Charlotte Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Charlotte
Charlotte
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art which includes modern architecture and outdoor art
Charlotte showing autumn colours and a garden
Billy Graham Library

Visit one of the world’s banking capitals, with top art centres, museums and spectator sports in North Carolina’s beautiful Central Piedmont region.

Charlotte has Southern hospitality, lovely weather, a small-town feel and access to natural beauty in the mountains and on the shore. This city is also an important modern financial centre with all the amenities you’d expect in a large metropolis. Enjoy outdoor beauty during the day and appreciate great performances in the evening.

Walk through Charlotte’s downtown area for culture, entertainment and sports action. Attend opera, Broadway productions, symphonies, dance and other performances at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Centre’s seven venues. Several theatre groups put on classic to edgy plays and musicals at other locations in the city. Charlotte’s venues offer more than 65,000 performances and events annually.

The city’s 50 museums and art galleries range from Discovery Place, filled with hands-on exhibits to engage children of all ages, to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Carolinas Aviation Museum holds the “Miracle on the Hudson” Airbus that made an emergency landing in New York City’s Hudson River.

Stop in the one-of-a-kind NASCAR Hall of Fame downtown to learn about the sport’s bootlegging history. Drive north of the city to see and hear NASCAR racing at full throttle. The Carolina Panthers play football in a downtown stadium next to the Charlotte Knights baseball field. The city has professional basketball, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, roller derby and women’s sports teams. Just east of downtown, visit the campus and athletic field of University of North Carolina Charlotte.

Watersports abound in this warm-weather location. Swim, canoe and boat on Lake Norman or the Catawba River. Enjoy family whitewater rafting at the manmade U.S. National Whitewater Centre and watch Olympic kayakers practicing. Watch famous golfers compete at the annual PGA tournament at Quail Hollow or set up your own golf holiday across the area’s 30 courses.

Charlotte has a diverse international scene. Experience the Charlotte French Cultural Festival in July, watch energetic dancing at September’s Festival of India and enjoy music and arts in the long-running autumn Festival in the Park.

Where to stay in Charlotte

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Uptown Charlotte

4/5(1 area review)

Ample dining options, fascinating museums, and great live music are just a few top things to explore in Uptown Charlotte. A visit to Spectrum Center or Bank of America Stadium might round out your trip, and you can jump aboard the metro at Tryon Street Tram Stop or Charlotte Transportation Center Station to get around town.

Uptown Charlotte
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Ballantyne

Travellers come to Ballantyne for its abundant dining options, and you can see top attractions like The Amp Ballantyne and Reclining Bulls Statue while you're in town.

Ballantyne
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SouthPark

SouthPark is beloved for its popular shops. Take some time to explore sights in the area like Phillips Place and SouthPark Mall.

SouthPark
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University City

4/5(1 area review)

Known for its abundant dining options and live music, there's plenty to explore in University City. Top attractions like UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens and Electrolux Corporate Headquarters are major draws, and you can catch the metro at McCullough Station or JW Clay Boulevard /UNC Charlotte Station to see more of the city.

University City
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South End

When in South End and the surrounding area, you'll want to check out sights like Bank of America Stadium or Spectrum Center and hop on the metro to see more of the city at East-West Blvd Station or Bland Station.

South End
NASCAR Hall of Fame showing interior views as well as a small group of people

Second Ward

Noted for its theatres and museums, there's plenty to explore in Second Ward. Top attractions like NASCAR Hall of Fame and Queen City Quarter are major draws, and you can hop on the metro at 3rd St - Convention Center Station or Stonewall Station to see more of the city.

Second Ward
Quality Inn Charlotte Airport

Quality Inn Charlotte Airport

2.5 out of 5
3100 Queen City Drive, Charlotte, NC
The price is AU$104 per night from 2 Nov to 3 Nov
AU$104
per night
2 Nov - 3 Nov
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Charlotte. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
7.6/10 Good! (2,567 reviews)
"Conveniently located."

Reviewed on 11 Oct 2025

Quality Inn Charlotte Airport
Omni Charlotte Hotel

Omni Charlotte Hotel

4 out of 5
132 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC
The price is AU$336 per night from 17 Nov to 18 Nov
AU$336
per night
17 Nov - 18 Nov
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Charlotte. Enjoy breakfast (surcharge), room service, and a health club. Our guests praise the pool and the bar ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,180 reviews)
"Room was spacious and clean and staff was super friendly and very helpful. No matter what we asked them for they brought it right up to the room!!"

Reviewed on 5 Oct 2025

Omni Charlotte Hotel
Homewood Suites By Hilton Charlotte Uptown First Ward

Homewood Suites By Hilton Charlotte Uptown First Ward

3 out of 5
508 N. College St., Charlotte, NC
The price is AU$217 per night from 2 Nov to 3 Nov
AU$217
per night
2 Nov - 3 Nov
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Charlotte. Enjoy free breakfast, a fitness center, and valet parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,234 reviews)
"Nice spot on the edge of town. Room was clean and spacious. Everything was great except the parking—which was a bit expensive for paying customers."

Reviewed on 16 Oct 2025

Homewood Suites By Hilton Charlotte Uptown First Ward
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
stayAPT Suites Charlotte North

stayAPT Suites Charlotte North

4 out of 5
9655 Statesville Rd, Charlotte, NC
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Charlotte. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Northlake Mall and ...
7.4/10 Good! (98 reviews)
"The property felt like a modern apartment..definitely exceeded my expectations. The staff who helped us check in were super helpful and thorough. My only complaint is that one of the pillows had a questionable stain, but other than that, everything was great. Overall, if you’re considering staying ..."

Reviewed on 5 Oct 2025

stayAPT Suites Charlotte North
Kasa FreeMoreWest Charlotte

Kasa FreeMoreWest Charlotte

4 out of 5
2109 Morton St, Charlotte, NC
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Charlotte. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (589 reviews)
"No complaints at all about the place. My only concern is that when I booked it I did not know that it was not an actual hotel. Please make that more clear as an actual hotel would have been better for what I needed."

Reviewed on 15 Oct 2025

Kasa FreeMoreWest Charlotte
Kasa NoDa Charlotte

Kasa NoDa Charlotte

4 out of 5
1700 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Charlotte. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour fitness center, and parking (surcharge). Popular attractions Spectrum Center and Bank ...
9/10 Wonderful! (86 reviews)
"All is good"

Reviewed on 6 Oct 2025

Kasa NoDa Charlotte
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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Activities

Reviews of Charlotte

4
Top destination
5 - Excellent
1
5 - Excellent 14%
4 - Good
5
4 - Good 71%
3 - Okay
1
3 - Okay 14%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Pleasantly surprised. Enjoyed Nascar Hall of Fame along with other race team visits. Would love to come back and have more time to look around Charlotte itself. Highlight by far the friendliness of the people we encounted during our visit.

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