Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Durham travel guide

Durham Tourism | Durham Guide

You're Going to Love Durham

With a population of 228,330, Durham is a must-see destination in North Carolina, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Durham has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Durham

If you’re looking for affordable options, Mez (5410 Page Road) and Guglhupf (2706 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Refectory Cafe (2726 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd) and The Patio at Unscripted Hotel (202 N Corcoran St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Durham.

When to visit Durham

Durham in November
Estimated hotel price
$116
1 night at 3-star hotel
Durham in November
Estimated hotel price
$116
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Durham in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 89.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 28.4 °F, with an average temperature of 39.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 4.6″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Durham, with an average rainfall of 3″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Durham

Plane

When flying to Durham, you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 10 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Durham include American Airlines, Aeromexico and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Durham departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 1h 59m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Durham. The train journey from Durham to Charlotte takes 2h 43m and costs around $30 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $50 for a 5h 32m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.5 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 121 miles from Durham. You’ll find branches of Turo and NU Car, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including Greyhound, Tornado Bus and FlixBus. From Charlotte, the bus ride to Durham takes 178 miles and will cost you around $115. From Coral Hills, the ticket costs about $82 for a journey of 270 miles. The most popular bus station is Durham 2724 Guess Rd, located 3 miles from downtown Durham. Durham Bp Hillandale Rd is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Durham, you’ll arrive at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 10 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Durham include American Airlines, Aeromexico and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Durham departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 1h 59m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Durham. The train journey from Durham to Charlotte takes 2h 43m and costs around $30 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $50 for a 5h 32m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.5 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 121 miles from Durham. You’ll find branches of Turo and NU Car, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including Greyhound, Tornado Bus and FlixBus. From Charlotte, the bus ride to Durham takes 178 miles and will cost you around $115. From Coral Hills, the ticket costs about $82 for a journey of 270 miles. The most popular bus station is Durham 2724 Guess Rd, located 3 miles from downtown Durham. Durham Bp Hillandale Rd is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Durham

RDURaleigh-Durham
GSOGreensboro/H. Point
FAYFayetteville

Airlines serving Durham

Lufthansa
Good (7,054 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,337 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,861 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,941 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,589 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,791 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,704 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,448 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (781 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,701 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,224 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,567 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,266 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,351 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,071 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,986 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,859 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,205 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Durham

Where to stay in Durham

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include University Inn Duke and Comfort Inn & Suites Durham Near Duke University. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Durham, with prices from $52 to $732 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Durham are about 22% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Durham by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Durham

Most booked hotels in Durham

See all
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club
4 stars
Excellent (9.3, 492 reviews)
$235+
View
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Raleigh - Durham
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 686 reviews)
$123+
View
Hilton Durham near Duke University
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 896 reviews)
$154+
View
Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Durham Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 686 reviews)
$138+
View
21c Museum Hotel Durham
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 502 reviews)
$190+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson RaleighDurham Air
3 stars
Good (7.9, 1291 reviews)
$113+
View

Renting a car in Durham

Renting a car in Durham costs $62 per day, on average, or $185 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Durham is the Hertz branch at 3601 Hillsborough Road, which is 4 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Durham (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. Compact (Jeep Compass or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Durham, while also 51% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Durham costs $62 per day, on average, or $185 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Durham is the Hertz branch at 3601 Hillsborough Road, which is 4 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Durham (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. Compact (Jeep Compass or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Durham, while also 51% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Durham

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$32/day

Intermediate

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$35/day

Economy
Find car rentals in Durham

Durham Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Durham city guide for the best Durham travel tips. To help you organize your Durham trip ideas, this Durham visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.