Have out-of-town guests coming to town? Charlotte’s got a lot so you won’t have a shortage of things to do and places to go. From museums and parks to sports and dining, your visitors will love all of the unique offerings that make the Queen City so special. Here are some of our favorite local outings perfect for those out-of-towners…
Arts & Culture
Charlotte has some world-class museums that are sure to delight. For visual arts lovers, check out The Mint Museum Uptown and the neighboring Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Science enthusiasts and children are sure to enjoy Discovery Place and the Carolina Raptor Center. While the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture brings together art, history, and cultural experience all under one roof. If you are looking for more of an out-of-the-box arts experience, take your out-of-town guests on a mural tour. Thanks to some amazing local artists, you can find incredible street art on the sides of buildings throughout the city, especially in SouthEnd, NoDa, and Plaza Midwood. Two great resources for planning your self-guided tour are artwalksclt.com and talkingwallscharlotte.com.
Outdoors & Adventure
One of Charlotte’s biggest drawls for locals and visitors alike is the temperate climate that allows for outdoor adventure for most of the year. The U.S. National Whitewater Center shouldn’t be missed by out-of-town guests. You can whitewater raft, kayak, zipline, mountain bike, or hike your way through this signature Charlotte attraction. Looking for even more water fun? Exploring Lake Norman is best done by boat and there are numerous companies that offer boat rentals and even captained vessels where you are simply along for the ride. Another family-friendly activity well suited for all ages is frolicking on the farm. You can pick strawberries and enjoy a dip in the quarry in the summer, pick pumpkins and navigate through a corn maze in the fall, make smores over a bonfire in winter, and meet the newest goats, chickens, and pigs in spring. Some of our favorite farms in the area are Wise Acres, Windy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill, Patterson Farm, and Carrigan Farms.
Restaurants & Breweries
Charlotte has become a foodie’s paradise. In fact, Supperland, which is just a couple of doors up from our office, was just named among the 50 best new restaurants in the U.S. by Bon Appetit this month. There are far too many incredible restaurants to fit into a single visit to Charlotte, but one way to WOW a first-time visitor to our city is by taking them to a rooftop restaurant or bar with a skyline view like Fahrenheit, Aura, Merchant & Trade, Charlotte Beer Garden, Topside at The Waterman, and Restoration Hardware Rooftop Restaurant. It’s magical at twilight! We are also big fans of taking out-of-town guests to the food halls at Optimist Hall or Camp North End. Food halls are the ideal way to taste multiple local flavors all at once. And, of course, a trip to Charlotte wouldn’t be complete without checking out the local beer scene. Breweries abound in Charlotte and for good reason — people can’t get enough of them. Don’t miss Legion Brewing, NoDa Brewing Company, Wooden Robot, Burial Beer, Divine Barrel, and Resident Culture, just to name a few.
Sports & Entertainment
If your out-of-town guests eat, sleep, and breathe ESPN, the Queen City will not disappoint! Charlotte is a sports fan’s paradise year-round. The Carolina Panthers just kicked off their new season with a new quarterback in tow so you will find most of Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium on Sundays. If college football is more your thing, Charlotte hosts the ACC Football Championship, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, and a full season of games for the hometown Charlotte 49ers. This month Charlotte will hosting one of golf’s biggest tournaments, the 2022 President’s Cup for the first time and will continue to host the PGA-sponsored Wells Fargo Championship annually each Spring. Major League Soccer has come to town thanks to an expansion team and fans cannot get enough of Charlotte FC. Going to a Charlotte Knights baseball game is a summer pastime our office always looks forward to. The games are great and the skyline views from Truist Field are breathtaking. And, of course, we can’t forget the Coca-Cola 600 as Nascar racing is in the DNA here.
Tours & Experiences
From historic tours and culinary tours to walking ghost tours and Instagram photo tours, you can see a lot of the city through curated tours. Charlotte’s Visitor Association has a helpful guide of tour offerings at charlottesgotalot.com. We are partial to the Funny Bus, in part because it drives by our office most days, but, also, because it is essentially a comedy show on wheels. And, if you really want to pull out all of the stops, Heliventures and Charlotte Helicopters offers a sky sightseeing tour with an unmatched bird’s eye view of the city.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for out-of-town guests to enjoy this list. You can have fun being a tourist in your own city too!
