In light of the upcoming Mile Madness seminars, Matt asked me to write a little about my hometown. I’ve lived in Charlotte for almost 15 years now and I love it. It’s not the overpriced, overcrowded world-class city that, say, New York is, but on the other hand it has better weather, a lower cost of living, lower taxes, nicer people, and less traffic, which is why New York has exported so many of its citizens to Charlotte the last few decades .
You might be wondering: is there enough to do in Charlotte to fill a weekend? Absolutely! Here are some ideas:
UPTOWN / DOWNTOWN MUSEUMS: The terms “uptown” and “downtown” are used interchangeably here. Don’t ask why, it’s a Charlotte thing. Anyway: downtown Charlotte is clean, safe, and has plenty of nice scenery. Within walking distance of the hotel there are several museums: the Mint Museum of Art (traditional art stuff), the Bechtler Museum (modern art), and the NASCAR Hall of Fame (worth it if you’re a NASCAR fan, otherwise a little overpriced).
While you’re uptown, you can walk up and down Tryon Street to take in the skyscrapers–the frescoes at the B of A headquarters are worth a look. And just to let you know how important banking is to Charlotte, it’s the only city in the world with a statue of a miner pouring gold on Alan Greenspan’s head:
You could also check out Romare Bearden park and the Fourth Ward neighborhood, or you could just decide to hang out at the Epicentre, home to about 300 bars and restaurants and a CVS. (Although I’m 0 for 2 buying Vanilla Reloads at that particular CVS.) And don’t forget to take your picture with the Disco Chicken:
If you want to venture out of downtown, you could drive a couple of miles up Davidson Street to Noda (watch out New York, we’re stealing your population and your neighborhood naming conventions!) to take in some art galleries, hippies, and a bite to eat at Cabo Fish Taco, one of my favorite restaurants. Also there is Amelie’s French Bakery, open 24/7. Not too far from there is the Chicken Box, my favorite hole-in-the-wall fried chicken place. And as long as we’re talking about unhealthy food, for BBQ I’d recommend Mac’s Speed Shop, which is a mile or two down South Blvd to the south of downtown. Mac’s is on the edge of the Dilworth neighborhood, aka Mistressville USA. Also adjoining Dilworth is Freedom Park, which is so nice even The Onion has noticed.
If you enjoy walking, you could go over to the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. It’s about three miles long and is great for strolling, jogging, and biking. I recommend parking by the Midtown Staples / Best Buy parking garage and starting your trip from there. Bike rentals are available at that location as well as various locations downtown.
About 20 minutes away by car is the U.S. National Whitewater Center, an artificial whitewater course. They also have hiking, ziplines, and a climbing wall. It’s pretty cool.
A similar distance away is the Billy Graham Library, which is not my cup of tea but some people love it. Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens is very nice, and you could also go to Crowders Mountain State Park, about 45 minutes away, for a hike up a small mountain / large hill.
As for nightlife: ladies, there aren’t too many ways for your husbands to get into trouble if you’re worried about that sort of thing. If you enjoy gambling, you’re out of luck as the nearest casino is hours away. Drinks? Last call is 2 am here.
Sold yet? Hopefully I’ll see you all in Charlotte!
A couple of additional ideas. The Wells Fargo Bank Museum is across Tryon St. from the other mentioned museums and it is free. Did you know that in the early 20th century, women had their own lounge in banks? It was thought that women would faint at the sight of large sums of money. Later, women had a special private parlor where they could remove cash from their stockings. Where they carried it.
A block away at the top of Charlotte Plaza is Bentley’s restaurant, check out a panoramic view of the city over lunch. Check if it is open on the weekend.
And lastly a hidden gem. Walk through the lobby of the Hearst Tower to the College St. back entrance and check out the 38 bronze grilles rescued from Gustave Eiffel’s Bon Marche store in Paris and incorporated in the building staircase. The grilles were handmade by Edgar Brandt, the premier metal smith of the 20th century and a leader in the Art Deco movement. The Hearst Tower rests on a podium which houses a 3 story, 180,000 sq.ft. BOA trading floor.
Good ideas. Although sadly not much trading is done on the trading floor anymore–a lot of that was shut down around 2008 and thereafter.
Completely agree with you on Charlotte – a great city! It is new, clean, has everything you get from big cities, but not the crowd, high price, or high tax. Love this place!
You covered all the good stuff! And Bob added some more…
Hello from a fellow Charlottean.
Just finding your blog here by way of TravelBloggerBuzz.
Great stuff and thanks for info!
Thanks David! Glad to see we have a few Charlotteans here.