Chapel Hill for March Madness

With all due respect to NC Wolfpack and Duke Blue Devil fans, One-Tank Trips heads to NC Tar Heel country this month for March Madness and the metropolitan allure of the Franklin Hotel. Whether you choose to prowl Franklin Street during the ACC Tournament, March 14-16, or during the NCAA Tournament opening rounds, March 21-23, you’ll be in hoops heaven in Chapel Hill.

Fanhood aside, The Franklin Hotel, a new luxury boutique hotel on Franklin Street, is a discovery worth making. Anchoring downtown Chapel Hill’s booming West End, The Franklin is an easy walk to the historic UNC campus, as well as the shops, restaurants, bars, museums, galleries and performing arts venues in this preeminent college town. As your base camp, The Franklin offers unsurpassed comfort and convenience.

Once a quaint collegiate village, Chapel Hill has evolved in to an enclave of sophisticated urban culture. Add the excitement of NCAA basketball and warm spring weather and you have a lively atmosphere offering many opportunities to watch tournament games in bars and restaurants that often match the energy in the arena. We’ll offer up a few suggestions for dining and game watching, but first, let’s check in at The Franklin.

First, you’ll want to linger in the understated elegance of Roberts At The Franklin, the hotel's lobby bar and patio. Roberts exudes casual sophistication. High, carved ceilings soar above the pewter-finished bar and Italian marble fireplace, giving the room a clubby ambience. Double glass doors open to a sidewalk patio offering relaxed outdoor seating. Relax, linger and enjoy.
The Franklin has 67 stylish guestrooms and suites showcasing archival photographs of historic Franklin Street. Each room features either a private patio balcony or arched windows that open to tree-top views. Luxury appointments include a wall-mounted 32" LCD HD TV (important for late-night tournament highlights). If nothing less than a 42" HD TV will do, ask about the luxury penthouse VIP suites where you can really settle in.

If you need a workout before venturing out for an evening with Dicky V., there’s a gym located on the fourth floor overlooking the sunlit atrium. The fitness center features a spacious exercise studio equipped with elliptical, Bowflex treadmill, TreadClimber and Ultimate 2 Gym.

Now you’re ready. You can dive into the student scene and relive undergraduate glories, or keep it more urbane and cosmopolitan. Our tip: mix it up a little. After all, this is March Madness, baby!

For the energy of the student cheering section you can venture into the usual haunts such as Woody’s, He’s Not Here or Goodfella’s (still a favorite). But the best game watching experience for our money is at Ham’s, just across the street from The Franklin. Good grill fare, hard-working bartenders, a rabid Carolina crowd and the Tar Heel sports radio play-by-play blasting over the noise. Hard core only here, please.

At the risk of waking chants of "wine and cheese" (or cheese and wine, as it were) we also recommend West End Wine Bar. They offer over 100 wines by the glass (and PBR in a can) and have excellent TVs behind the bar. A rooftop patio distinguishes West End as Chapel Hill’s only three-floor venue. Yes, there’s more downstairs. The Cellar features three pool tables, a full bar and a 1200-song juke box. This is truly one of Chapel Hill’s best kept secrets.

For a break from roundball, check out Lantern, specializing in simple, authentic Asian food in a sleek urban setting. The striking dining room and bar were designed by N.C. native (and current NYC resident) David Doernberg, a designer working in the film industry. Note the cinematic influence in Lantern’s chic, seductive hideaway bar. Try that exotic cocktail or simply surrender to the expert care of the mixologist on duty.

Another favorite option is 411 West, serving up Mediterranean-inspired pizzas, pastas, seafood and steaks. Score seats at the bar near the cozy warmth of the wood burning pizza oven. The TV is right there and you won’t miss a play.

If you’re still on Franklin St. on Sunday morning, do brunch at Crook’s Corner. Selections ranging from their traditional country breakfast to the gumbo omelet, fried oysters and eggs, and legendary shrimp and grits have earned Crook’s a national reputation for creative Southern fare.

If you need a special incentive to get that certain someone to accompany you on your b-ball adventure, the Franklin Hotel offers a Regal Romance package with flowers, chocolates, chilled champagne and breakfast in bed. There’s also a Date Night on Franklin Street package that may do the trick. Check with the hotel for all details, special services and rates.

The most impressive thing about this to-do list is that these terrific venues, along with several others we would also recommend, are all within a couple blocks of each other. March is a great time to explore Chapel Hill’s West End and discover something new.