By Mariah Cannon

Charlotte, North Carolina is a perfect destination for just about anyone. With a mix of good eats, downtown life, and outdoor opportunities – there simply is something that everyone will find joy in!

I visit Charlotte and the surrounding areas frequently to visit friends and family and have curated an ultimate list of some of the best things and things I thoroughly enjoyed to do around the city. Here we go…

1. Head to the NoDa District for some absolutely incredible street art and murals. NoDa is an abbreviation for North Davidson Street, which is the Main Street and where you can find the majority of the murals surrounding. There are so many different types of art and murals, it’s super fun to walk around and take photos here.
2. Visit Rosie’s Coffee and Wine Garden where you’ll find incredible coffee and wine and baked treats along with an incredible rose garden to sit in and enjoy. The whole vibe of the garden is incredible and there are tons of different flowers and plants throughout.
3. Another super fun area to visit is Camp North End – here you’ll find tons of cute photo opportunities, more art and murals, yummy food and drinks, and loads of cute locally owned shops!
4. Take a nature walk at Reedy Creek Nature Trail, a preserve that has 3+ miles of trails to enjoy some nature close to the city limits. Here you’ll find lots of birds, some boardwalks, and lots of greenery in the Spring and Summer. Fall time brings excellent red, orange, and yellow colors as well!
5. Grab some delicious crepes from Hazelnuts Creperie located in the Blakeney Town Center and is so good. I tried the Creme De La Crepe and I would 100% order it again. Something to note about this place, is they do not take cash!
6. Another great little nature trail to do near Charlotte, is the Steven’s Creek Nature Trails. It combines a couple of loops to make up a 3.8 mile figure eight loop and during the Spring and Summer time, it is so green and lush. There’s a cute boardwalk at the beginning of the trail that makes for some good pictures. This is a really great family friendly area!
7. Get a little competitive at Trails Dynasty Mini Golf and Creamery and grab some delicious homemade ice cream after! This is more of a quiet mini golf place and is perfect for anyone and everyone!
8. Check out the maintained trails outside of Charlotte, Lower McAlpine Creek and McMullen Creek Greenways – it’s about 8 miles round-trip with minimal elevation gain and amazing views.
9. Grab some delicious and extravagant ice cream and milkshakes from The Yard Milkshake Bar. The milkshakes here are to die for and so colorful and fun. It’s a 10/10 ice cream place if you’re in Charlotte!
10. Go on a self guided church tour! Charlotte is full of tons of different types of churches and the structures are so beautiful. My mom and I explored about 10 different ones and they were all so unique! Some of the most unique ones are:
    • St. Peters Catholic Church
    • First Presbyterian Church
    • St. Peters Episcopal Church
    • First United Methodist Church
    • Myers Park United Methodist Church

Final Thoughts

Whether it’s your first time visiting Charlotte or your 100th, these activities are such a fun thing to add to your list while you’re there! Charlotte is full of character, good vibes, tons of things to do, and lots of kind people. I think you’ll love it!

Let’s Get Adventuring!

Mariah