On a lovely mid-April Saturday, I went to one of the best places in this part of North Carolina for a beautiful spring walk: Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Located on the campus of Duke University in Durham, this gorgeous facility boasts 55 acres, and five miles of walking paths on a varied terrain.
The Gardens are comprised of four sections: Historic Gardens, Doris Duke Center and Gardens, H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, and the W.L. Culbertson Asiatic Arboretum. Map (pdf)
Inside the main entrance is a visitor’s center where you can grab a map. It also has a staffed information desk, restrooms and a small gift shop.
Duke Gardens is a popular venue for weddings, prom photos and other special events this time of year. It’s quite busy on the weekends, and the day I was there was no exception. But still, we had no problem getting around.
If you’re looking for a beautiful place to spend a few hours walking and exploring, Duke Gardens is the perfect destination!
Here is a photo tour of my walk.
If you go
Admission to the Gardens is free. However, a parking fee is charged if you park in the lot inside the entrance, and there are limited spaces available there. Free parking is available on the weekends in a large University parking lot at the corner of Yearby Avenue and Anderson Street, a short walk down the street to the Gardens, and I recommend this option.
Duke Gardens is open from 8 a.m. to dusk, 365 days a year. The address is 420 Anderson St., Durham, NC, 27708. For more information, see https://gardens.duke.edu.
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