Dublin to Durham

Hi

Going to be in Durham in March and hoping to benefit from dollar to Euro exchange rate (sorry to all Americans out there travelling other direction - Ireland still worth visiting though!!!). I have friends who can act as guides for restaurants, bars etc But I%26#39;m trying not to inflict my shopping addiction on them. Any shopping recommendations would be welcome. Also heard of outlet malls but never been - are they worth going or are they full of stuff they can%26#39;t sell anywhere else?

Thanks

Dublin to Durham

It depends on what type of shopping you want to do. The best shopping in Durham would be the Streets at Southpoint Mall. Granted, it has many of the same stores as any other mall in America but it is quite nice.

As for outlets, you could try the outlets in Burlington about 20 miles west of Durham (but those outlets are fading) or Smithfield about 50 miles southeast of Durham. Basically, outlets have leftover items from the prior shopping year at reduced prices.

Dublin to Durham

Yeah, if you just want a typical american shopping mall, either Southpointe or Northgate will do. Outlet shopping is about 45 min away in Burlington. However slightly closer in Morrisville (20 min) there is a small outlet mall...but nothing to get excited about.

Boutique %26amp; independent shops are also good to find in Durham. Ninth Street (www.ninthst.com) and Brightleaf Square (www.historicbrightleaf.com) are two areas that have a good few little shops worth checking out. Ninth Street is especially fun to stroll down and do some window-shopping when the weather is nice!

The Visitors Bureau has a good site with other shopping options: www.durham-nc.com/dining/shop_index.php