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What are the best Charlotte NC day trips? How can you make your stay here more fulfilling? Read on to discover some of the best attractions beyond the city.
Charlotte is known for many things. Not only is it North Carolina’s most populous city, but it’s also the economic, cultural, and transportation hub of the larger Charlotte metropolitan region. In terms of tourist attractions, Queen City also has a lot to offer.
From the beautiful sights of the largest artificial whitewater river to the world’s fastest Giga Coaster and NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, Charlotte is never short of attractions.
And, that’s not all. The city is strategically located to give access to multiple other attractions around it (in North and South Carolina).
Therefore, if you are looking for some incredible day trips from Charlotte, you’ll certainly be spoiled for choice.
There are numerous historic small towns around the city, each offering unique charm and attractions. This means that you are always sorted in Charlotte, whether you want to enjoy the city life or embark on some outdoor family recreational activities.
To cut to the chase, let’s explore some of the best day trips from Charlotte that will never disappoint:
Best Day Trips from Charlotte
1. Asheville
Perfectly nestled between the famous Blue Ridge Mountains, Ashville has more to offer than you can exhaust in a day. From the scenic views of the mountains to the serenity of the extensive nature, Asheville is an amazing place to visit.
The city is also famous for its unique blend of top-notch restaurants, hipster coffee shops, and breweries. If you want to enjoy some of the unique cuisines in North Carolina or a taste of perfectly brewed beer, Asheville is the place to be. In fact, the city is known to have the most breweries per capita in the entire country.
For outdoor enthusiasts, Asheville has more in store for you than you can partake. From hiking in the extensive woods to kayaking and paddling down the French river, the city’s natural space offers numerous outdoor adventures.
And, it’s merely 2 hours 10 minutes from Charlotte. Like what you are hearing? Plan your trip by following our full Asheville itinerary, including some of the top things to do and see while you are there.
2. Gastonia
Gastonia is approximately 20 miles west of Charlotte and is Gaston County’s largest city. It’s one of the most accessible places from Charlotte, where you can go for a day trip and enjoy the numerous attractions it has to offer.
For instance, the Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and it’s full of amazing activities for kids. So, if you are traveling as a family, this would be an ideal place to visit.
Gastonia is also home to the Schiele Museum of Natural History, a fascinating place for a family day out. And, for the beer lovers, a tour to the Growler USA and Cavendish Brewing Company will undoubtedly crown your day.
Lastly, if you want to do outdoors, the city’s Rankin Lake Park allows for numerous activities, including fishing, paddle-boating, kayaking, etc. It also offers a beautiful walking trail, where you can enjoy a cool afternoon walk.
3. Uwharrie National Forest
With cities expanding day in day out, natural spaces are shrinking each passing day. And even getting some good green space for outdoor activities is becoming scarce.
Uwharrie National Forest is one of the best green spaces that still exist in North Carolina. It’s located just 1 hour 4 minutes from Charlotte and offers excellent spots for outdoor activities and adventures.
It encompasses about 50,645 acres of undisturbed nature, giving you the best spots for camping, hiking, picnics, nature walks, etc. North Carolina boasts of 4 main national forests, this one being the smallest. But, this doesn’t mean it offers any fewer sceneries and opportunities. Here, you have a chance to take a deep swim in one of the clearest lakes in the area, Badin Lake. There are also numerous hiking trails, including the Morrow Mountain Trail and the Keyauwee Supertree Woodrun Loop trail, that you can try out.
Uwharrie National Forest offers numerous exciting opportunities for any day. For this one, consider using RVShare to rent an RV to make the most of the hiking and camping.
4. North Carolina Transportation Museum
Located about 39 miles from Charlotte, the North Carolina Transportation Museum is another incredible place to visit while in Charlotte. The museum, which is found in Spencer, North Carolina, is an assembly of railway vehicles, automobiles, and aircraft.
It sits on an area that was once the largest repair facility for the Southern Railway Company’s steam locomotives. This museum is an enormous 60-acre complex comprising of antique automobiles, an authentic train depot, and more than 40 locomotives.
For engine enthusiasts, this is undoubtedly one of the best day trips from Charlotte you can have. If you are lucky, you might have a chance to enjoy one of their train rides, a guided tour of the facility, or special events held throughout the year.
You can never regret visiting this museum.
5. Crowders Mountain State Park
This state park is located just 30 miles from Charlotte and is one of Gaston County’s main attractions. If you are searching for the best day trips from Charlotte, this one shouldn’t miss the list. It’s not only distance friendly, but it also offers some of the most amazing sceneries and opportunities for enjoying nature.
With over 5,000 acres of nature to explore, the 16 hiking trails give you the best chance to enjoy nature’s beauty and calmness. The ultimate fun comes by hiking both around the lake and the creek.
And, for the best views in the park, you can trek to any of the two mountain peaks, which include:
- The Crowders Mountain
- The Pinnacle
You will reach the highest peak in the park by following the Pinnacle trail, which is around 2 miles long. This is at 1,705 feet, which is also Gaston County’s highest point. With this high of peaks and trails, you’ll want to pack these camper accessories to ensure you have everything you need before and after your hikes.
6. Atlanta
Atlanta is Georgia’s capital, a large city with numerous magnificent sites and attractions. While it’s a long drive to the place, around 5 hours, you can take a flight that should take you just 1 hour 15 minutes.
By taking a flight, you’ll have more time to enjoy all the good things that the city offers and even get back to Charlotte if need be.
Atlanta is a history-rich city, and one can explore all of its facts and documents from the Atlanta History Center. Here, you’ll come across documents detailing Atlanta’s role in the famous Civil War and even the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.
