As the mom of two small children, I don’t get very many opportunities to travel without my kids. But since I live in Asheville, the city of Charlotte is just a two hour drive away. So when my best friend offered to meet me there I was all in!
I’d never been to Charlotte and had some trouble finding information about the best areas to stay or where to shop (call me cliche but shopping sans two bored little ones is the ultimate luxury). So I scoured a map of the city, highlighted the spots that looked best (and had the best ratings) and packed as much into the weekend as I could.
Check out my top recommendations to help you plan a fun weekend in Charlotte!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we may earn a small commission (don’t worry, it’s at no extra cost to you).
How to Spend Your Days in Charlotte
Go Shopping in the South End
On our first day in Charlotte we grabbed coffee at the only place near our Airbnb in the Fourth Ward – Queen City Grounds. The quality was good but the portion was tiny! If I can’t get a solid 16 ounces when I wake up, it’s a rough start.
We started walking south through Downtown and while I didn’t necessarily see any boutiques on my map, I figured we might find something. But Downtown Charlotte very much seems like a financial district with lots of people going to work but not a tourist hub.
So we enjoyed the sights of the impressive buildings and a few museums that we pondered checking out (more on that below). If we had had a few more days we would’ve added at least one or two museums to the list. We continued on to the South End where we knew we could find a few local boutiques.
After a quick breakfast at Wooden Robot Brewery (strange choice for breakfast, I know, but the breakfast sandwich was delicious) we started boutique hopping along S Tryon Street. Adair, Girl Tribe, and Lilbelle were a few favorites. As you continue farther south you’ll start hitting more well known shops like Anthropologie, Free People, and Sephora.
While perusing the South End, you absolutely MUST grab a coffee or a smoothie at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee! The drinks are delicious but they also have a great mission and employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We got the sweetest personal notes with our drinks and just felt the warmest welcome. I can’t recommend them enough!
Check out Camp North End
I’m a sucker for funky murals and eclectic food trucks and we found all that and more in Camp North End. It was confusing to get the right information, several locals that we asked had never been.
We were pleasantly surprised by the eating and drinking options! I opted for a steamy bowl of ramen at Saru by Bow Ramen (10/10 recommend) and a glass of wine at HEX Coffee Kitchen and Natural Wines. We enjoyed the wine at HEX but the vibe was more “quiet people on their laptops” than “fun weekend with the girls”. Next time I plan to check out Canteen at Camp North End.
The shops were what you’d probably expect from a hip, artsy area of the city – a record store, a cool used bookstore, and a plant shop where you can get sage to ward away the bad juju in your home. It’s still industrial, set right in the middle of an old train track, and I imagine it’ll only get more fun to visit as more people find out about it.
Plus we visited in February and while the weather was sunny, it was still pretty cold. Camp North End probably hits its stride in the summer when you can sit outside and enjoy a cocktail. The best dining options are food trucks and their seating options are outdoors (albeit with heat lamps) so if you visit in the dead of winter or on a rainy day, you might find Camp North End to be a drag.
Go Bar Hopping in NoDa
NoDa is another popular Charlotte neighborhood for a stroll. We grabbed a coffee at Smelly Cat Coffee House & Roastery on our way out of town and wished we had more time to wander around. There are lots of bars and restaurants so if you want to spend an evening bar hopping, this is a great area to do it!
Heist Brewery looks to be the most popular bar in the neighborhood so I’d recommend starting the night out there.
Peruse the Museums
Museums weren’t on our agenda for our girls weekend but if you want to add a bit of history to your schedule, there are plenty of musuems in downtown Charlotte right near each other.
You’ll find the following museums all within a few blocks:
- Levine Center for the Arts
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
- Levine Museum of the South
- Museum of Illusions
- Mint Museum Uptown
Where to Eat and Drink
- BAKU – for incredible sushi
- Dandelion Market – for delicious tapas and a lively vibe (plus a DJ on the weekend!)
- Canopy Cocktails & Garden – for their pretty patio on a sunny day
- Saru by Bow Ramen – for a delicious steaming bowl of ramen
- Buho Bar – for its whimsical decor
- Wooden Robot Brewery – for an afternoon brew
- Alexander Michael’s – for a casual, dive-bar vibe
Where to Stay
We chose an Airbnb in the Fourth Ward which we found to be quite convenient for Ubering around town, but not necessarily close to any great bars, coffee shops, or boutiques. In hindsight, we would’ve preferred to stay closer to the trendy South End neighborhood.
If you’d prefer a hotel, there isn’t much to pick from in the South End. This Holiday Inn Express and Suites gets great reviews and would be a good option if you don’t find a suitable Airbnb.
