Chapel Hill Community Information

The Chapel Hill Community

Chapel Hill, home of the first state university and one of the most attractive college towns in America, is located in the beautiful Piedmont region of North Carolina, and is close to the Research Triangle Park, one of America’s most dynamic environments for biomedical research and advanced technology.

Historically and geographically intertwined with the University, Chapel Hill combines a college town atmosphere with the traditions and vibrancy of the University. Home to 51,000 people, the “village” boasts an outstanding public school system, as well as theaters, museums, concerts, street fairs, and restaurants. Collegiate sports are well-represented by the University’s nationally-ranked men’s and women’s teams for basketball, football, baseball, and soccer. The area has many top quality golf courses, included UNC’s own Finley Golf Course. There are many affordable places for students to live in and around town, most of which are located near bus lines or within walking distance to the university.

Spring and fall are pleasant and colorful, followed by warm summers and mild winters. Outdoor activities can be enjoyed year-round at parks, lakes, and forests located in and around Chapel Hill. Within a 3-hour drive are the Appalachian Mountains to the west, or the outstanding beaches on the Atlantic Coast to the east.

Research Triangle Park

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University in Durham, and North Carolina State University in Raleigh form the three geographic vertices of the “Research Triangle”. Within this area resides the 6,600-acre Research Triangle Park (RTP), dedicated in the late 1950’s exclusively for research and engineering activities. Only a short drive from Chapel Hill, this elite community includes Union Carbide, Du Pont, IBM, Northrop, Northern Telecom, and the National Humanities Center. Of special interest to the Pharmacology department is the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, laboratories of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, and the drug company giant GlaxoSmithKline. This juxtaposition of academia and industry and the interactions between them has resulted in a unique environment known worldwide for excellence in basic research and innovative technologies.

Other links of interest

• UNC Campus Map — view the entire UNC campus and parts of Chapel Hill with this searchable map.
• UNC Visitor’s Center — a comprehensive resource for information about UNC and the surrounding communities.
• Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor’s Website — find information on lodging, area restaurants, and special events.
• Chapel Hill/Carrboro County Chamber of Commerce –infomation on local lodging, restaurants, events, history, schools, houses of worship, real estate and businesses.
• The Chapel Hill News — local news and potential source of housing information.
• The Durham Bulls — Durham’s Triple A baseball team, at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham.
• The Carolina Hurricanes — the Triangle’s professional hockey team, at the RBC Center in Raleigh.
• The Carolina Railhawks — the Triangle’s UL-1 professional soccer tea, at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.
• North Carolina Zoological Park — one of the nation’s best zoos is just an hour away.
• Cape Hatteras National Seashore — fabulous fishing and other beach activities are just a few hours away.
• Great Smokies National Park — some of the world’s oldest mountains are nearby for some great travel experiences.
• Visit NC — fun, interactive site full of information about where to go, where to stay, where to dine, and what activities and events are going on for the mountains, beaches and everywhere in between in North Carolina. Even provides fish and fall colors reports.