Before this weekend trip, I had been to Charlotte many times, but had never left the airport. It’s a main connection hub for American Airlines, so I’ve only passed through on my way to Europe or other cities. This time, it was my moment to leave the airport and venture into the city to see some friends who were on a big Southeastern USA road trip.
To get from the airport into the city center, because I had some time to kill, I tested out the public transportation and downloaded the bus app, the CATS-pass. It was honestly quite seamless and the bus, the CATS-Sprinter from the airport to downtown was a pleasant ride. I got dropped off just a 10 minute walk from where I planned to eat brunch at Ruby Sunshine. Easy peasy!
Where to Stay in Charlotte
For a budget-friendly, minimal friction stay experience, consider booking Kasa Edison House South Dilworth in Charlotte. I had a seamless experience checking in and out of this hotel, it is not managed with a front desk, which is a bit weird and dystopian, but for a quick weekend with no issues, it was great. It’s in a neighborhood that is quiet, which was nice for walking around but it’s not the most centrally located. If you don’t want to bother with Ubers and taxis, consider booking something more central like the Moxy Downtown Charlotte or JW Marriott Charlotte.
Restaurants & Bars in Charlotte
Brunch at Ruby Sunshine
The first meal I had before my friends arrived in the city was brunch at Ruby Sunshine. This is a sister restaurant to Ruby Slipper in New Orleans, which I was delighted to find out upon realizing it felt so, familiar. Here I indulged in a delicious breakfast cocktail and a huevos rancheros style entree. It was a fantastic spot to sit at the bar and relax while starting my adventure in Charlotte.
Lunch at Roots Cafe
For a healthy lunch in a chic cafe, check out Roots Cafe in South End. Typically when I travel, especially just for short weekend trips, I never hold myself to a healthy standard and just let myself eat whatever sounds good, but this was the type of place where you didn’t have to sacrifice healthy for great taste. My salad was awesome, the housemade dressing really tied it all together, and it was huge and filling which was ideal for fueling up before an afternoon of wandering around the city. This would also be a great place for an afternoon coffee.
Breakfast at The Wafflery
This place was popping on Saturday morning, and after one bite of my fried chicken and waffles, it was easy to see why. The Wafflery specializes in all sorts of different waffles — sweet, savory, classic, whatever toppings you want, you can enjoy. They serve coffee and other breakfast beverages, grits, biscuits and gravy, and other heavy Southern breakfast classics.
Try Pimento Cheese Dip & Beers at Valhalla Pub & Eatery
Apparently Pimento Cheese Dip is a “Charlotte thing” so I had to try it while we were out at the bars. In the Third Ward district, which is near Truist Field and other main parts of downtown, find yourself off Church Street on the Brevard Court laneway, full of hopping bars and restaurants and perfect for starting or ending a night out in Charlotte. We stopped into Valhalla Pub and Eatery for a drink and this appetizer before heading to the stadium for the baseball game.
Watch a Baseball Game at Truist Field
While this isn’t typically on my “to-do” list when visiting a city for a weekend, I was venturing with some friends who really love America’s pastime, so we opted for an evening at the ball field. Minor league games are always way more fun in my opinion, and Truist Field was a great setting for classic summer night at a game. There are a ton of food and drink vendors, with reasonable prices along the concourse, and it was not too crowded which made for a pleasant viewing experience. Get a hot dog and a beer and enjoy a summer night in Charlotte watching a game.
Book a Historical City Tour with Southern Charm Rides
This city tour was great! Enjoy a spot on a golf cart or in an air-conditioned bus with a local tour guide to drive around the historic wards of the city. It was super informative on the history of Charlotte, why it is called Charlotte (hint, Queen Charlotte has something to do with it), and provided a lot of insight into the geographical layout of the city. The guide also had great recommendations on local restaurants and places to go, and I was fascinated to learn that Charlotte is #2 for finance in the United States after NYC. Southern Charm Rides was a great experience and I would recommend them for a tour to get your bearings on the city and learn more about Charlotte.
Drink a Cheerwine
Cheerwine is a cherry soda produced in North Carolina and it’s an iconic regional drink that one must try when visiting Charlotte or anywhere in North Carolina. I’d heard of it many times before this trip but had never indulged in one, but I can say if you love a soda from time to time, it hits the spot. It’s sweet, similar to Dr. Pepper but more smooth in taste. I also had a Cheerwine inspired beer while I was in Charlotte and that was also quite good. Between this and the Moxie I tried during my visit to Maine, I think I would have to say I prefer Cheerwine as my regional soft drink of choice between the two, but Moxie is also worth a try if you’re in New England.
Enjoy Drinks and Bites at a Bodega
This was one of my favorite “discoveries” while visiting Charlotte – the bodega culture. Here there are various little supermarkets or convenience stores that not only sell alcohol for off-site consumption, but within them, they have a bar area where you can sit and enjoy. It was awesome to grab cheap snacks right off the shelves and enjoy with a freshly poured pint from the bar tap. It’s a very simple thing but this sort of establishment doesn’t exist in Minnesota and I really loved the experience of drinking in a convenience store bar. My favorite spot we visited was Bart’s Mart.
Visit the Charlotte Museum of History
I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t say this museum is a “must” do, I found it kind of boring, but it did provide more insights into the history of Charlotte. Get the guide to get more out of it — most exhibits had very minimal information. The most interesting part to me was the outdoor wooded area that led to a historic, preserved house from 1774, which has scheduled tours to check out as a part of your museum entrance fee. Check out the Charlotte Museum of History if you’re visiting on a rainy weekend or have a history buff in your travel group. Otherwise, I’d skip it.
And that’s most of what we did during our weekend in Charlotte! It was an easy weekend getaway from Minneapolis, with a short, direct flight. I mostly loved seeing my friends, and the city was nice to explore and tick off the list.
No Comments