Top 5 Reasons to Meet in Durham
At the heart of North Carolina innovation and hospitality, Durham is one of the best places in the state for group meetings, conferences and business events.
Posted By Discover Durham Staff
Perhaps you've heard about Durham's celebrated food scene, top-notch universities and startup culture. Maybe you've heard that professionals and visitors partner with us to immerse themselves in Bull City culture — making each meeting and conference a unique opportunity to explore our distinctive grit and visionary atmosphere.
Durham is a community brimming with world-class entertainment and leisure possibilities for over nine million annual visitors, making it simple to deliver a meeting with lasting impact. Join us; we are completely dedicated to accommodating your planning needs in the city we love.
1. Traveling to Durham is Easy
Durham is within an hour's flight or day's drive of more than half the nation's population.
RDU International Airport offers over 350 daily flights arriving from 64 nonstop destinations, both domestic and international, and serves nearly 10 million passengers annually.
Durham is within a day's drive for half the country and midway between Atlanta and Philadelphia, making it convenient for drive-in attendees.
Not interested in flying or driving? Not to worry. Durham is also accessible by train, and the Amtrak station will put you right in the heart of downtown.
Learn more about Durham's accessibility.
RDU Airport is a treasured resource for all travelers in the Triangle. Photo: RDU Airport
2. Durham's Top-Notch Dining and Entertainment
Durham will keep your attendees engaged before, after and even between meetings.
In the Bull City, innovation is more than a day job; it's a way of life. Creative culture extends beyond its office buildings and research labs to leisure activities encouraging attendees to explore, relax and have an incredible time.
From its internationally recognized food scene, unique shopping districts, intriguing museums and historic sites, major annual events and breathtaking gardens, Durham is a community of endless possibilities. Bring your event to Durham and we'll bring our bold and passionate spirit to you.
Want to explore all of your options? Check out our hub for things to do in Durham to find your ideal attractions.
The pavilion at Boxyard RTP is a great place to grab food and drinks after a conference or event. Photo: Boxyard RTP / Discover Durham
3. Abundant Venue and Accommodation Options
Whether it's a board meeting for 10 or a citywide convention for 10,000, over nine million annual visitors have enjoyed our conference centers, restored tobacco warehouses, state-of-the-art theaters and luxurious hotels. We welcome more than 3,500 conventions and meetings annually.
Our centrally located, 40,000 square-foot convention center is just a short walk from hotels, acclaimed dining options and performance venues. From American Underground to Frontier RTP, you have plenty of Durham venues to pick from to find the perfect meeting facility. Need help narrowing down your options? Read through our guide to meeting spaces in Durham for help organizing your event.
If you need to find accommodation for yourself or others, there are a plethora of amazing hotels in Durham. We have nearly 9,000 guest rooms and approximately 70 lodging properties, ranging from charming bed and breakfast inns, to full-service and luxury hotels. You can also simplify things for the attendees by hosting both the meeting and accommodation at one of the many Durham hotels with spaces for gatherings and events.
The Unscripted Hotel is ready to welcome any group gathering, meeting or event. Photo: SP Murray
4. Innovation is at Durham's Core
Durham is a magnet for cutting-edge industries, forward thinking organizations and top talent. This is where global corporations like IBM, Cisco, Bayer, Fidelity and GlaxoSmithKline hang their hats.
More than 225 entrepreneurial endeavors have launched in downtown Durham alone, and our destination has been named one of the top cities for startups.
Add our incredibly diverse population, and you start to get a sense of Durham's greatest resource — our people. Soak in that intellectual capital; elevate your events and your innovative spirit.
Find out why Research Triangle Park is the perfect place to meet.
Hold a community meet up at The Chesterfield Building. Photo: Discover Durham
5. Discover Durham Can Help You Plan
Our Discover Durham sales and services staff members are ready to help make your meeting or event a rousing success. Whether you are having a conference of thousands, an important training session, a high-level board meeting, or even a large-scale social event, you will undoubtedly need assistance. Discover Durham Group Resources is here to be your clearinghouse of information and your connection to services that will save you time and help make your event in Durham memorable.
Get here, and we'll do the rest.
