When planning a meeting in Charlotte, there are a multitude of opportunities to craft an unforgettable attendee experience that stretch beyond the exhibit hall floor and meeting rooms. Charlotte features a variety of experiences enticing attendees to stay a bit longer, both pre- and post-convention. From award-winning restaurants and breweries to outdoor adventures and captivating arts and culture venues, there are plenty of reasons for attendees to come early and stay late whether traveling solo or bringing the family along.
Beyond the newly expanded Charlotte Convention Center located in the heart of Uptown, easy access to the LYNX light rail invites attendees to hop aboard and discover plentiful dining, breweries and retail to the north and south of the urban core.
Just north of Uptown is NoDa, Charlotte’s arts district, chock full of breweries along the light rail and beyond. Access the NoDa Craft Beer Trail for a choose-your-own adventure style of brewery exploration. From Birdsong Brewing and Optimist Hall’s Fonta Flora Brewery, stops at Free Range Brewing, Protagonist Brewing and Salud Beer Shop (voted Best Beer Bar in the nation by USA Today for 2020 and 2021) lead beer lovers to their final stop of either Divine Barrel Brewing or NoDa Brewing Company. South of Uptown, Charlotte’s South End neighborhood is overflowing with craft beer options like Suffolk Punch, Triple C, Lenny Boy and The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten.
Abundant outdoor adventures encourage attendees to get moving and explore the natural surroundings beyond Uptown. The region’s 300-mile outdoor network called the Carolina Thread Trail also encompasses the idyllic Little Sugar Creek Greenway, perfect for a fresh air stroll or a bike ride with a Charlotte Joy Ride, which provides rental stations throughout the city. Approximately 15 minutes from Uptown is the U.S. National Whitewater Center featuring an Olympic-caliber, manmade whitewater river adjacent to miles upon miles of trails along the Catawba River. Whether exploring by zipline, mountain bike or on foot, the outdoor center is an enticing reprieve and a must-see for any attendee.
Throughout Uptown, museums are filled with exhibits from both world-renowned and local artists, expansive displays of Charlotte’s history via visual storytelling and live performances from Broadway to ballet. Across the street from the convention center, the Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture serves as an epicenter of music, dance, film, visual art and more celebrating the contributions of Africans and African Americans. Attendees can spend their after-hours at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art attending a jazz concert or film night while perusing artwork from mid-20th century artists like Miró, Picasso and Warhol. Next door is the Mint Museum Uptown, an innovative museum of art and design with one of the largest collections of American, contemporary, European and African art in the Southeast.
Connected to the Charlotte Convention Center, attendees can easily pop over in between sessions to explore the history and excitement of NASCAR at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The venue honors the sport’s legends through engaging artifacts and dazzling displays that showcase NASCAR’s high octane heritage. Interactive exhibits allow attendees to get behind the wheel of realistic racing simulators and train like pit crew members.
Before meetings get started and after the sessions end, Charlotte’s exploration-worthy adventures await, giving more than enough reason to book an extended stay and discover why Charlotte is a city on the rise.
NoDa Craft Beer Trail | Breweries in Charlotte | Things to Do (charlottesgotalot.com)
