Living in Charlotte

Charlotte's ever-growing food scene has you covered. From Southern BBQ, casual fare, fine-dining and award-winning cuisine, there's a culinary experience for everyone. Uptown is Charlotte’s modern city center with a large variety of restaurants, bars and nightlife. For the beer drinkers, you can spend the afternoon walking around NODA to enjoy handcrafted brews.  

• Charlotte Restaurants Directory 
  Use this extensive database of Charlotte restaurants to search for restaurants, cafes, and more. 
• Must-Try Restaurants
  Charlotte’s Got a Lot’s list of 101 must-try restaurants in and around Charlotte organized by neighborhood, cuisine, and price. 
• Uptown’s Wine and Dine
  A complete list of restaurants and bars in Uptown.  

From getting out of town, to getting out and about downtown, Charlotte is within an ideal proximity of several great outdoor attractions. Nature lovers can find plenty of adventure options at the Whitewater Center as this 1,300-acre facility hosts activities such as rafting, climbing, ropes courses, ziplining, biking and hiking trails, kayaking and more. Charlotte is home to numerous parks and greenways, including Romare Bearden Park, First Ward Park, Freedom Park, Big Rock Nature Preserve, Little Sugar Creek Greenway and Cross Charlotte Trail.  

Lake Norman is the largest man-made lake in the Carolinas and is just 20 miles north of Charlotte hosting more than 500 miles of shoreline. Lake Norman State Park is filled with things to do like fishing, paddling, picnic spots, and holds the region's popular mountain biking trail system. And, for those new or experienced divers, Lake Norman Scuba offers lessons to those looking to get underwater.  

For the animal lovers there are quite a few wildlife options to see animals up close. The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is the world's largest natural habitat zoo housing more than 1,700 animals. Both the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville and ZOOtastic Park in Troutman are smaller zoos but offer interactive animal experiences. 

Outdoors enthusiasts will also fall in love with the variety of state parks that provide opportunities for camping, hiking and other outdoor activities. Within a short day's drive, find yourself at Pilot Mountain, Hanging Rock State Park or Stone Mountain, popular locations for hikers, campers and climbers. Travel a little farther to check out one of the 34 North Carolina state parks that stretch from mountain to sea, or some of the national attractions that bring visitors from across the country: Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Whether you are a sports fan, a music lover or an art connoisseur, Charlotte has a lot to do. Explore some of the major local attractions found in the city.

Art and Museums

• NASCAR Hall of Fame
  Explore the legacies, passion, and history of NASCAR through exhibits and interactive experiences.
• Mint Museum
  Established in 1936 as North Carolina’s first art museum, The Mint Museum showcases international art and design in two locations.
• Discovery Place Science
  Bring science to life with Charlotte’s own science museum.
• The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture
  This museum celebrates the contributions of Africans and African-Americans to American culture.
• The Charlotte Museum of History
  Explore the things and people that have shaped the Charlotte region.
• Levine Museum of the New South
  Experience the stories of the past to deepen an understanding of contemporary issues relevant to Charlotte and the world today.

Historic Sites

• Historic Rosedale
  Located on about 9 acres, the Historic Rosedale has been a part of Charlotte’s history since 1815.
• Friends of the Fourth Ward
  Enjoy a walking tour of the Fourth Ward Historic District.
• Camp North End
  A 22-room Victorian house museum of artist and designer Jule Gilmer Körner built in 1880.

Music and Performance

• The Filmore Charlotte
  The Fillmore Charlotte and The Underground are housed in a historic textile mill, themed in the tradition of the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco.
• Knight Theatre
  The Levine Center for the Arts offers fine world-class entertainment at Knight Theatre.
• Coyote Joe’s
  A premier country music bar and venue offering line dancing and various concerts.

Every year, Charlotte hosts many festivals, from ones centered on music and film to festivals focused on wine and food. Each celebrates a part of the city’s vibrant, diverse community. Check out some of our most popular events:  

• Festival in the Park
• Taste of Charlotte
• Carolina Renaissance Festival
• Moo, Brew, & ‘Que
• Queen Charlotte Fair
• Charlotte Film Festival
• Charlotte Wine and Food Week
• Macklenburg Oktoberfest
• Cabarrus County Fair
• Yiasou Greek Festival
• Carolina BBQ Festival
• Annual Pumpkin Patch
• Charlotte Brew Fest

Beyond these annual events, there are sporting, pop-up art, live music performances and other types of events that occur regularly in establishments across the city.

In addition to all the activities in Charlotte itself, there’s even more available just a few hours away. With the Blue Ridge Mountains within easy driving distance, you can easily visit such locations as Asheville, Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway. But if you’re more of a beach person, we’ve still got you covered. Head east for a dose of sun and sand at the Outer Banks, the Crystal Coast, the port city of Wilmington, or Wrightsville and Carolina beaches.   

A day trip can also get you to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville or a variety of public museums in Raleigh. 

Enjoy local sports? Charlotte is home to a couple of minor league and teams such as the Charlotte Knights (MiLB), Charlotte Checkers (AHL), and Charlotte FC (soccer club). 

For the professional sports fan, a drive of just a couple hours can get you to sporting events for the Carolina Panthers (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), the Charlotte Motor Speedway (NASCAR) and the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL).