is the King’s Red and White, a short drive from downtown. Get ready to hear southern accents as you shop local produce, old school candy, and a giant selection of barbecue seasonings at this family-run shop.

summer foliage at Duke Gardens

I love getting fresh air when I can. Duke Gardens is full of colorful plants all year long. I love seeing their many hellebores in late winter, followed by camellias, then the alley of blooming cherry trees. Their Asian arboretum is magical for wandering and one day I hope to finally get to attend a tea ceremony in their Japanese tea house.

The American Tobacco Campus also offers a bit of green space in downtown, surrounded by former tobacco warehouses and plenty of photo ops. It connects to the American Tobacco Trail, a 7.something mile greenway going all the way south to Interstate 40! I don’t recommend it for walking but it is perfect for cycling, as is the Ellerbe Creek Trail, which goes north from downtown, eventually leading you past a giant brontosaurus in the woods.

Further out of the city you can find multiple nature preserves and a state park, where we often go to hike, camp, and bird watch. For beavers, herons, osprey, and more, go to the Beaver Marsh. Where but Durham will you find an active beaver marsh directly behind a Big Lots shopping center? My favorite sunset hike is at Penny’s Bend nature preserve, about 15 minutes from downtown. You get a wild grassland, woods, wildflowers, birds, and a river all in one short hike. A little further out is Horton Grove, which has many nature trails and a grassland with a gazebo which is the best local birdwatching spot. It is on the site of a former plantation with the house, barn, and slave quarters intact. The hiking trails are all named after families who descended from slaves on that plantation. My favorite trail here is the Justice Loop, winding through wooded hills and by a small stream.

one of many tobacco signs in Durham

Like much of the South, Durham was built on the exploitation of enslaved people. Tobacco traveled from plantations around North Carolina to be sold and processed in Durham. Duke University was funded by the wealth of plantation owners. The tobacco industry has left town but there are references to Durham’s past all over. Most of the old buildings downtown were once tobacco warehouses. Go on a nicotine scavenger hunt to find all of these brand names on buildings and signs: Liggett & Myers, Lucky Strike, Bull Durham, & Chesterfield. That last one is a building dedicated to “the millions who smoke the cigarette that satisfies”. Cringe.

I won’t go into detail about the food scene in Durham as it is has been thoroughly documented by many folks before. I will simply list a few of my favorite places to eat. Grub is pretty much the only place we go for breakfast. Geer St. Garden is an all-around winner for tasty food, good prices, and year-round outdoor dining. Guglhupf is another place with a lovely patio and unique decor, not to mention divine German baked goods. Cocoa Cinnamon is the place for coffee and rich hot chocolate. Roses has an odd but perfectly executed combo of incredible Asian noodles and house-made macarons, cream puffs, and ice cream sandwiches. Last but not least is the tastiest, most authentic Mexican food in town: Guanajuato de Durham. This family owned place is not fancy but everything, including the tortillas, is made by hand in house. It is cheap, filling, and delicious. Their agua frescas are so refreshing, especially the watermelon one in summer.

Now on to the next attraction: drinking in Durham. I have heard that our beer scene is pretty good but I can’t speak for it as I don’t drink beer. I do, however, love to get cocktails from my favorite bars in town. First, there is my very favorite gin joint, Durham Distillery, which offers tours of their small distillery with tastings of several gins, cucumber vodka, and chocolate/coffee liqueurs. Everything they make is divine as well as gluten free. You can also skip the tour and walk around to the back of the distillery to find their hidden jewel box of a bar, Corpse Reviver. It used to be a coffin shop and there’s a dark glam style to the whole place. The drinks are strong and they are divine, as are their marinated olives and spiced nuts. My favorite in cooler months is the Martinez made with their own aged gin.

My other favorite classy basement cocktail bar is Kingfisher, next to the Durham Hotel. The husband and wife team behind the bar have made every detail of the place their own, from sourcing local produce for cocktail ingredients to making the ceramic cups for drinks and handmade tiles on the bar (she is a potter!) They are very invested in their community and it shows. I always order whatever seasonal cocktail they’re making with mezcal. Don’t sleep on their pickle plate! If you’re still thirsty and want a change of scenery, Alley 26 is right across the street and was Durham’s first craft cocktail bar. Their namesake alley is a classic photo op.

I will leave you with one last Durham gem, the beloved 11-foot-8 bridge. It has now been raised to 12’4” which is still not high enough for many rental trucks, RV’s or buses. Despite the warning signs and flashing lights, vehicles still get stuck under this “can opener” bridge all the time. God bless the soul who installed a webcam to capture the mishaps for all to see. Bonus points if you find the other downtown bridge that is less famous but even lower- 11’4”.