Underrated green space in Charlotte: 3 parks worth a visit

I get it. I love these parks, too. Freedom has ample walking paths and access to the greenway, and Romare Bearden has arguably the best views of Uptown from inside Uptown.

But we have lots of other underrated green spaces in Charlotte. So in honor of our quieter, less flashy parks, I pulled together a list of three that I think are always worth a visit.

Independence Park

Located at 7th Street and Hawthorne, this lovely 19-acre park is home to a baseball field and batting cage, basketball/tennis/volleyball courts and even a permanent outdoor ping-pong table. You’ll also find a Master Gardner demonstration garden maintained by volunteers with horticulture and landscape expertise.

My favorite area is the stone archway and reflecting pool. There you’ll find a memorial waterfall and great places to just sit and read.

Pearl Street Park

Often overshadowed by Midtown Park directly across the street, Pearl* Street Park is 8 acres of green space steeped in Charlotte history. The land, located in Charlotte’s old Brooklyn neighborhood, was purchased from Thompson Orphanage in 1942 and designated as a “negro playground.”

In 2005, it was dedicated as the First African-American Park in Mecklenburg County by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Heritage Committee. You can read the stories and listen to audio histories at the monuments.

Bryant Park

I think this is my favorite place in Charlotte. Bryant Park is one of Charlotte’s first small-scale public parks and was completed at the height of the Great Depression likely with labor and funding from The New Deal’s Work Progress Administration (WPA). The park’s standout feature is the stunning terraced stonework stadium seating overlooking the baseball field. The city still lists it at 16 acres but a report from 2001 says only 6 remain.

This is a great stop after grabbing picnic snacks at Rhino Market down the street.

There you have it: three new (or possibly just forgotten) parks to explore. They may not be as exciting or big or well equipped as some of our more popular parks, but these green spaces are definitely worth a visit. I think the view from Bryant Park is reason enough to stop by…

*Note: There is discrepancy in the spelling of Pearl vs. Pearle. The city writes both Pearle and Pearl in the description online but used Pearl as the spelling on the sign at the entrance. It’s labeled Pearle Street Park on Google maps but engraved “Pearl Street Park” at the monument. One of the main entrances is located at Pearl Park Way. So basically choose your own adventure. I’m spelling it pearl.