Nightlife in Durham

O'neil Cinemas brings the magic back to watching movies, immersing film buffs and families in walls of enriching digital sound and sharp, high-definition images. Moviegoers settle into comfy seats in tiered, stadium-seating theaters before the show begins. Films in 3D bring summer blockbusters face-to-face with audience members, while D-Box-motion seats translate on-screen explosions into realistic rumbles and movements through the seat cushions.

People around the country may be able to enjoy filet mignon, crab cakes, and other elegant American cuisine, but not with the same flavors as The District. That’s because the restaurant crafts its seasonally inspired menus with ingredients from more than 15 local farms. Aside from delighting taste buds with pan-seared local cod and bourbon-glazed pork tenderloin with plum barbecue sauce and house sauerkraut, the chefs hand cut their fries and pair them with housemade ketchup and create ice-cream flights made from local snow people. Handcrafted cocktails allow clients to imbibe local flavors, such as the cider-press cocktail—made with absolute pear and house-mulled NH cider—or The District’s local rhubarb mojito.

Warm lighting blankets the rustic interior of Riverside Lounge, creating a relaxing retreat for enjoying a draft beer, cocktail, or full meal. The flickering flames of the fireplace invite couples to cozy up beside it as they share portions of lightly battered calamari and lobster mac and cheese. The bar, meanwhile, blends chic woodwork with brick walls and an inviting atmosphere where patrons can relax and sip one of 17 draft beers, a seasonal wine, or a pitcher of white or red sangria. A collection of sports-showing TVs decorates the bar like wreaths on a door, while outside the view offers the natural splendor of the Powwow River Waterfall, which flows adjacent to the lounge’s canopied tables and violin-playing sparrows.

The instructors at Dance Technics believe there's something to be learned and earned from all forms of body expression. That's why they teach myriad dance styles—everything from ballet to tumbling to hip hop—within their third-floor studio. There, students join in on classes divided by age and skill level, and show off their moves against exposed brick walls and padded floors. The classes can mix styles or focus on competitive dance, and range from 30- to 120-minutes. The instructors also offer private lessons for one-on-one practice or choreographing solo routines.

When Broadway showman Walter Hartwig and his wife Maude opened the Ogunquit Playhouse in 1933, they likely never realized they were establishing a theatrical legacy. Then again, they might have had an inkling—from the very beginning, the playhouse hosted performances from luminaries including Ethel Barrymore, Bette Davis and Walter Matthau. Even today, it’s not unusual to see famous names and attached talents treading its historic boards, such as Stefanie Powers from Hart to Hart or Charles Shaughnessy from The Nanny. It’s all part of the theater’s mission to provide the best shows possible while promoting the local arts. Along with star-studded Broadway musicals, the stage hosts dance shows, children’s theater, and acting workshops for the next generation of spotlight-stealers.

Film buffs across six states stare wide-eyed at large cinema screens, losing themselves in first-run Hollywood movies and the smell of fresh, buttery kernels within Your Neighborhood Theatre's 17 locations. Though all theaters prioritize comfortable seating, old-fashioned friendly service, and high-stakes preshow trivia slideshows, each location encompasses its own distinct charm, be it through arthouse décor, 3-D screens, or Rhode Island's vintage 1950's drive-in setting.