About Chapel Hill NCand Carrboro NC: Information and Tips

From Anne Raftery: I might be on my way out of town, but here are some “must sees” for time you might spend in Chapel Hill. No particular order, except the first one. Enjoy the area as I have. There is a lot to see and do; this just scratches the surface from my very personal perspective.

The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History – it not only has my name on the wall, but that building is where my heart is on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. I told my son that I am not going to have a grave site to visit, but if he ever wants to visit me after I “go to my reward” – go to The Stone Center. Listen to the people, go to the Gallery, look at the program of upcoming events – he will find me there.
The North Carolina Zoo – not Chapel Hill as Jessie Helms would have had you think, but the one in Asheboro. Jessie said, “Why spend the money on a zoo in Asheboro, just put a fence around Chapel Hill.” Oh, North Carolina politics. But politics aside, the Zoo is a good trip.
Walk from the Friday Center to Elmo’s in Carrboro – lots to see on the way. Don’t miss the Arboretum, Morehead Plantarium, Ackland Museum, all the churches along Franklin Street, The Carolina Inn, Carrboro’s St Paul AME Church “circa 1864”, The Carrboro Century Center and eat at Elmo’s with dessert at the new Maple View Ice Cream Shop.
Go to Duke University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Meredith College, Peace College – I marvel at the resources and only question why there cannot be more collaboration and “sharing of the wealth”. It seems like a lot of replication in such a small area when each (except Duke) are having constant funding issues of one sort or another.
Go to the Dean Dome, RBC Center, Cameron Indoor. Go to Kenan, Carter-Finley, Wallace Wade. If none of these sound familiar go to #6 – I am thinking you do not follow sports…
Spend time in downtown Raleigh on a Saturday or Sunday. Parking is no problem, museums are free and there is Chargrill. Great hamburger, french fries and milk shake within walking distance of the museums of History and Science. Enjoy the North Carolina Museum of Art – only downside is it is not downtown Raleigh with the rest. Upside is it has a great walking trail with beautiful sculptures along the way. Great indoor/outdoor art experience.
Do the Black History tour of downtown Durham. Decades of history from “Black Wall Street” to all the events that had their beginnings during the Civil Rights movement in the Triangle. It is truly inspiring.
Spend some money in Raleigh and go Exploris Museum and its IMAX theater.
I will be looking forward to hearing how people enjoy the new Memorial Hall at UNC-Chapel Hill after its extensive renovation. Tony Bennett as the re-opening act is a nice touch.