NC A&T, Elon and Campbell in 2 Days: A North Carolina College Road Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing North Carolina A&T State University, Elon University and Campbell University in two days: how each visit works, where to park, four hotels from budget to upscale, the drives from Greensboro to Elon and on to Buies Creek, sibling stops and seasonal weather, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.
The university fountain at North Carolina A&T State University (Jul 2011). Photo: Cewatkin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC) · Elon University (Elon, NC) · Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC)
Days
2 days: NC A&T and Elon on day 1 (about 30 minutes apart by car), then about 1 hr 50 min to the Buies Creek area; Campbell on day 2. Arrive in Greensboro the evening before.
Fly into
Piedmont Triad International (GSO), about 17 minutes from downtown Greensboro with no traffic. Fly home from Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), about 1 hr 6 min from Campbell with no traffic.
Best base
Marriott Greensboro Downtown for night 1, about 5 minutes by car from NC A&T's admissions office; a hotel near Campbell for night 2.
Car or transit
Rent a car: Elon to Campbell is about 83 miles.
Registration
Book an NC A&T campus tour, an Elon campus visit and a Campbell on-campus visit online. Each school asks you to register ahead.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare three very different North Carolina campuses in one short trip: North Carolina A&T, a public university in Greensboro; Elon University, a private university just east of Greensboro; and Campbell University, a private university in Buies Creek, south of Raleigh.
NC A&T tours begin at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in B.C. Webb Hall, Elon's visits begin and end at the Inman Admissions Welcome Center, and Campbell's start with a greeting in the McLeod Admissions & Financial Aid Center.
Why this order
Day 1 morning: NC A&T's campus tour starts with a presentation by an admissions counselor, followed by a 90-minute walking tour led by an Aggie Ambassador.
Day 1 afternoon: Elon's visit is a 30-minute information session followed by a 1.5-hour student-led walking tour.
Day 2: Campbell's visit includes a greeting in the McLeod Admissions & Financial Aid Center, an information session with an admissions counselor and a campus tour.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
NC A&T: register for only one date. Each tour is limited to the prospective student plus 2 guests, and students under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them for the whole tour. If a date is full, join the waitlist, which is reviewed weekly.
Elon: book from the campus visit sign-up. To sit in on a class (fall and spring, prospective students only), ask at least a week ahead.
Campbell: visits run Monday to Thursday (tour and information session), Friday (small-group visit) and on select Saturdays. As of Oct 29, 2026, Campbell lists its fall Saturday visits as full.
Pick tour slots that leave time for the 30-minute drive from NC A&T to Elon on day 1.
Tour availability varies by season.
Elon's tours may be canceled in inclement weather, so check your email before you leave.
If an in-person NC A&T date doesn't work, it also offers a registered self-guided tour and virtual information sessions.
2. The suggested 2-day drive
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Leave extra time for I-40/I-85 traffic around Greensboro and for traffic near Raleigh.
Arrival evening: fly into Greensboro (GSO)
Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) → Marriott Greensboro Downtown (304 N. Greene St.)
Driving (no traffic)
~17 min, 10.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving and walking
Rental car
Expedia lists self-parking for a fee at the Marriott, so plan for that with your rental car.
Day 1: NC A&T, then Elon, then drive to Buies Creek
Marriott Greensboro Downtown → B.C. Webb Hall, NC A&T (Benbow Rd. at E. Market St.)
Elon → Microtel Inn & Suites Lillington (300 E. Cornelius Harnett Blvd.)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 48 min, 82.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving and walking
Rental car
At NC A&T, park in the Obermeyer Parking Deck (#43 on the campus map), a short walk from B.C. Webb Hall (#61), where tours begin at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
At Elon, take I-85/40 Exit 140 (University Drive) and follow the signs to visitor parking behind the Inman Admissions Welcome Center.
Elon's visit takes about 1.5 hours combined and begins and ends at the Inman Admissions Welcome Center.
Day 2: Campbell University, then fly home from RDU
Microtel Inn & Suites Lillington → McLeod Admissions & Financial Aid Center, Campbell University
Driving (no traffic)
~6 min, 3.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving and walking
Rental car
Campbell University → Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 6 min, 41.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving and walking
Rental car
Your visit starts with a greeting in the McLeod Admissions & Financial Aid Center. For parking on the day, ask the admissions office at (910) 893-1290.
Book a flight that leaves time for the drive to RDU after the visit; Campbell's directions page puts RDU about 45 minutes from campus.
3. Campus by campus
The university fountain at North Carolina A&T State University (Jul 2011). Photo: Cewatkin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Campus
North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC)
Alamance Hall at Elon University, with a fountain in front of the building (Feb 2026). Photo: JERFDAN · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Visits are a 30-minute information session followed by a 1.5-hour walking tour led by a current student, beginning and ending at the Inman Admissions Welcome Center.
Prospective students can ask to visit a class in fall or spring with at least a week's notice.
Visitor parking
From I-85/40 Exit 140 (University Drive), follow the signs to visitor parking behind the Inman Admissions Welcome Center. GPS address: 50 Campus Drive, Elon, NC.
Elon requires a complimentary visitor permit to park on campus; tour visitors should contact Admissions for parking directions.
