Chapel Hill, NC

1. Ackland Art Museum

Founded in 1958, the Ackland Art Museum collects, preserves, and presents an array of outstanding art to educate, inspire, and engage both students of the university and the local community.

Featuring a permanent collection of more than 17,000 works of art, the Museum is home to a significant collection of European masterworks, African and Asian art, twentieth-century and contemporary art, and North Carolina pottery. The Ackland Art Museum presents a variety of traveling and special exhibitions throughout the year, as well as some educational programs for students, children, and families.

The Ackland is located on S. Columbia Street near the Franklin Street intersection in downtown Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3400, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Phone: 919-966-5736

2. North Carolina Botanical Garden

The North Carolina Botanical Garden is part of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is comprised of more than 1,000 acres, including 10 acres of display gardens and several natural areas.

Established to inspire an understanding, appreciation, and efforts to conserve local flora, the North Carolina Botanical Garden features several habitat display gardens that interpret the plants and vegetation of North Carolina, nature trails, a Garden of Flowering Plant Families, Display Gardens and the Education Center with numerous educational exhibits.

There is a program of educational workshops and events for adults and children throughout the year, as well as summer camps and plant sales.

The University of North Carolina, CB 3375, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Phone: 919-962-0522

3. Dean E. Smith Center

The Dean E. Smith Center, also known as the Dean Dome, is a multi-purpose sports arena in Chapel Hill that is home of the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels basketball team. Named after the former North Carolina men's basketball coach Dean Smith, the arena is used for home basketball games and is one of America’s most popular athletics venues.

The Dean E. Smith Center is open Monday through Friday, and while guided tours are not provided, visitors can view the playing court from the seating area. The Center is also home to the Carolina Basketball Museum, which is located in the Ernie Williamson Athletics Center situated next door. Admission to both the Smith Center and the Carolina Basketball Museum is free.

300 Skipper Bowles Dr, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Phone: 919-962-7777

4. Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is one of the oldest and largest planetariums in the country. Located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Morehead Planetarium was first opened in 1949 to train astronauts in celestial navigation. It contained one of the largest working Copernican orreries in the world. If you are wondering what to do in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with kids, this is a great place to visit.

Home to the GSK Fulldome Theater, as well as the Science Stage, various exhibits, and classrooms, the Morehead Building also contains the UNC Visitors Center, Morehead-Cain Foundation, and UNC Morehead Observatory.

Permanent exhibitions at the Science Center include History Hallway, Highway of the Planets, and Where American astronauts first met the stars.’ Educational programs for youth and teens include Skywatching, Starry Nights, Scout workshops, and various science clubs.

250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Phone: 919-962-1236

5. PlayMakers Repertory Company

Catch some of the best theatrical performances North Carolina has to offer at PlayMakers Repertory Company. Making it their mission to transform the community through art, the company releases entertaining and thought-provoking plays that uphold their values of artistic excellence and equality, to name a few. At the beginning of each season, the company releases a lineup of plays that cater to a wide range of audience members. Some of their past plays include an autobiographical story about American playwright August Wilson, a heartwarming comedy about the yoga industry, and an adaptation of a Wrinkle in Time. PlayMakers Repertory Company holds their shows at the Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Arts and opens their doors 90 minutes before each performance.

120 Country Club Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599; Phone: 919-962-7529

6. Coker Arboretum, Chapel Hill

The Coker Arboretum rests at the center of the University of North Carolina and is managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

One of the Botanical Garden’s oldest tracts, the Arboretum was founded in 1903 and has a current collection consisting of an array of flowering trees, shrubs, bulbs, and perennial displays. Visitors to the Arboretum can enjoy monthly guided tours led by professional naturalists, which provide a relaxed, informative introduction to this floral gem in the heart of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Located next to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center on the UNC campus, the Arboretum is open dawn to dusk daily all year-round.

The University of North Carolina, CB 3375, 919-962-0522

7. Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium

There is no denying that the Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium is one of the country’s finest sporting facilities in the world of collegiate baseball. Originally opened in 1972, Bryson Field is nestled in the heart of the University of North Carolina campus, and has been the stage of three NCAA Regionals as well as give Atlantic Coast Conference Tournaments. Of the many things that make Bryson Field such a spectacular facility, some of the items worth mentioning include its 4,100 capacity, its overflow capacity of over 5,000, the field’s wide concourse, and a state-of-the-art lighting system that exceeds the AAA minor-league standard and matches those of top professional stadiums.

235 Ridge Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, Phone: 919-962-6000

8. Kidzu Children's Museum

Kidzu Children's Museum is an interactive, hands-on museum dedicated to inspiring young children to learn through creative play. The museum presents a range of exhibitions that encourage kids to explore and discover new things through play, including the Flexible Forest, which features a large-scale climbing wall, a tree house, and a crow’s nest.

The museum also features Farm to Fork, where children can learn about locally grown food and healthy eating habits, and the Forest Theater, a mini performance space that encourages artistic expression and drama.

Kidzu also hosts a full schedule of educational family programming for children of all ages, including Friday Fam Jam, Messy Mornings, Storytimes, and Makery Masterpieces, as well as special events and workshops throughout the year.

201 S. Estes Drive inside University Place, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Phone: 919-933-1455

9. Gimghoul Castle

The legend of Gimghoul Castle has long been a source of mystery, rumor, and curiosity for students and locals alike. Located on Gimghoul Road in Chapel Hill, Gimghoul Castle was formerly known as Hippol Castle, it is that constructing the castle, which was accomplished at an exorbitant cost of $50,000, took over five years.

The castle is thought to be haunted by the ghost of Peter Dromgoole, who died in a duel over his love for a local girl named Fanny. The castle has also been associated with a secret society known as the Order of the Gimghoul, which was founded in 1889 by noted UNC alumni.

705 Gimghoul Rd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

10. Time Out, Chapel Hill

Time Out is one of Chapel Hill's most beloved dining institutions, originally opened by University of North Carolina alumni Eddie Williams in 1978. Today, the restaurant is overseen by Williams' son Eddie and has become known as an integral part of the UNC-Chapel Hill collegiate experience, serving up its signature Southern-style cuisine 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The restaurant's signature chicken and cheddar biscuits have been featured by Travel Channel, Buzzfeed, Thrillist, and The TODAY Show, also available plain, honey-drenched, or as oversized biscuit sandwiches stuffed with egg, sausage, or country fried steak. Barbecue pulled pork, fried chicken, and trout platters are also served up throughout the day, along with a selection of specialty burgers and sandwiches.

201 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, Phone: 919- 929-2425