My Favorite Things to do in Charlotte

I’m going to preface this article by saying there’s no rhyme or reason to anything on this list. It’s a jumble, big things and small things that make me happy. Things I really enjoyed and things that make me want to rush back to Charlotte.

Charlotte was never super high on my radar of places to visit. It existed in southern North Carolina and I drove by it without thinking twice, until one time. I was driving home from Florida and decided to take a rounded way to swing by the city.

Charlotte isn’t my favorite city and certainly would never be my first recommendation, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t fall in love. It’s manicured and posh, while oozing southern charm. There’s nothing like spotting the skyline appearing out of nowhere on 77.

Atlanta may be the capitol of the new south, but Charlotte is the powerhouse. It’s a banking city, and the money has followed. Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Truist all have important bases here.

The city is home to almost 900,000 people, with its metro housing a little over 2.5 million, one of America’s fastest growing cities! Outside of city center, it’s the perfect base to exploring North Carolina. The city is only two hours away from the mountains and about 3.5 to the ocean. It also headquarters NASCAR and employs a ton of people with American Airlines, which pushes CLT airport to one of the nation’s busiest. A number of other Southern companies have large employment bases here.

Outside of my personal favorites, the city has so much I have yet to explore. My list of things to see includes the White Water Rafting Center, Levine Museum of the New South, Fourth Ward’s Victorian Homes, NASCAR Hall of Fame and the magnificent skyline view from nearby Crowder’s Mountain. There’s also a ton of stuff that’s not quite up my alley, but could be yours like the Billy Graham Library.

I wanted to discuss the “wards.” Charlotte’s design sets the downtown into a square, separated into four different quadrants. The centerpiece of this square was Tyron and Trade Streets. Originally, each ward had a different representative in the city’s government. Bordered by an interstate on each side, the neighborhoods still utilize these names today. Here’s a map I drew:

Enough background though, here are my favorite things about Queen City:

• Coco and the Director

While this may be just another coffee shop, the vibes in here are UNMATCHED. The multi-leveled space has stairs that stretch the length of the shop that create seats! They’re all even equipped with pillows and outlets. The upstairs area has a ton of tables, with views looking over the lofted set-up. Downstairs opens up to the Marriott hotel. The mochas are excellent and their coffee comes from local roaster Forte Lago. Unrelated, but I was here during a tornado once! We all kind of just sat in the coffee shop staring at the rain silent while the phone alarms went off. It was strange…

• Freedom Park

By now, it’s no secret I’m a fan of city parks. I don’t know what exactly it is, but I love them and Freedom Park is definitely no exception. The park has a gorgeous lake with a trail that winds around. On the back half, you can barely see the tiered top of the Bank of America building! Discovery Place Nature, a small visitor center tucked in the woods, advertises interactive exhibits and live animals. It hasn’t been open when I’ve been in the park, but it’s apparently really cool. The Sugar Creek Greenway cuts through while paralleling Little Sugar Creek. The water cascades down some small waterfalls under a bridge connecting the trail. The northern edge of the park has sports fields. Gorgeous homes line the streets surrounding the neighborhoods, and are definitely worth a drive around.

• Sugar Creek Greenway

If you were to weave a bike trail through a city and connect a ton of neighborhoods while still creating a sense of seclusion among the chaos, the Sugar Creek Greenway would be a perfect model. Unfortunately, not even Charlotte can create a trail entirely separated from the road, connected its entire length. Theres five different sections that total about nine miles, but some require street riding to “transfer.” But, the sections that are separated from the road represent a gorgeous tour through some of the city’s best green spaces. Be forewarned, the trail does flood and will be inaccessible, which has happened to me 2/4 times I’ve been on it.

This is what it normally looks like:

And this is when it’s flooding:

• Haberdish

In my opinion, Haberdish is the best southern restaurant in Charlotte. The name, a combination of ‘haberdashery’ and ‘dish’, was inspired by NoDa’s history as a mill town, with the restaurant bringing this history to life through its food. They describe a dining experience here as a ‘potluck among friends.’ I got food to-go, but can attest to their fried chicken and mac and cheese. It’s nothing short of incredible!

