The 12 best things to do in the Charlotte

The property that houses Camp North End turns one hundred in 2024, and in that time it has produced Model T cars and Hercules missiles and also served as an Army training base. These days, the 76-acre campus surely houses your favorite hobby, represented by 50-plus tenants. This shopping/food mecca is so sweeping it's broken up into its own districts. A few favorite spots include Free Range Brewing, contemporary home decor studio Wendy O'Connor Art and Home, the Goodyear Arts gallery, Saru Ramen, the Babe & Butcher charcuterie shop, and one of the best restaurants in the entire city, Leah & Louise. There are also tons of public spaces and things to do, like ping-pong tables and cornhole games, and at night fire pits blaze away in The Mount Courtyard. We haven’t even mentioned the murals and the performance spaces and whatever surprises are waiting tonight under the twinkly lights.

Before we lose the non-baseball fans with this write-up, let's say right quick that a visit to Truist Field to watch the Charlotte Knights play is often not about the game. It's about the arrival of warm weather in the spring, it's about lazy summer days and it's definitely about promotions, a big reason the Knights get butts in seats. For instance: $8 wine Wednesdays; the fans going down on the field before the first pitch for their own game of catch; $2 Bell's Two Hearted Ale on Tuesdays; and Bark in the Park, where the stands fill with good boys. Oh, and as the Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox, there’s also some baseball happening. But did we mention the dogs?

The century-plus-old building that houses Optimist Hall was once a textile mill that produced the country’s largest supply of gingham fabric, and what’s there now is as charming as a gingham-patterned dress. A few dozen vendors lay out along essentially a corridor above the well-worn original wood floors, with a row of windows under high ceilings filling the place with lots of daylight. There are 650-plus seats spread out in the main hall and continuing outside in a sunny yard that gets lively on nice summer nights. Most of the vendors are restaurants, but there’s retail too in the form of a fine stationery shop and another selling plants and terrariums. It’s a great spot for lunch, business meetings or simply to whittle away a couple of hours in one of the city’s busiest entertainment centers.

Just a short 20-minute drive from Uptown is the U.S. National Whitewater Center, a sprawling 1,300-acre complex that offers over 30 land and water activities, including whitewater rafting, rock climbing, zip-lining and stand-up paddle boarding, along with rope courses and more than 50 miles of trails. For those who want to keep their feet flat on the ground, there are plenty of options, with several free concert series, movie screenings and a restaurant on site.

Located in Charlotte’s artsy NoDa neighborhood, the Evening Muse is a landmark live-music spot. It’s known for its intimate setting, incredible acoustics and laid-back atmosphere. You’ll find live music almost every night of the week, played by a mixture of local and national acts, and open mic nights during which local singers and songwriters can face their stage fright. Unlike bigger venues in town, Evening Muse is locally owned and operated—keeping things from feeling too commercialized and mainstream. Given the small setting, don’t be surprised when the band casually sticks around after a set to mingle with fans.

Smack on the North Carolina and South Carolina state line, Carowinds amusement park has been a favorite Charlotte destination since 1973. The park’s rides include the country’s tallest, longest and fastest Giga coaster, the Fury 325. The park’s new aviation-themed section opened in 2023, Aeronautica Landing, with five new immersive attractions. There’s also a waterpark, Carolina Harbor, full of waterslides and a winding lazy river. Open year-round, the park also offers holiday-themed events, including WinterFest, Grand Carnivale in the summer and SCarowinds in October.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame celebrates the sport from its inception through to the modern day, highlighting some of the most famous drivers. The two-story museum boasts 40,000 square feet of exhibit space made up of a combination of historic racing artifacts and interactive displays, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at racing.

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There was a time not long ago when some predicted the death of record stores. Now, record stores have become something of a gathering place for music lovers, and the aquamarine Lunchbox Records is exactly that. Owner and lovable goof Scott Wishart keeps the place lively with events like listening parties and deals on Record Store Day that spur long lines outside. Even if you don’t live nearby, and if that’s true that’s a shame, Lunchbox’s Instagram page is worth a follow to keep track of what vinyl is dropping next.

Nestled in the heart of Uptown between stadiums and skyscrapers is Romare Bearden Park. Spread out on 5.4 acres are two flower gardens, colorful fountains, waterfalls and views of the city you won’t find anywhere else. On any given day, you’ll be surrounded by people exercising around the park or families leisurely picnicking. At night, the waterfalls and fountains light up with the city skyline as a backdrop.

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You know those friends who always seem to upload the hottest photos from every single place they go? It’s quite possible they weren’t born with that skill. Instead, maybe they went on a tour of Charlotte’s arty, foodie-friendly neighborhood of Uptown with a guide who knows how to take better photos. This two-hour tour hits the Uptown selfie highlights, including the Confetti Hearts Wall and the NoDa Company Store, all while making sure you look amazing in the photos you take along the way.

Home to a combination of permanent and rotating exhibits, the Levine Museum of the New South takes guests on a journey through the South’s—and Charlotte’s—tumultuous history, beginning after the Civil War and spanning all the way through today. While Charlotte is an old city, it can be hard to find a ton of history among all the new skyscrapers and apartment buildings. The Levine Museum of the New South delivers a great deal of culture in one fell swoop by taking an in-depth look at the city and the entire South post-Reconstruction.

The Firebird rises gloriously above Tryon Street, all 17 feet looking made from disco balls, like the dancefloor outfit of your dreams. What is Niki de Saint Phalle's statute exactly? Well, we have no idea. It's at least one part angel with the head of a sun as imagined from a little kid's drawing. Mix in a spread-legged warrior with Klingon bat'leth for arms (that's a deep cut for fellow Star Trek nerds). Or maybe the "Disco Chicken," as it's often called, is a reimagining of Iron Man as a flamboyant nightclub owner. It's all of those things and also a spot for Charlotteans to meet up, for tourists to take a photo under its open legs and a sight not to miss before exploring Uptown.