Things to Do in Durham

There are numerous times in life when it’s not appropriate to storm off to the mountains for adventure and stress relief. Work, family, and co-dependent penguins often keep us committed to life in one place. The climbing center at Vertical Edge provides all the challenge and fun of actual mountain climbing without the distance and dangers of a real rockface. Under the skilled tutelage of trained instructors, you'll get a lesson on basic climbing techniques, including the fine art of belaying another climber (to avoid such accidents as witnessed on playgrounds when itinerant sumo wrestlers attempt to see-saw with toddlers). After your lesson, you can stick around the massive facility and belay or climb for as long as your want, then return for any full additional day with equipment and admission included. With over 8,500 square feet of climbable surfaces to choose from, including a bouldering cave and 20 leadable routes, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities available.

Arthur Murray has been a leading name in franchise dance since 1912, when the entrepreneur began selling mail-order dance lessons. Expanding his reach, he enlisted teachers to spread his signature dance lessons on first-class steamships and skyrocketed to fame in the '30s after introducing the public to such dances as the Lambeth Walk and The Big Apple. By the 1950s, Arthur and his wife, Kathryn, were hosting their own highly popular TV show on ABC, The Arthur Murray Dance Party, which ran for 12 years. Today, Arthur Murray's team prepares students for rug cutting at special events and weekend nightclub jaunts. Throughout lessons, instructors teach the foundations of two to four dances from a long list of styles that range from Latin to country-western, helping students to learn basic step patterns, timing, and the ability to lead or follow.

Attractions such as miniature golf, batting cages, and laser tag make Adventure Landing an ideal location for getting in fun, interactive family time. Whether the kids opt for a heart-accelerating whip around the go-kart track or a few swings of the bat, the fun center gives families every excuse to band together or square off against one another in friendly competition. School, church, and corporate outings are available as well, giving groups of all ages a place to gather, nosh on pizza, and create complex victory dances.

In Paintsburgh City, warriors use a rundown embassy and unoccupied police station for cover as they dodge opposing armies. Friendships have been put aside for the day as teams stealthily move about the 20,000-square-foot ghost town, aiming their CO2-powered paintball guns to hit targets and score bragging rights. The elaborate city is one of several scenario fields that make Xtreme Kombat's paintball and training facility a draw for both recreational players and professional law-enforcement and military personnel seeking challenging training environs. In addition to Paintsburgh's watchtowers and wrecked vehicles, the other themed fields—with names like Fort Massacre and Death Valley POW Hills—combine imaginative storylines with wooded landscapes, obstacles, and freelancing ghosts. The complex's fields are also illuminated for after-dark play.

Triangle Rock Club's state-of-the-art facility houses more than 9,000 square feet of expertly crafted terrain with upward of 100 routes. During small-size classes, drop-in sessions, and rock-climbing camps, novice and seasoned climbers scale freestanding boulders, dodging manmade obstacles while gripping the wall's slanted surface. Founded by two former Marines, Triangle Rock Club offers customers a large fitness center where guests can complement climbing's full-body workout with weights, kettlebells, squat racks, and spontaneous arm-wrestling matches. Other amenities include a climate-controlled interior and a lounge with WiFi and an HDTV.

A Franklin Street icon, the recently renovated Varsity Theatre has entertained audiences and cineastes for more than 50 years with screenings of current blockbusters, cult flicks, indie films, and classics. A vintage marquee beckons audiences to file into comfy seats as 35mm and digital projectors project movies onto screens. Along with regularly scheduled showings, The Varsity also holds special events such as film forums, dinner-and-movie specials, or interviews with John Wayne's neckerchief. Groups can rent out the theaters for birthday parties, corporate functions, or special events, with multiple media services and catering options available.