Other remarkable features in Atlanta include:
● The Martin Luther Jr. Historical Site
● Centennial Olympic Park
● Fox Theater
● Center for Puppetry Arts
● World of Coca-Cola
● High Museum of Art
You can also enjoy some outdoor fun at Stone Mountain Park.
7. Historic Downtown Salisbury
If you love history, Salisbury, NC, then offers some of the best day trips from Charlotte for you. The city is known for preserving history, which spans back over two centuries, right from the eras of Andrew Jackson and Daniel Boone. Just walking down the city’s streets is enough for you to appreciate the level of history that the area holds.
Salisbury’s most iconic historic landmarks include the 1820s Dr. Josephus Hall House (formerly Salisbury Female Academy) and the 1819 Utzman-Chambers House.
In addition, the city’s landscape is adorned with art and architectural masterpieces that promise to satisfy your love for art and beauty. And to fully enjoy the city’s history, you can join a guided walking tour where you have a chance to ask any question about the city and get genuine, accurate answers.
You’ll also get to visit the site where all war veterans, including the 11,700 unidentified soldiers, were buried after the Civil War.
Other attractions in Salisbury include:
● Museums and Galleries
● Sports and other outdoor adventures
● Music and theater
● Best cuisines, etc.
8. Greensboro
Greensboro is approximately 93 miles (1 hr. 25 min) from Charlotte, but an amazing place to visit.
For starters, it is one of the best day trips from Charlotte, especially if you are traveling with kids. The city is home to the famous Greensboro Children’s Museum and Greensboro Science Center. These two facilities are fun-guaranteed for your kids.
As for you, the place is never short of exciting things to do or see. For instance, you can visit the International Civil Rights Center & Museum – Greensboro, NC to explore some of the city’s rich history. You can also tour the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, which commemorates the 1781 Battle of Guilford Court House.
Besides the history, Greensboro offers incredible restaurants where you can enjoy both local and international cuisine.
9. Raleigh
While Charlotte is North Carolina’s most populous city, Raleigh is the State’s second-largest city and capital. And, this title also comes with amazing perks for both local and international
tourists.
For the best day trips from Charlotte, Raleigh offers numerous options. Firstly, it’s only 2 hours 35 minutes drive from Charlotte, giving you ample time to explore the city.
As for the city’s attractions, the first thing that captures your sight is the oak-tree-lined streets which give the city its distinctive look and glamor.
There are also numerous classic eateries and breweries lining these streets, where one can enjoy some of the best cuisines in North Carolina.
Other attractions that will make you fall in love with the city include:
● City of Raleigh Museum
● North Carolina Museum of Art
● Green parks
● The William B. Umstead State Park
The park includes miles-long biking and hiking trails, where one can experience nature in its entirety.
10. Asheboro
Asheboro is conveniently located approximately 70 miles from Charlotte, NC. The place offers an excellent alternative for day trips from Charlotte.
For starters, you can enjoy spending some time with various animals, huge and small, at the North Carolina Zoo. This is an ideal recreational area, especially for those traveling with families.
And if you seek more blood-rushing activities, the city also has some of those. For instance, you can opt to go zip lining at Richland Creek Zip-line, where you’ll soar through the picturesque views of the Uwharrie Mountains. The zip line contains 14 stations, with over one and a half miles of cable.
Besides this, motorcycle lovers have a chance to admire the unique Harley Davidson bikes collection at the famous American Classic Motorcycle Museum. Spending some hours here can be pretty fulfilling.
Finally, if you have more time to spare, the Four Saints Brewing Company can help crown your day’s tour. Here, you’ll have a taste of some delicious local crafted beers not found anywhere else.
11. Belmont
Just 5 minutes (15 miles) from Charlotte, Belmont city offers more than enough attractions for those searching for fun beyond Charlotte. The small city, beautifully located between two rivers, offer day visitors some unforgettable experiences. This includes a tour to the historic district, which features a blend of Tudor and colonial architectural designs, where history and the present meet.
If you are visiting as a family, things get even better. There are unique places to visit, such as Goat Island Park, where nature walks, fishing, hiking, and kayaking are just a part of the adventurous things you can do here. Therefore, if nature is what you long for, you’ll have more to do here than you can imagine.
A tour of the Muddy River Distillery is another popular thing you should try. The brewery is famous for its unique rum, which visitors regard as incredible. And, you can at least decide this for yourself.
Other Belmont attractions that will fill your day include:
● The Catawba River Antique Mall, where you can shop for antiques
● The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, where one can just go to relax as they enjoy the beauty of nature.
It might be a small city but what it offers is more than enough.
12. Boone
Boone is an amazing place for outdoor adventures, located approximately 95 miles from Charlotte. This means that you have enough time to drive to the place, have some great outdoor moments, and come back to Charlotte the same day. In fact, most people visiting Charlotte always have Boone on their to-do list.
Best activities here include:
● Ziplining through the dense, scenic canopy
● Boulder to boulder jumping
● Floating down the river on an inflated tube
● Visit Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, etc.
By the time your day is over, you’ll be genuinely looking forward to another day like that.
Author Bio: Kyle Kroeger is a travel blogger for his site ViaTravelers.com. ViaTravelers is a modern travel blog providing the best tips, hacks, and itineraries to ensure you have an amazing adventure.
Check out additional content of other day trips from Charlotte:
- Shelby, NC
- Greenville, SC
- Ridgeline Craft Beverage Trail
- Best Lavender Fields in NC
- Best Sunflower Fields in NC
Which of these Charlotte NC day trips would you like to try? Let me know in a comment below!
Happy travels!
Annick, The Common Traveler
Raised as a third culture kid living in South America and Europe, Annick caught the travel bug early. As an empty-nester, Annick enjoys sharing her tips for traveling for those with champagne taste and beer budgets.