Cape Fear Botanical Gardens

When I go someplace new, I always like to ask people who live in the area what things are "must-sees" while I'm there.  So far in Fayetteville almost everyone I've asked has told me there's nothing to do here.  At first I was pretty disappointed, but I've discovered that while there are not a whole lot of things to do in Fayetteville, there are some really lovely spots that are worth exploring.  It just takes a little more effort to figure out where those places are.  After a lot of googling (I'm a google addict), I decided to check out the botanical gardens. 

There were very few people there, possibly due to the fact that it's summer in North Carolina and it is super hot and humid and the mosquitos are killers, or possibly due to the fact that there is construction that makes it a little tricky to find your way there, but the gardens were definitely a pleasant surprise. 

I didn't really spend time in the visitor's center, but I think they have educational programs there and there is a small gift shop and cafe.  The lady who welcomed me was extremely nice and went over a map with me to ensure I saw all of her favorite spots.  

The flowers were gorgeous, and I tried my hand at capturing some of them although I always feel like pictures (at least my pictures) don't do justice to the real thing.

 There was a forest with lots of fun fungi.

 There were also some fun sculptures to be found around the gardens.

But my favorite part was definitely the butterfly stroll.  There were tons of butterflies and bees and other assorted creatures.

 I would say Cape Fear Botanical Gardens are a "must-see" if you're coming to Fayetteville.