North Carolina Travelers Recommend

Exploring Charlotte’s two main art museums could consume an entire day, or you could choose to spend only an hour or so in each. The largely American- and European-focused Mint Museum, named for its former status as a branch of the U.S. Mint, is the most popular, while the splashy, high-concept Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is the newest, open only since 2010. Nearby, the nuanced art exhibits at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture provide visual and emotional insight into the varied black communities of both Charlotte and the South as a whole. About 8 minutes southwest of Uptown, Dilworth is adjacent to Charlotte’s version of Central Park, the 98-acre Freedom Park. Within the park, you’ll find walking and biking trails, a 7-acre lake, a year-round demonstration garden, and the family-friendly Charlotte Nature Museum. The surrounding neighbourhood of typical Craftsman houses and more lavish mansions is home to some great lunch options.