Are you looking for day trips from Durham, NC? There are plenty of great places near the city that make for a very fun day trip.
It’s amazing to spend time in Durham as it’s a city with many things to do, but it can also be very fun to explore a new place. From exploring a small town with a history that dates back to 1632 to visiting a large city and exploring iconic sights, you can have a great time during a day trip.
It may be hard to decide where to go, and to help you out, I made this Durham day trips guide with a large variety of amazing places for a day trip from the city.
Day Trips from Durham, NC
Colonial Williamsburg, VA
Distance from Durham: 3 hours
Colonial Williamsburg is a large living museum that you can find in Williamsburg, VA. It is a part of Williamsburg’s historic district and covers an area of 122 ha.
You can find hundreds of restored and rebuilt buildings here from the time that Williamsburg was the capital of the Colony of Virginia in the 18th century.
During a day trip, you can explore the district and see beautiful historic architecture.
There are also costumed actors that will bring history to life.
In addition to that, there are tours during which you can discover some of the key sights of Colonial Williamsburg and learn about history, and there are interesting demonstrations of historic trades.
Besides that, there are fun events, great hotels, and many wonderful dining options.
Asheville, NC
Distance from Durham: 3 hours
Asheville, NC, located in Western North Carolina, is a great city to visit for a day trip and you can get there by car from Durham in a bit more than 3 hours.
There is a large variety of things to do in Asheville, and there’s something for everyone’s liking.
For example, you could go to Biltmore and do a tour during a day trip. This is the largest privately owned house in the United States and was built at the end of the 19th century.
Visiting one of Asheville’s art galleries is another must during a day trip. For example, you can go to Lexington Glassworks, which is a glassblowing studio and gallery, or you can check out the art galleries of the River Arts District.
The Asheville Pinball Museum, which is a museum where you can find 70 playable vintage pinball machines, is another great place to go.
In addition to that, there are plenty of interesting museums in Asheville, such as the Asheville Museum of Science.
Myrtle Beach, SC
Distance from Durham: 3 hours
Myrtle Beach, SC, is a resort city that you can find on the Atlantic Coast. You can get here by car in about 3 hours, so it can be great for a day trip from Durham.
It is a popular place for many because of its numerous fun attractions.
Whether you want to play miniature golf, ride a Ferris wheel, enjoy views of the oceans, and much more, you can do it in Myrtle Beach.
Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach is another highlight. This is an interesting aquarium where you can see thousands of animals and have various experiences, including behind-the-scenes encounters.
Myrtle Beach also has many great options if you want to see a show during a day trip. For example, you can go to The Carolina Opry to enjoy shows of comedy, dance, and music.
Raleigh, NC
Distance from Durham: 30 minutes
The capital of the state, Raleigh, NC, is a wonderful city because of Raleigh’s many things to do and see. You can get to Raleigh from Durham, by car, in less than 30 minutes.
When you are doing a day trip to the city, you can visit one of the great museums of the city, such as the North Carolina Museum of Art or the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
There are also great activities for kids in the city, such as visiting the Marbles Kids Museum, where you can also find the Marbles IMAX, a movie theater with shows about the universe and nature. You can also find great attractions for kids in Pullen Park, such as a miniature train.
In addition to that, Raleigh has interesting historic sites, and there are many good places for entertainment. For example, you can go to the Carolina Theater to see a show on this day.
Furthermore, both the Morgan Street Food Hall and the Transfer Co. Food Hall are great places to go if you want to have dinner in the city.
Charlottesville, VA
Distance from Durham: 3 hours
Charlottesville, VA, can be reached from Durham in about 3 hours. The city of Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia, which is a university with a stunning campus.
You can also find Monticello in Charlottesville. This was a plantation of Thomas Jefferson and it was designed by the Founding Father.
During a day trip, you can go to the Downtown Mall, which is a beautiful pedestrian area where you can find historic buildings and more than 120 stores.
It can also be great to see art during your visit to the city, and The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia is a great place for that.
Greensboro, NC
Distance from Durham: 1 hour
You can get to the city of Greensboro from Durham in less than 1 hour. You can discover many great things to do in Greensboro making the city one of the most fun day trips from Durham.
For example, when you are here, you can go to the Greensboro Science Center to learn about various topics of science and natural history, or you can go to the Weatherspoon Art Museum to see works of art.
Greensboro is also home to many venues for live entertainment. For example, you can go to the Greensboro Coliseum Complex for a variety of events, or you can go to the beautiful, historic Carolina Theatre.
Another place where you can have fun when you are in the city is Boxcar Bar + Arcade, which is both an arcade and a bar where you can play games and have a drink.
Fayetteville, NC
Distance from Durham: 1.5 hours
Fayetteville, NC, is a city that you can get to in about 1.5 hours from Durham.
From historic houses to museums related to the military to great performing arts theaters, there are many things to do in Fayetteville for everyone’s liking.
A great museum to visit during this day trip is the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, which is a museum where you can learn about the history of Special Operations and the United States Army Airborne School. To see everything in the museum you need about 2.5 hours.
You can also go to an event at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, and there are great places to visit when visiting Fayetteville with kids, such as the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum.
