Southern Comfort Meets Royal Soul: A Local’s Guide to the Queen City
What to know about AmEx's expanded benefits, the transience of cities, and the absolute best travel spray and detergent.
Greetings from Tuscany! 🇮🇹 I’m currently on my long-awaited solo trip across Europe, and it’s been both a liberating and interesting experience—it seems people are surprised that a (happily) married woman would travel alone for fun, but I wanted to challenge myself outside of my comfort zone this year, so here we are.
If you’re not sure how to ease into your first solo trip yourself, my older walkthrough might be helpful—plus, the benefits of solo travel are many. It’s worth trying at least once.
Subbing in for me this week is our second guest guide from Kylah of double booked, again. She was one of the first readers to reach out when I first announced these, and I’m thrilled she created this guide to a city I’ve never visited before, but now feel like I can drive to in the coming months to experience. (And of course, if you’re interested in writing a guest guide for Departure, DM me.)
Take it away, Kylah!
Southern Comfort Meets Royal Soul: A Local’s Guide to the Queen City
Charlotte is one of those cities that you need to visit to understand. It’s not a major city, but its mid-level size carries a comfortable balance of “city” remnants, while maintaining its suburban feel.
Charlotte isn’t a tourist city, in my opinion: Charlotte’s best qualities are in its simplicity. You’re not taking a tour bus around Uptown (it’s not downtown, it’s Uptown!). We don’t have many flashy landmarks. Uptown is small in comparison to other city’s “downtown” areas. And though the city is a bit fragmented, there’s not one central hotspot. There’s many—and a different vibe for everyone.
These are all just a few reasons why I love Charlotte. There’s something in the city’s atmosphere that feels like a place people actually live, which is why it’s perfect for slow, quiet travel. If you don’t already know someone who lives in the city, it can be difficult to find the things to do. And now you have me to share a guide on what’s what and where to go if you ever find yourself landing in the Queen City.
You can find me at double booked, again for more travel and lifestyle content, and message me privately here for any further questions!
What to Know
Charlotte’s weather nicely balances all four seasons with a humid subtropical climate that often characterizes the southeastern US. That means hot, humid summers and chilly-to-mild winters with the occasional snow day that shuts down the city entirely. The city boasts beautiful nature, with close proximity to forests, beaches, lakes, parks, greenways, mountains. And not to mention, the sports and entertainment that received a major boost around the early 2010s with the Carolina Panthers’ long-awaited success, the Bobcats officially rebranding to the Hornets, and the welcoming of the new, shiny ballpark in Uptown.
Today, Charlotte is known as one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. It’s grown nearly 30% since 2011 and is approaching one million residents. And it shows.
Every city has its pains with outsiders moving in and changing the fabric of the city. Despite this, every time I return, I feel the local warmth and charm of the city (and residents) that shaped me. And it’s still beautiful in all its glory.
Where to Stay
JW Marriott Charlotte is my personal hotel recommendation. Centrally located in the city, it has a great rooftop bar with incredible views called Aura.
If I was visiting Charlotte and didn’t want to stay at a hotel, I’d likely opt for Airbnb within these neighborhoods: South End, NoDa, Uptown Charlotte. Here are some recommendations (note: these links are subject to break!):
This charming guesthouse in NoDa is a charming, design-forward favorite.
This home in South End offers proximity to popular bars and entertainment.
Where to Eat & Drink
Charlotte has a diamond in the rough kind-of food scene….allow me to explain. There are quite a few misses, lots of chain restaurants, and no shortage of fast food. That said, the great options are truly great.
favorite reservations.
Bird Pizzeria. Best pizza in the city. Try a last minute reservation or book two weeks out on Resy. Reservations go quickly! Read about my experience here.
The Cellar at Duckworth. A speakeasy vibe that’s perfect for appetizers, small plates and cocktails before a concert or show in the Uptown area.
Church & Union. Ideal for a group dinner/brunch. I recommend the Chicken Karaage and Pei Mussels!
Sanctuary Bistro serves vegan and gluten-free American fare with a passionate purpose. Elevated and organic, yet simple.
favorite local spots.
Folia. Great DJs, adjacent to other bars (that often skew 20s crowd) and a delicious lemon drop martini!
