Why Our Residents Love Calling Durham Home

Residents of The Forest at Duke love calling Durham their home. Durham’s rich history, combined with its thriving arts, culture, and food scene, have created an environment where our residents thrive. This week’s blog offers a look into what our residents love most about The Bull City.

From its beginnings as a small railroad stop on land owned by Dr. Bartlett Durham to the thriving, innovative city it is today, Durham has always been a place of growth and culture. Before European settlement, the Occaneechi and Eno tribes lived and farmed this land, and the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation remains active today. After the Civil War, Durham’s booming tobacco industry—home to the famous “Bull Durham” tobacco brand—earned it the nickname “Bull City” and helped shape our city’s vibrant community. The Forest at Duke became part of that story nearly a century later, when it was envisioned in the 1980s by Duke University faculty and neighbors who reimagined what retirement could be. Established in 1988 and welcoming its first residents in 1992, The Forest is proud to have called Durham home for nearly 40 years.

Here’s what our residents love most about living in the Bull City.

Access to Art & Culture

Our residents love exploring Durham’s vibrant arts and culture scene, and there’s no shortage of inspiring places to visit. The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University is a longtime favorite. Located on Duke’s campus, the museum is known for its striking architecture and impressive contemporary collection. One of our current residents, Maureen Johnson, even served as a docent at the original Duke University Museum of Art before it became the Nasher in 2005.

Another beloved destination is the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), where residents can enjoy everything from Broadway blockbusters like Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera to concerts and comedy shows. The Forest provides weekly transportation to DPAC, making it easy for residents to enjoy performances with friends. As the title sponsor of DPAC’s Legends Concert & Comedy Series, The Forest also helps bring big-name performers to Durham, including Carol Burnett, The Temptations and The Four Tops, Chicago, Gladys Knight, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, and Jay Leno.

And for our book lovers, Durham’s thriving independent bookstore scene is always worth exploring. Favorites include The Regulator Bookshop on the city’s lively Ninth Street and Golden Fig Books, located next to the beloved neighborhood restaurant Guglhupf, making it easy to pair a new book with a leisurely lunch or coffee.

The Beauty of Nature

With the Blue Ridge Mountains to our west and the Atlantic Ocean to our east, North Carolina’s Piedmont region is known for its rolling hills, hardwood forests, and diverse wildlife. Thanks to a long growing season, the landscape stays green and lush through much of the spring and summer (although, yes, it can be humid!), while winters are generally mild enough to enjoy time outdoors year-round. It’s no surprise that spending time outside is one of Durham’s greatest pleasures.

One of our favorite outdoor destinations is the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens, a 55-acre botanical garden in the heart of Duke University’s campus. In the spring, our residents regularly visit the gardens, enjoying its five miles of walking paths that wind through themed landscapes and tranquil ponds. Throughout the year, Duke Gardens also offers classes, guided tours, birdwatching outings, and other educational programs that appeal to our gardeners and nature lovers.

For residents who prefer a slightly wilder landscape, Eno River State Park and Duke Forest offer miles of scenic trails through forests, streams, and alongside the Eno River. Whether it’s for a short walk or a longer hike, both destinations provide opportunities to spot native birds and wildflowers while enjoying Durham’s natural beauty.

And when the grandkids come to visit, The Museum of Life and Science is always a hit. This hands-on museum combines science, nature, and outdoor adventure with interactive exhibits, their beloved treehouses, and a butterfly conservatory. Visitors can also see the red wolf habitat, which is part of a nationwide program to rebuild this critically endangered species. To date, 39 wolf pups have been born at the museum, and several have been successfully reintroduced to the wild.

The Best Food

Durham has long been recognized as one of the South’s premier food destinations. In 2013, Southern Living Magazine named Durham the “Tastiest Town” in the South, and since then, the city’s culinary chops have only grown. Today, Durham is home to several James Beard-recognized chefs, MICHELIN-recognized restaurants, and an impressive mix of locally owned eateries, breweries, bakeries, and coffee shops that reflect the city’s creativity and diversity.

Our residents love experiencing Durham’s vibrant food scene through our popular Taste the Triangle outings. Favorites have included authentic North Carolina barbecue at Picnic, an elegant dinner at Metro 8 Steakhouse, and a behind-the-scenes tour and tasting at Ponysaurus Brewing Co. We also enjoy regular visits to the Durham Farmers’ Market, where we can stock up on handcrafted foods and seasonal produce from local farmers, bakers, and artisans.

Team Players

The Bull City is a great place for sports fans, with legendary rivalries, hometown teams, and national champions to cheer on. The basketball rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the most celebrated in college sports, dating back more than a century. Every March, residents gather in The Taproot, our on-campus pub, to cheer on their favorite team and join in the sports-loving madness. For serious fans, we also provide transportation to home games at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Baseball fans love cheering on the beloved Durham Bulls at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the iconic minor league team made famous by the 1988 film Bull Durham. This month, our residents will celebrate America’s favorite pastime with a Movie Night featuring Bull Durham (plus lemonade and hot dogs!) before heading to the ballpark later in August to watch the Bulls take on the Memphis Redbirds. Go Bulls!

Whether you’re exploring a museum, trying a new restaurant, or enjoying a walk through the woods, Durham offers endless opportunities to stay active, engaged, and connected. At The Forest at Duke, our residents enjoy the very best of this remarkable city while being part of a vibrant community they proudly call home.