A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Durham vs. Charlottesville for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Durham or Charlottesville?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Durham and Charlottesville can help you decide which place is right for you.

Durham

Durham is a sports oriented, diverse, and student-filled city. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food. See Durham travel costs.

Charlottesville

Charlottesville is a proud, traditional, and young university town. This is a great small town that is just waiting to be explored. Charlottesville offers plenty of beauty for visitors. As it offers a special and quaint atmosphere, visitors come from all over to experience this destination. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and hiking. See Charlottesville travel costs.

Durham and Charlottesville: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Durham or Charlottesville?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Charlottesville. Although Durham and Charlottesville are both popular with visitors, Charlottesville has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Charlottesville is more popular for its historical sights, hiking, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Durham is known for its museums and attractions, food, and shopping. Durham is popular for its college town vibe as well as being the home of the famous Blue Devil basketball team. Charlottesville is popular for being home to the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, and serving as a gateway to Shenandoah National Park. It is also home to The University of Virginia Campus.

How is Durham different from Charlottesville?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Charlottesville and Durham. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Durham or Charlottesville?

Durham is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Charlottesville is not as popular, but is still a nice university town for its sights and museums.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Durham. Duke University is one of the most popular destinations in town. There are several museums on campus as well as the famous Duke Chapel. Elsewhere in Durham there's the Durham Museum of Life and Science.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Charlottesville. A highlight of a trip to the area is a visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The city is also famously home to the beautiful University of Virginia, which has a manicured and beautiful campus. History buffs will also appreciate visiting the Civil War Sites that are nearby as well.

Is the Food Better in Durham or Charlottesville? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Durham is a good destination for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Charlottesville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Durham has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. Barbecue is a favorite around town. You'll also find plenty of restaurants that cater to the student population, particularly along Nineth Street near Duke's campus.

Charlottesville may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. Head to the Historic Downtown Mall to enjoy an outdoor meal at a top rated restaurant. There are also restaurants that cater specifically to students and offer affordable and quick meals.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for Nightlife?

Both Durham and Charlottesville are good when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Durham. The younger population tends to hang out near campus and along Nineth Street. If you're looking for something less student oriented, head to downtown Durham.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Charlottesville. Charlottesville is a university town with an active nightlife. The best areas for nightlife are found around the Downtown Mall, Belmont neighborhood, the Corner, and University Ave west near the mall. Even though there are a number of activities to enjoy at night, this is still a small town and the nightlife scene reflects that.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for its Old Town?

Charlottesville is very good for its historic old town charm. However, Durham does not have a historic old town.

Charlottesville offers a nice historic old town area. The Historic Downtown Mall is filled with restaurants and shops. It's a pedestrian only area with a lot of character and energy.

Durham does not have a historic old town.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for Hiking?

Charlottesville is very good for the nearby hiking options. However, Durham is not a hiking destination.

Many people include a hike when visiting Charlottesville. Just outside of town there are plenty of hiking opportunities including in and around Shenandoah National Park. Hiking is at its best during the fall season when the leaves are changing.

Durham is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Durham or Charlottesville?

Durham is a good destination for its shopping opportunities. However, Charlottesville is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Durham. The Streets of Southpoint is the best mall in the area. Other shopping areas include Brightleaf Square and Nineth Street.

Charlottesville is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Durham or Charlottesville More Beautiful?

Charlottesville is very good for its scenery and beauty. However, Durham is not a destination known for its beauty.

Charlottesville offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Surrounded by the Shenandoah Mountains, this is a beautiful town and home to the beautiful University of Virginia.

Durham is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for Families?

You'll find good kid-friendly activities in either Durham or Charlottesville.

Durham is a family-friendly place to visit. A highlight for kids is a visit to the Durham Museum of Life and Science. It has both an indoor and an outdoor section and brings science to life for families. There's also an impressive playground and climbing area. Other activities in town include the Notasium and Eno River State Park. If you plan ahead you could also organize a trip to the Duke Lemur Center.

Charlottesville is a family-friendly city. Wandering the campus of UVA, picking fruit at Carter Mountain Orchard or exploring the downtown mall, including the Virginia Discovery Museum are all activities that everyone can enjoy. There are also great hiking trails just outside of town.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for Couples?

Both Durham and Charlottesville are good destinations to visit as a couple.

Durham is a good city for couples to visit. Have a picnic at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens or spend the day hiking at Eno River State Park. In the evening there's a wonderful selection of restaurants around town. Then you can check out a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center or see a Durham Bulls game.

Charlottesville is a nice destination for couples. The UVA campus is beautiful to explore, as is Monticello. The Downtown Mall has many great restaurants and activities that make for a nice date night and during the day, there's also beautiful hikes nearby that are at their peak during the fall season.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for Students?

