Category: Attractions

Do you ever wonder what life was like for the residents of Charlotte in the last few centuries and try to make a mental picture? Well, there is no need to do that anymore when you can know about it in person at the Charlotte Museum of History! Located 5 miles away from Uptown Charlotte, the museum showcases the culture and living of various peoples who have settled in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region through the ages.

The museum, which is a steward of the ca. 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Home Site, portrays the development of the Queen City and the way of living throughout the centuries – from the Catawba tribes to the European settlers to African immigrants – through exhibits, artifacts, maps and meticulously made replicas of houses. They also host activities such as storytelling sessions, screenings, workshops and programs that portray the rich history of the Queen City.

The main attraction of the Charlotte Museum of History, however the 18th-century Hezekiah Alexander Homesite – a 240-year-old structure that stands as the oldest in all of Mecklenburg County. The site contains a log barn, a two-story springhouse that has been reconstructed, a reproduction log kitchen, and of course the Alexander House itself. Guided tours are available on the hour, and upon request (for groups and institutions).

Contact Information:

Address: 3500 SHAMROCK DRIVE, CHARLOTTE, NC 28215

Phone: 704.568.1774

Address: http://charlottemuseum.org/

Looking for a place where you can take your younger children for a fun-filled, yet educative day? Look no further than Discovery Place Nature. Formerly known as Charlotte Nature Museum, the museum is located adjacent to Freedom Park, and is aimed to entertain and educate children between the ages of 3 and 7.

The hands-on, easily navigable museum has several opportunities for kids to explore the natural world around them. For instance, they can visit the science center, explore the outdoors, have fun on the outdoor stage. They can also visit the lab, which features a virtual “walk in the woods.” There is also an actual forest where kids can examine specimens or just stroll through and enjoy the natural beauty.

Just like every other museum under the Discovery Place banner, Discovery Place nature too organizes regular interactive nature exhibits and live shows. Live shows include butterfly displays, insect displays, live species and animal displays. The museum also hosts educational programs both independently and in collaboration with other educational institutions for parents, schools and the public. There is also a daily program slot that features hands-on activities and puppet shows.

Discovery Place Nature operates under Discovery Place, a private 501c (3) not-for-profit education organization in North Carolina that manages hands-on museum throughout Charlotte, Huntersville, and Rockingham.

Contact Information:

Address: 1658 Sterling Rd, Charlotte, NC 2820

Phone: 704-372-6261

Address: https://nature.discoveryplace.org

If you’re looking to explore and know more about plants and flowers, then UNC Botanical Gardens is the ideal place to be. Located within the premises of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the UNC Botanical Gardens is famous all over the country (and even internationally) for its gigantic collection of plant life and high-profile and large number of visitors.

Also called the Charlotte Botanical Gardens, the UNC Botanical Gardens has a rich collection of plants – both flowering and non-flowering. Their massive collections include everything – from common plants and flowers in and around Charlotte to some of the most exotic and rare species of orchids, perennials bulbs, vines, creepers, and even carnivorous plants. They also have several notable exhibits – these include the McMillan Greenhouse (specializing in housing orchids, violets and tropical plants belonging to the American and African desert environments), the Dinosaur’s Garden (which showcases primitive plants), the 3-acre-wide Susie Harwood Garden (which mainly showcases plants of Asian origin), and Ralph Van Landingham Glen (which houses over 900 species of wildflowers, shrubs and trees. There is no dearth of activity here either – they regularly host plant sales and exhibitions.

They are a respected member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA), and act as the final resting place for Bonnie Cone – founder of UNC Charlotte.

Contact Information:

Address: 9090 Craver Rd, Charlotte, NC 28262

Phone: 704-687-0721

Address: https://gardens.uncc.edu/

Looking for a place where your kids can enjoy, learn and know more about the world around them in a fun-filled and laid-back environment? Then head over to Discovery Place Science, a hands-on museum that allows kids (and even adults) who are enthusiastic about all things science and are eager to know how stuff works.

Located in Uptown Charlotte, the museum is actually meant for kids (especially those between the ages of 7 to 15), but is a treat for all ages, thanks to its engaging content and hands-on methods. The place is rife with all kinds science-y things to discover and learn from and is filled with various kinds of exhibits, live shows, workshops and activities. The museum has several interesting features the bed of nails, 3D laser printers, an indoor rainforest, various optical illusions and a vacuum-powered Air Chair, among others. Themes for exhibits include chemistry, anatomy, natural science, physics, as well as fun topics like the science behind Ripley’s Believe It or Not. It also organizes birthday parties and summer camps subject to request and booking in advance.

Discovery Place Science operates under Discovery Place, a private 501c (3) not-for-profit education organization in North Carolina that manages hands-on museum throughout Charlotte, Huntersville, and Rockingham.

Contact Information:

Address: 301 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Phone: 704-372-6261

Address: https://science.discoveryplace.org/

Stuck with the hustle and bustle of everyday life and looking for a way to reconnect with nature? Look no further than Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Located in Belmont on the banks of Lake Wylie, the botanical garden is a rich collection of natural wonders spread across 1.5 km2 (380 acres) of woodlands, meadows, and grasslands, along with a lakefront property.

A must-see for any and all ages, Daniel Stowe is a picturesque botanical garden with a very rich history. Originally used by the Cherokee and Catawba tribes for living, fishing and hunting, the area turned into home for early European settlers. Later, it was notably used by André Michaux, the famed French botanist who founded new brands in Gaston County, such as the Bigleaf Magnolia. In the later years, it was used as pasture for farm animals, with a large portion of the site being covered in forests. It was only in 1999 that the now 110-acre garden was opened in a grand public gesture.

