The Endless Charm of Chapel Hill

Spend a few fun-filled days in this North Carolina college town, and you might find yourself rooting for the Tar Heels

- BY KELLY ALEXANDER

Franklin Street is lined with music venues and restaurants like the Carolina Coffee Shop, which has been open since 1922.

PULLING into Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is special, so drive up slowly. As you cruise along the main drag, Franklin Street, you'll approach the heart of the campus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill). A leisurely pace will be rewarded by a canopy of ancient willow oaks lining the wide boulevard; they frame the sky, stretching their limbs out like old friends. On a clear day, it's not hard to see why people here like to say, “If God isn't a Tar Heel, why is the sky Carolina blue?” Soon, busy sidewalks emerge, filled with students in hoodies and UNC basketball T-shirts, backpacks slung over one shoulder, chatting between classes or ducking into coffee shops. More than just a college town, Chapel Hill (as well as neighboring Carrboro) balances the energy of a global university with a deep sense of this area's history, culture, and community.