Plan a Trip for the 'Gram

Pics or it didn’t happen! You don’t have to be an influencer to want that perfect shot to memorialize your trip – on Instagram or otherwise. Whether you want to replicate an iconic image or capture an original, Durham’s most creative and stylish spots offer the chance for a grid-worthy portrait.

DAY 1 – ICONIC BACKDROPS AND PICTURE-PERFECT SUNSETS

Day

No trip to Durham is complete without a visit to Major the Bull, the 2,000-lb bronze sculpture that stands in CCB Plaza. Start your day there and grab a coffee and pastry from Oak House to prepare you to explore. Then, head over to American Tobacco Campus, where you’ll find a tucked-away honeybee mural by Matt Willey around the corner of Burt’s Bees Global Headquarters. Follow the water feature past the Lucky Strike tower to snap a pic at the iconic Durham logo sign, commissioned by Discover Durham and fabricated by artists at Liberty Arts.

Hop in the car and head to Boxyard RTP to find a community of creative small businesses housed in an indoor/outdoor shipping container hub complex. Stop by the breathraking Rebirth mural by Durhamite Gabriel Eng-Goetz and try smoked brisket birria and carnitas tacos at Leroy’s Tacos.

As you head back toward downtown, stop at Satellite Park, a collection of decommissioned satellite dishes – blank canvases for artistic expression by local artists.

Evening

We may have mentioned them already, but you can’t miss a sunset pic on a Durham rooftop. But before the sun sets, make sure you get a few pics of the East Chapel Hill Street Murals. Created by artists Cornelio Campos and Cecelia Lueza, these pieces are inspired by the works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, respectively.

Then, head to The Durham Hotel to pose in front of the striking black and white tiles and geometric carpet in the lobby before you head to the roof for a drink and a sunset snap. The Patio at Unscripted, across the street, offers the chance for poolside pics and a bird’s eye view of CCB Plaza.

DAY 2 – BEAUTIFUL BUSINESSES, MURALS & DINOSAURS

Morning

Get your caffeine fix at Cocoa Cinnamon’s Geer Street location before you venture out to appreciate Durham’s natural beauty. Eno River State Park’s suspension bridge is a can’t-miss spot for a pic and a walk among the trees. Enter the park at Fews Ford and you’ll find the bridge near the beginning of the Cox Mountain Trail. Closer to downtown, you can earn true Durhamite cred if you find Bronto, the (perhaps) life-size brontosaurus sculpture along Ellerbee Creek Trail near the Museum of Life and Science.

Day

Get to know the city with a scavenger hunt to some inspiring spots off the beaten path. In the Lakewood shopping center, you’ll find El Futuro’s gorgeous community mural by Mexican American artist Cornelio Campos. Look for the roadside cow statue to find some of Durham’s best tacos at Taqueria La Vaquita.

Keep heading west to University Hill, where more than 40 murals by local and national artists make up one the largest concentrated collections of public art among local shops and eateries at UHill Walls.

A short drive east allows the chance to shoot your shot and get a great pic at Hillside Park’s outdoor basketball courts, renovated by the Grant Hill Foundation and FILA to include vibrant murals by local artist Sarahlaine Calva.

Evening

Check out the third downtown boutique hotel by stopping for a cocktail or dinner at Counting House in 21c Museum Hotel. Don’t miss the lounge inside the vintage basement bank vault for a cozy pic with your date. If you’re in the mood for a glass of wine, check out East Main Street’s Killer Queen Wine Bar where you can take advantage of a photo-worthy mural on their cozy back patio.

If you’re staying in South Durham, make time to head to Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP where you can enjoy a drink at the outdoor beer garden, beautifully designed with cheerful murals. Natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows and hanging greenery at Glasshouse Kitchen make the modern RTP restaurant a destination, and the all-day, seasonal food and drink menus satisfy any appetite.

Public Art and Inspiration Guide

If you'd like help finding a mural, or you want to get inspired by more opportunities to take in art around the Bull City, visit the Visitor Info Center at 212 W Main Street and pick up a free Public Art and Inspiration Guide. You can download a copy here.

There's plenty more to document and discover as you explore Durham. Be sure to snap those selfies, and tag @durhamnc along the way.