Duke Farms, Hillsborough

Beautiful gardens with such a rich history! There is a gorgeous orchid greenhouse and an Italian marble sculpture garden along the path as well as an amazing Japanese inspired meditation garden. The flowers are absolutely beautiful and we’re in peak bloom when we went (mid May). The visitor center had a lot of information with a small movie. There is a cafe that sold hot food and drinks (fancy coffee) and the food was quite delicious. Highly recommend to stop by before or after to fuel up. The ranger there also told us the best route for us to take and was very enthusiastic about the farms. If you do get his question right, he will give you a Duke Farms sticker 😄 The whole trip around the park was around 4 miles, which took about 3 hours with stops and taking photos. The signage and the map is not very clear and can get confusing. We did end up getting a little lost while it rained, but eventually made it back. I hope signage will get better at crossroads. Parking passes and entry into the farm are free, but may need to be booked in advance especially on Saturdays.

There is so much to explore in the area here! From unique trails, to the meditation garden, to the visitors center with delicious snacks, this place is a great mid-week trip to just outside and breath some fresh air and relax. If you walk from the visitors center to the meditation garden which is at the end of the park (b-line) its about 2 miles, to explore the whole park is about 15 miles of area so if you want to digest it all in one day, I recommend bringing or renting a bike. Yes, they have bike rentals there too! They also allow skateboards and rollerblades, believe it or not!! Definitely a well maintained historical park that is privately owned, so please respect there hard work and dedication to preserving and sharing this beautiful land with us.

Duke Farms is a great spot for a family outing for all ages. It's a large park with lots of mostly flat, paved and loose gravel walking trails, nice views and lots of nature. There is a free parking area near the visitor center (which offers a cafe) and then you walk across the street to the main property. It's quite large, so be prepared to walk if you want to see a lot of it, or you can bring or rent a bike. There is no food in the main property but plenty of clean bathrooms (mostly porta potties) scattered about, and you can bring a picnic. If you go be sure to check out the Orchid Range for some impressive orchid specimens, some of which are quite old.

A very nice place spread over nearly 1000 acres of land with some interesting landmarks. If you really want to see the complete place, I suggest you should rent a cycle as it could be close to 15 miles. One should also carry a backpack with some water and ready to eat stuff. The place also has a restaurant in the reception area. One should always buy tickets on line as you may not be allowed inside the parking area without a pre-reservation. It is a whole day program.

Absolutely beautiful place! Went bike riding with the fam for $8, got to take in the wonderful sights and falls and overall had an amazing time. Spent about 4 hrs here and didn’t even get a chance to explore the whole estate. The orchid range is a must! This place is gorgeous and I would greatly recommend. Place is free but you have to reserve free tickets for Saturday entry.