Chapel Hill, North Carolina
“Everything revolves around the college,” said Linda Ekeland, director of sales at the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. “It’s a very homey town, and people just love being here — they love the trees, the active and vibrant downtown. There’s just so much to do.”
Voted “America’s Foodiest Small Town” by Bon Appétit magazine and No. 10 on Money magazine’s Best Places To Live, Chapel Hill is a historic and artsy center of learning and culture. The University of North Carolina is part of the bustling Research Triangle Park and attracts many students.
“A lot of students fall in love and stay,” Ekeland said.
Out of about 10 main hotels, two have AAA Four Diamond ratings, and many provide meeting space. The 168-room Sheraton Chapel Hill has more than 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting space that can accommodate 200 to 350 people. The Carolina Inn, a historic 185-guest-room hotel right on UNC’s campus, has 14,000 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate 200 people. The Sienna Hotel has 4,000 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate 75 people, and the Hampton Inn and Suites of Chapel Hill/Carborro has 142 guest rooms and 3,000 square feet of meetings space that can accommodate 150 to 175 people.
Extraordinary Ventures, a facility with meeting space for 150 to 175, has outdoor space, a boardroom, a main room and a breakout room. The organization was started by parents with young adult autistic children, who aid in setting up and cleaning the rooms, and room rentals help pay their salaries. A favorite destination is the North Carolina Botanical Gardens, which offers 7,000 square feet of space both indoors and out. It can accommodate 150 people banquet style or 200 theater style.
There are many places in Chapel Hill for dining and entertainment: Topo, a local distillery that offers tours; Southern Seasons, a large gourmet store that hosts a professional cooking school and classes for team-building activities; and Top of the Hill Restaurant, which is in the heart of Franklin Street. The Frank Gallery showcases local artists and can host stand-up receptions of 100 people. The Carolina Basketball Museum showcases the history of UNC with slideshows, memorabilia and information on the players.
“It’s a fabulous facility, even if you’re not a basketball fan,” Ekeland said, though fans abound. “Even our fire trucks are light blue.”
Durham, North Carolina
Home to Duke University and North Carolina Central University, Durham is a city within a city.
“It’s a destination that’s remained true to itself,” said Corey Bizzell, vice president of group sales and business development at the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau. “As a visitor constantly traveling for business, you know where you are. There’s no location amnesia here.”
The Durham Convention Center acts as the anchor to a downtown center complex. It has 35,000 square feet of meeting space, two ballrooms and meeting rooms. Attached is the Carolina Theater, with 1,200 theater seats and two separate movie theaters. The Durham Arts Council, several galleries and performance areas, and the Durham Armory are nearby as well.
The Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center is only a five-minute ride from the airport and is near Research Triangle Park, which, Bizzell, said makes it convenient for visitors who want stay under one roof. The hotel has 42,000 square feet of meeting space.
Recently, Durham was named the tastiest town in the South by Southern Living magazine.
“Just trying to pick where you’re going to lunch on any given day is a chore,” Bizzell said. “There are so many options.”
The Carolina Theatre and Durham Performing Arts Center offer a variety of performances from ballets to concerts to plays. The American Tobacco Campus district houses many attractions, including an art institute, bars, high-end and medium-end restaurants, and hotels.
“Downtown has opened so much; there’s so much going on,” Bizzell said. “You can walk from downtown to Ninth Street, and there’s something to do all the way.”
He noted that Durham was a well-kept secret in the South that he hoped more people will come to explore.
“There are plenty of distractions in Durham, but they’re afternoon distractions — they’re going to enhance the stay.”
