Summer's here and the outdoor events in San Francisco are…
To Do: Visit North Carolina
My office is having one of those slightly scary mandatory holiday closures this year thanks to the recession. We’re off from Christmas to the Monday after the New Year.
So, when life hands you unwanted vacation time off….take a trip! Rob and I booked plane tickets to North Carolina for the week. We’re meeting my sister and her boyfriend at the airport. They’ll be freshly off the plane from Mexico – lucky dogs.
I’m sure they will have loads of activities and ideas for us. But I’m always open for tips from readers. Any ideas for things to see or do near around Chapel Hill that week?
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How fun! I hope you have a wonderful time with your sister. NPR says we are at the bottom of this recession.. I hope they are right and that things can only get better.
You must eat at Crook's Corner (their shrimp & grits are fantastic and I don't like shrimp or grits!) Their banana pudding is also divine. If you have time drive over to Fearrington Village (it's located in Pittsboro which is just minutes from Chapel Hill). It's a lovely inn with cute stores, complete with cows roaming the pastures.
Most of all, have fun!
I live near Chapel Hill, and it is a fabulous place. You should visit the Carborro Farmer’s Market. http://www.carrborofarmersmarket.com/.
Southern Seasons is a fun place to browse, Franklin Street is fun, but I am sure your sister knows all of this! Have an awesome time, I can’t wait to hear about it. Oh I also have been wanting to eat at Crook’s Corner.
I hope you have a lovely time while you’re here (I live in Durham)…
Design*Sponge did a Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill city guide with great places to visit:
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/03/raleigh-nc-design-guide.html
Chapel Hill is a quaint and endearing small town. I must suggest the greatest breakfast joint ever, The Olde Waffle Shop on Franklin Street downtown (opened 36 years) and the Lantern restaurant on West Franklin St.(asian fusion, with a cozy bar that is so retro!) and there is the coolest little shop in carborro, called Nested that you will find unique gifts and home goods. Enjoy!
Breakfast at Weaver Street Market is a must, but your hosts know that!
Wow, you guys got all the highlights. I had the shrimp and grits recently for the first time and was blown away by how delicious they were. Definitely lots of Weaver St for breakfast, I love Ye Olde Waffle house, love Nested, love Southern Season. All that, plus lots of mountain biking and celebrating!
You might enjoy the museums in Raliegh, we have the history, natural science and art relatively close to each other, as well as some more “local” ones. I love eating at 518 West and Mellow Mushroom, both have sister restaurants in Chapel Hill/Durham. Obviously, I am a Raleigh gal! Oh and another fun thing to do is to go to any sporting event that involves 2 of the Tabacco Road schools and marvel at how intense the rilvary is (Go State!).
I just moved to Boston from Durham/Chapel Hill. You must eat:
Lantern (dinner), Foster’s market (breakfast or lunch), Carolina Inn (brunch or dinner). You will definitely want to check out A Southern Season for kitchenware shopping. Go for a nice walk (5K) around the Washington Duke golf course, in Durham. Take a drive down to Pittsboro and have lunch at the old diner and get ice cream, or go to Locopops in Chapel Hill. Have a great time!!
411–the restaurant is my favorite! I lived off their artichoke dip in graduate school. I even talked them into giving me the recipe!
from a Durham perspective: Duke Gardens and Magnolia Grill (on Ninth Street in Durham) named a top restaurant by Gourmet magazine
Yay Chapel Hill! One of my favorite restaurants is Spice Street – and it’s right next door to the wonderful A Southern Season.
If you are in the Durham area you should check out Watt’s Grocery for dinner on 9th St… wonderful fresh ingreidents, and the Ye Olde Waffle Shop in Chapel Hill for breakfast is awesome. Also Panzanella in Carmill, Chapel Hill has the best brick oven pizza’s and organic fare!
If you are into music, see who is playing at Cat’s Cradle. A lot of times there are really cool bands playing there, and its a really small, intimate venue. I hope you have fun!
if you enjoy sports at all and can appreciate the history behind UNC basketball, I highly suggest the new UNC Basketball museum. All of the other ideas listed are fabulous too 🙂 Have a great time. I’m super jealous, as CH is one of my favorite places on this earth!
We just got back from a trip to NC, to visit my husbands family in Charlotte.
Sarah Foster has two restaraunts in Chapel Hill, I hear breakfast is what you should eat, we went for lunch and it was inventive and seasonal. It’s called Fosters Market. One restaraunt is in an old Barn. Sarah Foster used to work for Martha Stewart.
Also I’d take a drive along the Duke Campus,it is a beautiful drive.