Things to Do and See in Chapel Hill-Carrboro

Visit the Old Well on the Carolina campus. This iconic campus fixture is the symbol of the university. Lore has it that drinking from it will bring good luck. While you're on campus, see if you can spot these other landmarks: the Davie Poplar Tree, Wilson Library, Memorial Hall, and the Bell Tower.

Bon Appetit called our area the "Foodiest Small Town in America." The above link only covers a fraction of our fabulous restaurants. A more comprehensive list is coming soon. If you need a recommendation before I can get the article written, feel free to email me.

The Jordan Lake Recreational Area is less than 20 minutes from downtown Chapel Hill. It's a local favorite for fishing water-skiing, kayaking, and sailing. The 14,000-acre lake is also the summer home to a large population of bald eagle nesting pairs.

Fearrington Village is a collection of shops, restaurants, gardens, and homes centered around the historic Fearrington Inn and Restaurant. The Inn is a Relais and Chateaux property and always at the top of media lists for one of the best places to eat and stay in the world. Fearrington Village is also home to a herd of Belted Galloway Cows, known to local children as the "Oreo cows."

A Carrboro fixture since 1979. Open year-round on Sundays, and operating at multiple locations on summer Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The 900-acre North Carolina ​Botanical Gardens has hiking trails, formal gardens, displays of native plants and a beautiful visitor center.

An old cotton mill, once slated for demolition--was reborn as the Carr Mill Mall and serves as the centerpiece of downtown Carrboro. Anchored by local co-op grocery Weaver Street Market, the building, shops and surrounding lawn ​are a hub of community activity.

Open Eye Cafe is a local coffee shop in the heart of Carrboro. Award-winning baristas. Free WiFi. Comfy couches.

Franklin Street is the heart of downtown Chapel Hill and borders the UNC Campus. A stroll down East Franklin from Henderson to Columbia will take you past upscale boutiques like Julians. It is also the place to pick up Tar Heel t-shirts and other Carolina mementos. If you get hungry you'll find plenty of restaurants along the way.

On the 2nd Friday of each month, the Ackland Arts Museum and local galleries in Chapel Hill and Carrboro open their doors. Many offer live music and refreshments. Often the artists are on hand to discuss their work.