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Amtrak 🚂: Putting Up the Dukes in Durham NC

Hello Fodors,

This year around Xmas offered just enough time for me to indulge my fondness for trains with a short Amtrak adventure. Last year I had enjoyed a first-time visit to Raleigh, so this year I decided to check out the other city associated with RDU, Durham.

Although I live in Montreal, I have a nice break around Xmas and New Years that I spend in the parents’ home in northern Virginia. After preparing a nice Christmas Day breakfast and dinner with brother and mother, I allowed myself this small getaway.

Dec 26-28 Alexandria VA- Durham NC (Amtrak Carolinian)

*Amtrak Ride and Suggestion*

For anyone considering doing a journey from DC to Durham by train, just so you’re aware, there’s just one Amtrak train (the Carolinian) between these cities daily (originating in New York City). While problems can occur any time of the year, I would recommend doing such a journey when it’s less hot as sometimes heat restrictions result in slower speeds on the tracks and consequently significant delays. Of note, what used to be the Amtrak Silver Star train (NYC-DC-Raleigh-Florida) has now been replaced by the Floridian (Chicago-Cleveland-DC-Florida), which does still stop in nearby Raleigh, following the same route as the Silver Star south of DC. One nice thing about this is it now gives train lovers a single train (with sleeper if desired) from Chicago and Pittsburgh for example to Raleigh & Florida. One disadvantage is the longer the route, the greater the likelihood of delays and problems, which makes the Floridian possibly now a more concerning option for those who want to go from DC to Raleigh, as I did last year on the Silver Star.

Anyway, I enjoyed the Carolinian train, as always appreciating the estuaries near Quantico, the charming wide porches in Ashland VA and crossing the James River just south of Richmond station. Arriving on-time in Raleigh, a slight delay in Cary resulted in the train arriving maybe 15 minutes late in Durham. The Durham station is delightfully located downtown, which I much appreciated, as well as my choice to pick a hotel (the 21c) within maybe 6 minutes walk of the train station.

*Activities in and Thoughts on Durham Coming Next*

Daniel, once again, thanks for taking us on your journey.

*Final Advice on Carolinian Train*

I remember I also wanted to add that the Carolinian is quite a popular train and both last year and this year I checked was fully booked about a week in advance of my travel dates around Christmas. I was able to secure a spot on the Carolinian in November, but I’d recommend booking well in advance if doing this route during busier travel times. One good bit of news for train lovers coming from the northeast is that if you can get to one of the North Carolina cities, such as Raleigh or Charlotte, there are several trains a day between the two cities on the Amtrak Piedmont service that stop in Durham.

*Thoughts on Downtown Durham*

The train station is a pleasant introduction to Durham, a handsome spacious brick building with plenty of seating. The station was bustling this morning with passengers!

For those who insist on a bustling urban metropolis, Durham probably isn’t what you’re looking for in a city. The streets were almost eerily quiet in the evening I arrived, although I was told by an Uber driver that when Duke University is in session, things are less quiet. This said, peeking in restaurant establishments on Main Street and some nearby streets, I observed a vibrant, festive and busy energy that I found appealing. My first evening, I went to Blue Note Grill, where I enjoyed pulled pork BBQ (sacrilege I know), collard greens, Brunswick stew and hush puppies amidst live entertainment where couples danced in appreciation. Good fun! My second evening, I indulged myself in more regional cuisine in the form of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts at It’s a Southern Thing on Main Street. Since I’m not in the South all that often, anytime I’m there I seek out recipes the region is noted for.

*Duke University and Sarah P. Duke Gardens*

Although downtown Durham is pleasant enough and does have a bit of charm with red brick sidewalks, the biggest reason I would suggest for prospective visitors to check out the city is to see Duke University. To get there, I took the currently free #6 GoDurham city bus from Durham Station (bus station is a few minutes walk from the train station) to the Flowers Drive stop near Duke Chapel.