Charlottesville is an amazing university town to visit for students. Also, Durham is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its student-friendly activities.

Students come from all over the world to visit Charlottesville. The town is home to the beautiful University of Virginia and it's a popular destination for international students as well as local students. Much of the town is focused around student life, and the city's proximity to Washington, DC means it has access to global opportunities.

Durham is a great city to visit as a student. Duke University has a stunning campus with a world class garden. There's also nearby Nineth Street, which has shops, restaurants, and bars that are geared toward the student population.

Is Durham or Charlottesville Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Durham and Charlottesville offer decent public transit options.

Public transit is generally limited in Durham. There are buses around town, but you really need a car to explore the area.

Public transit is mostly limited in Charlottesville. There is a bus system that runs between campus, downtown, and several neighborhoods in Charlottesville.

Is Durham or Charlottesville a more walkable city?

Durham and Charlottesville both are decent when exploring on foot.

Durham is generally not very walkable. Downtown Durham and a few areas near Duke University are the most walkable areas.

Charlottesville is generally not a very walkable city. While the University of Virginia campus and the Downtown Mall are both very walkable, most of the town is not.

For even more information, also check out Is Durham Worth Visiting? and Is Charlottesville Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Charlottesville or Durham?

How long in Durham or Charlottesville?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Durham and Charlottesville. In our opinion, Charlottesville has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Charlottesville than Durham. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Durham, and 2-3 days is enough time in Charlottesville.

One day in Durham or Charlottesville?

The student-filled destination of Durham offers nightlife and food. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Charlottesville might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Durham or Charlottesville?

The city of Durham offers food and shopping. A weekend here is typical. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.

Charlottesville is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Durham or Charlottesville?

Durham is a great place to explore. This city offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Charlottesville. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Durham or Charlottesville?

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Durham. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Charlottesville is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This university town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in United States of America, The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America, and The Best Photography Tours in United States of America.

When comparing the travel costs between Durham and Charlottesville, we can see that Durham is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Durham Expensive? and Is Charlottesville Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Durham or Charlottesville?

Durham has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Charlottesville. When comparing the sizes of Durham and Charlottesville, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Durham or Charlottesville?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Durham or Charlottesville in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Durham as well as Charlottesville. Many visitors come to Durham in the summer for the family-friendly experiences. Additionally, most visitors come to Charlottesville for the hiking, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In July, Durham is generally around the same temperature as Charlottesville. Daily temperatures in Durham average around 79°F (26°C), and Charlottesville fluctuates around 78°F (26°C).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Charlottesville. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Durham this time of the year. In the summer, Durham often gets less sunshine than Charlottesville. Durham gets 259 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Charlottesville receives 305 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Charlottesville. Durham receives a lot of rain in the summer. Durham usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Charlottesville. Durham gets 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain, while Charlottesville receives 5 inches (128 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Durham or Charlottesville in the Autumn?

Both Charlottesville and Durham are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Durham for the shopping scene during these months. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Charlottesville because of the hiking trails, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.

Durham is around the same temperature as Charlottesville in the autumn. The daily temperature in Durham averages around 61°F (16°C) in October, and Charlottesville fluctuates around 59°F (15°C).

It's quite sunny in Charlottesville. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Durham. Durham usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Charlottesville during autumn. Durham gets 211 hours of sunny skies, while Charlottesville receives 221 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Durham usually receives less rain than Charlottesville. Durham gets 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain, while Charlottesville receives 3.5 inches (90 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Durham or Charlottesville in the Winter?

Both Charlottesville and Durham during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Durham because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, the museums, the Christmas ambience, and the cuisine are the main draw to Charlottesville this time of year.

It's quite cold in Charlottesville in the winter. The weather in Durham can be very cold. In the winter, Durham is much warmer than Charlottesville. Typically, the winter temperatures in Durham in January average around 40°F (5°C), and Charlottesville averages at about 36°F (2°C).

In the winter, Durham often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Charlottesville. Durham gets 162 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Charlottesville receives 169 hours of full sun.

Durham usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Charlottesville. Durham gets 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain, while Charlottesville receives 3.2 inches (83 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Durham or Charlottesville in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Durham and Charlottesville. Also, many travelers come to Charlottesville for the small town charm and the natural beauty.

In April, Durham is generally around the same temperature as Charlottesville. Daily temperatures in Durham average around 60°F (16°C), and Charlottesville fluctuates around 58°F (14°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Charlottesville this time of the year. In Durham, it's very sunny this time of the year. Durham usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Charlottesville during spring. Durham gets 251 hours of sunny skies, while Charlottesville receives 265 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Durham usually receives around the same amount of rain as Charlottesville. Durham gets 3.1 inches (78 mm) of rain, while Charlottesville receives 3 inches (75 mm) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Charlottesville and Durham