Lottie’s Cafe. This Uptown café, located near the former Epicenter (rip), has the absolute cutest menu with amazing community events throughout the year.
Night Swim Coffee. Another lovely cafe with several locations, regular community events and a must-experience DJ set on Saturday mornings at the Brevard location.
Free Range Brewing. I’d be remiss not to mention a brewery, given how the local beer culture has exploded in recent years. This one hosts great events, everything from figure drawing to tango classes, in addition to a cold glass.
places that remind me of my childhood.
Pelicans SnoBalls. New Orleans-style shaved ice. So fun, so many flavors (over 100!), so family-friendly!
Rico’s Acai. Fresh fruit, açai bowls, family-owned by brothers from Puerto Rico.
Tupelo Honey. I live for a nostalgic chain restaurant. Visit the Uptown location for a yummy, filling brunch.
What to Do
Charlotte boasts a bunch of outdoor festivals and activities that range from cultural celebrations to family-friendly foodie events. Type in “Festivals This Weekend in Charlotte” on Google and you’re sure to find a plethora of free/low-cost events across the city’s parks and streets. For me, I’m an “arts, culture, activity” lover.
favorite arts & culture.
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, and Mint Museum sit adjacent to one another in Uptown. All three museums participate in Wednesday Night Live, including free admission from 5–9 PM every Wednesday. But the admission fees across all three are reasonable.
Belk Theater is for theatre, art and music performances. Beautiful interior and a large variety for those into performing arts.
Catch your favorite artist at Bank of America Stadium, Spectrum Center, or one of the countless concert venues throughout the metro area, including the four major outdoor amphitheatres.
favorite adventure.
U.S. National Whitewater Center: if you love nature, outdoor sports, you’ll love this place. Home to the world’s largest manmade whitewater river, they have outdoor sports all year long, and my personal favorite, ziplining.
hidden gems.
Mo’ Betta Thursdays. Jazz fans, you have to make it to Mo Betta Thursdays. With a live band playing every Thursday, it’s the best occasion for date night or solo activity.
Lorem Ipsum Bar. A quaint listening bar with the sole goal of creating a space that provides a sensory experience. This spot hosts everything from Bring Your Own Vinyl events to a wine club.
Any Last Tips?
Prepare to rent a car or Uber most places. Public transit exists; however, the light rail and buses are limited and slower methods of transportation. You may end up in front of a random subdivision if you take the bus…just saying.
Asheville and Raleigh are 2–2.5 hour road trips (in opposite directions). The Blue Ridge Mountains are gorgeous near Asheville, and both cities have excellent food options that are a short drive away.
🥰 I always pack a travel spray from this brand when I travel. After my husband and I ran out last month, we re-upped our scents (Sunlit Blooms, Xtra Milk, and Fragrance 02), and I brought Sunlit Blooms along with me to Europe. We also use their detergent and room sprays in the scent Taunt, and it’s absolutely the best. (Don’t take it just from me; I turned Ashley Spivey onto these and she’d agree too!) They kindly gave us a code: Use HENAH15 for 15% off your purchase.
💳 AmEx is expanding benefits for Platinum Card holders to justify the $895 fee, and I’m not a huge lounge girlie, but it might be worth checking out for yourself. One lounge is slated to open next year in…Charlotte! Apropos.
🎸 How Dolly Parton—America’s longest-running sweetheart—built the tourism empire of her dreams. (WSJ)
🌆 Blake Anderson, who we met in Colombia when he was solo traveling, recently wrote a thought-provoking post about the transience of cities: “When I read about the past, I’m confronted with a long list of forgotten or ‘dead’ places. Ugarit, Angkor, Harappa, and Cahokia likely don’t ring a bell for most humans today, but for centuries (even millennia) of human life, they were The City of their locales.”
👀 Announcing the first-ever partnership between a global airline and hotel loyalty program, oneworld and Taj InnerCircle are joining together to offer members savings and tier-based benefits. I’m not much of a oneworld loyalist, but if you’re a frequent flier of Alaska/Hawaiian, American, British Airways, etc., it could be worthwhile.
See y’all next week! —Henah x
Bookmarking this for a planned trip to Charlotte in October!
Charlotte is a city people actually live in. Most travel guides treat that as a problem to work around. The best stuff is almost always in places like this, where nobody built it for tourists.