Save this Tar Heel bucket list

Two students sit on the quad on U.N.C. campus, enjoying a sunny day. — Students convene on the quad to soak in a warm spring day. (Jeyhoun Allebaugh/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Throughout UNC-Chapel Hill’s 232 years, Tar Heels have created and upheld several traditions that have become mainstays on campus. They keep Tar Heels of all ages and eras connected, forming common experiences that shape what it means to be part of the Carolina community. Here’s a roundup of places to visit, events to see and food to eat while in Chapel Hill.

1.Take a sip of water from the Old Well.

In recent decades, students have lined up outside the Old Well on the first day of classes to get a sip of water and good fortune for the semester ahead.

Students gathered around the Old Well on U.N.C.'s campus on a sunny day - waiting for a chance to take their first sip.

Students line up on FDOC to drink from the Old Well (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill).

2.Rush Franklin Street after a victory against Duke.

The first documented occasion of students rushing Franklin Street was in 1957 following Carolina men’s basketball win against Kansas in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game. Rushing Chapel Hill’s downtown is now synonymous with a men’s basketball victory over Duke.

Aerial view of a massive crowd celebrating on Franklin street in downtown Chapel Hill.

The Carolina community rushes Franklin Street following a UNC men’s basketball win against Duke in the 2022 NCAA semifinal game (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill).

3.Attend a football game at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

The 100-year-old stadium has been home to numerous spectacles — from sporting events to concerts and Spring Commencement. Students can attend football games for free through Carolina Athletics’ lottery system.

Fireworks over a packed Spring Commencement at the Kenan Memorial Stadium, with "Tar Heels" painted on the field.

The 2025 football season kicks off at Kenan Memorial Stadium (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill).

4. Grab a milkshake and burger from Sutton’s Drug Store.

The 103-year-old soda fountain began as a pharmacy that served lunch through a take-out window. While it no longer is an active pharmacy, soda fountain favorites – burgers, grilled cheeses, milkshakes and more – are still served at the Franklin Street mainstay.

Group wearing "Sutton's 100 Years and Cooking" T-shirts eating at a diner counter.

Patrons gather at Sutton’s to celebrate the drug store and soda fountain’s 100th anniversary in 2023 (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill).

5.Climb the Bell Tower.

Each spring, seniors are invited to climb the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower situated behind Kenan Memorial Stadium. Students climb 128 steps for a view of Chapel Hill from above, participating in a long-running Carolina tradition.

Students climbing a spiral staircase inside a U.N.C. bell tower.

Students climb up the bell tower during the 2026 senior climb (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill).

6.Grab a BLT from Merritt’s Grill

Just south of campus stands a longtime favorite of the Chapel Hill community: Merritt’s Grill. The rustic quick-service establishment is known for its BLTs and just announced a second location coming to Finley Golf Club.

Exterior of Merritt's Store, a white building with red awnings and American flags in Chapel Hill.

Before Merritt’s grill became a beloved BLT destination, it started as a gas station and general store. It’s since shifted to food service entirely. (Photo by Merritt’s Grill)

7.Lounge around the quad.

Polk Place sits at the center of campus between South Building and Wilson Library. During warmer months, it’s filled with students reading, studying and engaging in friendly competition.

Students playing with a volleyball on a U.N.C. campus lawn in front of Wilson Library.

Students flee to Polk Place’s lawn on the first warm days of spring (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill).

8.Watch a basketball game at the Dean E. Smith Center.

The Carolina men’s basketball team has won seven national championships. Numerous players have gone on to play in the NBA, from Michael Jordan to Vince Carter.