Hero - Interior Page Hero Module
Image Aside Copy Module
Fullsteam at Boxyard RTP
Just 10 minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Boxyard RTP is a gathering space crafted from 40 shipping containers — the first of its kind in North Carolina. With 15-plus food vendors, weekly entertainment and a dog park, it's Durham's innovation on display. Ease into your weekend with Fullsteam's Carver sweet potato lager or Biscuit wheat (nominated for a Good Food Award) alongside crispy square pizza.
The Durham Hotel
Check into your homebase at The Durham Hotel, which has transformed the former Home Savings Bank into a midcentury modern masterpiece. The rooftop bar offers stunning sunset views, while the first-floor coffee bar serves all-day coffee, breakfast, lunch and snacks. But if you want art weaved into your weekend, the nearby 21c Museum Hotel is another option, while Washington Inn & Golf Club offers championship golf and the AAA Four Diamond Fairview Dining Room.
Little Bull
Head to the emerging, downtown-adjacent Old Five Points neighborhood for Chef Oscar Diaz's MICHELIN-recommended Little Bull. Try the wood-fired whole fish, Birria dumplings or whatever ceviche is on the menu; they’re all dishes showcasing his fusion of Latin flavors with global influences. The two-time James Beard Award semifinalist also owns Aaktun and TaTaco in Durham.
Alley Twenty Six
The half-mile walk between Little Bull and Alley Twenty Six lets you stretch your legs and work up an appetite for late-night bites from 2022 James Beard Award nominee Shannon Healy's bar, NC's first Outstanding Bar Program nomination. Order the Mexican Herbalist cocktail, then explore the tinned fish menu or indulge in caviar and tots. One of the best parts? The Durham Hotel is just across the street when you’re ready to call it a night.
Cocoa Cinnamon
Begin your day in the Lakewood neighborhood, 5 minutes south of downtown, where owners Leon Grodski de Barrera and Areli Barrera de Grodski roast Little Waves Coffee — Roast magazine’s National Micro Roaster of the Year in 2022 — on-site at Cocoa Cinnamon. Order a drink from the Wonder menu and their signature churros with flavored sugar.
Bright Black.
Head across the street to Bright Black. for Tiffany Griffin's custom scent workshop, where you'll blend notes to craft a signature scent. This social psychologist-turned-entrepreneur — whose work has partnered with the WNBA, NBA and Zendaya's Project Blackboard — guides you through creating something uniquely yours, bottled to take home. Not into scent-making? Do a little shopping on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard at Chet Miller, Jada's Men's Accessories, Wine Authorities and Foster's Market.
Saltbox Seafood Joint
Just down the road in the Rockwood neighborhood, you’ll find 2022 James Beard Best Chef: Southeast winner Chef Ricky Moore's seafood shack. Expect fried NC fish sandwiches, grilled fish plates or shrimp tacos served on paper trays with slaw and potatoes. Don't be afraid to order a fish you've never tried — Moore's genius turns unfamiliar catches into instant favorites.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Make your way to Duke University's campus for a stroll through 55 acres of gardens. Wander the Asian Arboretum, Historic Gardens and Blomquist Garden, a peaceful interlude that builds your appetite. Note: The entrance to the gardens is under construction until spring 2026, so be sure to check the gardens’ website for parking information and more. If you need a rainy day alternative, swap the gardens for the Nasher Museum of Art.
Seraphine
Head back downtown to American Tobacco Campus for the MICHELIN-recommended, Louisiana-inspired Seraphine. Start with boudin sausage and barbecue shrimp, then share gumbo and Gulf fish dishes — and you can’t forget the beignets for dessert. Pro tip: The fountain courtyard is ideal on a nice night. Another dinner option is seven-time James Beard nominee Matt Kelly's MICHELIN-recommended restaurant, Nanas. Order seasonal small plates like wood-fired vegetables, house-made pasta and chocolate soufflé.
Nikos
Wrap up the weekend with breakfast in Brightleaf Square, where historic tobacco warehouses set the scene for owner Giorgio Bakatsia’s MICHELIN-recommended Greek restaurant. Share a meze platter or classics like spanakopita and saganaki before lingering over lamb souvlaki. After brunch, explore the square's restored warehouses housing INDIO, The Borough, Mill & Meadow, and more.
Stop by the Visitor Info Center for maps and recommendations, and download the Discover Durham app for curated itineraries, maps and events.
This itinerary was produced in partnership with Discover Durham.
Snapshot Module
Your trip at a glance
Stop 1
Fullsteam at Boxyard RTP
Stop 2
The Durham Hotel
Stop 3
Little Bull
Stop 4
Alley Twenty Six
Stop 5
Cocoa Cinnamon
Stop 6
Bright Black.
Stop 7
Saltbox Seafood Joint
Stop 8
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Stop 9
Seraphine
Stop 10