Fayetteville has great performing arts theaters as well, such as the Cameo Art House Theatre and the Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
Roanoke, VA
Distance from Durham: 2.5 hours
A 2.5-hour drive away from Durham, NC, is the city of Roanoke.
In Roanoke, you can see the Mill Mountain Star, which is the largest freestanding neon star in the world and it dates back to 1949. The star was made to promote the city by a local merchant association.
The city of Roanoke is also home to a variety of great museums, of which you can choose one to visit when you are only one day in the city, such as the Taubman Museum of Art, Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Science Museum of Western Virginia, and the Roanoke Pinball Museum.
It can also be great to end your day by seeing a show at the Mill Mountain Theatre.
Charlotte, NC
Distance from Durham: 2 hours
From an amusement park to amazing museums to modern and historic theaters, there are many things to do in Charlotte making it a fun day trip from Durham. From Durham, NC, you can get to the state’s most populous city in about 2 hours.
If you want to have fun, you can go to Carowinds, which is an amusement park with more than 14 roller coasters.
When you go here, you likely won’t have enough time to explore other sights in the city, but you can still have dinner in Charlotte, such as at Optimist Hall, or you can go to one of the city’s theaters.
One of the best theaters to go to if you want to see a show is the Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.
You can also go to Truist Field and see a baseball game of the Charlotte Knights.
Charlotte’s many amazing museums, such as Discovery Place Science, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the two locations of The Mint Museum are great to visit during a trip.
Columbia, SC
Distance from Durham: 3.5 hours
Columbia, South Carolina’s capital city, is a wonderful place to check out if you’re looking for day trips from Durham. From Durham, you can get to Columbia in less than 3.5 hours.
When you are here, you could visit the South Carolina State House and do a tour.
The city also has interesting museums, such as the Columbia Museum of Art, where you can find a diverse collection of art, and the South Carolina Military Museum.
Alternatively, you can spend a few hours at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. This is a zoo where you can find more than 2,000 animals surrounded by beautiful plants.
Soda City Market, a weekly European-style street market, can be great. This is a producer-only market where you can find about 150 vendors each week.
Richmond, VA
Distance from Durham: 2 hours
From Durham, NC, you can get to Richmond, VA, in a bit more than 2 hours.
Richmond, VA, is one of the largest cities in the state of Virginia and it is the capital city of its state. Being founded in 1742, the city has interesting historic sites and played an important role in history.
The city has incredible museums, of which you can choose one to visit during a day trip. Some of the museums that you can see here are the Science Museum of Virginia, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the American Civil War Museum.
You can also go to an event at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden or visit a historic landmark, such as Maymont or the White House of the Confederacy.
Wilmington, NC
Distance from Durham: 2 hours
Wilmington, NC, located in Eastern North Carolina, is a city near Durham that you can reach in a bit more than 2 hours.
From exploring Wilmington’s historic district during a horse-drawn carriage tour to going for a stroll along the Wilmington Riverwalk and enjoying views of the Cape Fear River to going to one of the city’s museums, such as the Wilmington Railroad Museum, Wilmington’s many things to do means that you’ll have a fun time when spending a day here.
You can also go to Battleship North Carolina, which is a fast battleship that was used in WWII and that you can explore through a self-guided tour.
It can also be great to end your day by going to the historic Thalian Hall and enjoying a show, such as a concert or a live theater show. It is also possible to do a behind-the-scenes tour of the Thalian Hall.
Norfolk, VA
Distance from Durham: 3 hours
From Durham, you can reach the city of Norfolk, VA, in 3 hours.
In Norfolk, you can check out the Chrysler Museum of Art, which is an art museum with paintings that span a period of about 5,000 years.
A great place to have dinner when in Norfolk is The Market in the Waterside District. This is a food hall with eight food and drink vendors.
Another fun activity for a day trip is to go to the Virginia Zoo and see more than 700 animals that represent more than 150 species.
You can go to Nauticus when you are in Norfolk, which is a maritime discovery center where you can learn about maritime history and learn about science through interactive exhibits and events.
Virginia Beach, VA
Distance from Durham: 3 hours
You can get to Virginia Beach, VA, from Durham, NC, in a bit more than 3 hours by car, and this is one of the most fun.
When you are spending a day in the city, you can go to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center to learn about thousands of animals and see interesting interactive exhibits.
Virginia Beach is also home to great historical landmarks.
Furthermore, two interesting museums in the city are the Military Aviation Museum and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art.
There are also great performing arts theaters in Virginia Beach where you can go see a show during your trip. For example, you could go to the Wells Theatre, which is a beautiful venue that dates back to the year 1913.
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Durham Day Trips Tips
When planning a day trip to one of the places in this Durham day trips guide, I recommend making a personalized itinerary for yourself before going there instead of deciding what you want to do when you arrive.
Many of the destinations have a large number of sights and if you want to see most of these, you don’t want to waste time between each sight. Also, it is much more comfortable if you already know a restaurant where you can have dinner at the end of the day.
Day Trips from Durham Map
This was my list of day trips from Durham, NC. I hope I helped you find a great place to visit!