We get questions every year about where to stay, where to eat, etc. when coming to a sporting event in Chapel Hill. These questions come from opposing teams' fans and Tar Heel fans alike. Let's create a pinned thread to be a resource. Please poast your ideas in this thread and I'll add them to the OP.
An excellent source of information is CarolinaGameday.com, which is maintained by UNC Athletics. Much of the following comes from there.
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General Information
Franklin Street, located along the northern edge of the UNC campus, is the center of the Chapel Hill community. Here you'll find several restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc. Franklin Street is within walking distance to both Kenan Memorial Stadium (football) and the Dean E. Smith Center (basketball). From Franklin Street, it takes about 15 minutes to walk to the football stadium and about 25 minutes to walk to the basketball arena.
If you follow Franklin Street about a mile west from campus, you'll enter the town of Carrboro. Carrboro offers a number of additional restaurants and attractions.
Places to Park
Football Parking
UNC's Official Football Parking website
Near the football stadium
The best public parking is available in Cardinal Parking Deck or Jackson Parking Deck. Both decks generally have good availability if you arrive at least an hour before kickoff. You'll need to arrive much earlier if it's a marquee game. There is surface parking available at Manning Lot, which is a little longer walk than either of the parking decks. All options above are $10, cash only.
If you want to guarantee a spot, pre-paid parking (registration required) is available at Hibbard Lot or South Chiller Lot, which are only slightly farther away from the stadium than the Cardinal or Jackson Decks. Both pre-paid lots are $10.
Near Franklin Street
There is limited public parking in town on game days. See this map for options. You can also pre-pay for parking (registration required) to park at a the ITS Lot on Rosemary Street, which is only a 5-minute walk to the heart of Franklin Street.
In addition, various homes and businesses in the area offer game-day parking and tailgating spaces. We will add links here as people provide the locations of these spots:
1) Near the intersection of North Columbia Street and Rosemary Street (details)
2) ....
Other parking options
On game days, the town of Chapel Hill operates Tar Heel Express, a shuttle service that usually starts 3 hours before the game and continues until 45 minutes after the game. $5 round trip or $3 one way. Parking at shuttle lots is free.
Basketball Parking
UNC's Official Basketball Parking website
Near the basketball arena
The best public parking is available in Cardinal Parking Deck, Jackson Parking Deck, or Boshamer Lots. All of these options are $10, cash only. You can also park a little farther away in the Bell Tower Deck for $5, cash only.
Near Franklin Street
See above football parking information.
Other parking options
On game days, the town of Chapel Hill operates Tar Heel Express, a shuttle service that usually starts 1.5 hours before the game and continues until 45 minutes after the game. $5 round trip or $3 one way. Parking at shuttle lots is free.
Places to Eat and Drink
Near Franklin Street
Places to Stay
Near Franklin Street
Places to See
An excellent source of information is CarolinaGameday.com, which is maintained by UNC Athletics. Much of the following comes from there.
-------------------------
General Information
Franklin Street, located along the northern edge of the UNC campus, is the center of the Chapel Hill community. Here you'll find several restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc. Franklin Street is within walking distance to both Kenan Memorial Stadium (football) and the Dean E. Smith Center (basketball). From Franklin Street, it takes about 15 minutes to walk to the football stadium and about 25 minutes to walk to the basketball arena.
If you follow Franklin Street about a mile west from campus, you'll enter the town of Carrboro. Carrboro offers a number of additional restaurants and attractions.
Places to Park
Football Parking
UNC's Official Football Parking website
Near the football stadium
The best public parking is available in Cardinal Parking Deck or Jackson Parking Deck. Both decks generally have good availability if you arrive at least an hour before kickoff. You'll need to arrive much earlier if it's a marquee game. There is surface parking available at Manning Lot, which is a little longer walk than either of the parking decks. All options above are $10, cash only.
If you want to guarantee a spot, pre-paid parking (registration required) is available at Hibbard Lot or South Chiller Lot, which are only slightly farther away from the stadium than the Cardinal or Jackson Decks. Both pre-paid lots are $10.
Near Franklin Street
There is limited public parking in town on game days. See this map for options. You can also pre-pay for parking (registration required) to park at a the ITS Lot on Rosemary Street, which is only a 5-minute walk to the heart of Franklin Street.
In addition, various homes and businesses in the area offer game-day parking and tailgating spaces. We will add links here as people provide the locations of these spots:
1) Near the intersection of North Columbia Street and Rosemary Street (details)
2) ....
Other parking options
On game days, the town of Chapel Hill operates Tar Heel Express, a shuttle service that usually starts 3 hours before the game and continues until 45 minutes after the game. $5 round trip or $3 one way. Parking at shuttle lots is free.
Basketball Parking
UNC's Official Basketball Parking website
Near the basketball arena
The best public parking is available in Cardinal Parking Deck, Jackson Parking Deck, or Boshamer Lots. All of these options are $10, cash only. You can also park a little farther away in the Bell Tower Deck for $5, cash only.
Near Franklin Street
See above football parking information.
Other parking options
On game days, the town of Chapel Hill operates Tar Heel Express, a shuttle service that usually starts 1.5 hours before the game and continues until 45 minutes after the game. $5 round trip or $3 one way. Parking at shuttle lots is free.
Places to Eat and Drink
Near Franklin Street
- Al's Burger Shack - Burgers, dogs, and shakes from the best local ingredients
- Breadman's - All-day breakfast spot
- Carolina Brewery - Craft brewery with classic pub food (see the note about their game day shuttle below)
- Carolina Coffee Shop - Coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks
- Four Corners - Longtime UNC sports bar, named for Dean Smith's iconic offense
- He's Not Here - Home of the Blue Cup; famous, unpretentious bar (no food) with a relaxed outdoor area
- Linda's Bar & Grill - Low-key pub, a long-standing Chapel Hill hangout
- Mama Dip's Kitchen - Down home Southern cooking
- Sup Dogs - Creative specialty hot dogs and hand-smashed burgers
- Sutton's Drugstore - Vintage lunch-counter restaurant where basketball and football players often eat
- Top of the Hill (sometimes referred to as "TOPO") - Southern-inspired American fare with a brewery; patio seating available
- Crook's Corner - Famed cafe serving Southern staples
- Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen - Drive-through serving country-style biscuits
Places to Stay
Near Franklin Street
- AC Hotel (Marriott) - Contemporary hotel 1.5 blocks from the center of town
- Carolina Inn - Historic upscale hotel centrally located to campus
- The Franklin Hotel (Hilton) - Stylish hotel located on West Franklin Street
- Courtyard by Marriott - Conveniently located next to the Friday Center, one of the pick up/drop off spots for Tar Heel Express
- Hampton Inn (Carrboro) - Next door to Cat's Cradle, a historic college music venue
- University Inn - Budget-friendly motel with attached restaurant and bar
Places to See
- Kenan Memorial Stadium - UNC Football stadium
- Kenan Football Center and Hall of Honor
- Dean E. Smith Center - UNC Basketball arena
- Carolina Basketball Museum
- Boshamer Stadium - UNC Baseball stadium
- The UNC-Chapel Hill campus:
- The Old Well
- The Bell Tower - Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower
- Silent Sam - Torn down 8/20/18; relocation TBD
- Old East - Original residence hall, next to the Old Well
- "The Pit"
- Morehead Planetarium & Science Center
- Ackland Art Museum
- The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History
- Coker Arboretum
- North Carolina Botanical Garden
- Cat's Cradle - Historic live music venue
- The Baxter Bar & Arcade - Vintage and original arcade games, with quality libations (must be 21)
- Carrboro Farmer's Market
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