Discover the Queen’s City
Charlotte, North Carolina
Everyone knows in Florida that you have to go North to experience the South. I had the opportunity to travel for a quick four-day trip to experience the South in Charlotte, NC, known as the Queen’s City. Charlotte was so named in the 1768 by pro-British colonists who wanted to curry favor with England’s King George III by naming the new town after his wife, Queen Charlotte Sophia, originally of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany. The county where Charlotte is located is Mecklenburg County after her majesty’s birthplace.
For those seeking an adventure, two must-do places include the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the U.S. National White Water Center. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, located just 20 miles from the Charlotte Motor Speedway, pays homage to the drivers and history of professional racing. From viewing the current exhibit ICONS with 18 cars, to the history of the sport with hundreds of artifacts, don’t miss the “Race Week” racing simulator experience.
Fun for the entire family is a day at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. It’s the largest man-made whitewater river and official Olympic Training site. From multiple zip lining courses to the guided whitewater rafting course, there is enough activity to keep everyone, regardless of skill level, entertained. There are various courses for stand-up paddle boarding and tandem kayaking, as well as 30 miles of trails for biking, walking and running in the beautiful 1,300 acres. If rock climbing is on your list, USNWC offer the largest outdoor climbing wall that goes to 30 feet.
For a delicious breakfast or brunch, don’t miss Amélie’s French Bakery & Café NODA. With three locations each offering their own unique whimsy, we went to the location in NODA and certainly wasn’t disappointed. The eclectic interior is Parisian-inspired from the black & white flooring to artwork hung from the walls and ceilings.
French-inspired pastries on display looked all so tempting, it was hard to decide on just one. The menu offers soups, sandwiches and delicious baked goods. Extra special was the spectacular dinner at Supperland with co-owner Jamie Brown, who sat down with us to explain their concept and discuss their recent recognition in Bon-Appetite as one of the Best New Restaurants 2022. Located in a converted church, the restaurant menu is described as “Southern Steakhouse meets Church Potluck.” I call it delicious. From the starter of the Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Dip to the Miso Macaroni and Cheese side and the Sunday Roast with Pickled Onions, our palettes were tantalized with flavors. A sweet finale of pint-sized pies and sundae’s are not to be skipped. Don’t miss this dining experience on your next travels to Charlotte.
Golf lovers will appreciate that Charlotte hosts the PGA Wells Fargo Championship each year at the Quail Hollow Club. I was fortunate to be in town as Charlotte hosted the Presidents Cup in September 2022 where the U.S. Team defeated the International Team for the ninth consecutive victory. There are plenty of great courses throughout the city for golfers to get out on a course.
A comfortable place to stay in the SouthPark area is the Hyatt Centric SouthPark. Located across from the Southpark Mall, the hotel is central to many of Charlotte’s top destinations. The rooftop bar and restaurant Mizu serve up delicious craft cocktails including the Legent-Dary Old Fashioned and Rumming To the Sunset. The restaurant is inspired by the wood-fired flavors of Japan with exceptionally delicious Asian and Southern inspired menu offerings.
We only scratched the surface, and need to return to Charlotte to discover more of its southern hospitality. M
To discover where to go and to learn more about Charlotte, NC, visit www.charlottesgotalot.com or check out IG and FB @charlotttesgotalot.
Hyatt Centric
www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/north-carolina/hyatt-centric-charlotte-southpark/cltct
Mizu
www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/north-carolina/hyatt-centric-charlotte-southpark/cltct/dining
U.S. National Whitewater Center
www.center.whitewater.org
Nascar Hall of Fame Charlotte
www.nascarhall.com
Supperland
www.supper.land
Amélie’s French Bakery & Café
www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com
