Durham, NC area guide

Things to Do Near Duke University Hospital

Groceries, food, days-off ideas and shopping close to Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Made for travel nurses and RTs on contract.

5 groceries8 restaurants8 to do5 shopping

Photo: Discover Durham / CC BY 4.0

Groceries

Closest grocery stores to stock the fridge on week one.

• Food Lion

  Food Lion grocery store

  ~0.7 mi / ~2 minMap
• Harris Teeter

  Harris Teeter grocery store. Listed hours 6 AM to 11 PM daily

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minMap
• Whole Foods Market

  Whole Foods natural and organic grocery. Listed hours 7 AM to 10 PM daily

  ~1.2 mi / ~4 minMap
• Durham Co-op Market

  Local grocery store. Listed hours 7 AM to 9 PM daily

  ~1.8 mi / ~6 minMap
• Costco

  Costco warehouse club (membership needed)

  ~2.6 mi / ~6 minMap

Restaurants

Local spots with working websites. Places marked open late or early are handy around a night shift.

• Waffle House24 hours

  American restaurant. Listed as open 24 hours

  ~1.6 mi / ~5 minWebsite
• Itaewon GrillOpen late

  Korean quick-service spot

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Saffron Indian Cafe DurhamSit-down

  Indian restaurant. Listed hours 11 AM to 9 PM daily

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• NoshSit-down

  Local and breakfast restaurant

  ~0.7 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Sage Vegan and Vegetarian RestaurantSit-down

  Restaurant

  ~0.7 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Local 22Sit-down

  Restaurant

  ~0.9 mi / ~3 minWebsite
• Saladelia @Hock PlazaQuick bite

  Mediterranean cafe

  ~0.4 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Saladelia CafeQuick bite

  Cafe

  ~0.4 mi / ~2 minWebsite

Things to do

Parks, water, breweries and more for your days off.

• Sarah P. Duke Gardens

  Park, good for a walk between shifts

  ~0.5 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Duke Homestead State Historic Site

  Nature preserve, a good spot for a quiet walk outside

  ~2.8 mi / ~7 minMap
• Bennett Place

  Nature preserve, a good spot for a quiet walk outside

  ~3.3 mi / ~8 minMap
• Lake Michie

  Reservoir. If you fish, get a North Carolina license first

  ~16 mi / ~21 minMap
• Lake Crabtree

  Lake. If you fish, get a North Carolina license first

  ~17 mi / ~23 minMap
• The Glass Jug Beer Lab - Downtown Durham

  Local brewery

  ~2.6 mi / ~6 minWebsite
• Ment Beverage Co.

  Local brewery

  ~2.7 mi / ~6 minWebsite
• Nasher Museum of Art

  Museum, good for a rainy day off

  ~0.9 mi / ~3 minWebsite

Shopping

Malls and big stores for anything you forgot to pack.

• Burlington

  Burlington, discount clothes and home goods

  ~2.3 mi / ~6 minMap
• Ross

  Ross, discount clothes and home goods

  ~2.3 mi / ~6 minMap
• Target

  Target for clothes, home goods and basics

  ~4.0 mi / ~10 minMap
• The Streets at Southpoint

  Shopping center

  ~9.2 mi / ~16 minWebsite
• Crabtree Valley Mall

  Shopping mall

  ~24 mi / ~32 minMap

Laundromats

Closest self-serve laundromats for scrubs and linens when your rental or RV park doesn’t have a washer.

• Fields Laundromat24 hours

  Laundromat. Listed as open 24 hours

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minMap
• Broad Street Laundry

  Laundromat

  ~2.6 mi / ~6 minMap
• Wavemax Laundry

  Laundromat

  ~2.8 mi / ~7 minMap

Coffee shops

Nearest coffee shops, local spots first. Places marked “Opens early” are handy after a night shift.

• Mad Hatter’s Bake Shop

  Local coffee shop

  ~1.3 mi / ~4 minMap
• Drink A Bull Tasting Room & Tea House

  Local coffee shop

  ~1.3 mi / ~4 minMap
• Cocoa Cinnamon

  Local coffee shop

  ~2.0 mi / ~7 minMap

Gyms

Closest gyms to keep your routine on contract. Ask about short-term or month-to-month memberships.

• The Method Training

  Local gym

  ~1.3 mi / ~4 minMap
• Lakewood YMCA

  YMCA

  ~2.1 mi / ~5 minMap
• Planet Fitness

  Local gym

  ~2.1 mi / ~5 minMap

Nearby RV parks

Monthly-stay parks near Duke University Hospital from our RV parks list. Call to confirm the rate and a spot for your dates.

• Triangle RV Park North

  5909 Wilkins Dr, Durham, NC 27705

  Call for monthly rate

  ~4.8 mi / ~11 minRates & phone

Need a license for North Carolina? See the state licensing boards, then run through the contract checklists and housing tips.

Looking for your next contract? See North Carolina travel contracts posted by staffing agencies.

Sources: place data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), plus each place’s own website and Wikidata. Last checked Oct 2026.