Charlotte’s wealthy and intriguing historical past dates again to the late 18th century. This metropolis was named after Queen Charlotte when it was included in 1768. Residents expelled the British Common Cornwallis in the course of the Revolutionary Struggle and, lower than a decade later, declared their independence from England. Through the Civil Struggle period, a major variety of North Carolina residents fought for the Confederacy.
Due to the railway crossroads, this was an necessary manufacturing hub and provide line for Accomplice troops. After the Civil Struggle, the town grew exponentially and finally turned the colourful and vibrant place it’s as we speak. You’ll discover loads of historic sights and plenty for households too. Listed here are the most effective issues to do in Charlotte as we speak.
Charlotte, North Carolina
20 Issues To Do In Charlotte NC
1- Take A Historic Metropolis Tour
The town of Charlotte accommodates a wealth of historical past to find and historic buildings and museums ready to be explored.
Many alternatives exist to facilitate studying about this metropolis’s thrilling historical past, and it may be difficult to decide on see all of it.
Households with youngsters or guests with mobility points can get pleasure from visiting the Uptown historic part of Charlotte by taking a carriage trip or using in a van or golf cart.
These rides usually final 20 to 60 minutes in a carriage, 90 minutes on a golf cart, or as much as two hours in a van.
Older youngsters, and adults preferring touring the town extra actively, get pleasure from using a motorcycle or utilizing a Segway as they comply with a information via the town on a 90-minute tour.
If you need the liberty to discover the town at your personal tempo, you would possibly get pleasure from a self-guided strolling audio tour or considered one of these guided excursions.
2- SEA LIFE Charlotte-Harmony Aquarium
The SEA LIFE Aquarium in Charlotte-Harmony homes hundreds of aquatic species, together with tropical fish, sharks, and sea turtles.
This aquarium is the one place in North Carolina with a 180-degree tunnel that guests can stroll via and see oceanic species swimming above and round them.
Along with the tunnel, a number of different reveals are designed to permit guests to work together with and discover in-depth the creatures that dwell within the ocean.
The Interactive Touchpool supplies folks with a spot to really feel a sea star, sea urchin, hermit crabs, and different organisms.
See a rescue turtle up shut and learn the way the aquarium participates in conservation efforts.
Stingray Bay, Tropical Ocean, Shoaling Ring, and Jellyfish Reveals are additionally discovered at this aquarium, permitting folks to immerse themselves within the ocean’s underwater world.
The SEA LIFE Charlotte-Harmony Aquarium is at 8111 Harmony Mills Boulevard, Harmony, NC 28027. Reserve your SEA LIFE Aquarium Tickets and skip the road.
3- Queen Metropolis Ghosts Haunted Strolling Tour
The Queen Metropolis Ghosts Haunted Strolling Tour takes guests on a guided tour via the darkish metropolis streets of Uptown Charlotte.
You’ll study in regards to the darker facet of Charlotte’s historical past, beginning earlier than the Revolutionary Struggle.
The educated guides weave collectively tales from generations of residents in regards to the bloodier historical past of the town and the unusual and supernatural encounters that folks have skilled.
Intrepid guests can take a 60-minute tour to see eight haunted places or a 90-minute tour to see twelve haunted locations.
Probably the most haunted places embody an outdated cemetery, the Financial institution of America headquarters, and the Carolina Theatre.
These excursions usually are not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Individuals should have the ability to stroll and stand all through the tour.
The scheduled excursions meet at The Library Fountain at N Tryon St & E sixth St, Charlotte, NC 28202. Discover out extra in regards to the Queen Metropolis Ghosts Haunted Strolling Tour right here.
4- NASCAR Corridor Of Fame
The NASCAR Corridor of Fame is the place the entire high professionals from the game are honoured and memorialised.
From drivers to crew chiefs and all the things in between, you’ll be able to see reveals that show the abilities and statistics of those people.
See race memorabilia, comparable to hearth fits and race vehicles, in addition to trophies from their favorite racers.
A racing simulator means that you can expertise a race as if you might be sitting within the driver’s seat or competing to alter a tire as a part of a pit crew.
Purchase NASCAR souvenirs comparable to shirts, hats, and die-cast vehicles on the Gear Store.
NASCAR is at 400 E M.L.Okay. Jr Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28202.
