There’s a lot to savour while visiting Charlotte, whether you spend your days at the North Carolina city’s performing arts centres, museums or leafy parks. There are almost 200 neighbourhoods in the city to explore, where you’ll find it easy to explore the city’s high-end malls, breweries and family-friendly attractions.

Things to do

If sightseeing tops your holiday to-do list, take a self-guided museum tour around Charlotte. See more than 50 aircraft at Carolinas Aviation Museum, discover the best NASCAR racers at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and admire 20th-century masterpieces at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

Families will have their days packed with exciting experiences, from creative drama classes at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte to shark and stingray feedings at SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord Aquarium. Are you a sports fan? Time your visit to coincide with a Carolina Panthers or Charlotte Hornets game. You can also watch high-octane car racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway, about 21 kilometres out of town.

Charlotte’s nightlife is a mixture of swanky nightclubs, family-owned breweries, speak easy gastro-pubs and festive live music venues. Start with duelling pianos at Howl at the Moon, before tearing up the dance floor at late-night clubs in Uptown, including the 90s-themed Roxbury Nightclub. Beer enthusiasts will love the German-style brews at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, while couples are in for a romantic treat at McNinch House Restaurant.

Charlotte isn’t a place for staying indoors, especially when you can stroll through nine themed gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, browse boutique food and art stalls at Atherton Market and hike past farm animals and centuries-old buildings at Historic Rural Hill.

Getting around

Charlotte’s trains, trolleys, shuttles and buses are all run by the Charlotte Area Transit System and can take you anywhere you need to go in the city. You can easily navigate Uptown on foot or in a car, thanks to the neighbourhood’s grid-style street layout.