With a population of 57,233, Chapel Hill is a must-see destination in North Carolina, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Chapel Hill deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
If you’re looking for affordable options, 411 West (411 W. Franklin St.) and Crossroads Chapel Hill (211 Pittsboro St) are great picks.
Although Chapel Hill doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), which is located 15 miles from Chapel Hill. Raleigh-Durham Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from American Airlines, Delta, Frontier and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Chapel Hill departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 06m.
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Chapel Hill. The train journey from Chapel Hill to Charlotte takes 2h 51m and costs around $26 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $39 for a 5h 56m trip.
Another option to get to Chapel Hill is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 111 miles from Chapel Hill. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Easirent, among others, in Charlotte.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Chapel Hill, including FlixBus, Tornado Bus and Busbud. From Richmond, the bus ride to Chapel Hill takes 160 miles and will cost you around $91. From Charlotte, the ticket costs about $36 for a journey of 160 miles.
Average rates range from around $157 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $479 and up for a 5-star experience.
Renting a car in Chapel Hill costs $52 per day, on average, or $105 if you want to rent if for 2 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 18% cheaper than airport locations in Chapel Hill.
Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Chapel Hill (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Chapel Hill is Intermediate (Chevrolet Bolt EUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Chevrolet Bolt or similar) are, on average, 57% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.