Chapel Hill with friends

Local tipCatch a 5:30 author talk before dinner, they book readings most weeknights

4 min drive to the next stop

Local tipGet the fried pickles with the shack sauce, not just the burger

9 min walk to the next stop

Local tipOrder a Blue Cup and claim a spot in the courtyard, not the bar inside

9 min walk to the next stop

Local tipAll-ages room, so check the opener too, local bills run deep here

10 min walk to the next stop

Local tipSelf-serve by weight, so take a small cup and go back for seconds

Local tipSaturday breakfast only until 2:30, get the pork chop and gravy biscuit

3 min walk to the next stop

Local tipGrab a plate from the hot bar and sit on the lawn under the oak

4 min walk to the next stop

Local tipThe rotating gallery shows are free, worth a look even on a quick walk-through

8 min drive to the next stop

Local tipFollow the greenway in on foot and take the cappuccino to the wooded patio

9 min walk to the next stop

Local tipWalk west toward Umstead Park, it's shadier and less crowded than the downtown end