There are lots of great
picnic areas in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the greater Triangle
area! In Carrboro, you can find great picnic food selections at
Weaver St. Market and then eat at the tables on the lawn in front of the
store, or head up the street to Wilson Park (picnic tables in the woods
near the Playground). Many of the area parks
and playgrounds have picnic tables, as does the NC Botanical
Gardens. We are always scouting out new great picnic areas.
If you have any suggestions for inclusions, please
!
Bolin
Creek Trail
A favorite local picnic spot. Entrances located at
Airport Road (just North of the Hillsboro St. intersection) and near
Community Center Park on South Estes Drive.
Located at 120
South Estes Drive, (across from the Main Post
Office and University Mall; 1 1/2 miles NE of downtown Chapel Hill ).
Picnic tables, playground equipment, rose gardens, and more.
(919) 968-2790
Duke
Gardens
Sarah
P. Duke Gardens at Duke University 426 Anderson St., Duke
University, Durham, NC 27708. www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens (919) 684-3698.
A wonderful outing for adults and children -- bring a picnic and wear
your walking shoes! Described as the "Crown Jewel of Duke
University," the Sarah P. Duke Gardens encompass 55 acres in the
heart of the University's West Campus, next to Duke University Medical
Center. According to the garden's website, the garden is
"recognized as one of the premier public gardens in the United
States, renowned both for landscape design and the quality of
horticulture." The garden also has a Terrace Shop and Terrace
Cafe (only open during the warm seasons).
Homestead
Park
From Airport Road, turn west onto Homestead Road,
take a right onto Northern Park Drive which leads to Homestead Park
(located 3 miles North of downtown Chapel Hill, 2 blocks west of Airport
Rd. off Homestead Rd. (919) 929-9031
Homestead Park has picnic tables
and benches in the shade. A
favorite meeting place for area playgroups, the "Dinosaur
Playground" is tucked away in a woodsy area at a good distance from
the Homestead parking lot areas. (The trees offer some shady areas
in the Summer.) The playground features a
friendly dinosaur slide, swings, and an additional large play set with
slides, tunnels, and climbing bars. Bathroom facilities are open in the
Spring and Summer. The restroom facilities are not open in
the Winter (closed from October to May), so plan accordingly if you have little
ones!
376 St. Mary's Rd.,
Hillsborough, NC 27278.
(919) 732-6886.
Ayr Mount historic house (1815) in Hillsborough has beautiful
grounds and wonderful walking trail with views of the Eno River, a pond,
and lots of grassy areas.
Umstead
Park
(Located 1 1/2 miles NE of
downtown Chapel Hill west of Airport Rd, on Umstead Rd; between
Airport Rd. and Estes Drive Extension.) Picnic tables, climbing structures and
sand to play in; bridge, stream and path through the woods. Better
for older kids because it is not contained/fenced, and the stream is
accessible from the play area.
UNC-Chapel Hill campus (East Cameron Ave at Raleigh St.,Chapel Hill.) (919) 962-0522. Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk. This beautiful five-acre garden (part of the North Carolina Botanical
Garden) contains more than 500 species of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.
Great picnic spots; also enjoy a stroll through the walkway sheltered by a native-vine arbor and
the adjacent stone gathering circle.
UNC
Campus / Grounds
By Silent Sam, across from McAlister's Deli (205 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill.
McAlister's has good food to eat in or for take-out, and has inexpensive
kids' meal selections. A Chapel Hill favorite!
This beautiful park is a great setting for a picnic along the river,
and is the home of the wonderful Annual Eno River Festival in early
July. The park includes three historic buildings. Be sure to visit
the West Point Mill (which you can view in operation, powered by the
river, turning wheat into flour, and corn into cornmeal.. You can
purchase the flour, cornmeal and grits produced at the Mill!) Also
see the McCown-Mangum House at West Point, and the Packhouse & Hugh
Mangum Museum of Photography. Open daily, year-round, from 8 a.m. - sundown.
From the website:
"This 388-acre park is located along a two-mile stretch of the scenic Eno River, six miles north of downtown Durham. You can enjoy a leisurely picnic and stroll around the grounds, or take a hike through the woods on one of the park trails. Feel free to bring your canoe or kayak and experience the beauty of the Eno River."
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