Ask a local why they love living in Charlotte, and they’ll tell you that the Queen City has all of the advantages of a large, modern metropolis while still managing to maintain a small town feel. As you venture outside the center city into the tree-lined streets and close-knit neighborhoods, you instantly feel right at home, embraced by our residents’ Southern charm. From an historic streetcar neighborhood to an eclectic arts district risen from the skeletons of an old mill town, Charlotte’s diverse neighborhoods give the city a unique flair – there’s something for everyone and everyone is welcome here.

While you’re visiting the Queen City, we encourage you to hop on the light rail, jump on a B-Cycle, or strap on your running shoes to venture away from the Convention Center district to explore our neighborhoods and discover why “Charlotte’s Got A Lot!”

Dilworth– established by Edward Dilworth Latta in the 1890s on 250 acres located southwest of the original city limits, Dilworth was Charlotte’s first streetcar suburb. Its streets feature stately, mature oak trees, sidewalks, and homes with front porches. A majority of the homes are bungalows, with an occasional Queen Anne or Colonial Revival. Much of the neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

     Check Out:

• Latta Park – Designed to be kid and family friendly, Latta Park is an urban sanctuary featuring walking trails lined with benches, playgrounds, and sports fields nestled beneath a well-developed tree canopy. On a hot summer day, there’s no better place to be than the Latta Park Sprayground, whose water sprays, nozzles, streams, and spouts keep kids (and kids at heart) busy and cool from Memorial Day through September.
• Freedom Park – located almost 3 miles from the heart of uptown Charlotte, Freedom Park is the “Central Park” of Charlotte. Freedom Park is a 98 acre urban oasis located around a 7 acre lake. It features paved trails, tennis and volleyball courts, sports and athletic fields, and playground equipment. The Charlotte Nature Museum, located adjacent to the park, is a fun learning center operated by Discovery Place that exhibits animals and plants of the Piedmont Region.
• East Boulevard - Lined with restaurants, offices and shops – many located in renovated homes, East Boulevard serves as the main thoroughfare. Don’t miss lunch at Thai Taste followed by a visit to the eclectic stationery and whatnot store, Paper Skyscraper.

 

Elizabeth – takes its name from Elizabeth College, a small Lutheran women’s college founded in 1897 on the present-day site of Novant Health’s Presbyterian Medical Center. Elizabeth began to develop rapidly after the turn of the twentieth century when a trolley line was completed to the area, and was annexed into the city in 1907. As one of Charlotte’s oldest neighborhoods, Elizabeth has a well-established tree canopy that provides a cooling shade for most of its residential areas.

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• Central Piedmont Community College – CPCC’s main campus is located just east of Uptown, and houses an institution which has a reputation as a pacesetter in education. CPCC has grown from a small college with a dozen programs serving 1,600 students to one with over 258 degree, diploma, and certificate programs serving approximately 70,000 students in an array of credit and noncredit offerings. The college is the county’s premier workforce development resource, offering its educational services throughout the area
• Independence Park, is Charlotte’s first public park, surrounded by streets lined with Craftsman-style bungalows. The park is split into two sections by Hawthorne Lane. Both sections lie below street level which gives the park a secluded and tranquil atmosphere, despite the fact that the site commands excellent views of the Charlotte skyline. The lower park contains a winding path, a rose garden, large, leafy trees, a reflecting pond, and a gazebo. The upper park contains more trails, a playground, several athletic fields and the 300 seat Independence Park Stadium.

 

Historic South End – located immediately south of Uptown Charlotte, Historic South End is one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the city, with a diverse mix of residential complexes, retail, and businesses springing up along the LYNX light rail line. Historic South End began its rise in the 1850s with Charlotte’s first railroad line, connecting the Queen City to the port in Charleston, SC. Over the years a thriving manufacturing district was established along the tracks, centered on the booming textile industry. The area saw a decline during the 1970s and 80s, but was revived in the 1990s as restaurants, shops, and design-related industries reclaimed and renovated the old mills and warehouses. Today, Historic South End is known as a hub of creativity, innovation and design.

     Check Out:

• Tremont Music Hall - Home of the city's best series of underground concerts, Tremont Music Hall’s gritty location on the edge of SouthEnd is right in tune with its personality. At maximum capacity it can only hold a few hundred people, and the lack of permanent seating allows you to get as close as you like to the stage. It features a good mix of local and national acts.
• South End Gallery Crawl- Hop on the light rail to the Camden Road area, where you can explore a plethora of galleries exhibiting unique paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and mosaics – all within a short walk.
• Atherton Mill & Market - Housed partly in the former Parks-Cramer Company manufacturing facility, originally built in the 1919, and partly in a former Charlotte Trolley Car Barn, the buildings of Atherton Mill & Market echo the industrious spirit that created them. Walking on the wooden brick floors tells you stories of what was once home to a bustling workspace that’s become a destination for shopping, delicious food and entertainment. We recommend stops at Savory Spice Shop and Big Ben British Pub!

