Things to Do in Chapel Hill

Students of all ages and skill levels hone English or Western riding skills in White Briar Farms' diverse riding spaces, which include an indoor arena, a well-lit outdoor arena, and a network of trails. Each student's journey takes shape with the farm's customizable lesson plans and covers topics from basic warm-up techniques to the nuances of specialty styles. Lessons are stratified into three levels, with options for a variety of needs, including toddler riders with a chaperone and equestrians seeking a theoretical foundation in riding before saddling up. The farm's fleet ranges from colts to adult horses, and when they have time off from lessons, they take jaunts in the two turn-out paddocks and graze in a 10-acre pasture, complete with a pond where they can take a dip to feel the weightless freedom of a seahorse.

Though they come from different walks of life, the instructors at Happymess Art Studio find common ground in their passion for artistic expression. They harness their diversity and devotion in the studio, which offers an eclectic assortment of art classes week after week. Its schedule features watercolor classes, drawing classes, and a "Paint Like" series, where you can absorb the ideas of iconic artists by studying their stylistic approaches and grocery receipts.

Outside the studio, the Happymess instructors work their magic in the community aboard the Happymessenger art bus, a mobile art experience that partners with local art groups, schools, and organizations.

Frog Hollow Outdoors's trained and enthusiastic team rekindles relationships with Mother Nature through canoe and kayak instruction, guided lake and river tours, and gear rentals. During instructional classes, the staffers teach the fundamentals of canoeing and kayaking, which include paddling basics, capsize recovery, and wet exits. They also lead adventure camps for pintsize explorers and overnight expeditions for outdoorsy vampires.

Around the shores of Jordan Lake, a squad of outdoor enthusiasts works to cultivate environmental stewardship in youngsters through discovery-based classes and events that disguise education in a cloak of fun. Codirectors Eleanor Herr and Denise Nelson both possess a passion for nature, degrees in early-childhood education, and the creativity to combine the two into exciting programs.

Lessons and field trips designed for public- or home-schooled children instill a love of nature while adhering to the Common Core State and North Carolina Essential Standards for education. Events for kids and their families, such as a full-moon night hike with a campfire, encourage bonding that can strengthen telepathic communication during future potato-sack races. Weekly nature camps for ages 6–11 keep young brains blossoming in the summer. Jordan Lake Environment Education also hosts birthdays, replete with themed activities, coloring books, and free time for any self-provided cake and refreshments.

Flat-screen televisions hang high above each lane at Z-Bowl, displaying a medley of scoring charts and high-definition sports broadcasts for bowlers to enjoy between frames. The alley keeps the visual banquet brimming in a sports bar with large-projection sets and an arcade containing more than 60 arcade consoles, including both classic and modern models such as skee-ball and Dance Dance Revolution. The 18-lane facility also offers billiards, shuffleboard, and darts to keep levels of healthy competition high and offer lower-impact entertainment for those with injuries such as bowler’s ear. Z-Bowl also hosts six private lanes designed to host upscale parties and corporate meetings, as well as a full kitchen that serves brick-oven pizza and certified Angus beef burgers.