There’s no other area that quite compares to Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Officially one of the three “points” of the “Triangle,” the area is quaint, college-y, creative, and filled with interesting activities and places to visit. This is an area unlike any other, where differing personalities abound. From artists and potters to businesspeople, college students and retirees, Chapel Hill-Carrboro encompasses just about every walk of life there is, creating a harmonic atmosphere that sings with variety both day and night. Central to downtown Chapel Hill is Franklin Street, which links Carrboro on one end to the University of North Carolina on the other. In between is an eclectic mix of boutiques and restaurants, shops and clubs, where no matter what your taste, this is where you’ll find it.

At the University of North Carolina, student population alone is over 26,000, not including professors and additional personnel. The university and its programs are very much intertwined with the community, adding a distinct personality through cultural and educational offerings, state-of-the-art research and renowned medical centers. Not to mention, the sheer beauty of the school is an attribute in itself – the American Society of Landscape Architects recently ranked UNC as one of the most beautifully landscaped spots in the country.

Almost 50,000 people reside in Chapel Hill. Neighboring Carrboro, on the other hand, is home to approximately 16,000 residents. Both are located in Orange County, with a slight overlapping into Durham County, and about 35 minutes from Raleigh. There’s no shortage of culture and activity here -- whether you try out the nationally recognized music scene or a dramatic Shakespearean performance, pay a visit to Morehead Planetarium or sniff out the blooms in the North Carolina Botanical Gardens – there’s always something in Chapel Hill-Carrboro to engage the senses.

Chapel Hill well deserves the many accolades bestowed on it by national organizations. Among the recognitions received are “No. 1 place to live in the South,” No. 2 in “Top Cities to Have It All,” and “No. 1 College Town in the United States.”

For more information on Chapel Hill:
Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Fearrington Village Chamber of Commerce Websites www.carolinachamber.org