 

Midtown – located just minutes outside Uptown, the Midtown neighborhood is an up and coming area known for its stunning skyline view, boasting the best of what Charlotte has to offer. An eclectic mix of dining and shopping options are all within walking distance. Shops range from big box stores like Target, Staples, and Best Buy to smaller boutiques with unique clothing and furniture selections.

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• Metropolitan at Midtown – This ambitious mixed use complex gave a neglected neighborhood new life and turned the abandoned 14 acre site of Charlotte’s first enclosed mall into a thriving retail center with condos, restaurants and offices totaling almost a million square feet. Shop till you drop at West Elm, Target, Trader Joes and several smaller boutiques, then satisfy your appetite at one of the many delicious restaurants, including Vivace, Hickory Tavern, Zoë’s Kitchen or Dressler’s.
• Little Sugar Creek Greenway – take a stroll (or run) along this picturesque urban greenway which stretches continuously for nearly 6 miles from 7th Street south to Brandywine Road.

 

Myers Park – Today, Charlotteans recognize the Myers Park neighborhood as one of the city's most prestigious addresses - an area of fine homes, tree-lined streets, and curving drives. However, few locals realize that the neighborhood's importance extends far beyond Charlotte. The influence of Myers Park residents is far reaching because it was the home of many of the textile, banking, and utility leaders responsible for developing the Piedmont Carolinas into a major American manufacturing region in the early twentieth century.

     Check Out:

• The “Myers Park Mile,” a stretch of Providence Road known as Charlotte’s premier and historic shopping district.
• Manor Theatre - An old classic looking theatre, the Manor Theatre opened in 1947 with seating for 700. It features art-house and independent films.
• Duke Mansion – The former home of James Buchannan Duke, co-founder of Duke University and the company that has become Duke Energy is now a luxurious inn with 20 guest rooms and beautiful meeting facilities, surrounded by 4 ½ acres of serene gardens and grounds.

 

Historic West End – Located west of Uptown along West Trade Street and Beatties Ford Road, the Historic West End and each of its unique neighborhoods have contributed much to the collective spirit of Charlotte’s historical and cultural fabric. Local Historian Dan Morrill has called the area one of the most important in terms of its contribution to the culture and history of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Eclectic shops, restaurants, parks and entertainment venues can be found along the corridor.

     Check Out:

• Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) – is a private liberal arts university with proud HBCU traditions and a future aimed at diversity. JCSU enrolls approximately 1,600 highly talented and motivated students from various backgrounds. The faculty and staff members are equally as unique, coming from all over the world.
• The George E. Davis House The former home of Dr. George E. Davis stands a block from the campus of Johnson C. Smith University. Davis, who was a professor, dean and advocate for education, left a legacy of incomparable achievement in raising funds for the education of black students in the state of North Carolina
• Mosaic Village  is a mixed-use facility developed by JCSU that includes student housing, retail and commercial spaces.
• The Historic Excelsior Club at 921 Beatties Ford Rd was established in 1944 and has presented such entertainers and James Brown and Nat King Cole.
• Lincoln Heights Park underwent a rebuild in 2011 and is currently having amenities added and will be highlighted during the National Recreation and Park Association’s Annual Meeting in October in Charlotte. 

 

NoDa (North Davidson Street) – Formerly a village of mill workers located along the train tracks, young artists were drawn to revive the North Davidson Street area a quarter century ago. Fast forward to today, and you’ll find a hip neighborhood where residents and visitors amuse themselves among the various art galleries, microbreweries, shops, restaurants and music venues which stretch from 28th to 36th streets.

     Check Out:

• After sipping coffee and savoring sweets at Amelie’s French Bakery, catch a show at the Carolina Actor’s Studio Theatre (CAST), or enjoy local music at The Evening Muse, Neighborhood Theatre, or the Chop Shop NoDa.
• Explore quirky vintage shopping at the Rat’s Nest or Reinvented Charlotte.
• Sip a locally crafted microbrew at NoDa Brewing Co., Heist Brewery, or Birdsong Brewing Co.

 

Plaza Midwood – The most diverse of Charlotte’s streetcar-era neighborhoods, Plaza Midwood is both quirky and quaint, hipster and historic. Centered around Central and Thomas Avenues, the neighborhood is sprinkled with vintage shops, hip clothing boutiques, and one-of-a-kind restaurants. Make a ninety-degree turn off Central Avenue onto The Plaza, and you’ll find a beautiful historic district of homes including charming cottages and bungalows complete with rocking chair front porches.

     Check Out:

• The VanLandingham Estate – an elegant bed and breakfast which allows visitors to experience lush greenery draping the grounds inspired by the landscape of the VanLandingham’s mountain home built a century ago.
• Central/Thomas Avenue Shops and Dining – don’t miss the one-of a-kind thrift and vintage shopping experience, including Century Vintage, Buffalo Exchange, and Hong Kong Vintage. Fill your belly with eclectic eats at unique restaurants such as Soul Gastrolounge, the Peculiar Rabbit, Zada Jane’s Corner Cafe, and The Diamond.