Long Weekend in Charlotte
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Anonymous
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We are headed to Charlotte in late June. Getting there on Thursday and leaving on Sunday. We are going to the Whitewater Center on Thursday. But on Friday, we are seeing a comedy show that night, and have no clue what to do during the day? We'll be staying centrally downtown (I think it's considered Uptown, by the Spectrum Center) so are there things to do/see that are in walking distance to explore? Or is Charlotte not really that kind of city and we need to drive everywhere?
Also looking for suggestions for brunch on Saturday/Sunday mornings that are downtown. And basically any suggestions on what to do while we are down there so we aren't just sitting in the hotel room or wandering around aimlessly. THANK YOU! |
Anonymous
| OP here, just wanted to include a few more details....Charlotte isn't a city where we were looking to travel to in the first place. But it's the only place we could finally catch a comedian we've been trying to see and I have friends to visit down there. So, I'm not expecting to do a lot of exploring since that isn't the reason we are going, but we don't want to be bored either. |
Anonymous
| Not sure your interests, but a few suggestions. We used to live in Charlotte, and visit family and friends there frequently. There are a ton of breweries in Charlotte worth visiting if that is your speed. If kids are coming, the Discovery Place museum is always a hit. We love going to Knights (baseball) games, and last year were able to catch their soccer team play. There are a few parks uptown that you could enjoy just walking through. It is not the kind of city where you can walk around and shop, but if you like shopping there are definitely places to go outside of uptown proper. If you are looking for another full day trip there is Carowinds amusement park, the NC Zoo, etc. Hiking at Crowders Mountain State Park. Daniel Stowe botanical gardens are lovely- we have been to a few weddings held there. |
Anonymous
| A few more. Art isnt really my thing- but there are some nice museums uptown including Levine, Bechtler, and Mint Museum. Also, there is always the Nascar Hall of Fame. Even if you are not into racing, its a neat museum to explore one time. |
Anonymous
It'll be just the two of us...kid free for 4 days so we're trying to make sure we enjoy the alone time since it rarely happens. Breweries are definitely something we are interested in! Any suggestions? I know we'll probably have to end up driving there, so that's fine. |
Anonymous
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A friend of ours runs a website for local breweries, though their take is on how friendly they are for families/dogs. We typically visit breweries with him when we visit. https://www.hopsandhighchairs.com/
The place we like best is Monday Night Brewery (but again, we go with kids mostly) Also- if you like Food Halls, Optimist Hall is not far from uptown. There is a brewery there- Fonta Flora. We end up there a lot because its a place to hang for a long time. Food, beer, games, etc. |
Anonymous
| Didn't they have flesh eating bacteria at that white water place? |
Anonymous
That was years ago and they added a lot more precautions. And there is a ton to do there beyond just whitewater rafting. Ropes courses, zip lines, mountain biking, kayaking, trails, etc. |
Anonymous
| Charlotte is just a regular old mid size city with suburban sprawl. |
Anonymous
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I live in Charlotte. It's dreadfully full, and full of southern bros in their Clemson polo shirts.
There's nothing in Charlotte that you can't see or do (and likely a better version) in the DC area. And the museums are pricey, imo, but that might just be my DC "museums are free!" attitude. I find the Whitewater Center to be really expensive for what it is. Uptown is not where the action is, it's small and bland and built for bankers who work 9-5 Monday-Friday. Public transit is pretty garbage. The light rail consists of one line with considerable headways. You definitely have to drive from the airport to Uptown, out to the Whitewater Center, and anything not right on the light rail. Depending on where the show is, you may have to drive. There are six bazillion breweries. Gilde is a German brewery that opened a location in Charlotte, and their brewmaster here is from Berlin. So if German beers and food are your thing, hit it up. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is German-inspired and has a very Munich style biergarten. Other breweries I like are Wooden Robot, Resident Culture (both of those are regularly invited to Snallygaster), Divine Barrel, Birdsong, and Triple C. Asheville's Burial Beer Co. has a Charlotte location. My favorite bar is Brawley's, which is a mostly outdoor neighborhood dive-y place that everyone also brings their kids to during the day. There is a nice hidden gem: McGill Rose Garden and Rosie's. Get a glass of wine, enjoy the garden. Then walk down the street to Birdsong. When I have a day off and no kid, DH and I usually brewery hop. Weekends we'll head out to McAdenville to kayak on the South Fork. If the Knights are home, we'll take in some minor league baseball (but again, you can get MLB in DC, so......and it's a rather generic and bland minor league experience that wishes it was major league; Charlotte in a nutshell). Uptown, I don't know there's any good brunch places. Again, it's a corporate 9-5 place. There are some places in South End, but I can't vouch for any of them because I can't remember the last time I did a proper brunch. Midnight diner is Uptown, and it's an old school diner place. Not sure if that's the vibe you're looking for. |
Anonymous
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There are several art museums in Uptown.
There is also a place called the Blumenthal. They might have a Friday or Saturday matinee. Yes, there are breweries in CLT. I am not up on which are the best ones these days. |
Anonymous
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Do you like history?
There is a plantation museum in York County called Brattonsville. It isn't just "moonlight and magnolias" - there is an exhibit on Reconstruction and the KKK, for example. |
Anonymous
Just FYI - I don't think there are any plantations now that don't focus most of their energy on slavery and Reconstruction. That's not unusual. |
Anonymous
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Tons of good restaurants in South End-- https://southendclt.org/things-to-do/bites-and-brews
Trolley Barn is one of our faves for brunch. |
Anonymous
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Charlotte is one of the most boring cities I’ve ever visited. I only go to visit friends.
If you have the time, maybe consider a day trip to Asheville (tour the Biltmore estate and winery) or Greenville (charming downtown area). |