Things You must do on Tar Heel Game Day
By Matt Haley
Tailgating is something in Chapel Hill that is quite possible harder to do than finding an NC State fan who pulls for UNC when they play other teams. However Chapel hill has plenty of things every young Tar Heel should experience when they visit for a football game. Not every one of these stops are places you may want to take your children, but i could not leave out some of the best places to grab a brew before kickoff. These are traditions I enjoy, and I know there are more in this great town so please share your favorite place to go in the comment section so my family can find even more treasures in Chapel Hill.
Four Corners Nachos and Beer: If you arrive in town and feel like watching some games on TV head over to four corners bar and be sure to order some of the best chicken nachos around. Normally they will have a gameday special or two and with the atmosphere and TVs it is a great place to hang out prior to leaving early enough for Hark the Sound and Kick off.
Peppers Pizza: This is must stop for my family when we have time to visit downtown. By far the best pizza in town Peppers gives you that sense of hole in the wall and the people that visit sometimes makes you question what planet you are on. The atmosphere is somewhat different than I remember as a student, but for my family it is one place we all can agree on. If I have a suggested pie it would be the Dangerfield. This is a stop my wife and I make mostly after the game so we can enjoy our food without rushing to the game.
Old Well Walk: Every young Tar Heel should see a glimpse of the team they are cheering for and the old well Walk is a great opportunity for this. The setting in Chapel Hill with the lack of tail gate parking I believe discourages fans from participating in this event, and unlike places like Tennessee, Notre Dame where the setting is perfect to do a similar walk before a game this may never be as big as the Tar Heel football team would like.
Tar Heel Town: If you have not arrived early enough to visit Tar Heel town I suggest you take the little ones down to enjoy the kid rides /activities face painting and a plate of Parkers Bar B Que.
The Bell Tower: My daughter asks every football game to go up and look out of the bell tower. Watching the fans pour into Kenan Stadium has been a treat and it has become a must do every visit to Kenan Stadium.
Hes Not Here: Not that a stop to Hes not is in the game plan on every game day, but when UNC has a night game with more time for us to peruse the town finding a Blue cup is a must.
Bub O’Malley’s: Bubs located on Rosemary Street is a great place to gab a few pitchers, play some Foosball, table shuffleboard, ping pong and watch the games that are TV before crossing Franklin on your way to the game.
Lenoir Dining Hall: You are probably saying this does not fit in this column, but if you have children and are going to a game this tip may help you out more than any other place listed in the article. Inside Lenoir there are Chick Fil A sandwiches that are priced well below Kenan Stadium Prices. Throw a few of those sandwiches in your wife’s purse and you will save enough to buy you a Dangerfield Pizza at Peppers after the game.
The previous places are just a few of the must go places in Chapel Hill. Please tell us your favorite place to visit, and I will definitely check it out the next time i visit Chapel Hill.