Chapel Hill, NC

One could say Chapel Hill is anything but a typical Southern town.  Much of the culture and activities revolve around the University of  North Carolina at Chapel Hill attracting a wide variety of residents.  Professors, students, business people and retirees from around the globe choose to call Chapel Hill home.  Many say Chapel Hill has the amenities of a big city, with a small town charm. 

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One could say Chapel Hill is anything but a typical Southern town.  Much of the culture and activities revolve around the University of  North Carolina at Chapel Hill attracting a wide variety of residents.  Professors, students, business people and retirees from around the globe choose to call Chapel Hill home.  Many say Chapel Hill has the amenities of a big city, with a small town charm.  

Climate

What is there NOT to like about Central North Carolina's climate?  Chapel Hill has a great year round weather.  Fall and winter are certainly mild compared to more Northern climates yet residents still get a taste of every season.  There is an occasional snowfall but is usually gone within a few hours (or sometimes days).  If you are a fan of snow and winter sports, the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the larger Appalachian range, in the western part of the state offer great skiing and snowboarding opportunities and are only a short drive away, making for a great weekend getaway.  

Public Schools

Unlike most of the state which is run by county based schools, Chapel Hill is serviced by their own Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School District.  East Chapel Hill High School and Chapel Hill High School have been ranked as two of the best schools in the nation by Newsweek and have been ranked as the best in the state.  

Colleges and Universities

Chapel Hill is the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  UNC Chapel Hill is the nation's first state-supported university and generally considered the flagship of the State University system.  UNC has been highly ranked by publications such as U.S. News & World Report and BusinessWeek as a top research and teaching institution.  UNC and Chapel Hill makes up one of the three corners of the "Triangle" with Raleigh (NC State) and Durham (Duke) making up the other two.    

Sports

College sports dominate the area especially due to the fact that the area is home to only one professional team, the Carolina Hurricanes (Raleigh).  With 3 major universities in the area (Duke, UNC and NC State), college rivalries are strong.  UNC Chapel Hill has a strong athletic program and is noted particularly for their basketball and soccer programs, winning a number of championships and awards over the years.  It's not uncommon to see students and fans flood Franklin Street in celebration after a big win.  

Transportation

Interstate highway I-40 runs adjacent to Chapel Hill and provides the main thoroughfare to other parts of the Triangle and state.  I-40 provides easy east-west travel for Chapel Hill residents to reach the State Capitol in Raleigh.  It also provides for a short trip to the local Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Commerce

Chapel Hill is dominated by the University, with UNC being the major local employer.  Many residents also work at Duke University in neighboring Durham or in the Research Triangle Park at one of the national companies like IBM, DuPont, Microsoft, GlaxoSmithKline or Cisco Systems (to name a few).  

Shopping

Residents have a variety of shopping options.  Local shops and boutiques dominate the downtown area while residents also have a choice of larger chain stores at the University Mall.  One of the main attractions of the University Mall is Southern Seasons.  Originally a coffee shop, Southern Season is now a 60,000 square foot retailer of culinary equipment, gourmet gift baskets and gourmet food.

Recreation

If you enjoy walking, hiking, jogging, skateboarding or rollerskating you'll want to check out the Chapel Hill greenways.  Currently about 10 miles of an eventual 40 mile system of paved and natural trails are available throughout Chapel Hill.  There are a number of community and neighborhood parks offering swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, climbing walls, trails, gardens and much more.  

Arts and Entertainment

Despite the small size compared to other major cities in the area, Chapel Hill still offers over 30 art galleries and concerts and plays on the campus of UNC at Memorial Hall or the PlayMakers Repertory Company theatre.  If you're looking for a day of science, check out the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center which offers star shows, interactive science exhibits and a variety of classes and lectures.