Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By Matthew Keegan

As part of the important Triangle Region of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s history predates most of American history. Indeed, the nation’s first public university – The University of North Carolina – is situated in the town and shapes much of the town’s culture, liberal mannerisms, and populace. A trip to Chapel Hill is a must for those who visit the Raleigh-Durham area and a little walking tour can reveal much about Chapel Hill’s flavor.

Like so many college towns, Chapel Hill is the University of North Carolina. As the town’s largest employer, UNC’s influence permeates the town. Indeed without UNC, Chapel Hill would probably not exist. Still, nearly 50,000 residents call Chapel Hill home and it, along with the neighboring town of Carrboro, offer much to visitors.

College basketball fans know UNC because of its men’s basketball team which recently won the college national basketball championship. With a very good women’s team on hand as well, UNC’s basketball programs are considered to be among the top programs in the nation. Still, interest in sports isn’t for everyone and Chapel Hill goes well beyond the sports amenities extolled by the university.

Strolling down the streets of UNC reveals all that the town has to offer: a haven for artists, a home for improvisational comedians, the requisite coffee bars, health food stores, eateries, live music performances, colorful murals, and more. Festivals in the spring and fall bring in tens of thousands of people to the downtown area, but on campus activities easily dwarf what regularly goes on in the business district.

Founded in 1792, UNC has an onsite planetarium that was built in the late 1940s. It has been used by some NASA astronauts as part of their training for various missions. The planetarium is open to the public and it, along with the universities 16 libraries, is a popular place to visit. Beyond that, there are enough student run shows and events to keep the Chapel Hill visitor busy even outside of basketball season.

The best times of the year to walk the streets of Chapel Hill are in the Spring and in the Fall. Summer heat and winter cold tend to limit the outdoor activities, but the town thrives year round nevertheless. Yes, the requisite color in town is “Carolina Blue” so get used to the Tarheel way of life when visiting historic Chapel Hill, the home of the prestigious University of North Carolina.

By Matthew Keegan

Durham, North Carolina prides itself as being a well rounded, diverse community. This diversity is reflected wonderfully in Durham’s burgeoning arts community in the form of sculptures, murals, galleries, and public artworks located throughout the city. Please read on to learn about some key stops for you to make when visiting eclectic Durham.

Funeral art you say? Yes, Durham has some noteable and exceptional examples of funeral art, if that is something that meets your desire. Two cemeteries, Beechwood and Geer, feature graves of important early African-American business and cultural leaders, while the Maplewood Cemetery contains Italian marble figures and Victorian “funereal” art. Incidentally, Maplewood features the graves of confederate war veterans and tobacco magnates.

Of course, not everyone likes visiting graveyards, but art museums do abound in Durham.

The Nasher Museum of Art is located at Duke University and it houses a fine collection of Russian, European, African, and pre-Columbian artwork. Nearby at North Carolina Central University is an art museum containing African art objects, 19th and 20th century African-American collections, and works submitted by students of this historically black institution.

A stroll through downtown Durham will reveal many murals not easily appreciated by the driving public. Check out the Locomotive mural over at the Amtrak station; The Killer Tomato mural on Foster Street; the Here Comes the Sun mural on the Wee Shop Building; and the untitled mural on the Durham County Social Services building.

Foster Street is an arts-lovers paradise as the venerable thoroughfare contains a half dozen studios. Not to be outdone, the Durham County Public Library on Roxboro Street has paintings, drawings, tapestries, and sculptures while the Sarah P. Duke Gardens features a lovely metalwork fountain and many sculptures.

Fans of vintage art will not be disappointed in their visit to Durham. In the American Tobacco Historic District the Lucky Strike Smokestack and Water Tower hold prominence there. Over on East Parrish Street are signs for Chiclets, Double Mint, and Pepsi-Cola, while on West Main Street the famed Bull Durham Tobacco sign can be observed.

Finally, if the performing arts grabs your attention, then Duke University has five theaters and auditoriums to meet your needs.

Many galleries and studios hold planned exhibits throughout the year. One of the biggest is held in December — the Durham Art Walk — featuring over one hundred working visual artists, many of whom have their own studios downtown.

So, next time you visit Durham, plan on spending some time getting to know the city’ unique tapestry of artists. There is something for you no matter how eclectic your tastes may be.

Matt Keegan is The Article Writer covering subjects as diverse as business, education, health, the arts, travel, and advocacy. Please visit http://www.thearticlewriter.com for samples of some of his work.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan