Chapel Hill offers trails and greenways for hiking, cycling and getting around, as well as activities related to science, art and performing arts. When planning, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on during your days.
Choose trails by surface and landscape
The Battle Branch Trail is 1.5 miles long and runs through a higher-elevation wooded area on a natural-surface path. The Bolin Creek Trail is 1.5 to 2 miles long, 10 feet wide and paved; it runs through meadows and wooded floodplains. The Pritchard Park Trail covers 1 mile and has both paved and natural sections. It is part of Pritchard Park, next to the Chapel Hill Public Library. The three trails therefore differ not only in length, but also in surface and landscape. Choose based on which of these features matters most for your outing.
The trails and greenways in Chapel Hill can be used for hiking, cycling and getting around. When planning your time outdoors, Homestead Park is another option alongside the individual trail profiles. It offers sports fields and courts, trails, playgrounds, a dog park, a skate park and the Homestead Aquatic Center. Before you go, consider which of these amenities suit your interests rather than planning to visit the park simply as another stretch of trail.
Campus, shows and exhibitions
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Sense of Place guided tour is a 90-minute walking tour. Student guides share the history and traditions of the campus, as well as student life. Its duration and focus make the tour a clearly defined activity: if you are interested in the history and life of the campus, you can include it as a distinct part of your plans.
The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center presents live star shows and multimedia shows in a fulldome projection theater. Its indoor exhibits cover more than 5,000 square feet and explore the center’s role in training astronauts during the race to the Moon. This gives you a choice of different ways to engage with the center: shows or a historical perspective. Checking the current program can help you plan your visit around your interests.
The Ackland Art Museum hosts approximately 10 to 12 changing exhibitions each year. If you include the museum in your plans, you can find out about the current exhibition before your visit. Memorial Hall is the largest venue of Carolina Performing Arts and hosts theater and dance productions as well as orchestra concerts. If you want performing arts to be part of your trip, it is worth checking event dates for the days you will be there.
Plan transportation and accommodation
Chapel Hill Transit provides public transportation in the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and UNC community. If you want to use public transportation, check the specific services available on your travel dates and compare them with your planned destinations.
Discover more destinations: Carrboro, Hillsborough.
Go to the main travel overview: Orange.