The Duke University campus makes you feel like you’ve arrived in Victorian England with stately stone buildings, a large central lawn, architectural marvels in the form of archways under buildings, turrets, clock faces and the stunning Duke Chapel. I’ve seen some attractive campuses in my day, having attended William & Mary, Johns Hopkins and McGill, and seen Harvard, UPenn and Queen’s. And of what I’ve seen, Duke is truly exceptional in North America in terms of its stateliness; I was reminded most of Oxford or Cambridge if anything. Make sure to go inside the Duke Chapel to see the organs and stained glass windows; the chapel opens at 10am. One thing that surprised me was how young the campus is, with the stones of Duke Chapel laid in the 1930s, when my grandparents were already adults, as the feel of the campus would lead you to believe that all the buildings date from the mid 1800s at least!

*Coming up: Sarah P Duke Gardens, Duke Homestead, Durham History Museum and Thoughts on Durham for a North Carolina Trip*

I'm riding along, Daniel. Lovely shot of the Meyer Bridge.

Ashland is a sweet town, btw. I dig up my TR from a few years back to share.

ETA: found the 2013 TR. The Inn closed but has reopened and has holiday specials that sound nice:
https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...iverse-957415/

*Sarah P. Duke Gardens*

I had spent about 1 hour and 20 minutes exploring the Duke campus and chapel and was headed to catch the #6 bus back into downtown Durham when I noticed across the street from the bus stop a gate to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, named after a Duke family matriarch. I had read about the gardens on TripAdvisor but thought perhaps being winter it might not be so appealing.

Well, I’m glad I opted to spontaneously not return so quickly to downtown as the landscaping at the gardens is lovely, with cardinals flitting about; there are some lovely fountains and an attractive pond with a variety of ducks (including one ruddy one I’d never seen before), not to mention the striking red Meyer bridge pictured earlier. I definitely would encourage visitors to the Duke campus to allot some extra time to explore these gardens, which as worthwhile to visit as they were in late December, I’d imagine are even more lovely when flowers are in bloom.

*History Museum of Durham*

Returning to downtown, after a quick visit to the Visitor Information Center, the next stop was the history museum, located right near the train station and small enough that you can see its main exhibits in about half an hour all for free. What I found interesting here is that Durham was a tiny hamlet with a population of ~100 around 1860. As Durham grew thanks in no small part to the entrepreneurial spirit of the Dukes, Durham was perceived to be a bit uncouth, according to plaques, by the folks over at Chapel Hill, where it was said that it was thought the Durham folk were more motivated by profit.

*Duke Homestead*

Since no public transport goes to this spot found in a distal Durham suburb, I caught an Uber to the site of Washington Duke’s homestead. As a tenant farmer prior to the Civil War, Duke’s humble beginnings were evident here. Although the homestead fell into other hands after the family moved to sizeable homes in downtown Durham and elsewhere, the site has aimed to replicate the circumstances while the family lived there post-Civil War, with some original family items on display. A film shown at the museum on the Duke family early ingenuity advertising tobacco products (early on with attractive women and later with athlete cards found inside) and investing in a Bonsack machine to prepare cigarettes illustrated well the family’s path to great fortune and was quite entertaining. The cost to roam the grounds is free, a tour set me back $2.

*Final Thoughts on Durham to come*

Thanks schmerl and tdudette for following along! I have yet to actually visit Ashland, even though I’ve been to Richmond numerous times, with family and friends in the state capital.

*Durham: Final Thoughts*

I think Durham’s main draw is Duke University, a uniquely visually stunning and imposing campus that is well-worth seeing. Even if it was only built in the 1930s! I’d definitely recommend a detour to go see it if one happens to be elsewhere in the Research Triangle; coupled with the gardens and a meal in Durham I think most would find a delightful day spent. Having visited Raleigh last year and Durham this year, I think the Research Triangle generally so far has been quite a rewarding area to explore. And I know I have only scratched the surface!

