Introduction
In the United States, if we talk about Charlotte, it has its meaningful importance of standing in one of the largest cities. It is one of the largest cities in North Carolina as well. But, what are the things to do in Charlotte NC?
Do you know Charlotte is known as “Queen City” and is a blend of many tourist attractions?
It offers adventurous history, culture, arts, festivals, events, music, museums, shopping, and outdoor adventure, and the list is not short. People of all ages can come and enjoy the best time of their lives in Charlotte and its attraction points.
So, let’s lock your seat belts and fly on this journey. Here, you will know the easiest, most fun, and most exciting Things To Do in Charlotte, NC.
Best 15 Places To Visit in Charlotte, North Carolina
Whether you are searching for awesome things to do in Charlotte, NC, or fun things in Charlotte, you will surely come across the following places. These places are incredibly famous for their enjoyments and peaceful environments, which will not disappoint you if you are with a family.
So, continue your reading and meet with the following things, whom you will meet in Charlotte.
1. Carowinds
Carowinds amusement park is famous for its fantastic park experience where tourists can spend a day without facing boredom. It is not that easy to find a family place where all family members can enjoy.
Still, confused about Carowinds? No worries! It offers everything from an amusement park to a waterpark, wave pool, kids pool, and lazy river, to spend a day with your family. As a result, one can make his trip to Charlotte memorable by visiting Carowinds.
And, do you know what the strong point of Carowinds is?
You can ride the tallest and fastest Giga Coaster in the World here. It is about 325 feet and 325 Fury tall, and it feels like we are on top of the world when we are on it. Now, can you guess how you will reach here? Well, it’s not like breaking a mountain.
It becomes easier to travel from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Carowinds by road. It takes almost 15 to 20 minutes from the airport to reach your favorite destination because the distance is only 14 miles. So, what are you waiting for? Plan your trip because the ticket prices are affordable. Be ready to have a blast!
2. Whitewater Center
If you think Charlotte is not a place for nature lovers or outdoor enthusiasts, you are wrong. Charlotte offers the US National Whitewater Center, where such people can enjoy many such activities.
These are high adrenaline outdoor sports activities starting from ziplining, rafting, rock climbing, yoga, stand-paddleboarding, and whatnot. Therefore, the area becomes an attraction for many tourists, visitors, backpackers, and most outdoor enthusiasts.
On top of that, to give you the most pleasing experience, it offers events at affordable rates. Day passes are available between $60 to $80, and annual passes are $190 to $260. However, rates fluctuate depending upon the peak seasons.
The best part is that you can reach there by driving up to 13 miles from Charlotte Airport to Whitewater Center. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about during your holidays as it comes with all the activities one can ask for.
3. Charlotte Motor Speedway
We have a unique and trendy place for racing enthusiasts in our things to do in the Charlotte blog. Get 16 miles ride from downtown Charlotte to Concord to meet with the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It has a lot for racing lovers.
Plus, if you are a die-hard fan of racing and want to visit here, you must book a ticket at least a month before a race day. People can afford a ticket from $10 to $12 for “The Feel The Thrill Speedway Tour.”
Well, if you are interested in this, the place has many other things to offer. So, you have many other options to enjoy.
You can explore various actual racing cars with their awards, trophies, and memorabilia. These things are best to fill their “What Charlotte Offers” Diary pages with something thrilling.
4. Discovery Place
The other best place and attraction point on our list are “Discovery Place,” which is family-friendly. If you are a student of the Science faculty or love innovation and creations, this will be lit for you.
There are many exploring things, starting from natural science to archaeology, wildlife to health care technologies.
You can experience the giant IMAX Dome Theater in the Carolinas and watch stars at Discovery Place Nature’s Planetarium. Isn’t that fantastic?
It also has an area for kids with soft building blocks, a water table, and a sound wall, including portions designed for toddlers.
Further, you have to complete a distance of 8 miles from Charlotte airport to reach Discovery Place by road. So, when you are ready for a day spent at Discovery Place, don’t forget to know the following ticket rates.
