(CNN) -- It's the season of brackets, beer and, of course, basketball.

Duke Blue Devils fans cheer on their team at the ACC Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia.

Come mid-March, the country falls sick with college basketball fever, and the NCAA Tournament is all the talk. As men's college basketball comes to a close with the last game April 6, fans are anxiously watching to see who will claim victory in this year's national championship game.

More than a century after James Naismith invented basketball at a YMCA training school in Massachusetts, the sport continues to captivate millions of fans.

Over the years, college basketball has sparked great dedication among its fans, from those who camp out for three months for a ticket to those who attended games before they could read.

CNN, with the help of experts at the NCAA, chose a handful of basketball towns filled with great fans, rich traditions and history that make these places worth a visit.

1. Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill

College basketball is deeply rooted in North Carolina culture, thanks to the success of the men's teams at the University of North Carolina and Duke University. The epic rivalry between Duke's Blue Devils and North Carolina's Tar Heels draws in so many fans that some sports experts say it is partly responsible for reviving the waning college basketball viewership in the first half of this decade.

Visitors will find that Duke basketball fans don't shower their support only on game day. At Duke University -- seeded No. 2 in the East -- student fans, dubbed the Cameron Crazies, are so eager to snare one of the 1,200 first-come-first-serve spots in the Cameron Stadium student section that they camp out for up to three months for the infamous North Carolina-Duke matchup.

The grassy tenting area outside the basketball arena, known as Krzyzewskiville, is named after Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has been named National Coach of the Year 12 times.

"It's so easy to become enthralled with the culture of Duke basketball," said Joel Burrill, a senior who headed up the tenting efforts this year.

Outside the stadium, visitors will discover plenty of Blue Devil spirit off-campus in Durham, a former tobacco town. Satisfaction Restaurant and Charlie's Pub & Grille are among the favorite hot spots where visitors will discover student and local fans watching the games.

About a 20-minute drive from Durham is the historic town of Chapel Hill, home to the University of North Carolina, which was seeded No. 1 in the South this year. The school has a strong record of basketball success, appearing in more than 40 NCAA tournaments. It is also the college team of professional basketball legend Michael Jordan.

Adam Lucas, publisher of Tar Heel Monthly, has been decked in baby blue Carolina gear since he was a child. He even skipped school so he could attend the games with his parents, both Tar Heel alums.

"It's not just a sport," he explained. "It's the number one thing talked about during this part of the year. You'll have trouble holding a conversation in Chapel Hill in March if you don't know the basics of Carolina basketball."

If visitors can't get one of the coveted tickets to watch the game in the Dean E. Smith Center, aka the Dean Dome, there is plenty to do in the quaint city of Chapel Hill. Visitors can walk to Franklin Street, the heart of town, where eateries, shops and sports bars are ready to embrace UNC fans.

They can also visit the 8,000-square-foot Carolina Basketball Museum, located on campus, which holds more than 450 interactive displays, memorabilia and photos documenting a basketball program that began more than a century ago.

2. The University of Kansas in Lawrence

To understand the fan devotion for the defending national champions and a Midwest No. 3-seeded team this year, one must make a trip to Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The Jayhawks' indoor arena is old-school
When will the basketball end? Where is the championship game? What do some students camp out for? How long did some Duke students camp out for?
April 6, Atlanta, Georgia. a ticket three months
question: When will the basketball end?, answer: April 6, | question: Where is the championship game?, answer: Atlanta, Georgia. | question: What do some students camp out for?, answer: a ticket | question: How long did some Duke students camp out for?, answer: three months