The moving process can be a tiring venture, and you may seek some serenity after your Durham movers have finished helping you settle into your North Carolina home. Here are two places to find some inner-peace right nearby.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens
There's nothing like some vibrant plant life to help awaken the senses. The Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a scenic horticultural retreat split up into four distinct sections. The Terrace Gardens portion has hidden patios and beautiful staircases with blossoming pink and green plants overhead. The H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants is a woodland maze with great walking paths that allow you to see the trees and vegetation that inhabit the region. You'll also get an exotic taste of plants from Eastern regions at the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum as you sit by one of the two ponds.

You can also engage in great educational opportunities that'll help add life to your new home with classes like The Cooks Garden: Herbs from the Garden, Autumn Decorative Container and Herbal Kitchen Wreath.

Duke Homestead
Go back to a simpler time with a visit to the Duke Homestead. There, you can see where George Washington first grew his tobacco - the once-plentiful crop that the first president's sons turned into the American Tobacco Company. You'll get a firsthand glimpse at the location that gave the southern territory its wealth and helped establish the nearby Duke University. There are fun seasonal events like Christmas by Candlelight, where you'll see what it was like to celebrate the holiday 19th-century style. Admission is free, and you and the family can also pack a lunch to enjoy at the picnic facilities.