Itinerary: Uptown for Families

Plan a day in Uptown for the whole family.
Charlotte’s vibrant Uptown district is full of family-friendly adventures. From tiny tots in the family to the kid-at-heart grownups, exciting experiences await for the whole family. Whether you want to spend a full day or just a morning, afternoon or evening exploring, we’ve got your guide to plan the perfect family-friendly experience in the heart of the Queen City.
1 Grab Breakfast at the Market 224 E. 7th St Charlotte, NC 28202 If you skipped breakfast before heading out the door, pop into Famous Toastery, RedEye Diner or Sweet Crunch at The Market at 7th Street to fuel up before your day of adventures. |
2 Farmer's Market Fare 101 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28280 If it’s a Saturday, swing by the Uptown Farmers Market to discover unique creations from local artists, taste local products and enjoy local entertainment. |
3 Segway Tour 101 S Tryon St, Suite 16 Charlotte, NC 28202 After your meal, start your Uptown experience by getting the lay of the land. Go on a tour (by foot, bike or Segway) with Charlotte NC Tours to explore Uptown’s key points of interest and learn all about its exciting past, present and future. |
4 Walk the Arts 100 E 4th St Charlotte, NC 28202 Or do an Uptown ArtWalk to get a feel for the area while exploring cool murals and public art pieces. |
5 Interactive Arts 601 E. 5th St., #230 Charlotte, NC 28202 Uptown Interactive is a fun way to get the kids involved. At each stop, you scan a QR code with your smartphone camera to watch a video of the artist, play with site-specific face filters and explore a 3-D model of the artwork |
6 ImaginOn - a top children's library 300 E 7th St Charlotte, NC 28202 Another great way to start the day is at one of Uptown’s most popular kid-friendly attractions. ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center has been ranked as one of the top children’s libraries in the country. |
7 Fish Fountains 425 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 No matter what time of the year, it’s always a good time to play in the water, so be sure to pack a bathing suit and change of clothes so you can let the kiddos run through the fish fountains at The Green. |
8 Cookies at Tiff's Treats 550 E Brooklyn Village Ave, Ste. 210 Charlotte, NC 28202 After all the fun, you’ll surely have worked up an appetite for a sweet afternoon treat - try cookies at Tiff’s Treats |
9 Walk in the Waterfalls 300 S. Church St Charlotte, NC 28202 During the summer months, play in the waterfalls at Romare Bearden Park. |
10 NASCAR Hall of Fame 400 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Charlotte, NC 28202 Make a pit stop at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The whole family can compete in the pit crew challenge and the realistic racing simulators. Pop into the Pit Stop Cafe for an afternoon snack and grab a memento at the Gear Shop on your way out. |
11 Go for a Ride 310 East Trade Street Charlotte, NC 28202 Hop on the LYNX Blue Line light rail after lunch to get to your next destination. The little ones are sure to enjoy the ride. |
12 Mint Museum 500 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 If a mid-day museum experience is more your family’s style, explore contemporary art at the Mint Museum Uptown. |
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14 Golden Cow Creamery 601 S. Tryon St. Charlotte 28202 Try ice cream at Golden Cow Creamery |
15 Quick & Casual Lunch 201 S College St Charlotte, NC 28244 If you’d rather do something quick and casual, check out a popular local franchises like sandwiches at Showmars |
16 A Picnic Lunch 301 E 7th St Charlotte, NC 28202 With Charlotte’s mild weather and beautiful Carolina blue skies, it’s likely you’ll have a nice day for a picnic. If you’re on the north side of Uptown, pop into The Market at 7th Street and stock up on items from a few vendors then head across the street to enjoy it at First Ward Park. |
17 South side Lunch 420 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 If you’re on the south side of Uptown, grab sandwiches and snacks from Rhino Market & Deli and set up on the lawn or a table at Romare Bearden Park. |
18 Local Latin Flavors 300 N College St Charlotte, NC 28202 Sabor Latin Street Grill is an independently, locally owned metro Charlotte concept that focuses on authentic menu offerings from countries such as El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico & Colombia. |
19 Visitor Info Center-Uptown 329 N Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 Enjoy your chicken at the tables on the Wells Fargo Plaza and then head inside the Visitor Info Center to get a Charlotte souvenir. |
20 Hands-on Science 301 N Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 Or head to Discovery Place Science, an interactive, hands-on science museum, and walk through the indoor rainforest, touch a starfish, lay on a bed of nails and more. Don’t miss one of the larger-than-life-shows in the Accenture IMAX® Dome Theatre at the museum, too. |
21 Musical Movie Magic 130 N Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 Charlotte Symphony’s Movie Series — a movie screening with music from the live symphony orchestra — has been a hit with the kids. |
22 Fried Chicken & Fresh Air 329 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 Or head to the WelcomeCLT Uptown Visitor Info Center and get a chicken plate from Horace’s Hot Fried Chicken. |
23 Family-Friendly Restaurants 101 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28246 Popular family-friendly restaurants like The King’s Kitchen, Tupelo Honey, Mimosa Grill, and Mert’s Heart and Soul have all the fixin’s to leave your little ones feeling like they’ve been fed like kings and queens — even the pickiest of eaters. |
24 Experience the Ballet 701 N Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202 Through dance, ignite your imagination and inspire your young dancers, or even enroll them in the Academy's classes and camps. |
25 Catch a Show 130 N Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 If dinner and a show are more up your alley, especially for the tweens and teens in the family, get tickets for a Broadway or theater show at a Blumenthal Performing Arts. |
26 Have a ball 800 S Mint Sreet Charlotte, NC 28202 Head to Bank of America Stadium for a Charlotte FC or Carolina Panthers game |
27 Game on with the Hornets 333 E Trade St Charlotte, NC 28202 Visit the Spectrum Center for an NBA Charlotte Hornets game. |
28 Cheer on the Knights 324 S Mint St Charlotte, NC 28202 After dinner, cheer on one of Charlotte’s home teams (depending on the season) Head to Truist Field for a AAA Charlotte Knights game. |
Need help getting here? Use our Getting Here Guide to help with parking and transit for your family day in Uptown. Discover more family-friendly experiences in Uptown by following @uptown.clt on Instagram. And be sure to tag us in your adventures on social media using the hashtag #uptownclt.