CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- There's something special about college towns. Whether it's
their abundance of used bookstores and funky cafes, historic
buildings and the landscaped quads of their universities -- or
simply their undercurrent of youthful energy -- college towns have
a unique appeal, even (and maybe especially) to those of us who
haven't cracked a textbook in years.
It's hard to believe that 225 years have passed since the
nation's first public university-- the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—laid
the cornerstone of what is called Old East, the institution's first
building and the oldest state university building in the entire
nation. That's what we'll be celebrating this upcoming University
Day in October -- UNC's glorious past
and exciting future. But no need to wait until then. The
Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors
Bureau encourages you to take some time to explore one of the
fasting growing states for leisure travel, North Carolina, and its flagship college
town.
Chapel Hill has long had a
reputation for being independent, progressive and a little bit
quirky. But the quirk doesn't stop there. Neighboring Carrboro, North Carolina's own baby
Brooklyn, is justifiably famous
for its music scene, both local and national acts, where you can
tap your foot and dance to everything from indie rock and country
to blue grass and doo wop.
Don't miss a stroll along the main drag, Franklin Street, where you'll find cool
restaurants and boutiques, as well as Carolina Square, home to
CURRENT, a new performing arts center that offers performances
considered alternative, funky and cutting edge. Then take a
10-minute walk over to the ArtsCenter in Carrboro for music, theater, comedy and
festival fun. And then just a little further on you'll come to the
heart of Carrboro, Weaver Street,
a grocery co-op whose expansive front lawn serves as the heart of
this lovely town.
Once you've soaked up the spirit of the town's main drags, check
out the University's campus, which offers weekly tours for all, an
arboretum, and the Old Well, known for bringing good luck to those
who take a drink from its fountain. The University of North Carolina is home to the state's
largest Botanical Garden, Ackland Art Museum, a basketball museum
and one of the most revered performing arts scenes in the country.
Memorial Hall, PlayMakers Repertory Company and the aforementioned
CURRENT performance space, together offer performances for a
variety of tastes during the academic year.
Just down the road is historic Hillsborough. A sweet drive down Old 86 takes
you back in time to a town that feels plucked from the
19th century – until you see its art galleries, its
bookstores, and feel its energy as numerous novelists call
Hillsborough home. Churton Street
is the place to go if you want to shop or dine, but if you're more
of an outdoorsy type, hop on its Riverwalk, hike the Eno or stroll
the Poets Walk at historic Ayr Mount.
North Carolina is known for its
mild climate, all three towns can be enjoyed year-round. But for
beauty that will give you an out-of-body experience, come in
spring. The dogwoods are in bloom, the sky could not be bluer, and
the campus feels like it has come to life again. Spring and summer
relax on the front porch of The Carolina Inn, which hosts outdoor
music, food trucks and cocktails on its historic hotel lawn.
The county where all this happens, Orange County, NC is home to around 150,000
people -- townies, farmers, techies. There is a little bit of
everybody here, and a little bit of everything, from arts to sports
to the unforgettable countryside. It's like visiting a city --
without the traffic, the noise, or the price. And the surrounding
farms are breathtakingly beautiful. There is literally something
here for everybody – including you. Especially you.
What are you waiting for? For more information, check out
www.VisitChapelHill.org.
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SOURCE Chapel Hill/Orange
County Visitors Bureau