5- The Mint Museum
The Mint Museum has two places in Charlotte. The five-story, visually thrilling Mint Museum Uptown is an element of a big cultural campus known as the Levine Middle for the Arts.
The Mint Museum Randolph is housed in a historic constructing that was as soon as a department of america Mint.
When the Randolph museum opened in 1936, it was the primary artwork museum in North Carolina.
The Mint Museum Uptown showcases modern artwork from worldwide artists.
This museum additionally gives academic applications for all ages, dwell performances, and interactive, artistic areas.
The Mint Museum Randolph showcases modern and historical artwork in reveals comparable to Artwork of the Historic Americas, Arts of Africa, Native American Artwork, European Artwork, and a Heritage Gallery.
The ticket worth permits entry into each museum places for 2 consecutive days.
The Mint Museum Uptown is at 500 South Tryon Road, Charlotte, NC 28202, and the Mint Museum Randolph is at 2730 Randolph Street, Charlotte, NC 28207.
6- Carowinds
Carowinds is a big amusement park on the border of North and South Carolina.
Greater than 50 rides, together with 13 curler coasters like Afterburn and Carolina Cyclone, provide hours of leisure for teenagers and adults.
For younger youngsters, the Camp Snoopy part is a incredible place to play.
When the climate is scorching, Carowinds additionally has a superb waterpark with water slides and swimming pools to assist households cool off.
Dwell leisure with performers and musicians supplies households with further methods to get pleasure from themselves.
Eating places provide varied meals choices so you’ll be able to eat effectively all day lengthy.
Particular occasions happen all year long and season passes can be found to make visiting typically extra reasonably priced for households.
Carowinds is at 14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28273.
7- Discovery Place
Discovery Place is a non-profit science museum that makes use of the examine of nature, science, and design to coach guests in regards to the surrounding world.
This museum teaches in quite a lot of methods. Interactive labs permit youngsters to get pleasure from hands-on actions designing, creating and experimenting.
Exhibition rooms permit youngsters the liberty to discover and uncover info for themselves.
An IMAX theatre showcases superb videography that means that you can really feel as if you might be part of the expertise.
Discovery Place additionally makes use of quite a lot of methods to achieve college students exterior the museum via outreach applications and group lessons.
Discovery Place is at 301 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202.
8- Little Sugar Creek Greenway And The Path of Historical past
The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is a number of miles lengthy and runs via a small part of Charlotte.
This path is a part of a stream restoration venture and can finally be round twenty miles lengthy (32 km) when it’s accomplished.
Little Sugar Creek Greenway is a small piece of the bigger Carolina Thread Path, which passes via fifteen counties.
One a part of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway is known as the Path of Historical past, which is a bit of the greenway that runs from seventh Road to Morehead Road in downtown Charlotte.
The Path supplies pedestrians with a glimpse into the area’s most well-known contributors all through historical past.
A number of the most notable statues alongside this path embody Captain James Jack, Chief King Haigler, Jane Wilkes and Thaddeus Tate.
9- McDowell Nature Middle And Protect
The McDowell Nature Middle and Protect is a spot the place you’ll be able to go to study and spend time surrounded by nature.
The character centre has an exhibit corridor and accommodates dwell, native animals on show, and behind the constructing, a Yard Habitat Backyard shows fowl feeders, a backyard pond and a butterfly backyard.
It’s the doorway to a 1,100-acre (445-hectare) nature protect containing an undeveloped forest alongside the banks of Lake Wylie.
This massive, biodiverse protect accommodates trails that wind via the timber.
Guests can see quite a few plant species, together with some endangered species, in addition to many fowl, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.
The McDowell Nature Middle and Protect is at 15222 York Rd, Charlotte, NC 28278.
10- Fourth Ward
The Fourth Ward of Charlotte is a neighbourhood within the Uptown a part of the town and an area historic district revitalised within the Seventies.
Admire quite a lot of architectural kinds all through the neighbourhood’s streets, and there’s a free, self-guided strolling tour on the Mates of the Fourth Ward web site.
This tour map has 48 factors of curiosity within the neighbourhood and describes a little bit of the historical past behind every of these factors.
This part of Uptown Charlotte additionally has glorious eating places, sights, and a shady park.
In the event you determine to hitch the tour, make the time to get a beer at an area brewery or style some native delicacies.
