Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC: Drive time, distance & best stops
The distance from Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC by car is 82 miles, with a 1h15m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC drive are the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Burlington NC and Greensboro NC.
Finding things to do between Durham NC and Winston-Salem NC
The Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC drive connects two of the most likeable cities in North Carolina.
Durham NC is a big tech research center, and home to Duke University. The latter is home to the Nasher Museum of Art and the soaring Gothic Duke Chapel.
Nature-lovers can go walking through the Sarah P Duke Gardens and take a tour of the Duke Lemur Center. The biggest crowd-pleaser, however, is the Museum of Life and Science. There are several sections to this, both indoor and outdoor. It’s mainly button-pushing, kid-friendly science indoors and black bears, butterflies and red wolves outside.
The best-rated Durham NC accommodation options are the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club and the Hampton Inn and Suites at the University Medical Center.
Winston-Salem NC is the birthplace of both Camel cigarettes and Krispy Kreme. The top attraction is the Old Salem Museums and Gardens, which brings together several topics across a series of preserved buildings. Wander the site, and you’ll move from decorative arts to indigenous peoples to Moravian settlers.
Other attractions include the Reynolda Museum of American Art in a handsome mansion and Historic Bethabara Park. The latter is the site of the first Moravian settlement in North Carolina.
You can also go on a guided ghost tour.
For Winston-Salem accommodation with a bit of personality, try the Kimpton Cardinal or Historic Brookstown Inn.
Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC is 82 miles. The quickest route is largely along the I-40, and you can expect a driving time of around one hour and 15 minutes.
The best stops to add to a Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC road trip itinerary are the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Burlington NC and Greensboro NC.
Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC drive: Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
The Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area offers an oasis of natural tranquility in a largely built-up area of North Carolina. Visitors can enjoy three miles of walking trails, of which the 2.2 mile Mountain Loop Trail shows off the best views.
There are also two fishing ponds and a picnic area.
Best stops between Durham NC and Winston-Salem NC: Burlington NC
Burlington City Park offers old-fashioned amusements for kids, such as a miniature train and a handful of rides. The Children’s Museum of Alamance County is a decent bet for learning through play, too.
Elsewhere in Burlington NC, the Textile Heritage Museum by the Haw River shows off a well-preserved 19th century textile mill village.
Durham NC to Winston-Salem NC road trip attractions: Greensboro NC
Greensboro NC has a handful of strong cultural attractions. The first port of call should be the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, which houses the original FW Woolworth’s lunch counter. This was where four college freshmen staged a sit-in at the whites-only venue – a key moment of non-violent direct action in the Civil Rights struggle.
There are more backstories at the Greensboro History Museum, and the Guildford Courthouse National Military Park focuses on a Revolutionary War turning point.
For the best Greensboro accommodation deals, search here.
More Durham NC road trips
Durham NC to Asheville | Durham NC to Atlanta | Charlotte to Durham NC | Richmond VA to Durham NC | Durham NC to Washington DC | Durham NC to Wilmington NC.
More Winston-Salem road trips
Winston-Salem to Atlanta | Winston-Salem to Asheville | Winston-Salem to Myrtle Beach | Winston-Salem NC to Raleigh NC | Winston-Salem to Wilmington NC.