• Optimist Park

Optimist Park is just outside of Charlotte’s four wards, but it is one of the country’s best food halls. What once was the NoDa’s largest textile mill, the building has been converted to a showcase of local restaurant outposts! Exposed brick walls shelter the steel infrastructure above the stalls. You really can’t go wrong with anything here. Some of my favorite things are the fried chicken bao bun from Bao and Broth:

…the chicken sandwiches from Boxcar Betty’s, hamburgers from Famous Harriet’s and hot chocolate gelato (with marshmallows mixed in) from Honeysuckle Gelato:

There’s quite a few bars too. Let me know what drinks are worth getting! Aside from food, there’s also a few shops scattered in the market. I highly recommend the plant shop, it’s a vibe!

• Charlotte Airport Overlook

Out of all the places to watch planes in the world, this has to be one of the best. The park sits on airport property and is mere feet from the runway. Being one of American Airline’s hubs, Charlotte has a pretty constant stream of traffic landing and taking off. You can see both right in front of your eyes. Throw in a view of the skyline and a plane tracking app, and there’s a perfect afternoon.

• Romare Bearden Park

Okay so this one’s a smaller city park in the Third Ward. The view, however, inflates Charlotte’s skyline so much. A glimpse at the towering buildings would fool anyone into believing they’re standing in one of the world’s shiniest metropolises (Metropoli??). There’s not a ton in the park, but I do like stopping by, especially at night.

• Reigning Doughnuts

This small donut shop doesn’t have an interior, opting instead for window service. The menu is limited, but DELICIOUS! I got the classic cinnamon sugar and it was to die for. It’s also owned by the same people who created Haberdish! The donut shop’s in NoDa which is a cool place to walk around after. It’s very trendy, with a ton of street art and small shops!

• Amelie’s Bakery

If D.C.’s bakery is Georgetown Cupcakes, then Amelie’s is Charlotte’s. The eccentrically themed shop takes inspiration from France by plastering the Mona Lisa and Eiffel Tower around. With three locations around the metro and one in South Carolina, you’re never too far away from their twice baked croissants. I’ve heard heavenly reviews about their Salted Caramel Brownies too, they’re next on my list.

• Golden Cow Creamery

I have been known to visit this ice cream shop even when the temperatures dip below freezing, it’s just so good! Their ice cream creation takes three days, from mixing to freezing. The selection of 14 flavors (six standard and eight rotating) are usually all delicious, I opt for the creatively concocted rotating ones. Some of the pervious flavors take inspiration from chocolate covered strawberries, NoDa Brewing’s Coco Loco Porter beer, Lucky Charms and candy corn. I also adore the promotional images used on their site:

Like how fun are these!?

• CLT South End

The South End is the place in the city. The neighborhood is a comfortable mix of old brick and sparkling skyscrapers. It’s home to boutiques, coffee shops, trendy restaurants and all the like that accompany a younger oriented sections of town. The beacon of the neighborhood is the 350 foot Lowe’s building. Sitting underneath is the design center. There’s a photogenic courtyard with a rusted water tower and vines creeping up the brick. The Rail Trail cuts through giving great views of the skyline a mile ahead.

• The Aesthetic of Not Just Coffee

Ok, so the actual coffee from this shop wasn’t anything special, but the vibes are incredible! A friend recommended this place and writing was so easy surrounded by rusting steel pillars supporting exposed brick. It’s in the South End, {see above} which means it’s easily accessible to grab a mocha on excursions.

• Your Mom’s Donuts

These gourmet donuts can be grabbed at the physical storefront in Park Road Shopping Center, their store in Matthews, N.C. and at the nearby Davidson’s farmers market. Their small shopping center location is barely a shack in the middle of the parking lot:

Don’t be deceived by the modest front, I’m in love with their donuts. The square donuts are huge, ranging in flavors from the most popular Cinnamon Sugar with Cream Cheese Frosting (coated in glaze, dipped in cinnamon sugar and topped with the signature cream cheese frosting), to freshly zested Lemon Honey. They also have specialty flavors every month. I arrived closer to their 2 p.m. closing, so I opted for their basic chocolate frosted from the limited selection remaining. I planned to eat the donut on the drive home, but couldn’t stop myself from eating its entirety!

• Book Buyers

I’m a sucker for big box used bookstores, especially when cats are wandering around your feet. Just like any other used bookstore, wandering around this one will inevitably lead to a book you never knew you wanted. The staff are incredibly friendly, there to help with anything you need, always excited to help you find a book.

I really hope you enjoyed this word-vomit tour around Charlotte! Just imagine I’m driving you around the city, pointing these things out when you read about them. Next time you find yourself in the Queen City, hit them up! They’re my keys to a good time.