Things To Do
Amélie's French Bakery & Café | Park Road
French cafe and patisserie with a funky vibe. Their salted caramel brownie and macarons are the stars of the bakery. Other locations in Charlotte include South Charlotte and NoDa.
Eddies Place Restaurant
Classic but really well done breakfast food, often crowded so make a reservation.
Leroy Fox Cotswold
Good for brunch, lunch, and dinner! Southern style food with really good fried chicken.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
Wonderful breakfast food.
Barrington's
Small dining room, locally sourced ingredients, New American food. They have more awards than I can count. This is our favorite "special occasion" restaurant in Charlotte.
Haberdish
Great casual Southern food - some of the best fried chicken in Charlotte - inventive sides, and award-winning mixologist for cocktails.
Supperland
Love this restaurant! Open floor plan in a renovated church and all the dishes. cocktails, and wine selection are amazing. Sharing portions and worth the price.
dish
Staple of the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood, diner atmosphere and great food. Meatloaf and chicken and dumplings highly recommended.
Midwood Smokehouse
Best Eastern NC barbeque in Charlotte.
Counter-
Upscale, refined restaurant with rotating, concept-based tasting menus. James Beard nominated chef Sam Hart.
The Cellar at Duckworth's
Classy speakeasy with a vintage vibe offering creative cocktails & eclectic American fare.
Sushiya Japan Ramen & Sushi Bar
Our favorite sushi place. Somehow it gets overlooked in rankings but the quality of the food is top-notch. If you haven't tried real wasabi, try here!
Curry Gate
Best Indian food in Charlotte. They don't hold back on the spice levels!
Legion Brewing South Park
Very close to hotels and wedding venues in the SouthPark neighborhood. Legion has consistently good food and local beers. Kid-friendly environment until later in the evening.
Cafe Monte French Bakery and Bistro
French bakery and bistro. Casual setting and wonderful food.
Providence Road Sundries
A favorite for locals and a low-key restaurant and bar just around the corner from Christ Episcopal Church. Providence Road Sundries was founded in 1933 and this location was the meeting place for church members before the church was built.
Leah & Louise
Best soul food in Charlotte (food is based in Mississippi cuisine) in a casual setting. Named in Top 50 Restaurants in US by New York Times; Nominated for James Beard Award in 2023.
Lang Van
Off the beaten path. Best Vietnamese restaurant in the city and very casual.
US National Whitewater Center
Great outdoor center with whitewater rafting, kayaking, trails for hiking and mountain biking, zip lines, high ropes course, and rock climbing.
Crowders Mountain State Park
Closest hiking to Charlotte with great views at the summit.
Discovery Place Science
Science museum located uptown with IMAX theatre and lots of kid-friendly exhibits.
Speed Street Festival
Festival in uptown Charlotte from May 24-26th celebrating NASCAR and the Coca-Cola 600 race. The festival features live music, food trucks, a hot dog eating contest, autograph zone, driver appearances, family entertainment, and much more.
Camp North End
Renovated warehouse on 76 acres with local restaurants, coffee bars, artists, and unique stores.
SouthPark Mall
If you want to do any shopping or need something the weekend of the wedding, this is a great place to shop with both department and high-end boutique stores.
Super Abari Game Bar
Old-school arcade bar with pinball machines, older gaming consoles, and cocktails.
Lazy 5 Ranch
Drive-through safari park with additional exhibits of exotic animals. Kid and adult favorite, but watch out for the ostriches!
Pins Mechanical Co
Duckpin bowling, arcade games, drinks, foosball, food truck usually outside. Very kid-friendly during the day.
BMW Performance Center
If you want to get into the NASCAR spirit, this is a great option outside of Charlotte to get on a track and practice performance driving. Recommend the One Day M - School.
Puttery
Indoor mini-golf with craft cocktails and a cool vibe. Reservations recommended for weekend nights.
Idlewild
Small cocktail bar with no set menu - ask the bartenders for what you want and they'll design a drink. Also has some small plates.
Thirsty Beaver Saloon
One of the best dive bars in Charlotte and in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood. Order a PBR to fit in and enjoy the country jukebox. Mick Jagger dropped by here after his last intown concert so it's Rolling Stones approved.
The Evening Muse
Small venue with great live music and lots of independent artists.
Bond Street Wines
Small wine shop and tasting room with a wide selection of wine and good recommendations from owners and staff. Deejai Thai is right down the street if you want Thai or sushi with your wine tasting.
Coyote Joe's
Honky-tonk country bar with line dancing, live music, and a mechanical bull. Sit on saddles at the back bar and enjoy the people watching.