10 Ways to Fall in Love with Your City
September is Charlotte’s unofficial reset button.
Summer may be winding down, but Uptown is picking up with sports, festivals, art, patio weather and plenty of reasons to make plans.
Here are 10 ways to hit refresh and make the most of Uptown this month.
1. Take the Scenic Route
Give yourself a few extra minutes and take the long way through Uptown.
Walk down Tryon Street, take a different route from the light rail or grab your morning coffee from a spot you’ve been meaning to try. Uptown is constantly evolving, and a simple change of scenery is sometimes all it takes to discover a new mural, storefront, restaurant or favorite corner of the city.
A few extra blocks might just become the best part of your morning.
2. Take Lunch Outside
September brings some of the best days for enjoying Charlotte outdoors.
Pick up lunch from an Uptown favorite and find a table outside, meet a coworker somewhere new or turn your lunch hour into a mini adventure.
Romare Bearden Park, The Green and the plazas and patios tucked throughout Uptown make it easy to add a little sunshine to the middle of your day.
Good food, fresh air and a skyline view? That's a lunch break well spent.
3. Make Plans for After 5
When the workday winds down, Uptown is just getting started.
Meet friends for dinner, find a patio for happy hour, catch a performance, wander through a museum or see where the evening takes you.
With restaurants, arts, entertainment and nightlife all within a few blocks, staying Uptown after work can turn an ordinary weekday into something you look forward to all week.
Looking for some inspo? Click here.
4. Spend an Afternoon with the Arts
Some of Charlotte’s most inspiring spaces are all within walking distance of one another.
Explore the latest exhibitions at The Mint Museum Uptown, spend time at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art or head to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture.
You can make an afternoon of visiting all three or choose one and take your time.
Either way, there’s always something new to see.
5. Make a Day of Game Day
Football is back, and Panthers game days bring an unmistakable energy to Uptown.
Bank of America Stadium becomes the center of the action, but the celebration stretches far beyond it. Restaurants and patios fill with fans, black and blue take over the streets and the excitement builds throughout the neighborhood.
Whether you're headed to the stadium or meeting friends to watch nearby, come early and make a day of it.
Keep Pounding.
6. Get Around the Crown
On September 6, Around the Crown 10K returns with one of Charlotte’s most unique race experiences: running on I-277 around the city’s center.
The route offers a perspective of the Queen City you don't get every day, with Uptown's skyline surrounding runners along the way.
Running the race? Enjoy the view.
Not running? Find a spot to cheer on your fellow Charlotteans as they make their way around the Crown.
7. Celebrate Charlotte’s Cultures
September 19 and 20 bring Festival of India back to Uptown for a weekend filled with food, music, dance, art and celebration.
The festival transforms Tryon Street into a colorful showcase of Indian culture and traditions while bringing thousands of people together in the center city.
Come for the performances, discover something new and, of course, save plenty of room for the food.
8. Find a New Favorite
One of the best parts about spending time Uptown is that there’s always something new to discover.
Try a restaurant that recently opened. Find a new coffee order. Explore a shop you haven’t visited yet. Meet friends somewhere different for happy hour.
Or revisit an old favorite and remember exactly why you love it.
September is a great month to add another go-to spot to your Uptown rotation.
9. Put Something on Your Calendar
Sometimes the best way to experience more of your city is simply to make a plan.
Pick something you wouldn’t normally do and put it on the calendar — a museum visit, a lunchtime event, a performance, a new restaurant or an afternoon exploring somewhere new.
Need a suggestion? Try ArtBreak at The Mint Museum Uptown.
These free, 30-minute guided tours are designed to fit into the workday, making them an easy way to trade your typical lunch hour for a little inspiration. Each ArtBreak explores a different theme or exhibition, so grab a coworker, head to The Mint and spend part of your day with art.
Whatever you choose, give yourself something Uptown to look forward to this month.
10. Enjoy the View
There are plenty of reasons to keep moving in Uptown, but September is also a great time to simply enjoy being here.
Catch the skyline at golden hour. Notice the public art along your walk. Find a seat in the park. Listen to music spilling out from somewhere nearby. Watch Tryon Street come alive before a game or on a festival weekend.
Because the things that make a city special aren’t only the big events.
They’re morning coffee runs and lunches outside. They’re spontaneous dinners, museum afternoons and Saturdays spent exploring. They’re the places you return to again and again — and the new ones you’re still discovering.
This September, there’s a lot to look forward to.
We’ll see you Uptown.