Choose from 12 Fun Things to Do in Charlotte
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Old Settlers' Cemetery
Located in Charlotte’s Fourth Ward neighborhood, Old Settlers’ Cemetery is where many of the area’s first settlers are buried. It was the first cemetery owned and operated by the City of Charlotte, and its gravestones and monuments carry dates from 1776 (the year the Declaration of Independence was signed) to 1884. It’s a great American site in Charlotte for visiting history buffs.
Practical Info
Old Settlers’ Cemetery is located next to the First Presbyterian Church on West 5th Street. It’s often described as more like a park than cemetery and is a popular stopping point for folks who visit the historic Fourth Ward neighborhood.
Address: Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
From $ 60
Levine Center for the Arts
Charlotte’s Levine Center for the Arts is actually comprised of four unique locations, including the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Theater and the Mint Museum Uptown. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art boasts a collection of more than 1,400 works by 20th-century modern artists.
The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture highlights the contributions of Africans and African-Americans to American culture. It is also home to the John & Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, one of the country’s most comprehensive collections.
The 1,150-seat James L. Knight Theater hosts touring Broadway productions, concert artists and symphony and opera productions, while the Mint Museum Uptown features collections of American, European and contemporary art along with the Mint Museum of Craft + Design.
Practical Info
The Levine Center for the Arts is located on South Tryon Street between Stonewall Street and West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Parking is available on the first two levels under the Duke Energy building at the corner of South Tryon and Stonewall Street. If you are using public transportation, the LYNX Blue Line and Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) both provide service to the area.
Address: Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
Hours: Vary
Admission: Varies
From $ 45
Mint Museum of Art
Named for its former status as a branch of the U.S. Mint, the Mint Museum was, when it originally opened in 1936, the first art museum in North Carolina. Having outgrown its original Federal-style building, the museum was split into two locations in 2010.
The Mint Uptown is focused largely on American and European art from the 18th century on, but also features craft and design galleries of (largely) North Carolina-produced glass, pottery, jewelry and more. There are generally two rotating exhibits here – often by photography and new media artists – and the ongoing exhibition of local artist Romare Bearden’s modernist paintings and prints.
The Mint Randolph houses four permanent collections from the original Mint Museum: Art of the Ancient Americas, including Aztec and pre-Colombian clay and gold objects; a historic costume and accessories gallery that spans three centuries; Native American Art, including performance masks from Mexico and Guatemala; and a gallery of over 12,500 decorative art objects from around the world. The museum also stages 12 rotating exhibitions at any one time, highlighting objects and costumes from the original Mint Museum’s collections, as well as the work of Southern artists.
Address: 500 S. Tryon Street / 2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Hours: Weds: 11am - 9pm; Thurs-Sat: 11am - 6pm; Sun: 1pm - 5pm; Closed: Mon and Tues
Admission: Adults: $10; Senior/Student: $8; Child (5-17): $5
From $ 38
Fourth Ward
Visitors get a feel for times of the past strolling through Charlotte’s Fourth Ward. Located in the downtown area, it’s home to 100-plus-year-old Victorian houses and tree-lined streets. Knowing a bit of the Fourth Ward’s history helps you appreciate its persevering charm. In the mid-1830s the city of Charlotte was divided into four political wards. The Fourth Ward was considered to be a prosperous area. The area went through a period of decline and neglect in the late 1900s, before a renaissance in the late 20th century.
Now along with restored Victorians there are luxury condominiums, apartments and businesses. Fourth Ward Park is popular place to get outside and enjoy a sunny day. The three-acre park features a playground, walking trails and decorative water fountains.
Practical Info
The Fourth Ward is about 30 city blocks in size. The Charlotte Information Center downtown offers free self-guided walking tour maps.
Address: Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
From $ 15
Discovery Place
Families with small children will appreciate the interactive science and technology exhibits at Discovery Place, which includes the largest IMAX theater in the Carolinas. In a single visit, your kids can laugh, get grossed out, and learn complex concepts about the natural world -- as well as enjoy a cupcake.
Permanent exhibits here include Worlds Alive, which includes a hands-on aquarium and an indoor rainforest; architecture studio Project Build; and KidScience, a playroom designed to teach kids 7 and under about simple math concepts, weather patterns, and more.
Scientists and performers present stage shows and splashy demonstrations designed to illustrate everything from animal behavior to the different states of elements. A rotating series of short 3D films tell stories about endangered creatures, while there are always two longer movies to choose from at the IMAX Dome.
The on-site Community Café offers gluten-free options, organic produce and a Cupcake Corner with a seasonal menu of treats.
Address: 301 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am - 4pm; Sat: 10am - 6pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm
Admission: Adults: $12; Senior/Child: $10
From $ 38
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is one of four distinct components of Charlotte’s Levine Center for the Arts. The Bechtler collection includes more than 1,400 works by 20th-century modern artists including Picasso, Calder and Warhol. Visitors should set aside an afternoon to enjoy the Museum in its entirety. A free audio guide and museum map can be picked up at the visitor services desk. The Bechtler also has special materials available for visiting families.
Practical Info
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is closed Tuesdays, and major holidays (New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Discounted parking is available at the Levine Center for the Arts garage, located below the Duke Energy Center. If you are using public transportation, Charlotte Area Transit System bus routes 2, 16, 18 and 19 stop within walking distance of the Museum. The nearest LYNX Light Rail stop is the 3rd Street Station at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Address: 420 S Tryon St, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
Hours: Mon & Wed-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm
Admission: Adult $8, Students & Seniors $6, Child $4
From $ 45
The Green
This one-and-a-half acre park is a well-known landmark in Uptown Charlotte. The Green has an artsy flair, with colorful sculptures and fountains, and there are numerous options alongside the park to grab a bite to eat, while the park itself has all the makings for a nice picnic. It’s a frequent lunch spot for employees who work nearby and plays host to the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival every summer.
Practical Info
The Green is located across from the Convention Center in Uptown Charlotte. Parking is located underneath The Green, at The Green parking garage.
Address: Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
From $ 45
Bank of America Stadium
Opened in 1996, Bank of America Stadium is home to the Carolina Panthers football team. The stadium is located in uptown Charlotte and was specially designed for football. The open-air, natural grass stadium has 73,778 seats. During a 2014 renovation, high-definition video boards were added above each end zone, along with a high-efficiency, high-octave sound system.
In addition to the actual playing field, Bank of America Stadium is also home to the Carolina Panthers’ headquarters, training facilities, practice fields and administrative offices.
Practical Info
The stadium and practice fields are spread over 33 acres of land in uptown Charlotte. It is bordered by Interstate 277, Mint, Graham and Morehead streets. Tours of the Bank of American Stadium are offered most Wednesdays and Fridays. Groups of 10 or fewer do not require a reservation. Space is limited, so it’s a good idea to arrive earlier as opposed to later.
Address: 800 S Mint St, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
Hours: Vary
Admission: Varies
From $ 38
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts & Culture
What is now Uptown, Charlotte’s main business district, was historically known as Brooklyn, the center of the city’s black community. One of Uptown’s main attractions is now the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture, an important art museum in a city that is, over 150 years after the Civil War, still divided along racial lines. Providing well-rounded insight into the black communities of both Charlotte and the South as a whole, the museum presents art exhibits, stage performances, lectures and more.
Named for a prominent local architect who served as Charlotte’s first black mayor in the 1980s, the museum’s modern building features an outdoor staircase called “Jacob’s Ladder,” a powerful symbol of African-American ascent through education and enlightenment. A unique pattern of slanted lines symbolizes textile patterns used in West Africa and in quilts during the Underground Railroad era.
The Gantt Center’s main art collection includes works by local artist Romare Bearden, as well as 19th-century painter Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first African-American artist to gain international acclaim. Rotating exhibits include a wide variety of mediums, including photography, sculpture and video, and lectures, demonstrations and classes illustrate traditional African dance, music theory, theatre, “slam” poetry and more.
Address: 551 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am - 5pm; Mon: Closed
Admission: Adults: $8; Senior/Student: $6
From $ 45
Carowinds
Straddling the border between North and South Carolina the Carowinds theme park south of Charlotte fuses southern charm and fast-paced thrill rides. The nearly 400-acre lot houses more than 60 rides and is divided into eight Carolina-themed sections including the (new for 2016) Carolina Harbor, one of the largest waterparks in the region with a wave pool, a lazy river that crosses the state line that bisects the park, kiddie pools and numerous slides and water rides.
A looped path takes visitors past Planet Snoopy’s little kids’ rides, the massive Intimidator coaster inspired by southern race car drivers, the Dinosaurs Alive park – a forest filled with more than 30 animatronic ancient beasts – a 3D theater that hosts regular battles between zombies and plants, traditional fair rides, the inverting stand-up coaster called the Vortex and other thrill rides including the new Fury 325 coaster. The Fury 325 coaster soars 325 feet off the ground before dropping down at speeds of 95 miles per hour; it was the tallest giga-coaster in the world when it was unveiled in 2015.
Under the Cedar Fair umbrella that also owns Cedar Point, Carowinds is a well-oiled machine that shares many features with the other parks in its brand. Expect the sounds of carnival music, shrieking children and southern summer heat while waiting your turn in the regularly long lines.
Practical Info
The park opens in mid-April and stays open with limited hours through October with its Scarowinds Halloween events. The Carolina Harbor waterpark has daily hours from June through August. The park’s hours vary throughout the season. Admission includes the regular park rides as well as the Carolina Harbor waterpark and is $62.99 at the gate or $42.99 if purchased in advance online. Two-day passes, Fast Lane passes that allow riders to skip long queues, and tickets for half day park entry (after 4 p.m.) are also available.
Address: 14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA 28273, USA
Admission: At the gate: $62.99; Advance purchase online: $42.99
From $ 30
SEA LIFE - Charlotte-Concord Aquarium
Located inside the Concord Mills Mall, the SEA LIFE – Charlotte-Concord Aquarium features over 5,000 underwater creatures, including clown fish, jellyfish, green moray eels, sea horses, octopus, triggerfish, southern stingrays, and a variety of different sharks.
The sea creatures at SEA LIFE – Charlotte-Concord Aquarium are divided into over 20 themed exhibits reflecting the natural surroundings in North Carolina. There is an interactive quiz trail you can follow, and a 180-degree ocean tunnel where you can walk by fish and sharks swimming overhead. If you’re traveling with young ones, they’ll enjoy the children’s soft play area. Kids can also check out the interactive touch pool with sea urchins, sea anemones, and horseshoe crabs.
Don’t miss the interactive demonstrations and feedings that take place throughout the day. You’ll also learn more about the aquarium’s conservation efforts, including breeding programs for endangered animals.
Practical Info
Weekdays tend to be less crowded, but watch out for school field trip season September through mid-December and January through mid-May each year. Evenings are the quietest time to visit. The aquarium is open Monday through Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 12pm-6pm. Note that the aquarium stays open for one hour after the last closing-time admission.
Address: 8111 Concord Mills Boulevard, Concord, NC, USA 28027, USA
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm
Admission: Adult $18, Child (3-12) $14, Child 3 & Under Free
From $ 17
Independence Square
Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, Independence Square sits at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets providing a place to take in public art, admire local architecture and people watch. Those who visit the attraction should know they're standing on a piece of important history, which can be explored through the public art standing on the square.
Littered around Independence Square you'll find four bronze statues created by sculptor Raymond Kaskey titled "Transportation," "Commerce," "Industry" and "Future." The Transportation statue is of an African American laborer, paying homage to the city's first railroads from the 1850s. The creation of this metro is what laid the foundation for Charlotte becoming a major transportation hub. You'll also notice an eagle, which gives a nod to the city's advancements in aviation. Next is the Commerce statue, which depicts someone panning for gold, commemorating the discovery of this valuable precious metal near Charlotte in 1799. You'll also notice a figure of a banker underneath that's part of the statue that references the opening of the U.S. Mint in the city in 1837. Then there's the Industry statue, which shows a female textile factory worker with her child, representing a time before laws that banned such a practice. This art-spoken story all ties together with the Transportation, Commerce and Industry statues gazing toward the "Future" statue -- a sculpture of a mother with a child and the state dogwood flower -- representing the city's fruitful economic past paving the way for a positive future.
The history behind the name of the square is interesting, although controversial. According to The Big Story, an Associated Press news website, the square is named after the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Some people believe this document was signed on May 20, 1775 -- before the colonies approved Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Littered around Independence Square you'll find four bronze statues created by sculptor Raymond Kaskey titled "Transportation," "Commerce," "Industry" and "Future." The Transportation statue is of an African American laborer, paying homage to the city's first railroads from the 1850s. The creation of this metro is what laid the foundation for Charlotte becoming a major transportation hub. You'll also notice an eagle, which gives a nod to the city's advancements in aviation. Next is the Commerce statue, which depicts someone panning for gold, commemorating the discovery of this valuable precious metal near Charlotte in 1799. You'll also notice a figure of a banker underneath that's part of the statue that references the opening of the U.S. Mint in the city in 1837. Then there's the Industry statue, which shows a female textile factory worker with her child, representing a time before laws that banned such a practice. This art-spoken story all ties together with the Transportation, Commerce and Industry statues gazing toward the "Future" statue -- a sculpture of a mother with a child and the state dogwood flower -- representing the city's fruitful economic past paving the way for a positive future.
The history behind the name of the square is interesting, although controversial. According to The Big Story, an Associated Press news website, the square is named after the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Some people believe this document was signed on May 20, 1775 -- before the colonies approved Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Address: 7207 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28227, USA
From $ 60