2 NC college towns rank among the nation’s best hidden gems to visit. Here’s why
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Students may be on summer break, but travelers can still get a taste of campus life.
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“Some of the country’s most underrated travel gems are college towns” — and two of the top ones to visit are in North Carolina, according to trip planning website Kayak.
Chapel Hill ranks No. 4 and Boone is No. 6 on a list of the nation’s top under-the-radar vacation destinations.
“Our research found that 84% of travelers are interested in exploring smaller, lesser-known destinations and 63% are opting for shorter weekend trips,” Kayla Inserra DeLoache, director of communications for Kayak, told The News & Observer in a Friday, July 10 email. “North Carolina’s college towns offer exactly the kind of experience many travelers are looking for today: walkable downtowns, vibrant local culture, great food, and an easy escape that’s close to home.”
To determine the most underrated college towns, Kayak focused on online hotel searches people made for U.S. trips they wanted to take in 2025. Then, a spokesperson said the website studied:
Of the two North Carolina places that earned spots on the list, Chapel Hill ranked the highest at No. 4. The Triangle town of roughly 63,000 people was found to have an average nightly hotel room price of $204. Kayak praised the destination for boasting “timeless college energy” tied to the University of North Carolina’s flagship school.
“Chapel Hill offers a perfect blend of history, culture and a vibrant downtown centered around Franklin Street,” the travel website wrote in its March 25 report. “With unique shops, celebrated dining and enriching events, there’s something for everyone.”
Meanwhile, Boone landed at No. 6 on the list, with an average hotel price of $167 per night. The town — home to Appalachian State University and a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem — has about 20,000 residents. Kayak gave the destination nods for its grand vistas and “cozy escapes.”
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“Tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone is equal parts walkable college town and outdoor playground,” Kayak wrote in its report. “From hiking trails to scenic drives, it’s a year-round destination with serious charm.”
It’s not the first time these two vacation spots have received recognition. Earlier this year, Chapel Hill and Boone ranked among the best college towns in the South, The N&O previously reported.
And when it comes to ideal places for recent graduates to settle down, North Carolina has them covered. Cary — just west of Raleigh — ranks No. 9 on a list of the nation’s best mid-sized cities for people to start their careers, and other destinations in the state ranked just outside the top 10 on lists from the job-related website CoworkingCafe.
On the latest list from Kayak, the nation’s most underrated college town was Clemson, South Carolina. Besides Chapel Hill, these places rounded out the top five:
Portions of this story were previously published in The News & Observer.
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 1:53 PM with the headline “2 NC college towns rank among the nation’s best hidden gems to visit. Here’s why.”
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