11- Charlotte Brewery Tour
Charlotte is dwelling to some widespread native breweries.
The Olde Mecklenburg is the oldest and largest brewery within the metropolis.
They’ve an eight-acre (3.2-hectare) beer backyard providing German-style beers and beer cheese.
The Picket Robotic Brewery gives beers in quite a lot of flavours and repeatedly provides extra via its experimentation methods.
NoDa Brewing Firm has a relaxed, household environment stuffed with native artwork.
They’re well-known for crafting an award-winning brew known as Coco Loco.
- The Olde Mecklenburg is at 4150 Yancey Street, Charlotte, NC 28217.
- Picket Robotic is at 1440 S Tryon Road UNIT 110, Charlotte, NC 28203.
- NoDa Brewing Firm is at 2921 N Tryon Road, Charlotte, NC 28206.
In the event you desire to let another person do the driving, this brewery tour features a go to to 4 breweries and a meal.
12- Historic Rosedale Plantation
The historic Rosedale Plantation, additionally known as Frew’s Folly, was inbuilt 1815 by Archibald Frew and is listed on the Nationwide Registry of Historic Locations.
It’s the oldest dwelling in Charlotte, and the Historic Rosedale Basis restored and preserved it.
This plantation gives excursions via the home museum, which has been restored to its unique look.
The intensive gardens include native plant species and have been designated as an Superior Licensed Wildlife Habitat and part of the Butterfly Freeway.
You’ll be able to stroll via the property’s shady woodlands and benefit from the 8.9-acre (3.6-hectare) inexperienced area in the course of Charlotte’s city sprawl.
Go to the blacksmith store that was rebuilt on the property close to its unique location.
Rosedale Plantation is open for excursions Wednesday via Saturday and is at 3427 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28206.
13- Wing Haven
Wing Haven is a group of three public gardens with an unbelievable historical past and legacy.
Wing Haven Gardens and Hen Sanctuary supplies important habitat for birds and wildlife in downtown Charlotte.
Subsequent to this area is the SEED Wildlife and Youngsters’s Backyard, the place guests can obtain hands-on studying in regards to the pure world and see wildlife of their pure habitat.
A number of homes down the road, the Elizabeth Lawrence Home and Gardens, sit on a wonderful lot.
This property is a residing laboratory backyard with a home museum that when belonged to Elizabeth Lawrence, a well-known gardening author.
These three gardens provide guests of all ages a wealthy expertise within the pure world and inform the story of the 2 exceptional girls named Elizabeth, who created these gardens.
There’s one admission worth for all three gardens, and they’re open Wednesday via Saturday.
Wing Haven is at 248 Ridgewood Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209.
14- Bechtler Museum Of Fashionable Artwork
The Bechtler Museum of Fashionable Artwork is a recent artwork museum that homes a group of artwork from many Twentieth-century artists.
The Bechtler Household collected art work for over 70 years, and Andreas Bechtler later donated this assortment to the museum.
This assortment of mid-century modernism artists contains Warhol, Hepworth, Picasso, Giacometti, Nicholson, and Ernst.
Till these items got here to the Bechtler Museum, most have been privately held on the Bechtler dwelling in Switzerland and by no means seen earlier than by most people.
This museum was created as a approach to encourage folks and improve the cultural lives of others.
The Bechtler Museum of Fashionable Artwork is at 420 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202.
15- UNC Charlotte Botanical Backyard
The UNC Charlotte Botanical Backyard accommodates a sequence of out of doors gardens designed to offer a “residing classroom” for the college and the higher group of Charlotte.
The out of doors gardens cowl roughly ten acres (4 hectares) and are open every single day throughout daytime.
These gardens are well-known for a number of the uncommon plant species within the assortment, together with two Corpse Flowers Amorphophallus titanum.
The Susie Harwood Backyard and Van Landingham Glen sections provide a number of smaller, themed backyard areas comparable to an Asian backyard, Rhododendron backyard, and a Camellia backyard containing a various set of species.
The Carolina Backyard Path has a path that winds via totally different crops that inform the story of this space’s historical past from Pre-European colonisation via the current day.
The Botanical Gardens Greenhouse accommodates a big assortment of orchids and is open to the general public Monday via Friday.
The UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens is at 9090 Craver Rd, Charlotte, NC 28262.