The Botanical Garden itself is a gorgeous estate with beautiful features such as sparkling fountains, manicured gardens, woodland trails, and an orchid conservatoire. The garden is still partially in construction, with its future plans including a rose garden, an Asian garden, a children’s garden, a restaurant, a lakeside visitor center, and more.

Contact Information:

Address: 6500 S New Hope Rd, Belmont, NC 28012

Phone: 704-825-4490

Website: https://www.dsbg.org

Whether you want to rediscover (or explore) your own city or show it off to visitors, taking the Charlotte Segway Tours is a great way to view the Queen City. As the name implies, Charlotte Segway Tours offers, well, segway tours.

Available 7 days a week, segway tours start at 9am and start their last tour starting at 7pm, and some of Charlotte’s best destinations with the help of an experienced guide. Tour stops of Charlotte Segway Tours include the Historic Fourth Ward, the Elmwood cemetery, among others, as well as some less-taken roads that can surprise even the most well-versed locals.

Contact Information:

Address: 101 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28280, USA

Phone: +1 704-962-4548

Website: www.charlottenctours.com/

If you’re tired of your oh-so-ordinary and busy life, and are looking for a nice little time to spend away from it all, you’d love the Biltmore Estate. Built by George Washington Vanderbilt II of the prominent Vanderbilt family, the Biltmore Estate is the largest privately-owned home in the US, and is also one of the most gorgeous places you can ever go to.

Spread across an area of 10.86 square miles, this Château-style mansion has 250 rooms, and stands as a shining example of the Gilded Age. There are plenty of things to do here: You can go on any of the guided tours of the estate, or do some exploration of your own in the grounds, the estate garden and the mansion itself.

The Biltmore Estate has something to suit every taste and need, and every age. For instance, if you’re a connoisseur of good food, you can dine on the wide variety of eateries, ranging from upscale restaurants to cafes to snack on. You can also visit the state-of-the-art winery. Animal lovers can spend their time on the estate farm, while outdoor enthusiasts can pursue a variety of activities, from walks to drives and much more. History buffs (or the naturally curious) can go on the audio tour which shows the history of the estate. The Biltmore Estate also hosts seasonal events, such as the Festival of Flowers, as well as major festivals such as Christmas.

Contact Information:

Address: 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803, USA

Phone: 800-411-3812

Website: http://www.biltmore.com

If you love the outdoors, you’d love to visit the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC). Located about 15 minutes away from uptown Charlotte, the USNWC, which opened in 2006, is a non-profit facility for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Spread across 700 acres, the USNWC offers visitors to pursue several different outdoor activities, by air, land and water.

There are a wide variety of activities that can be done at the USNWC (not just whitewater rafting!), from hiking and mountain biking, to canoeing and whitewater rafting, to going on zip lines and rope courses for all ages and skill levels. And in case you’re the quiet type, you can simply take your computer and do your work in the Pump House Biergarten! You can even take your dog(s) along with you on the exclusive dog-walking paths.

The UNNWC also has a lot of scope for having a good time, especially in the company of family and friends. It features the River’s Edge Bar & Grill, which features a wide variety of foods, good wine and craft beer. The center also acts as a host to various adventures, music as well as food events like such as the Whitewater River Jam, Zipline & Dine, and the Microbrews Cruise.

You’re never going to get bored visiting this place. That’s for sure.

Contact Information:

Address: 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC  28214

Phone: 704.391.3900

Website: http://usnwc.org

If you’re the kind of person who loves to go through an exciting experience, then you should definitely make Paramount’s Carowinds part of your travel calendar! Popularly called the “Thrill Capital of the Southeast,” this one-of-a-kind amusement park.

There’s certainly no dearth of what you can do at Carowinds: from watching splendidly entertaining stage shows to interesting exhibits, and some of the best rides in the entire southeast. There are some great attractions here, from the dinosaur exhibit which allows visitors to walk through a Mesozoic set fitted with detailed animatronics, to a one-of-a-kind water park called the Boomerang Bay. The best thing about the park, however, is the fact that you can take your pets along too, for the place has a pet kennel facility to house your four-legged friends.

Contact Information:

Address: 14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273, USA

Phone: 704.588.2600

Website: https://www.carowinds.com

Whether you’re a techno-buff looking for some details on the evolution aviation systems, or a history-buff looking to take a closer look at the evolution of air travel, if aviation’s your passion or hobby, then this is one place you must definitely visit. Founded in 1992 by Floyd and Lois Wilson in 1992, the Carolinas Aviation Museum, which is located on the grounds of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, documents, preserves and displays in-depth information on the history, evolution, and technological developments of air travel. The museum houses over 50 stationary aircrafts (which includes a replica of the Wright Flyer) and thousands of historic items and gadgets related to aviation. Other than private aircrafts, the museum has several; military crafts and other flying machines on display, including (but certainly not limited to) the epic British World War I plane Sopwith Camel biplane, Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat, the Vietnam-era CH-46D Sea Knight copter, the Berlin Airlift C-54 and the QH-50 Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH). The museum also houses the Dolph Overton Aviation Library, an extensive 9,000-volume research library, as well as the Bat Cave Storage and Restoration Facility. The museum is known for its educational programs, activities and exhibits, which highlight the value of aviation and its relevance to the wider society.

Contact Information:

Address: 4672 1st Flight Dr, Charlotte, NC 28208, USA

Phone: +1 704-997-3770

Website: http://www.carolinasaviation.org