Life after The Bachelor: Local contestant dishes on dating in Charlotte

I think we can all agree the women on Clayton’s season deserved better. I sat down with one of them who lives in Charlotte.

The big picture: Hunter Haag is a 28-year-old human resources specialist. You may remember her as the woman who brought the snake on night one.

Yes, but: That snake was initially intended to be a crocodile or an alligator. “Like a small one,” she clarified.

• Haag says the idea was that she wanted Clayton to remember her name—Hunter like The Crocodile Hunter.

Backstory: Haag moved to Charlotte in 2018 to live closer to family. She grew up in Lake Wylie and spent a couple of years living in Orlando before moving back.

• “My sister was getting married, and I just felt like I was missing out on being with family while they were going through these milestones,” she told me.
• Her sister repaid her for moving back by nominating her to be on the show.

The show: Haag says when she got the call she initially thought it was a scam.

• She said she decided to go on “The Bachelor” because she’s ready to find her person.
• “I’ve been single for five years now,” Haag said, adding she’s had time to work on herself.
• So when the opportunity came, she said, “Ok let’s do it.”

Haag said her life since the show hasn’t changed much, other than people recognizing her.

• “It’s really crazy,” she said of her new fame.

But now that the season is over, the excitement is dwindling, and life is getting back to normal.

What’s next: If you’re a Bachelor Nation fan you might be wondering if she’ll be on “Bachelor in Paradise.” The answer, for now, is no. But Haag said she would consider it.

The dating scene: Haag prefers to meet men in the wild. She says she wasn’t having luck on the apps and found herself “window shopping and not following through.”

• But she admits it can be difficult dating in the South because men get married young here. “So many of the guys I’d be interested in are already married.”

Her best date was at Dilworth Tasting Room, with a guy she didn’t end up dating for long, but the experience was memorable because it was simple.

• “I don’t need people to go over the top for me,” she said.
• She just had fun picking at the charcuterie, drinking wine and enjoying good conversation.

Her worst date was with a man who brought up politics a lot.

• “The whole time,” she said. “It was a little bit uncomfortable because that’s something you don’t want to talk about on your first date.”

Living in Charlotte: Haag said she loves Charlotte because it caters to millennials and young professionals. Plus, we’ve got plenty of breweries.

• She frequents Wooden Robot and Resident Culture.
• Haag is also a self-described “huge foodie,” and says some of her favorite places to eat are Moo & Brew because “their burgers are elite.”
• She also eats at Superica weekly and also loves Cabo Fish Taco.

More of Haags favorites:

Coffee shop: Summit Coffee in NoDa, for their chai tea.
Gym: West Kept Secret, like our pal Olivia Culpo.
Brunch: Ruby Sunshine or Suffolk Punch.
Dinner: Lincoln Street or Craft Tasting Room.
Late-night adventures: Hoppin, Resident Culture and “somehow I always end up at Slingshot,” she told me. I feel ya.