Neighborhood Guide

Chapel Hill

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Learn more about Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is a consummate college town and “the Most Livable City in the United States,” according to one national poll. With a population of just over 50,000, Chapel Hill is both a relaxed, casual town and a hip, chic destination. The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and nearby Research Triangle Park drive the local economy. Duke University in Durham and North Carolina State University in Raleigh provide more employment opportunities. And the Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a 15-minute drive away.

Shopping & Dining

Shopping opportunities abound in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. You can pick up local produce at Whole Foods, Weaver Street Market, or get it direct-from-the-farm at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market.

For national retailers, visit the Shops at Eastgate where you’ll find Bruegges’s Bagels, Chopt Creative Salad Company, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Starbucks, Zoes Kitchen, Trader Joes, The Loop Pizza and Guglhupf Bakery. Shopping options include Chico’s, Birkenstock, Great Outdoors Provisions Company, The Pink Pearl-Lilly Pulitizer, Steinmart, Talbots, Petco, Hallmark, Ulta Beauty, Winestore and the Wild Bird Center.

For that special find, downtown Chapel Hill — especially Franklin Street — offers terrific gift shops, galleries, and boutiques.

Parks & Recreation

The Appalachian Mountains and many North Carolina beaches are about three hours drive west and east, but plenty of recreational opportunities are available within Chapel Hill. When it’s time to go outside and have fun, families and outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the Chapel Hill trails and playgrounds. Chapel Hill North, Bolin Forest, and Duke Forest are great destinations for walking, running and mountain biking. For both racing and more leisurely cyclists, Chapel Hill serves up a slew of in-town options and inviting terrain in the surrounding area.

Living

At just over twenty square miles, chapel Hill’s nickname is “The Southern Part of Heaven,” and it’s easy to see why. A picturesque town of hills and valleys and ancient oaks, its rife with out outstanding educational and cultural resources, an outstanding public library, and four movie theaters showing major studio releases as well as independent and art films. Durham and Raleigh are just a few miles away, effectively tripling the area’s resources. The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently named Chapel Hill a “2011 Distinctive Destination.” That didn’t surprise anyone who lives and/or works in this superior Southern town.

Schools, Health & Transportation

As you would expect in a university town, Chapel Hill is nationally recognized for educational excellence. The secondary schools in the district boast the highest average SAT scores in the state. Private school options include a Waldorf school, a Friends school, Montessori, and St. Thomas More Catholic school. Health care facilities include the renowned UNC Memorial Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Neurosciences Hospital, Women’s Hospital and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Chapel Hill Transit has been providing free bus transportation since 2002.