Getting there
Elon is about 30 minutes by car from NC A&T and about 32 minutes from the Marriott Greensboro Downtown, with no traffic. The Inn at Elon is about an 8-minute walk from the welcome center.
What to know
Tours may be canceled in inclement weather.
The Elon photo in this guide shows Alamance Hall, with a fountain in front of the building.
Each visit includes a greeting in the McLeod Admissions & Financial Aid Center, an information session with an admissions counselor and a campus tour.
Monday to Thursday visits are a tour and information session; Fridays are small-group visits; some Saturdays are offered too.
Visitor parking
Campbell's visit pages don't say where tour guests park, so call admissions at (910) 893-1290 before you go. Campbell Parking Administration: (910) 893-1550.
Getting there
Campbell is about 6 minutes by car from the Microtel in Lillington and about 19 minutes from the Hampton Inn in Dunn, with no traffic. Campbell's directions page puts RDU about 45 minutes away.
What to know
Campbell's accommodations page lists hotels in Dunn, Lillington and nearby towns, and notes a discount at one for visiting Campbell families; ask when you book.
4. Where to stay: one night in Greensboro, one near Campbell
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickUpscale
Marriott Greensboro Downtown
304 N. Greene St., Greensboro, NC
Why here
Downtown, about 5 minutes by car from NC A&T's admissions office, about 32 minutes from Elon and about 17 minutes from GSO, with no traffic. The civil rights museum is about an 8-minute walk away.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists 285 rooms, the Bistro 40 restaurant, self-parking for a fee, no pets and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
About an 8-minute walk from Elon's Inman Admissions Welcome Center and about 46 minutes by car from GSO, with no traffic. A good base if you'd rather do Elon first or split the trip into three days.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists 80 rooms, free self-parking, a restaurant and bar, a 24-hour gym and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lillington / Campbell Univ
300 E. Cornelius Harnett Blvd., Lillington, NC
Why here
Our night-2 base: on Campbell's list of nearby hotels, about 6 minutes by car from campus and about 1 hr 48 min from Elon, with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists 57 rooms, a free continental breakfast, free self-parking, a seasonal outdoor pool and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
On Campbell's list of nearby hotels, near I-95 about 19 minutes by car from campus and about 2 hours from Elon, with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists 120 rooms, a free on-the-go breakfast, a seasonal outdoor pool and self-parking for a fee. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Spend night 1 in downtown Greensboro and night 2 near Campbell, so the longest drive happens after your Elon visit instead of before an early Campbell visit. If you'd rather sleep on a campus, The Inn at Elon is a short walk from Elon's welcome center.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
Breakfast in Greensboro
Expedia lists Bistro 40 at the Marriott Greensboro Downtown serving breakfast and lunch, so you can eat before the short drive to NC A&T.
Lunch near Elon
The Inn at Elon, about an 8-minute walk from the Inman Admissions Welcome Center, has a restaurant and bar, per its Expedia listing. It makes an easy stop between NC A&T and your Elon visit.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
International Civil Rights Center & Museum
134 S. Elm St., Greensboro, NC
About an 8-minute walk from the Marriott. Families of up to nine can book an on-site tour online; the museum has no dedicated parking but two decks within a block.
At NC A&T, head for the Obermeyer Parking Deck, a short walk from B.C. Webb Hall.
At Elon, use 50 Campus Drive in your GPS and follow the signs to visitor parking behind the Inman Admissions Welcome Center.
Elon to Campbell is about 83 miles, roughly 1 hr 50 min by car with no traffic.
Flying in and out
Fly into GSO and out of RDU, and book a one-way rental car. Campbell is about 1 hr 6 min from RDU by car with no traffic.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Piedmont Triad International Airport)
Spring: April averages about 71°F highs and 48°F lows, with about 3.8 inches of rain.
Summer: July averages about 89°F/69°F, with about 4.2 inches of rain, so bring water and sun protection for the walking tours.
Fall: September is the wettest month, with about 4.6 inches of rain; October averages about 71°F/49°F, with about 3.1 inches.
Winter: January averages about 49°F/30°F, with about 3.4 inches of rain and about 2.9 inches of snow.
Parent checklist
Book an NC A&T campus tour and an Elon campus visit for day 1, leaving time for the 30-minute drive between them, and a Campbell visit for day 2.
For NC A&T, register for only one date and bring no more than 2 guests with your student.
If your student wants to sit in on an Elon class, ask at least a week ahead.
Call Campbell admissions to ask where to park, and book a one-way rental car, one night in Greensboro and one near Campbell.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
3 Division I
Athletics
North Carolina A&T State University
NCAA Division I Coastal Athletic Association
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (North Carolina A&T State University, Elon University and Campbell University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Marriott Greensboro Downtown (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Greensboro-Hotels-Marriott-Greensboro-Downtown.h28374.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: The Inn at Elon (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Greensboro-Hotels-The-Inn-At-Elon.h40340539.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Hampton Inn by Hilton Dunn (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Dunn-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-By-Hilton-Dunn.h1545121.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lillington / Campbell Univ (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lillington-Hotels-Microtel-Inn-Suites-By-Wyndham-Lillington-Campbell-Univ.h1311306.Hotel-Information)
