Unique qualities of Chapel Hill

“North Carolina may have the best college town in America. Chapel Hill ’s size, atmosphere, appearance, location, resources, and spirit are difficult to surpass… Chapel Hill is the College Town.” -- Richard Moll in The Public Ivys: A Guide to America’s Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities

Chapel Hill is the College Town. In fact, it’s hard to imagine Chapel Hill without UNC. Everything you could ever need is a short walk or a bus ride away. The downtown section of Chapel Hill is Franklin Street . It’s where we go out for dinner with friends, catch a movie at one of the two theatres, study in one of the many coffee shops, shop, and take a break between classes. It’s also where we celebrate Halloween and basketball victories.

But, Chapel Hill doesn’t stop at Franklin Street . The bus system in Chapel Hill is free for anyone who wants to use it. These buses will take you from South Campus to North Campus on rainy days, they’ll take you to the grocery store, shopping centers, and to friends’ apartments.

There are also Triangle Transit Authority buses that, for a small fare, will take you to the airport in Raleigh , NC State, and Southpoint Mall in Durham , just to name a few places. Chapel Hill is in the heart of the North Carolina ’s Triangle, which provides students with many opportunities, including the network that is set up between the close-by universities, NC State, North Carolina Central, and Duke.

Carolina and the surrounding community is unique in its appearance, mixing old and new, classic and contemporary, light blue and, well, light blue. That’s one thing about the people here – you don’t find many who don’t bleed this special lighter shade of blue. Once you come to Carolina , it’s home, whether you’re two blocks away or on the other side of the world.