Raleigh/Durham

Southern hospitality is what you’ll find in Raleigh and Durham, the two largest cities of what locals call “The Triangle.” (The third is Chapel Hill.) These are lively university towns, so you won’t be surprised find world-class museums, snappy shopping, interesting restaurants, and non-stop nightlife. There’s also a small but thumping bar scene.

A great time to visit will be in September, when gay boys and girls dress up for North Carolina Pride with Saturday September 25 parade, festival and dance in Durham, and parties all weekend, around the Triangle.

Getting here

Raleigh-Durham International Airport between the two cities, is served by most major airlines. Taxis and shuttle buses are the best way to get to your destination from the airport. See Triangle Transit for connections info. Amtrak trains pull into the station at 320 West Cabarrus Street in Raleigh, and in Durham at 601 W Main Street, close to the DATA bus terminal.
 

Getting around

While it’s best to rent a car to see more of these cities, it’s possible to use buses to get around -- provided by CAT in Raleigh, and DATA in Durham.

Media

QNotes is the LGBT arts, entertainment, news and views bi-weekly magazine for the Carolinas, having merged with The Front Page in 2006. The Triangle is another LGBTQ resource, covering the Triangle area cities. GayChapelHill is a gay blog with updates on that city.

The Independent (IndyWeek) is the local alternative paper for the region, with film, food, music, arts and other listings and reviews.

Neighborhoods

Several busy gay clubs, cafes, stores and gay-friendly guesthouses are clustered near the State House in Raleigh. In Durham things are more scattered, but the area around Duke University is gay-friendly, and it's here that the Pride Parade and Festival take place.

Resources

White Rabbit Books (300 W Hargett St), is a North Carolina institution, bookstore and ersatz gay community center, very near Legends nightclub.
 

Bars, Raleigh

North Carolina bars and nightclubs without food are private, requiring membership, typically $10-15 per year. Visitors may be sponsored as a guest by a member -- people in line will often oblige.
 

The Borough (317 W Morgan St) bar and restaurant pulls in a hip cross section of locals for a hearty variety of food offerings and popular happy hour drinks. They have internet access too.

Capitol Corral (313 W Hargett St), nightly 18+ piano bar & dance club, Thursday Hip-Hop & House nights, Latin Fridays, big Saturday nights.

Flex (2 S West), "the men's bar of the Carolinas" karaoke, drag shows, bingo, dancing, country music, goth and industrial nights, bear events, games.

Icon (320 E Durham Rd) gay dance club in Cary, go go dancers, drag shows, House, R&B, Hip-Hop and Reggae music.

Legends (330 W Hargett St), big, popular 18+ dance club and show bar for young, handsome, mostly male crowd, drag stars, live entertainment, top DJ's, games.

Liquid Nightclub (311 S Harrington St) new Thursday through Sunday upscale gay dance club; Thursdays 18+, Friday women's nights.

Bars, Durham

The Sirens Lounge (1803 W. Markham Ave) sleek urban cocktail lounge, early evening to late night relaxation, professionals, old/young mix, students & hipsters, outside patio.

Steel Blue (1426 S. Miami Blvd) dance club, game nights, drag shows, special nights include official Pride dance, performance art shows, Fetish Fair events.

Visions (711 Rigsbee Ave) women's dance club, pool tables, DJs play wide music variety.

For restaurants and shops in the Triangle see our listings and map pages.