The online ticket rates for adults, children, and seniors are $23, $18, and $20. Likewise, the walk-up ticket rates for adults, children, and seniors are $28, $23, and $25.
(Note – The Discovery Place admission is free for all the members.)
5. NASCAR Hall Of Fame
Although the NASCAR race track is located in Daytona, its home will always be in Charlotte. Many classic racers come from the high mountains surrounding the city; it organizes the Coca-Cola 600 and the Bank of America Roval 400 events.
In addition to that, the fresh high-octane visitors will perceive the Heritage Speedway Exhibit, which specifies NASCAR’s 60 years of history through educational films and artifacts. So, if you plan on Things To Do in Charlotte This Weekend, you can rely on this. On top of that, it is just 13 to 15 minutes (7.9) away from Charlotte airport. If you want to go there, you should consider the following ticket prices.
- Adults – $25
- Kids between the ages group 8 to 12 – $18.
- Childs between ages 3 to 7 – $12.
6. Billy Graham Library
Billy Graham Library was created by the propagandist Billy Graham and is among the unique libraries in Charlotte.
The pretty thing about this library is it offers an extensive collection of books and manuscripts on Bible and Preach. Also, it is only 5.8 miles away from the Charlotte airport. So, you can reach here in 10 minutes by road, and therefore, there are fewer chances for traffic issues.
The best part for readers is that they can enter this library without paying a fee. It means you can enjoy your reading without paying for an entry and a book. How nice it is!
7. Mint Museum
Amongst the prototypical things to do in Charlotte, NC, for an art lover is Mint Museums. It is a place full of American arts, and European Ceramics, and the list is quite long. So, an art lover has so much to discover in this place.
In addition to this, Mint Museum uptown offers contemporary exhibits, with a collection of costumes and textiles. You will also get the world-renowned craft and design collection, including special international studio glass, fiber, furniture, wood, and clay art collections. These are enough to make this place wonderful for an art lover.
So, what are you waiting for? Visit here to experience the beautiful American and European artworks.
It will cost you between $10 to $15 only to visit there. You have to cover 19.8 miles to reach the Mint Museum from Charlotte airport.
8. Carolina’s Renaissance Festival
You can’t miss the Carolina Renaissance Festival when it comes to Charlotte. It offers the best things to do in Charlotte, NC.
Whether you are an adult or a child, you can’t stop watching this event again and again if you have seen this once. It stands on one of North America’s largest annual outdoor fests that appear on the weekends of October and November. But, what is it?
It is a European style art & entertainment festival from the 16th century. One can enjoy his time watching belly dance, circus, and many costumed characters at a time. Just imagine what the atmosphere will look like in the presence of many costume characters at a time.
However, you have to pay for the tickets, which cost $17 to $27 for children to adults. But, don’t forget to wear your character costume while creating your memories of this festival.
9. Concord Aquarium
Concord Aquarium introduces underwater life to kids of all ages. It offers interactive touch pools, peaceful and excellent walking tunnels, and many critters on display that one can imagine only in his dreams.
So, if you want to see them, you have to take a drive of 23 to 25 minutes (20.6 miles) from Charlotte Airport to Concord. Also, your ticket prices are stated below.
- Mermaid Makeover – $49.99 per person
- Pirates Makeover – $44.99 per person
- Shark Makeover – $39.99 per person
- Extra Value Tickets – $25.99 per person
- Sea Life Ticket – $17.99 per person
10. Zootastic Park
Zootastic Park offers a range of wild animals like tigers, lions, giraffes, monkeys, lemurs, and much more. You can see that the animals are friendly and do not harm you. Also, you can feed them with your own hands. Don’t you think it is exciting?
Furthermore, it provides walk-through and safari-like drive experiences. Therefore, if a jungle safari lover wants to explore a few zoo activities, he can visit; it is not far from the Charlotte airport.
It is almost 39.6 miles away from the airport, which needs a 40 minutes drive by road only. But, don’t forget that it is open from 9 am to 5 pm on Mondays to Saturdays and from 12 pm to 5 pm on Sundays. The ticket prices are reasonable, and you can also have the season passes from online sources.
