Activities & Attractions Near our Duke University Hotel

With a convenient location on the campus of Duke University, the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is the perfect home base for exploring the Research Triangle area. The diverse academic and professional population of the Triangle fosters myriad cultural and recreational activities as well as special events (including some of the very finest collegiate sports teams found anywhere). Below you’ll find links to a variety of things to do near our Duke University hotel during your stay. If you need any additional recommendations, please contact the Front Desk.

Duke University Points of Interest:

Duke University - Situated on nearly 9,000 acres in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is noted as one of the most prestigious universities in the United States. Founded in 1924, the University boasts eight professional schools, championship athletic programs and international acclaim for its educational offerings and groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

Duke Faculty Club - Surrounded by the rugged and scenic trails of Duke Forest and the immaculate greens of the Washington Duke Hotel and Duke University Golf Club, The Duke Faculty Club is a private swim and fitness facility. The Duke Faculty Club’s exclusive access is now available for our Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club guests at a rate of $10 per person per day.

Duke University Chapel - Located on Duke University’s West Campus, Duke Chapel was built in 1930 and is an iconic structure on campus and within the Durham community. The neo-Gothic chapel has one of the largest congregations of any university church in the country.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens - More than 300,000 visitors from all over the world visit Sarah P. Duke Gardens annually, enjoying its 55 acres of specialized gardens in the heart of Duke University. It is a place of beauty, dedicated to learning, inspiration and enjoyment through excellence in horticulture. Duke Gardens was named among the top 10 public gardens in the U.S. by TripAdvisor, and one of the South’s 10 best public gardens in Southern Living.

Duke Athletics – The Duke Blue Devils compete in 26 Division I sports within the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke also boasts 13 national championship titles.

Duke Lemur Center - Located less than five minutes from the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, The Duke Lemur Center is the world’s largest and most diverse collection of lemurs – Earth’s most endangered group of mammals – outside of Madagascar. The Duke Lemur Center advances science, scholarship, and biological conservation through interdisciplinary research, community-based conservation and public outreach. By engaging scientists, students and the public in new discoveries and global awareness, the Center promotes a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and an understanding of the power of scientific discovery.

Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University - Formerly the Duke University Museum of Art, the Nasher Museum opened in 2005 as a major center for the arts on Duke University’s campus and in the surrounding Research Triangle area. The museum’s contemporary collection features a growing list of artists, including Barkley L. Hendricks, Christian Marclay, Wangechi Mutu, Ai Weiwei, Fred Wilson and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. More than 100,000 people visit the museum each year.