Guided & Self-Guided Tours

A Walk Down Franklin Street

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610 East Rosemary St (Downtown)
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Directions

phone (919) 942-7818.

Horce Williams House open Tue.-Fri., 10am-4pm; Sun., 1-4pm.

• “Walk This Way! Fact and Folklore Tours of Chapel Hill”—Guided tour of about one hour is conducted every Sun. at 2 p.m. from the Horace Williams House for $5 per person. Rain or shine. From the historic homes to the colorful characters to the great events, visitors will learn the history behind Chapel Hill’s most famous—and infamous—street. No reservations needed. Call for more details.
• “A Walk Down Franklin Street”—Self-guided walking tour based on the Society’s popular descriptive brochure. This leisurely tour features historic homes in the district between the Horace Williams House and downtown Chapel Hill. Free. Parking.

Ayr Mount and Poet’s Walk

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376 St. Mary's Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278

Directions

phone (919) 732-6886

Open for guided tours (Mar. 21 to Dec. 20) Wed.-Sat., 11am; Thu.-Sun., 2pm; other times by appointment.

One of North Carolina’s finest Federal-era plantation homes (c. 1815), built by William Kirkland of Ayr, Scotland. Carefully restored and exquisitely furnished with period antiques (Duncan Phyfe and Charles Honore Lannuier), portraits by Ezra Ames and James Wollaston, Chinese export porcelain, Waterford crystal and many original family pieces. Occupied by four generations of the family until 1985. Owned by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust. A National Trust Partner Place. $10 per person. Group rates available. Free parking.

• Poet’s Walk: Open daily (year-round), 9am-5pm (till 6pm, Mar, Apr, Sep & Oct; till 7pm, May & Aug; till 8pm Jun & Jul). One-mile walking trail meanders through woodlands and pastures along the banks of the Eno River, with views of the Kirkland family cemetery, the old tavern foundation and the Indian trading path. Picnic tables under hardwood and pine trees. Dogs allowed, but must be on leashes. Trail is free and open daily year round.

Coker Arboretum Tours

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Corner of Raleigh Street and Cameron Ave
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Directions

(919) 962-0522

11 am - 12 Noon

Free guided tours of the Coker Arboretum on the UNC campus are given the third Saturday of the month, March through November.  No registration is necessary.  Meet at the stone circle near the center of the arbor on Cameron Ave. 

Guided Tour of North Carolina Botanical Garden Display Gardens

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100 Old Mason Farm Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27517

Directions

(919) 962-0522

10 am

Free guided tours of the Display Gardens take place every Saturday from March - October and the first Saturday November - February.  Learn about NC’s amazing native flora on a free tour of the display gardens every Saturday morning, 10 a.m. Meet in the Pegg Exhibit Hall of the Garden’s Education Center. Guides also lead tours of the recently completed environmentally friendly Education Center once a month on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., providing a behind-the-scenes look at the unique features that make this one of the most efficient buildings in the state of North Carolina. Next two building tours are August 14 and September 11.

Guided Tour of Old Chapel Hill Cemetery

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131 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Directions

(919) 942-7818

Preservation Society Hours, Tue-Fri 10 am - 4 pm; Sun 1 - 4 pm.

Tours of the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery leave from the cemetery gazebo (South Road across from Carmichael Arena) every Saturday at 10 AM.  Tickets are $5 per person. To reserve a space, please contact the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill (919) 942-7818.  After hours please call (919) 923-6900.

The lovely seven acre site is the final resting place for many of the University, the town, the state and nation.  The Old Chapel Hill Cemetery lies in the heart of Chapel Hill on the corner of Country Club and South Roads, near the main campus of UNC. The site was part of a land grant given by the State of North Carolina in 1796 to develop the University, and the cemetery originally served as a final resting place for University faculty and students.  On the guided tour amid the oaks and pines, the low walls and unique headstones, you will learn about the slaves and statesman, senators and salesmen that helped create what we fondly call “the Southern Part of Heaven”. 

Historic Hillsborough Tours

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150 East King St (Downtown),
Hillsborough, NC 27278

Directions

toll-free (877) 732-7748; phone (919) 732-7741.

