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Tips for visiting fan to Chapel Hill

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collegefootballfan81

Apr 15, 2016
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Hey All,

My buddies and I are big college football fans, and we love traveling to new places for games. We’re working on a blog that gives tips to other football fans when they travel to away stadiums for games. I’m trying to hit all the ACC schools, and I was hoping you’d indulge me on some questions about North Carolina football games. Basically, what I am asking is that if you and I met randomly on an airplane and I told you all about my trip to Chapel Hill for a football game, you wouldn’t have to say, “You did it all wrong, next time you should …”

Since you guys are the experts on a perfect trip to Chapel Hill, I wanted to see if you would answer a few questions. Feel free to answer any or all of them that you’d like, and if you can think of any other info I’ve overlooked feel free to throw that in there too!

TRAVEL

1. What’s the most convenient/cheapest airport to fly into? Is there a specific airline that is best/cheapest to fly on?

2. Suppose some travelers are a little more adventurous and don’t mind flying into an airport that’s a 3-4 hour drive away from the game if it would make for a cool drive or takes them by some cool sites/attractions – anything like that people should know about when they’re booking flights?

3. Is a rental car necessary? How is the public transportation system/Uber in Chapel Hill?

HOTEL

4. What’s the hotel situation like over the weekend of a game? How good is airbnb, vrbo, etc. in Chapel Hill? Are there any great resort towns nearby to stay at for a day?

FOOD

5. What are your favorite places to eat around Chapel Hill during the college football season? How is the food in the stadium (anything a one-time visitor can’t leave the stadium without eating)?

TICKETS

6. What is the best option for visiting fans to buy game tickets? School Ticket office? StubHub? Local Classifieds?

TAILGATING

7. Any general tailgating advice for a first-timer at a Tar Heels football game? Specific areas for visiting fans?

TRADITIONS

8. Some schools have unique game day traditions – do you guys do anything that’d be worth a visitor planning their schedule around? Are there any buildings or sites near campus or the stadium that visitors should check out?

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

9. If fans decide to make this more of a family vacation, are there any local sites/attractions that they would need to make room for on their schedule? Any can’t-miss Historical/Educational or Fun/Entertainment sites?

SAFETY

10. Are there any general safety issues fans should be aware of? Any areas visitors should avoid for parking, walking, etc? I know every fan base has its share of bad apples, but would you classify your general fan base as hospitable/neutral/in-hospitable?

OTHER ACC SCHOOLS

11. Lastly, since I'm trying to do this for all the teams in the ACC, I thought I'd ask if you have any experience traveling to other schools in the conference? Favorite/Least Favorite ACC school to visit for games? Any horror or success stories or general advice you'd give from your experiences?

As mentioned, feel free to answer any/all/none of the questions, and throw on any extra info that I may have overlooked. I’ll be sure to report back when our blog is posted so that you can see the finished product!
 
1. CLT is definitely the best airport to fly into. Spirit Airlines is known for a great travel experience and customer service.

2. If you wanted to fly in somewhere a little farther away and see some sights, Columbia, SC is great. We try to front but that's the real Carolina.

3. No need for a rental car. Your hotel will surely have a shuttle available from the airport in Charlotte, and the Chapel Hill Monorail is phenomenal. You haven't done public transport until you've seen the Southern Part of Heaven from the elevated rail.

4. There are PLENTY of hotels in Chapel Hill. And most of them are really convenient to the stadium. So you can't go wrong. Just avoid the Carolina Inn and the Siena Hotel, those are dumps.

5. For food you have to hit up CiCi's Pizza. Nothing else comes close.

I guess I'll give some other folks a chance to chime in.
 
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It's been over five years since I've been able to make it to a football game, so some of my answers may be out of date. Anyone correct me if something has changed.

TRAVEL

1. What’s the most convenient/cheapest airport to fly into? Is there a specific airline that is best/cheapest to fly on? The most convenient is RDU. Alaska Airlines has great prices, but they don't have many flights available to RDU

2. Suppose some travelers are a little more adventurous and don’t mind flying into an airport that’s a 3-4 hour drive away from the game if it would make for a cool drive or takes them by some cool sites/attractions – anything like that people should know about when they’re booking flights? The airport in Myrtle Beach, SC is a good spot to fly to. Obviously they have the beach, but on your drive up you should stop by the ECU campus. There are a lot a great people there. Not sure if it matters for your blog, but you definitely won't be able to spend some quality time with the girls there if you know what I mean. it's definitely not a party school.

3. Is a rental car necessary? How is the public transportation system/Uber in Chapel Hill? You'll want to get a rental car. I usually get one with the insurance. There is a lot of road construction close to campus and I always play the "who can smash a road cone into the pedestrian game." I haven't used Uber that much. The couple of times I did the drivers were nice. Both of them let me get a hit off of their weed.

HOTEL

4. What’s the hotel situation like over the weekend of a game? How good is airbnb, vrbo, etc. in Chapel Hill? Are there any great resort towns nearby to stay at for a day? There is a holiday inn nearby that has great prices. There is even an hourly rate. Plus there are always friendly girls in the lobby.

