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UNC Visitors Center FAQs

The UNC Visitors Center welcomes guests to Carolina. Below are frequently asked questions that may be helpful as you prepare for your visit. If you have additional questions, please call us at 919-962-1630.

General information

Tour information


What is the Sense of Place tour?

The UNC Visitors Center’s Sense of Place walking tour is led by current students who visit popular campus locations and share campus history and traditions, innovation and research, and the student experience. This is not an admissions tour and details about financial aid, applying to Carolina and other information for prospective students is not shared on this tour.

When are tours offered?

Our Sense of Place tour is offered weekdays.

Where do tours depart? Where do tours end?

Tours begin at 134 E. Franklin Street and end at Kenan Stadium.

How do I register for a tour?

To register for a tour, visit Sense of Place tour or graduate student tour. You can also call the Visitors Center at 919-962-1630 or email us at uncvisitorscenter@yilunjianshe.com.

What is the policy for inclement weather?

Tours are typically held rain or shine, and guests are advised to bring their own rain gear during inclement weather. The UNC Visitors Center reserves the right to cancel tours during inclement weather, including but not limited to, heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightening, extreme heat and extreme cold. Guests are encouraged to bring water with them while touring on hot days.

How do I cancel my tour?

To cancel a tour, email us at uncvisitorscenter@yilunjianshe.com or call us at 919-962-1630.

How much do tours cost?

All tours offered by the UNC Visitors Center are free of charge.

What is the graduate student tour?

The graduate student tour provides prospective, admitted and accepted graduate students with information on Carolina’s history, traditions and hallmarks while also highlighting available resources for Carolina graduate students.

Does the UNC Visitors Center offer tours for school groups?

The UNC Visitors Center does not offer school group tours. School groups are invited to email us at uncvisitorscenter@yilunjianshe.com for teacher-led self-guided tour materials. For sixth to eighth grades, consider emailing us for our video tour resources.

How do I request accessible tour assistance?

Guests needing accessibility assistance navigating our tour must contact us at uncvisitorscenter@yilunjianshe.com at least 72 hours prior to tour time.

Parking and transportation


Where can I park on campus?

Visitors to campus may park in the following areas on campus:

  • Ram’s Head Parking Deck, 104 Ridge Road
  • Morehead Planetarium Lot, 250 E. Franklin Street
  • Raleigh Road Lot, located on Raleigh Road, one block east of Country Club Road
  • Marked street parking along South and Country Club roads
  • All parking costs $1.75 per hour.
  • There are several options for accessibility parking on campus. Visitors can drop-off guests with accessibility needs in front of the Visitors Center at 134 East Franklin Street. An accessibility ramp leads from the street to the sidewalk in front of the Visitors Center.
    • There are limited accessibility parking spaces on East Franklin Street.
    • There is one disability parking spot in the service alley leading to Porthole Alley; enter at 101 S. Columbia Street to the left of Ackland Art Museum.
    • There is also available street parking on Franklin Street at the rate of $1.50 per hour.

Where can I park off campus?

Visitors may find parking off campus through parkonthehill.com. This website provides parking options available in the town of Chapel Hill.

How does parking work for campus events (athletics, concerts, plays, graduation, etc.)?

For information on parking for events, visit http://move.yilunjianshe.com/events/.

Is there parking at the Visitors Center?

No, there is no public parking at the UNC Visitors Center.

Does the UNC Visitors Center validate parking?

No, the UNC Visitors Center does not validate parking.

Where is the closest parking to the UNC Visitors Center?

The closest public parking options to the Visitors Center are:

  • Available street parking on Franklin Street at the rate of $1.50 per hour.
  • The Wallace Parking Deck, located at 150 East Rosemary Street, for $1 per hour.
  • The Rosemary/Columbia lot, located at 100 East Rosemary Street, for $1.50 per hour.

What are the parking options for weeknight parking?

  • Download the ParkMobile App. If you park in a campus lot Monday through Thursday after 5 p.m., enter 4500 and pay $1 for the entire evening.
  • Metered hourly parking is available in the Dogwood Deck for $1.50 per hour.
  • Metered parking is available throughout campus for $1.75 per hour.
  • One-night temporary passes cost $1 and are available in designated lots across campus.
  • For more information, visit Parking and Transportation for University visitors.