It wasn’t necessarily the plan to go to Charlotte, NC, for the weekend. After living in North Carolina for years, having explored the Queen City before, it wasn’t really on our radar to go back.
Until the World Cup…
In pursuit of the USMNT World Cup soccer play, we went to the friendly game held in Charlotte. That, of course, was a fantastic experience. But Charlotte itself also delivered a lot of fun and entertainment.
As a former North Carolinian, Charlotte has always felt a little different. This is a city that has a rich history – originally established as a British colony that worked so hard to ingratiate itself with royalty that it named itself after the queen, then becoming (proudly) the first to rebel against the empire. A lot has happened here.
Yet, wandering around today, you’d never really know. Charlotte isn’t sentimental. It has torn out and rebuilt throughout the years in the name of progress and modernity. They leaned heavily into “urban renewal projects” in the 1960s and 1970s, taking federal grants to level areas and rebuild.
Charlotte has become a banking behemoth, hosting some of the largest banks in the world (particularly Bank of America).
But none of this is to say that Charlotte doesn’t have a personality. It is loud, brash, confident, hip, and modern. While it was a place of intense white supremacy and slavery decades ago, today it is one of the nation’s most diverse cities. It is subtly Southern while also offering a pace for younger generations looking to career-build in a city with opportunities and fun.
There are restaurants, sporting events, museums, and various unique things for people of all ages to experience. All of it is happening in a downtown area that feels walkable and alive.
Although first things first: downtown is called Uptown in Charlotte.Â
Uptown is where you will want to stay, and where we stayed. We parked the car and then were able to walk to and from everything we wanted to do.
We learned on our history tour (see below) that it is called Uptown as it is the highest point in Charlotte, a spot where four streets meet, forming the highest and also central city area. If you come to Charlotte and ask about anything related to a “downtown,” they will know you didn’t do your homework.
Whatever you call it, of course, Uptown Charlotte has a lot to offer.Â
The Best Things To Do With a Weekend in Charlotte, NC:
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Learn the History - Take a Tour
Even though Charlotte has basically wiped most of its historical buildings and visible footprint, there is still much that has happened here. During the Revolution, tough fighting happened here, so many rebels came out to fight with passion against the British that the British called the city a “hornet’s nest.” Lots of history here, even though there are modern high-rises today.
But you should take the time to learn and discover what has happened here, what is left, and what Charlotte residents believe about their city.
Take a golf cart tour, like this one. Or you can do a segway guided tour, like this one.
- Charlotte Museum of History: charlottemuseum.org
Go to the NASCAR Hall of Fame
This is probably the most unique thing Charlotte has. While I am not a NASCAR fan, we still went here while in town simply because it is so different.
Walking through the Hall of Fame, you certainly gain a new appreciation for the sport. Granted, there are a lot of complicating things about the sport (the safety comes to mind) that aren’t addressed in the museum, but I suppose that’s not unanticipated.
We paid for the pass to do the simulation and waited in line for a moment to do that. I highly recommend it!
We were through the Hall of Fame in about an hour and a half, but you could spend more time here if you want.
Even if you aren’t a NASCAR fan, the Hall of Fame is so well-done and interesting, it is worth a stop.
- Visit the official NASCAR Hall of Fame website at www.nascarhall.com.
Drive a Racecar
Can’t get enough of race cars? You can drive your own NASCAR on specific days at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
I bought a Groupon years ago for Mr. Family Trip to do this, and he loved it (still has the certificate as to what the speedometer hit).
- Book the NASCAR experience here: nascarracingexperience.com/speedways/charlotte-motor-speedway/
Get a Guide
See a Sporting Event
This was what brought us to town this particular trip. We came to see the US men’s soccer team play a World Cup friendly ahead of the World Cup tournament play.
There are so many world-class, high-level sports to take in in Charlotte. Many of the stadiums are very close to Uptown, making it possible (and fun) to enjoy the city life, the restaurants, and a sporting event all in one day.
Charlotte Sporting Events:
- Panthers NFL Football: www.panthers.com
- Charlotte Knights Triple-A baseball: www.mlb.com/milb/charlotte-knights
- Charlotte Football Club USL soccer game: www.charlottefootballclub.com
- Charlotte Hornets NBA team: www.nba.com/hornets
Visit a Museum
Charlotte has a slew of museums, depending on your interests and mood. Since we were staying in the Uptown area, we went to the Mint Museum of Art in the Uptown location (there is a section location further away). This was a great fit: good art, interesting special exhibits, not too big, and close. (Although my teenager begrudgingly went since “I always make them go to art museums.”)
We also received a pass from our hotel that allowed us two free passes a day to a couple of museums of our choosing, and the Mint Museum was one!
We also tried to get into the Museum of Illusions, but they were sold out when we stopped by.
Museums:
- Mint Museum of Art Uptown: www.mintmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/mint-museum-uptown
- Mint Museum of Art Randolph Road: www.mintmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/mint-museum-randolph
- Museum of Illusions: moicharlotte.com
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art: www.bechtler.org
- Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture: www.ganttcenter.org
Want more on North Carolina?
We used to live there!
Click for more on North CarolinaWhitewater Rafting Center
I first did this about fifteen years ago, when it was a relatively new phenomenon (it opened in 2006). It is a unique experience and certainly worth the stop.
This outdoor recreation spot has a bit of everything: whitewater rafting, kayaking, ice skating, climbing, mountain biking…and more. Bonus is that it is all presented in an atmosphere that can include live music, public events, and concessions. It is a great place to go and hang out for the day.
Note that activities are extra. If you want to whitewater raft, it is not a long trip around the manmade course, but it is very popular (and fun), so you will want to book in advance.
- The National Whitewater Center is online at whitewater.org and located at 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.
Where to Eat in Charlotte, NC
Charlotte has a lot of great food options. Which is no surprise, given the creativity and modern nature of the city.
For location and ease, we ate in the Monarch Market food hall one night. Here, everyone could get what they wanted (including a full-service bar) in a casual setting. We all tried different things, with varying degrees of success. I can’t speak for anyone else but my bibimbap was delicious.
- Monarch Market is online at monarchmarketclt.com and is located at 101 North Tyron Street.
We ate burgers at Cowbell before we headed to the stadium and this hit the spot. Their lunch special sliders were the right fit and tasty.
- Cowbell Burger & Whiskey Bar can be found online at eatmorecowbell.com and is located at 201 North Tryon Street.
We treated ourselves to one very nice meal out in Uptown: Rooster’s. When I saw they advertised themselves as a “wood-fired grill” I imagined pizza, but this was not at all the case. We had a fantastic meal – that included wood-fired grilled salmon, for example.
- Rooster’s Wood-fired Kitchen can be found online at www.roosterskitchen.com and is located at 150 North College Street.
With More Time:
- See a show at the recently restored Carolina Theater: www.thecarolina.com
- Visit the NoDa (North Davidson) District. Start with this blog post to find things to do: www.inspiredbackpacker.com/things-to-do-in-noda-charlotte-nc/
- Discovery Place, especially with kids. I took ours when they were little, and they loved it: discoveryplace.org
- Optimist Hall, an even bigger food hall than Monarch Market (just a bit further out from Uptown): www.optimisthall.com
- Brewery Tour: www.citybrewtours.com/charlotte/tours
Charlotte does, indeed, have a lot, as their motto brags. We went to watch 90 minutes of soccer and left with wonderful memories, full bellies, and stimulated creative minds.
Thank you to the Queen City for a fabulous and easy weekend!
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