Things To Do
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC is the oldest public university in the United States and has an absolutely beautiful campus for wandering. If you're staying at any of the hotels we've recommended, you're just a few blocks away from campus - make sure to check out the iconic Old Well and Bell Tower!
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
The Morehead Planetarium (located on UNC campus, just off of Franklin Street) was used by NASA from 1959-1975 to train astronauts, so definitely a great place to visit for our science-inclined friends and family! It is also a beautiful building with a number of permanent and rotating exhibits as well as planetarium shows
Carolina Basketball Museum
For our sports-inclined friends and family, this museum houses all things Carolina basketball and is a great free museum right on campus!
Ackland Art Museum
For our friends and family looking for a bit more of the arts and culture, we highly recommend the permanent and rotating exhibits in this small but mighty free museum right on UNC campus!
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
For those looking to get outside (and willing to take a quick 10 minute trip separating the UNC and Duke campuses), we love wandering through the gardens on Duke's campus, and spring weather is sure to have them in full bloom!
Places to Eat and Drink on Franklin Street
There is an abundance of places to eat and drink around Franklin Street, but if you need any suggestions here are some Chapel Hill staples: On/off Franklin Street: Carolina Coffee Shop, Brandwein's Bagels, TRU, Sup Dogs, Top of the Hill, Mama Dip's, 411 West, Lantern Towards Carborro: Open Eye Cafe, Grata Diner, Armadillo Grill, Carrburritos, Acme Elsewhere in Chapel Hill: Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, Caffe Driade, Merritt's Grill, The Root Cellar