FOOD

5. What are your favorite places to eat around Chapel Hill during the college football season? How is the food in the stadium (anything a one-time visitor can’t leave the stadium without eating)? Definitely want to check out the McDonald's near the stadium. Something about the Chapel Hill air makes the fries taste better. I really love the Domino's pizza inside the stadium.

TICKETS

6. What is the best option for visiting fans to buy game tickets? School Ticket office? StubHub? Local Classifieds? StubHub is going to be your best option. They can get pricey on the secondary market though. You'd be hard pressed to find anything under $100.

TAILGATING

7. Any general tailgating advice for a first-timer at a Tar Heels football game? Specific areas for visiting fans? Tailgating is great there. They made sure to lay out the campus so that there would be ample space for that. The cops are real nice too. They have no problem with you drinking alcohol. Hell, I've even had a couple of them drink with me.

TRADITIONS

8. Some schools have unique game day traditions – do you guys do anything that’d be worth a visitor planning their schedule around? Are there any buildings or sites near campus or the stadium that visitors should check out? You will want to make sure you catch the parking garage right off of Franklin Street. It's painted in this off white color that is just amazing.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

9. If fans decide to make this more of a family vacation, are there any local sites/attractions that they would need to make room for on their schedule? Any can’t-miss Historical/Educational or Fun/Entertainment sites? I can't think of anything besides the parking lot I mentioned above. Sorry.

SAFETY

10. Are there any general safety issues fans should be aware of? Any areas visitors should avoid for parking, walking, etc? I know every fan base has its share of bad apples, but would you classify your general fan base as hospitable/neutral/in-hospitable? I wouldn't park within 10 miles of the stadium. The traffic gets pretty bad when you get within 10 miles. I wouldn't walk within 10 miles of the stadium either. The fan base does have some sarcastic a**holes in it, but overall everyone is nice.

OTHER ACC SCHOOLS

11. Lastly, since I'm trying to do this for all the teams in the ACC, I thought I'd ask if you have any experience traveling to other schools in the conference? Favorite/Least Favorite ACC school to visit for games? Any horror or success stories or general advice you'd give from your experiences? NC State is a great place to check out. It's right down the road, so you could try to do a day game at one place and a night game at the other. Not much room to tailgate though, but the fans are great. They will literally give you the shirt off their back. I went one time and spilled a drink on my shirt and the guy in front of me took his off so I could wear it. Still talk to the guy to day. He never has a bad word to say about UNC.

Hope this helps.
 
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6. Tickets for football games are really hard to come by. It's not like basketball, where you can just show up on game day and pretty much walk into the Dean Dome. You need to hit StubHub early and often, and pay as much as you can as quickly as possible. Otherwise your seats will be terrible and you'll have rabid fans dumping beer all over you from the second and third levels. Also bring earplugs. Kenan Stadium is known for being really rowdy and since they built the dome it's amazingly loud.

One good thing is we do have bathrooms, unlike N.C. State, where they pee in the stands.
 
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7. All the bandwagon fans like to tailgate close to the stadium and on campus - but the real knowledgeable, real die-hard fans all are aware of the lesser known tailgate spots that are the real prize of UNC tailgating. The best tailgating spot for UNC games is in Durham. Don't worry about the trip between the tailgate spot and Kenan Stadium - if you've seen the documentaries on the Duke/UNC rivalry, you'll be aware that the two are just a quick walk down Tobacco Rd. from each other.
 
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Nothing screams "game day" like rubbing elbows with the old folks who tailgate with wine and cheese in the Friday Center lot.

Also, when at the game, you're going to want to make sure you stand up the whole time. Although the national perception is that UNC fans don't like their football and aren't boisterous, this is a myth. If you don't stand up at games, folks around you are not going to be happy and will give you weird looks while looking down at you.
 
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8. It's a game day tradition to climb the Bell Tower for good luck. It might be locked but don't let that stop you. The more times you climb up and down the steps, the better the Heels chances for victory. When you're at the top make sure you yell down so folks on the ground will know you're up there.
 
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collegefootballfan81 said:
5. What are your favorite places to eat around Chapel Hill during the college football season?
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Be sure to hit up the Rathskeller on Franklin Street. It's a Chapel Hill institution. The food isn't necessarily the greatest, but the atmosphere is cool and the employees have all worked there forever. It can be hard to find, so once you get on Franklin Street just ask around and somebody will point you in the right direction.

collegefootballfan81 said:
How is the food in the stadium (anything a one-time visitor can’t leave the stadium without eating)?
Click to expand...
I can't speak for everyone, but I'm a huge fan of the Tex-Mex Thai hibachi shrimp skewers. Sounds weird, but somehow all the disparate flavors blend perfectly for an experience that'll knock your socks off. Be sure to get the basmati rice that comes with it.
 
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11. Behind ours, of course, I would say Duke probably has the second best gameday football atmosphere in the ACC. Wallace Wade Stadium is a showstopper and the fans there are just crazy about football. REALLY knowledgeable too. If it's a night game plan on wandering around some after the game for the party in downtown Durham.

