Sometimes being a part of the “Elon Bubble” can makes it difficult to find exciting, new things to do on the weekends. Places such as West End Station and Tap House are usually great options for some weekend fun, but let’s face it – they are some of students’ only options on campus. So if you’re looking to branch out, try visiting these nearby cities for a wide variety of nightclubs, comedy clubs, restaurants, movie theaters and more, all within reasonable driving distance.
Greensboro
Greensboro offers plenty of nightlife options in a busy city environment. Multiple dance clubs, such as Allure Nightlife, Greene Street and The Clubhouse, often feature live musical performances. Greene Street offers college night Thursdays from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. while Club Fifth Season on High Point Road allows free entry for ladies Monday through Thursday.
If you’re looking for a more unique form of entertainment, try visiting Boston’s House of Jazz or Arizona Pete’s, a country saloon that also features college night on Thursdays and line-dancing on Wednesdays. Elm Street is home to multiple bars, restaurants and entertainment venues such as Inferno, a 70s-themed club and an improvisational comedy club, Idiot Box.
Whether you’re looking for new places to eat, sports bars, dance clubs or music venues, Greensboro is a great, nearby location to help you find what you’re looking for.
Chapel Hill
Although Chapel Hill is not a large city, the area offers plenty of college-age entertainment options. The most notable place
to go for nightlife is Franklin Street, which runs through UNC’s campus and stretches from Chapel Hill into Carrboro. During the day, Franklin Street bustles with families, shoppers and restaurant-goers, but the crowd narrows down to mainly college students and young adults by nightfall.
Should you choose to visit Franklin Street, grab a bite to eat at one of the street’s many restaurants such as Four Corners, Kildare’s Irish Pub or Top of the Hill, a second-story restaurant known as the highest point in Chapel Hill. Carolina Brewery and Goodfellows Bar are other popular locations for dining and drinks. There are plenty of dessert options as well, including Ben & Jerry’s, Sweet Frog and Sugarland.
Franklin Street and the surrounding area also has plenty of nightclub options. Pulse on Rosemary Street is the largest 18-and-over club in Chapel Hill and features a DJ every night. Uptown on Franklin Street is located above East End Oyster & Martini Bar and offers a DJ, dance floor, foosball and pool tables.
The most widely known concert hall is Cat’s Cradle, located toward the end of Franklin Street and resides in Carrboro, on the edge of Chapel Hill. Cat’s Cradle is a live music venue that brings a broad range of alternative bands to its intimate stage.
“Cat’s Cradle is the place to be, whether you’re into hip-hop, folk, electronic, or rock,” said Stephanie Seligman, Elon student and Chapel Hill native. “It features all sorts of artists, and it characterizes the Carrboro and Chapel Hill area.”
Raleigh
North Carolina’s capital maintains a vast selection of nightlife attractions. Raleigh is divided into eight entertainment districts, one of the most popular being Glenwood South that features shopping, nightclubs and unique restaurants like Hibernian Irish Pub. The Warehouse District, contrary to its misleading name, is actually known for its clubbing scene and popular barbecue restaurant, The Pit.
Raleigh is also home to dozens of live music venues ranging from clubs to taverns. Some of the most notable are Lincoln Theatre, The Pour House Music Hall and The Berkeley Café. Raleigh also has a variety of dance clubs, among them Fubar, Mirage and Solas.
“Mirage is a really good place to go if you’re looking for more of a classy club because the people there are generally older,” said NC State student Courtney Farrell. “They host a lot of DJs. I went when Pauly D was there and it was a good time all around.”
College students don’t like to spend money, and Raleigh’s Carmike Blue Ridge 14 Cinema is a discount movie theater that offers older movies for only $2. Raleigh also offers IMAX theaters for a bigger, more diverse range of showings.