Charlotte: Urban edition

May 18, 2017 3:24 PM

I'm going to be in Charlotte for 3 nights, yay! I won't have a car but my hotel is in Uptown. I'm looking for some suggestions on things to do not limited to Uptown and its surrounding areas.

I'm going to a concert the first night, and my other two nights I already have planned, so I'm looking for some neat things to do during the day. I get there Thursday and leave late on Sunday if that helps with any weekly farmers markets or outdoor events that are going on.

I've been to Raleigh and Asheville, so I'm stoked about checking out Charlotte. I can't imagine exploring Uptown will take up all of my days, so I'm interested in hearing about things I may not have come across yet.

Is there anything of interest along the light rail line? I'm interested in walkable neighborhoods, good food, and anything interesting that might be unique to Charlotte. The trip is in 3 weeks, so I'm not sure how hot it will be, but the Rail Trail looks super cool. As for Uptown, I definitely want to check out the 7th St Public Market and also the Epicentre when I'm out at night. I've heard about the South End and the NoDa areas. I like my beer so a brewery might be cool too.

One thing I liked about Raleigh is that all the walkable areas were bunched together but I definitely don't mind taking an Uber/Lyft for something that's cool but out of the way. I've been looking on Yelp and I really only have Viva Chicken on my must eat list, but I'm big on Neapolitan pizza and good burgers if that helps. And good bakeries! The Chili Man food truck also looks good.

My knowledge of Charlotte comes from recent research and watching Homeland, so help me out! Thanks.

posted by signondiego to Travel & Transportation around Charlotte, NC (6 answers total)

Best answer: Hey! I live in NoDa it's fun to walk around a bit and check out some food and shops but I think it's nicer to live in. Neighborhood theater and the evening muse have a lot of performances come through which are pretty cheap if you want to add in more music to your trip. It's about a 10-15 Uber ride from uptown. There's also parts of the greenbelt that lead to uptown but I think it's easier to do NoDa to uptown than the reverse (it's a little confusing to find the beginning from uptown).

Despite not being a sports fan I'm a sucker for Knights games. The baseball stadium would be easy for you to get to and standing tickets are only 8 bucks. It's nice being out on a summer evening.

I think you should check out wooden robot, triple c and some of the other breweries in south end. It will be easily accessible for you.

I've heard great things about the uptown museums but I've only visited discovery place.

People will try to recommend Amelie's as a bakery which is good but I take issue to their claim of being french. However Sunflour bakery is phenomial (especially their cinnamon buns).

Send me a message if you want a guide around town at all :)
posted by raccoon409 at 4:11 PM on May 18, 2017

Best answer: It seems like your research has pointed you in the right direction. Along the light rail you should check out the Liberty for burgers, Pike's soda shop for dessert, and Owens bagels for breakfast or lunch. There are plenty of breweries around there too. 7th Street Market food is ok but mainly it has a nice vibe. For a nice Uptown dinner or brunch, check out the Asbury. They catered my wedding in March that I had at the adjacent Dunhill Hotel. Their thing is modern southern food.

If you want to go to one of the museums uptown, I would recommend the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. There are lots of theaters uptown so you might be able to catch a matinee performance if you need a break from the heat.
posted by Katie8709 at 4:17 PM on May 18, 2017

Oh! If you want BBQ my personal favorite is midwood smokehouse
posted by raccoon409 at 4:19 PM on May 18, 2017 [1 favorite]

King's Kitchen for lunch or dinner, it doesn't matter, just don't leave till you've made them give you all the biscuits.
posted by jameaterblues at 9:43 PM on May 18, 2017 [1 favorite]

I was coming in to recommend King's Kitchen also. It's amazing although I'm now ruined for eating fried chicken anywhere else.
posted by hazyjane at 2:24 AM on May 19, 2017

Wooden Robot Brewery for sure! NoDa Brewing Company was nice too.
posted by Kitteh at 12:40 PM on May 19, 2017