Available Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm; Sun., noon-4pm.

Guided and self-guided walking tours, guided step-on-bus tours and guided theme tours are available throughout the year in historic Hillsborough. The group walking and bus tours are available by appointment, with a minimum of 10 participants and at least two weeks notice.
• Second Saturday Guided Walking Tour—Regular 90-minute guided tour is available year-round on the second Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. In Hillsborough’s historic district, you’ll see historic churches, cemeteries, Colonial and Ante-Bellum homes and much more. Prices are adults, $5; children (5-15), $2. No reservations necessary.
• Self-guided walking tour is based on a booklet available for $3 at the Orange County Visitors Center (in the Alexander Dickson House), 150 East King Street. Parking.

Historic UNC Campus Tour

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250 East Franklin St (Morehead Planetarium Building, West Lobby)
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3480

Directions

phone (919) 962-1630.

Available Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm.

Historic Campus Tour. Visitors can also take advantage of a self-guided recorded tour, complete with music and interesting facts covering the landmarks and legends of UNC’s historic campus. Follow brick walkways into the University’s early years by taking a walking tour through the heart of the nation’s first state university and its historic sites. Founded in 1793, the core campus is about 730 acres. Maps are available. Student-led guided tours of campus—highlighting the past, present and future Carolina—are also available Monday through Friday. Call for details and to make an appointment. 

Horace Williams House

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610 East Rosemary St (Downtown)
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Directions

phone (919) 942-7818

Open Tue.-Fri., 10am-4pm; Sun., 1-4pm; closed Sat., major holidays and July 31-August 16 for cleaning and repairs

The only historic house in Chapel Hill open to the public. This 19th-century house was owned by a succession of University professors. On the death of Horace Williams, a UNC philosophy professor and the last owner-occupant, the University of North Carolina became the sole owner of the house named for him. Restored in 1974, the house is maintained by the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill as a cultural resource and art exhibition space.  Guided tours of historic Franklin Street leave the Horace Williams House each Sun at 2 pm. Cost $5. Guided tours of the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery leave from the cemetery gazebo (South Road across from Carmichael Auditorium) at 10am every Saturday. Guided walking tours suspended during entire month of August.

Montrose Gardens

320 St. Mary's Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278

Directions

phone (919) 732-7787

Open year round for guided tours by appointment Tue. & Thu., 10am; Sat., 10am or 2pm.

This 61-acre property, a listed property in the National Register of Historic Places, features specimen trees, rock garden, wood gardens with massed plantings of unusual bulbs and hellebores and sunny perennial borders as well as 19th century buildings, decorative arbors, planters and architectural items. Nationally known gardens begun in the 19th century by Gov. and Mrs. William Alexander Graham, several 19th century buildings and architectural items remain. Guided tours plus tours for groups of 6 or more people may be arranged at other times. Per person, $10.

Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours

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email info@tastecarolina.net

Directions

phone (919) 237-2254

Saturday Tour is 11am-2pm; Weekday Tour is selected weekdays or by appointment, 2pm-5pm.

Whether you’re a local resident or visitor, you’ll enjoy going behind the scenes of Chapel Hill and Carrboro restaurants where traditional and modern farm-to-table cuisine comes to life. This tour is an exploration of flavors from innovative and upscale Southern dishes to house-made chocolates to real New York pastrami to organic wine and local beer. Known for being at the forefront of the Slow Food movement and for eclectic and nationally known restaurants that have redefined Southern cooking, Chapel Hill and Carrboro are among the best places in the country to eat, and live. Tours cost $39.50 per person ($41.49 with registration service fee).  Also Selected Weekdays.

Register in advance at Brown Paper Tickets.  Public parking in Carrboro is available. See http://walkcarrboro.com/map.html for details. Meet in front of Open Eye Cafe, 101 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro, at 10:45 or 1:45. Wear comfortable shoes; this tour is between 1.5 and 2 miles of walking. Runs rain or shine.
Dress appropriately for the weather.

(For information on other tours by Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours, visit its Website.)