Happy new year and happy travels! Daniel

Once again Mr Williams shows us hidden gems. You must have enjoyed attending Johns Hopkins, another beautiful campus, if in a different style than Duke. Looking forward to your next report and its hitherto unheralded destination!

Thanks FraDiavolo— I was at Johns Hopkins Medical Center while doing a paid fellowship which, although a fantastic state-of-the-art place to receive training, was more cement/buildings and the view from work overlooked some mostly boarded-up row houses of West Baltimore in the early 2000s. That said, I did live nearby the lovely grassy main campus (a few miles from the medical campus) and I did use the gym there and attend seminars there on occasion. The Peabody Insitute (associated with Johns Hopkins) in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore I recollect had a stunning library (can’t recollect quite why I was there, some work-related event). Happy new year to you!

Daniel, I was lucky enough to visit the Duke Gardens when they were in bloom. You are correct, both the campus and the gardens are beautiful.
I love how you always manage to get around without having a car.
Thanks again for taking us along with you.

Schmerl— You’re welcome and thank you. I’m happy you got to see the gardens in their full glory, as lovely as they were in winter. I will definitely go back to the gardens if I return in a warmer month. And I was also pleased the city bus service connected downtown to Duke every half-hour as well as the density of appealing restaurants in Durham’s downtown core for my indeed car-less visit.

Thanks for taking us along on your train ride Daniel. I love hearing about your car less adventures.

Best wishes for a very happy new year.

Thanks oldemalloy and happy new year to you too!

Thanks for another Amtrak adventure TR, Daniel. It's always interesting to read about your train trips.
My husband loves trains and really wants to take some trips this year. I know that he would enjoy using one of the Amtrak USA Rail passes and plotting various stops. We can get to NYC or Washington DC easily by train from VT and of course have many options after that.

Thanks for reading vttraveler! I hope you and your husband have an interesting train adventure (or other travel) this year. All the best, Daniel

As always, a fun and interesting read, Daniel. Thank you!
We were in Durham in October for a conference and the city was very busy. Live music was playing in a square, people filled the sidewalks and parking was hard to find (a downside of getting around by car). Mother and Sons is a very good restaurant with a casual, fun vibe.
We always try to stay at the Washington Duke Inn across from Duke. I love the 3 mile trail that runs behind it. The hallways serve as a mini history museum with Duke family pictures lining the walls.
Chapel Hill and UNC are worth seeing if you get the chance. The three cities making up the Triangle are different but charming and interesting each in their own way. They also each have fervent fan bases for their respective universities. I will admit to always rooting for NC State over the other two. 😁
Happy New Year, Daniel!

Thanks Birdie!

I loved reading about your experience of Durham. Even though the city was quite quiet in the post-Christmas period, which I appreciated in some ways such as for getting restaurant seats, I imagine during other times during the academic year such as homecoming, where things are much busier, that the city has a different (and festive?) feel. I did notice Mother & Sons, not far from my hotel, which looked like a lot of fun and very busy even the days I was there. The trail and the Washington Duke Inn sound like they would make for a special visit! Beyond the very appealing to explore seeming restaurant scene, with Chapel Hill and reading up afterward about the American Tobacco Historical District in downtown Durham which I bizarrely missed, sounds like if I return one day, I will have plenty more to discover.

Best wishes Birdie!

Daniel

I forgot. Go Tribe! 😁

Always like to read about train trips!

Couple of additional places on the Duke campus worth seeing - the Lemur Center and the Nasher Art Museum. I'm sure there are other places basketball fans would seek out....

BTW, while the Piedmont trains are operated by Amtrak, they are unusual in being owned by the NC Dept. of Transportation.

Happy New Year, Thursdaysd! Thanks for the additional suggestions for Duke campus visitors. The lemur center sounds especially interesting. I wish now I’d planned an extra day!