16- Levine Museum Of The New South
The Levine Museum is a non-profit historical past museum that focuses on the historical past of the North Carolina Piedmont area in the course of the years of Reconstruction after the American Civil Struggle.
The museum’s objective is to coach the group about what life was as soon as like for the entire folks within the area and the way issues have modified via the years.
By connecting the group to their cultural heritage, folks inside the area can higher perceive each other and proceed the drive for equality for all folks.
Reveals at this museum embody “Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers,” “It Occurred Right here: Lynching and Remembrance,” and “Lumbee Indians: A Individuals and A Place.”
The Levine Museum of the New South is at 401 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC, 28202.
17- President James Okay. Polk State Historic Website
The President James Okay. Polk Historic Website is the early childhood dwelling of James Okay. Polk, the eleventh United States President.
This property was restored to what it regarded like when Polk lived right here as a toddler.
Individuals who go to this website ought to begin within the Customer’s Middle and might take both a guided or self-guided tour via the reconstructed log buildings on the property.
These buildings embody the Fundamental Cabin Home, the place the household lived, the Kitchen Cabin, and a barn.
A nature path and a monument erected by the Daughters of the Revolution are additionally on the property.
Study in regards to the vital occasions throughout Polk’s presidency, such because the Mexican-American Struggle, the annexation of California, and the Oregon boundary decision.
President James Okay. Polk State Historic Website is at 12031 Lancaster Freeway, Pineville, NC 28134.
18- U.S. Nationwide Whitewater Middle
The U.S. Nationwide Whitewater Middle in Charlotte is a coaching facility for varied out of doors sports activities.
Greater than 30 out of doors sports activities are discovered at this facility, together with whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, and extra.
The aim of this centre is to encourage folks to dwell a wholesome, energetic, out of doors life-style with day camps, area journeys, every day exercise passes and tools leases.
You’ll be able to reserve a spot for an exercise prematurely.
Spend the day ziplining, standup paddleboarding or canoeing on flat water, kayaking or rafting in whitewater, mountain climbing, doing a ropes course, path operating, mountaineering or biking via 50 miles of wooded trails, or leaping and free falling for an exciting expertise.
Outside occasions comparable to races, concert events, yoga and music festivals happen all year long.
A good choice of buying and eating places can also be accessible on the centre.
The U.S. Nationwide Whitewater Middle is at 5000 Whitewater Middle Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214.
19- Charlotte’s Liberty Stroll
The Charlotte Liberty Stroll is a strolling tour via the historic occasions that made Charlotte the town it’s as we speak.
The town of Charlotte performed a major position within the years main as much as the Revolutionary Struggle and helped the nation achieve successful that struggle.
The Liberty Stroll takes you on a tour via Uptown, the place you could find the places of a few of these vital historic occasions.
Whereas a lot of the locations on the map are not there apart from the Settler’s Cemetery, historic markers designate the place these locations as soon as stood.
A map brochure that particulars the places of those markers tells a little bit of the historical past of every place.
It may be printed from the Liberty Stroll web site, picked up from the Charlotte Customer’s Info Middle at 501 S. Faculty Road, Charlotte, NC 28202, or discovered on the Levine Museum of the South at 401 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC, 28202.
Guided excursions can be found via the Mecklenburg Historic Affiliation.
20- Charlotte Museum of Historical past
The Charlotte Museum of Historical past is housed within the oldest home in Mecklenburg County, the 1774 Alexander Rock Home.
In-built 1774 by Hezekiah Alexander and listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations, this home is the one remaining constructing in Charlotte from the Revolutionary Struggle period.
A kitchen backyard and several other outbuildings are additionally onsite, together with a reconstructed two-story springhouse, copy home kitchen, copy slave quarters, and a relocated barn from that period not initially from this website.
This museum explores the civic and cultural historical past of the black, indigenous, and immigrant peoples that populated this area and the way these communities advanced.
The reveals deal with justice, liberty, freedom, fairness, democracy, and extra.
The Charlotte Museum of Historical past is open Tuesday via Saturday and is at 3500 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215.
21- Cheer On The Carolina Panthers
The NFL workforce competes within the south division of the Nationwide Soccer Convention and their dwelling floor is the Financial institution of America Stadium.
For extra locations to go to within the Southern states, see:
