What to Do in Charlotte: My 48-Hour Weekend Guide

Charlotte, North Carolina really surprised me.

I’m not going to lie, this city wasn’t exactly on my list. I grew up about 4-hours away from Charlotte but never made a point to visit. The few times I’ve visited North Carolina it’s been to explore Asheville or the Smoky Mountains.

But, my husband had a work event in Charlotte so I thought, let’s see what it’s all about! I decided to tag along and make a weekend out of it.

Immediately, I started to wonder what to do in Charlotte. So I reached out to a few other bloggers and searched Pinterest. I got some great ideas and was able to make it a fun weekend!

If you’re also considering a visit to the commercial Queen City, keep reading! I created a guide with everything you need to have a fun weekend in Charlotte.

What to Do in Charlotte: My 48-Hour Weekend Guide

Where to Stay

Charlotte is a bit spread out, so deciding where to stay is key. For a short weekend trip, I would either consider NoDa or Uptown.

NoDa (North Davidson) the hip artsy-district. It’s filled with murals, bars, and coffee shops. I heard someone compare it to Charlotte’s answer to Brooklyn. I stayed in an Airbnb in NoDa which was perfect! This area felt very safe and I could easily walk to anything I wanted to do in the neighborhood.

Uptown is another great option, especially if you prefer to stay in a hotel over an Airbnb. Don’t get confused, Uptown is actually Charlotte’s downtown area. It’s a major financial hub that also offers a great nightlife.

How to Get Here

You’ve got options!

Getting to Charlotte is pretty easy. The city has an international airport, AMTRAK station, and a Greyhound bus terminal. Or, you could drive to the city. It’s actually pretty close to some major cities like Asheville (2 hours), Greenville (2 hours), Raleigh (3 hours), Charleston (4 hours), and Atlanta (4 hours).

Transportation in the City

Charlotte has a decent amount of public transportation options. You can use the LYNX Blue Line Light Rail to get between South Charlotte, the City Center, and NoDa. The CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar also connects some neighborhoods to the more commercial parts of Charlotte. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Bus Service also operates local and express bus routes.

In addition to public transportation, you can use Uber or Lyft to get around. Just a head’s up, I noticed that it consistently a long wait for a car to come. So give yourself a 10-15 minute buffer when you request a car.

If you have your own car, getting around Charlotte won’t be a problem. This is a car-friendly city with plenty of parking.

In certain areas, you can get around by walking. You can easily explore NoDa or Uptown on foot, but you will need to use public transportation or a car to get between neighborhoods.

Quick Tip

There are some unique rules in Charlotte regarding alcohol. Essentially, the law designates what establishments can and can’t serve alcohol. Restaurants can, but they have to make most of their money off food.

The law doesn’t specifically mention a provision for bars but instead allows for “private clubs.” These private clubs are required to charge a membership fee. So, if you try to visit a bar in Charlotte, you might be asked to become a member. Don’t worry, most of the bars simply charge a $1 membership fee to comply with this law.

Day 1

Alright, let’s dive into the Charlotte Weekend Guide!

We are starting in NoDa! Enjoy a quiet morning and start your day with some delicious donuts and coffee.

Breakfast: Reigning Doughnuts +Smelly Cat Coffee

Get an early start and have a relaxed morning to yourself. Visit Reigning Doughnuts’ cute walk-up window for some fresh made-to-order pastries. Pick from flavors like vanilla icing, honey glaze, or the daily special (Saturday’s are lemon poppy seed).

Then, make your way to the cozy Smelly Cat Coffee for a delicious local coffee. This “No Judgement Zone” serves a variety of drinks for all kinds of coffee lovers.

Go for a Hike

Now that you’ve fueled up with coffee and doughnuts, head out of Charlotte for a morning hike. You’ll need to drive but renting a car in the city is pretty cheap (I got one with Budget). After reading some local blogs I decided to take a hike in Crowders Mountain State Park. This is about 30 miles outside of the city and features a fun (but definitely challenging) 4-mile round-trip hike.

Crowders Mountain has a huge parking lot and a surprisingly nice Visitor’s Center + clean bathrooms (you know its important). Follow the steep Pinnacle Trail to reach the highest point in Gaston County. From the top, you can even see the Charlotte skyline (ok, it’s way off in the distance but its there!)

Lunch: BBQ, baby!

Like most Southern states, North Carolina has its own BBQ tradition. If you want to try some pulled pork or ribs while you’re in Charlotte, check out:

• Midwood Smokehouse– This seems to be the BBQ place in Charlotte. Their meat is nice & smoky + they have some great apps, like BBQ queso. This is where I went during my trip. Oh, and Obama stopped by during his visit back in 2016.
• Mac’s Speed Shop– Come here for the dry-rubbed beef brisket and 60 craft beers on tap. During the summer the outdoor patio would be a fun place to hang out!
• Seoul Food Meat Company– For something a little different, try this Korean-meets-Southern BBQ eatery.