They're also known for the quality of the scenery, if you catch my drift. ;)
 
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TarHeelNation11 said:
Nothing screams "game day" like rubbing elbows with the old folks who tailgate with wine and cheese in the Friday Center lot.
Click to expand...

Yes exactly. The older fans are f*cking crazy! See below for a picture of a couple I was partying with at a game. We each took about 15 shots of whiskey before the game - they drank so much they had whiskey flowing out their ears and had to plug up the leak!

 
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TarHeelNation11 said:
Nothing screams "game day" like rubbing elbows with the old folks who tailgate with wine and cheese in the Friday Center lot.

Also, when at the game, you're going to want to make sure you stand up the whole time. Although the national perception is that UNC fans don't like their football and aren't boisterous, this is a myth. If you don't stand up at games, folks around you are not going to be happy and will give you weird looks while looking down at you.
Click to expand...
Hahahahaha!!
 
Nightlife is big around campus. There's an adjacent town called Carrboro that is a short 10 minute walk if you're travelling West on Franklin Street.

If politics is your thing and you vote Republican, you should go to Carrboro and chat politics with the locals. Virtually all Carrboroites (?) sway right of center, with most swaying way right of center. Make sure to mention how much you despise the myth that is global warming. The locals will assuredly buy you a couple rounds.
 
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TarHeelNation11 said:
Nightlife is big around campus. There's an adjacent town called Carrboro that is a short 10 minute walk if you're travelling West on Franklin Street.

If politics is your thing and you vote Republican, you should go to Carrboro and chat politics with the locals. Virtually all Carrboroites (?) sway right of center, with most swaying way right of center. Make sure to mention how much you despise the myth that is global warming. The locals will assuredly buy you a couple rounds.
Click to expand...

Need to wear "Black Tie" for any and all adventures to Carrboro though - so the OP needs to come prepared. If he just showed up in a flannel, ripped/stained skinny jeans, and a beanie like your average fan that would be coming from Kenan Stadium, he'd be grossly out of place in Carrboro. I remember when I was at school, I had my special Carrboro Tuxedo that I would only bust out for the most special occasions when trying to fit in with the Carrboro locals.
 
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Come late, leave early

Be sure to wander aimlessly in the gift shops downtown. I recommend your group stop and stare at a display right at the entrance preventing all movement in and out. There are some real bargains. I got a unc hoodie for $65 once

There is no tailgating due to hb2. The firehouse subs there is pretty good though.

If u walk thru campus the squirrels love to be picked up.
 
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JuleZ '02 HEEL said:
9. Just a short drive from Chapel Hill is the Country Doctor Museum. You will not want to miss this fascinating exhibit while you're in North Carolina. If you have kids you may want to stay an extra night to take it all in, as they will not want to leave.
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It's not often I learn something about the UNC game day scene, but this was news to me. Many thanks!
 
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I really hope the guy that started this thread knows. That all of y'all are full of S&#t. He may be serious. And I think visiting fans should enjoy their time in Chapel Hill. Except for the big loss they are about to receive.
 
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JuleZ '02 HEEL said:
1. CLT is definitely the best airport to fly into. Spirit Airlines is known for a great travel experience and customer service.

2. If you wanted to fly in somewhere a little farther away and see some sights, Columbia, SC is phenomenal. We try to front but that's the real Carolina.

3. No need for a rental car. Your hotel will surely have a shuttle available from the airport in Charlotte, and the Chapel Hill Monorail is phenomenal. You haven't done public transport until you've seen the Southern Part of Heaven from the elevated rail.

4. There are PLENTY of hotels in Chapel Hill. And most of them are really convenient to the stadium. So you can't go wrong. Just avoid the Carolina Inn and the Siena Hotel, those are dumps.

5. For food you have to hit up CiCi's Pizza. Nothing else comes close.

I guess I'll give some other folks a chance to chime in.
Click to expand...
saying "they" are the "REAL Carolina" even in jest is blasphemy.
 
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TarHeelNation11 said:
I have no clue what you're talking about. These are legitimate game day suggestions.
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Dominos Mcdonalds Cicis. Really? I think it is a good thread. If the guy that started it is serious about it. If I went on a road trip I would like to try and have a good time and know where to stay eat ect.
 
bobby121567 said:
I really hope the guy that started this thread knows. That all of y'all are full of S&#t. He may be serious. And I think visiting fans should enjoy their time in Chapel Hill. Except for the big loss they are about to receive.
Click to expand...
5600840+_9d50409ba80b494e26308da58cbb1312.jpg
 
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WoadBlue said:
George Costanza wanted to be an architect, and some of us wanted to be a country doctor. What better way to honor that goal of one's misspent youth than to hit the Country Doctor Museum before a big game in Chapel Hill.
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You better leave early cause The Country doctor Museum is in Bailey and I am not even sure it is open on Saturday...LMAO
 
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3. Another alternative travel option, if you have any connections with anyone who flies freight, is the Global Transpark in Kinston. Catch a ride in with chemicals for DuPont and ride out with airplane parts from Spirit Aerosystems. While you're in Kinston catch a musical or an opera. It's a really cosmopolitan city, especially after dark. Very economical way to fly!
 
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