It’s never easy dealing with the inevitable nerves that emerge as your wedding day approaches. But keeping a needy group of family and friends busy can crank your stress levels to epic highs. Here are some ideas to keep the fam occupied for hours, if not days, while you’re preparing for your own big day.

Duke Gardens: Sarah P. Duke Gardens’ fifty-five acres showcase plant varieties from across the world. The Page-Rollins White Garden, inspired by the cottage gardens of England, is especially ideal for pictures with the family, and the Asiatic Garden’s winding trails offer limitless exotic views.

420 Anderson Street, Durham

Raleigh Flea Market:

People-watching at the Raleigh Flea Market is sometimes even more fun than shopping there. Nonetheless, we’ve scored some pretty cool finds, including a mid-century sword, an antique banjo, and plenty of retro video games.

1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh

North Carolina Museum of Art: With a permanent collection spanning five thousand years and the largest outdoor art park in the country, family and friends can be whisked away for hours in the vast galleries of the NCMA. Even if the family’s already stopped by on a previous visit to the Triangle, a slew of recent acquisitions, including works by Louise Bourgeois, Yoan Capote, and Lien Truong, is more than enough to revive their interests.

2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh

Carolina Basketball Museum: Sports junkies will drool over the impressively extensive artifacts and historical tributes to Roy Williams, Dean Smith, and Michael Jordan at this museum, located on the campus of UNC.

450 Skipper Bowles Drive, Chapel Hill

Artspace: This visual arts center features a revolving lineup of exhibitions and houses studios for dozens of the area’s greatest artists. Drop in for an urban drawing class, an art happy hour, or the premiere of a new showing.

201 East Davie Street, Raleigh

Umstead State Park: Twenty miles of hiking and thirteen miles of bike trails weave around three lakes in this legendary local spot, giving hardcore backpackers and casual sightseers alike plenty to do.

Crabtree Entrance: 8801 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

Reedy Creek Entrance: 1800 North Harrison Avenue, Cary

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: This one’s a no-brainer for kids. The museum’s enormous whale and dinosaur skeletons are always a big hit. Take a walk through the museum’s living conservatory, which harbors butterflies, turtles, exotic plants, and an elusive sloth.

11 West Jones Street, Raleigh

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