11. Truist Field
Are you a sports fanatic? If yes, you must visit the Truist Field in Charlotte, the home of its minor league baseball team Charlotte Knights.
It further conducts concerts and many other sporting programs during the year. Here, you will enjoy the baseball sport with beautiful views of the city skyline. Besides that, it is easy to reach here by road and enjoy the other concerts. Our things to do in Charlotte, NC guide us there.
You can take a drive of 13 to 15 minutes or 7.2 miles from the Charlotte airport to reach this place. And don’t worry about the tickets! You will get a ticket for $44.43. But, it can fluctuate from one event or concert to another.
12. Village Park
Village Park is also amongst the best destinations to spend quality time with your family. You have to make a drive of 30-minutes from Charlotte to Village Park Kannapolis.
It offers you an amphitheater, playground, walking trail, Rotary Express Train, and more. Besides that, you can experience the Summer Concert & Movie Series and more.
As a result, the ticket prices are reasonable, and they charge $5 per person before 5 pm and $10 after 5 pm.
13. Carolinas Aviation Museum
It offers a few airplanes, including helicopters, equipment, gadgets, and printed materials. Therefore, if you want to see them, you have to visit the grounds of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
It is the next generation museum that inspires today’s use while guiding the Mechanics, human stories of flights, and the Miracle on the Hudson. Furthermore, the ticket is available for $13 only, and however, the prices vary according to the people visiting there.
- General – $12.87
- Seniors or 60+ – $10.73
- Students between age group 6 to 18 – $8.58
- Active-duty Military Officers – $8.58.
- Retired Military officers – $9.65
- Children under 5 – Free
So, visit there to see the beauty of aircraft in Charlotte.
14. The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Experience the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, which is spread around 380 acres and provides a peaceful natural environment.
All the forestry environments, its plants & education, concentration & vitality, and more encourage us to include this place in our things to do in the Charlotte NC blog.
So, if you want to experience this beauty, you can book a ticket at $14.95 for an adult. Likewise, you can pay $12.95 if you have a senior or 60+ individual. The tickets for children under the age group of 2 – 12 need $7.95 only.
However, you can get free entry if you are a member of the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. It is only 13.1 miles away from the Charlotte airport and takes 22 to 25 minutes to reach.
Our motive behind adding this place to our guide is to provide information about the peaceful place from Charlotte.
15. Wing Haven Garden
If you feel that Charlotte has only one natural and peaceful place, you are wrong.
In these things to do in Charlotte’s blog, you will find another option for giving the best peaceful experience in Charlotte. A Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary have a small waterhole of flowers, fountains, and wildlife experiences.
You can also enjoy your peaceful morning in the surrounding green space in the southern suburbs. Besides that, a child can enjoy its educational programs and sell the plants. How mesmerizing it is!
But, how far is it from Charlotte airport?
It is only 10.7 miles away from the Charlotte airport by road, and it needs only 21 minutes to reach there. So, you don’t have to travel a lot to experience this peaceful place. The ticket rates are also affordable.
You can buy your advanced tickets for $30, whereas the day-of tickets are only available for $35 per person. The garden hours are 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and 1 pm to 5 pm on Sundays.
Conclusion
Charlotte is known as a commercial hub but offers many exciting things to do. One can easily spend a day with his family and enjoy the best things in Charlotte. Therefore, this blog will guide you about the Best 15 Things To Do in Charlotte, NC. We are sure that these things will thoroughly entertain you and your family. These things are as follows.
- Carowinds
- Whitewater center
- Charlotte motors speedway
- Discovery place
- NASCAR hall of fame
- Billy graham library
- Mint museum
- Carolinas Renaissance festival
- Concord Aquarium
- Zootastic park
- Truist field
- Village park
- Aviation museum Carolina
- The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
- Wing haven Garden
The above all are our best picks, and we are sure that these places will never disappoint you with entertainment, excitement, enjoyment, and much more.
In the end, we hope that above all the information will help you to decide the best destination for you to enjoy your holiday.
