Here’s what I did on my 5-day Charlotte staycation

Crazy right? Actually, it was awesome.

I’m from the area but I had never actually taken the time to go do the ‘touristy’ things in the city, so I decided to spend a week and take in some of the sights that Charlotte has to offer.

I stayed at the Westin Uptown and took advantage of the points on my credit card I had been saving for just such an occasion as this. I had heard about these ‘Heavenly Beds’ and they really were heavenly. Best sleep I’ve had in a long time.

I did a quick TripAdvisor search before checking in and picked the things I was interested in. I set off on my adventure the next day.

Day 1

Started off my week grabbing breakfast at Hazelnut’s Creperie and headed over to Romare Bearden Park. I found a quiet bench in the park and enjoyed my crepe in the sun surrounded by cranes building the next skyscrapers. Super excited about all the new development going on in the city.

After breakfast, I headed over to Levine Museum of the New South, which by the end of the week was still my favorite museum.

Our city and region has such a rich history and it was awesome to see pics and machinery from the old textile mills (my grandparents worked at the Celanese Plant in Rock Hill). I literally spent hours in there and can’t wait to go back. I might bring my grandparents, too.

Next, I headed over to the new First Ward Park and climbed a few floors in the UNC Charlotte Center City building to grab a pic.

Headed home to grab dinner and went back to the hotel for some pool time. (Perk of going on a staycation, you can run home for things you’d normally have to buy).

Day 2

I started day 2 by walking next door to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. They unfortunately are strict about no photographs (I was too chicken to try and sneak some pics) but I can see why. The art in the center is unlike anything I had ever seen before. So many rich colors and tapestries, each piece of art told a story about African-American history.

My next stop was the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

Couldn’t believe there was a whole floor dedicated to Andy Warhol! They even had Picasso on the top floor and a huge exhibit of Sam Francis paintings. I didn’t know of the artist but he has a Wikipedia page so he must have been important. There were middle-school kids at both museums that day which was kind of cool to see. I’m glad our schools see the importance of exposing kids to art.

Day 3

Met my friend Filipe for breakfast at Not Another Broken Egg in SouthPark (another perk of going on a staycation, your friends are right down the road!). An egg scramble with spinach and bacon was my pick. He got the smoked salmon benedict. Delicious.

Went back to the hotel and then headed over to the Mint Museum. A company had rented out the event space so it was a tad loud when I walked in but they soon went to another area and I started my tour in peace. The museum is amazing. I loved that there were so many different kinds of art. Sculptures, mid-19 century paintings, modern art and beautiful glasswork.

My favorite piece was in the wood gallery, called Salmon Spawning Run. Made from red cedar, it depicts salmon and their clusters of eggs as the giver of life for the Musqueam First Nation in the Pacific Northwest.

My final stop in the museum was a digital art installation (didn’t know that was a thing).

The artist had created an animation showing a tree going through the four seasons of the year. It was so peaceful and mesmerizing to look at I almost fell asleep. Found out on my way out that the museum is free on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. as is their other location on Randolph! Can’t wait to go back.

Day 4

I checked out of the hotel (no more heavenly bed) and headed to the Charlotte Aviation Museum. I saw it was a top attraction on TripAdvisor but honestly wasn’t expecting much as I pulled into the parking lot. I have never been so wrong. It is huge.

They have an entire hangar full of planes ranging from World War II fighter jets, Vietnam war helicopters and the main exhibit, the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ US Airways Airbus. I felt like I was a kid again. I learned so much about that fateful day and how it truly was a miracle that all the passengers and crew survived. I couldn’t believe Charlotte had such treasures sitting right next to the airport.

In the gift shop, there is a picture of the airport in its younger days, which was really cool to see as my mom worked there at the time. Now it’s the eighth busiest airport in the country! How far we have come.

Day 5

My final day was spent with friends and family to the west of Charlotte at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. I discovered they have hiking trails that go around the garden with nice views of the lake. I had been to the gardens a few years ago for Mother’s Day with my mom and sister (moms got in for free!) so I was excited to see how much it had grown.

Holiday lights were on full display when I went and it was a little chilly (unlike the heatwave we had the week of Christmas). I brought my parents, who had a great time and actually joined as members. The new ‘Lost Hollow’ section is awesome and they even have a small amphitheater for concerts in the garden. The orchid conservatory was beautiful and my mom especially liked the mini fairy city they had created in the center.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. I loved my staycation in Charlotte and have this to say about the Queen City. It is a gem!

Some may say Charlotte is small, but as Van Gogh said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”