Sycamore Brewing
Credit: charlottesgotalot.com/Kyo H. Nam
highlight the people and places that have shaped the South since the
Civil War. The award-winning permanent installation, Cotton Fields to
Skyscrapers, has been hailed as the most comprehensive interpretation
of post-Civil War Southern history in the nation.
Make an afternoon or evening of the neighborhood, especially if
the sun is shining, at BB&T Ballpark, where the Charlotte Knights,
a Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, cover all the bases of
a perfect day at the ballpark — hot dog included, albeit featuring
brisket and orange soda slaw.
Local chefs might have more game than the baseball team. Uptown
is chock full of outstanding restaurants. Newcomers La Belle Helene,
an upscale French brasserie, and farm-to-table favorite Haymaker are
favorites. End the evening at Fahrenheit, a see-and-be-seen rooftop
lounge that boasts outstanding views of Charlotte. Order a craft
cocktail and soak up the scene.
Some of the best hotels are located near the 7th Street Station. Find
personality and boutique design at the upscale Southern-flavored
Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel and The Ivey’s Hotel, which transformed
the former J.B. Ivey & Company department store into a blend of
Parisian and Southern style, with a bit of edge.
STONEWALL STATION
For fans of car racing, there’s perhaps no better place in Charlotte — if
not the world — to make an extended pit stop than at the NASCAR
Hall of Fame. Inside, find the Hall of Honor — a shrine to NASCAR
legends over the years and the cars that loved them. The 150,000
square-foot complex also hosts a High Octane Theater which tells
the story of NASCAR on a 64-foot projection screen with surround
sound. Get a taste of speed by racing up to 15 competitors inside eight
stock car replicas outfitted with iRacing simulators, with all the action
broadcast on a 50-foot video screen overhead.
EAST/WEST BOULEVARD STATION
This station accesses two popular Charlotte neighborhoods —
Dilworth and South End. Explore both on a walk along the 4.5-mile
Charlotte Rail Trail, a new urban trail that runs along the light rail line.
Look for the magic carpet murals painted on sections of the paved
path and snap your selfie in front of the Confetti Hearts Wall, an
Instagram sensation.
Get a good taste of Charlotte’s culinary scene in South End. Sign up for
a FEAST Food Tour and visit six neighborhood restaurants, breweries,
and wine bars, while learning about the history and growth of the
neighborhood between bites and burps.
To burn off the calories, take advantage of the local bike sharing
program. Charlotte B-Cycle has a docking station adjacent to the light
rail station. From there, pedal through the Dilworth neighborhood,
where tree-lined streets lead to historic homes. On the edge of the
neighborhood sits 98-acre Freedom Park, Charlotte’s version of
Central Park. Hit the many athletic fields or simply spread a blanket and
snuggle with nature.
FLYWASHINGTON.COM 40 AUTUMN 2019
SCALEYBARK STATION
Charlotte is home to 47 breweries (and counting) and some of the best
are near the light rail line, making the trains your designated driver. A
pint’s throw from the station, pull up to the bar at Olde Mecklenburg
Brewery, Charlotte’s oldest local brewery and ignitor of the now
flourishing craft beer scene. Take a free weekend tour and then relax in
the outdoor beer garden, shaded by oak, pecan, and hickory trees; while
sipping pilsner, porter, and hefeweizen. Sugar Creek Brewing Company,
dedicated to crafting Belgian-inspired ales, is just around the corner.
For something harder, head to nearby Great Wagon Road Distilling
Company, where unfiltered single malt whiskey and vodka is made
from mash produced at neighboring Mecklenburg. Its onsite bar, The
Broken Spoke, spins the product into craft cocktails. Next door to the
distillery is GoodRoad CiderWorks, home to 20 varieties of craft cider, a
taproom, and outdoor patio.