Explore NoDa

NoDa (which stands for the main street North Davidson) is the city’s hip arts district. Think of it like Charlotte’s Brooklyn. It wasn’t always a trendy area filled with coffee shops and bars, though. This neighborhood was once a thriving textile mill town. But as the mills closed in the 1950s and 60s, artists Ruth Ava Lyons and Paul Sires helped revitalize the area. They opened galleries and helped pave the way for the lively area you can explore today!

While you are in NoDa, I recommend checking out The Blind Pig! This is a fun arcade bar with a modern twist. All of the games take ApplePay so you don’t have to worry about getting coins.

Spend some time walking around and admiring all of the colorful street art. You can use THIS MAP to help you find all the murals in the neighborhood.

Dinner: Haberdash

What I am about to say might seem excessive but I stand by it. It would be worth taking a trip to Charlotte just to eat at Haberdish. Not that I’m recommending you do that, but I’m just saying…it’s that good.

Haberdish is an elevated Southern kitchen with an excellent cocktail program. When our waiter told us that he’s worked in cocktail bars all over the country and he decided to move to Charlotte because of the excellent mixologists at Haberdish, I knew we were at the right place.

Haberdish is known for its fried chicken, and you won’t want to skip that. Come with a big appetite and order some fun Southern apps (like the Pimento Cheese Ball) and, of course, I recommend getting a cocktail!

Drinks + Dessert: Idlewild & Jeni’s

If you want to extend your night, visit Idlewild after dinner. Remember how I said Haberdish alone was worth the trip to Charlotte? Well, I should have said Haberdish and Idlewild. This cocktail bar was fantastic and I’ll never visit Charlotte without stopping here.

Idlewild is a casual no-menu cocktail bar. The waiter will ask you a few questions about the flavors and liquors you like. Then, the mixologist will create a unique drink based on your answers. It was such a fun experience and it was amazing to watch the expert bartenders at work!

Conveniently, right across the street from Idlewild, you’ll find Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. This is my all-time favorite ice cream shop and I’m never going to skip a chance to get a scoop of Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks.

If you are staying in NoDa, you’ll be able to easily walk back to your Airbnb from here! Otherwise, you are right next to the NoDa Light Rail stop or you could take a Lyft back to your place. Just a heads up, when I visited it seemed like it took the Ubers and Lyfts a long time to reach us. So look at the app and consider requesting about 10-15 minutes before you are ready to go.

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Day 2

Did you have a fun first day in Charlotte? Let’s start Day 2 with a pastry and coffee at the cozy Amelie Bakery.

Breakfast: Amelie Bakery

Amelie is an adorable French-inspired bakery with a few locations around Charlotte (including NoDa and Uptown). The NoDa location is so spacious, so pick a pastry (trust me, it’s gonna be tough to choose just one!) and enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the cafe.

Mint Museum

After breakfast, spend the morning exploring the Mint Museum. The Uptown location has a few floors of exhibits featuring American and European art. You’ll also see some regionally-made crafts in the Crafts + Design rooms.

I found a deal on Groupon, but the museum isn’t too expensive without this. Plus, your ticket is good at both the Mint Museum Uptown and the Mint Museum Randolph for two consecutive days.

Lunch: 7th Street Public Market

If you want a light lunch or a coffee, stop by the 7th Stree Public Market. Not Just Coffee, Zia Pia Imports, and Rico’s Acai are just a few of the eateries that stuck out to me!

Explore Uptown

After lunch, spend your afternoon exploring Uptown. (PS, our Uber driver told us that the Downtown area is called Uptown because it is actually the highest point in the city). While you are in Uptown, follow the Liberty Walk to learn more about Charlotte’s Revolutionary War connections. There are a few other museums around Uptown you could visit, like the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art or the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Dinner + Drinks: Uptown Eateries or Breweries

Depending on what you are feeling, you have some great options for dinner and drinks tonight! If you are looking for a more laid-back vibe, may you’ll want to visit a few breweries (there are 30+ breweries in the Charlotte-area after all). Some of the breweries serve dinner so you could make a whole night of it! My picks for breweries are:

• Heist Brewery– This is a huge brewery that almost feels more like a restaurant. It’s really popular and I actually wasn’t able to get a table during my visit. Get there early or be prepared to wait to try their eats + craft brews.
• NoDa Brewing Company- I noticed NoDa beers were served at a lot of the restaurants around Charlotte. Visit the OG location for some small-batch brews.
• Free Range Brewing– If you just want a drink, this is a great laid-back option. They have some bar snacks, which you can order by the scoop. If you’re not into beer, they also serve wine and local ciders.

If you want to stick around Uptown and have a more elevated night, here are my picks:

• 204 North Kitchen & Cocktails– This is a fun multi-level restaurant with some elevated Southern dishes and creative cocktails.
• Fahrenheit– Fahrenheit is situated on the 21st floor of a luxury condo building. Take in the impressive views while enjoying Asian-influenced eats.
• Stoke– Feeling swanky? Head to Stoke for made-from-scratch New American dishes and expertly made cocktails.

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I hope this helps as you decide what to do in Charlotte. Feel free to share any other ideas in the comments below!

If you are planning a longer trip to the South, you might be interested in these posts:

36 Hours in Asheville

30 Unique Things to do in Downtown Knoxville

How to Visit the Jack Daniels Distillery

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