Charlotte is in a great location for some amazing day trips! Not only is it a hub for American Airlines, but its location also allows you to visit South Carolina, the mountains, and a lake within just a couple of hours. We love traveling throughout this area of North Carolina n, there is just so much to see and explore.
Day Trips that are less than an hour away from Charlotte
Carowinds – 30 minutes
While some may technically consider Carowinds to be part of Charlotte, for our sake we are considering it a day trip. It is an amusement park located at 300 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273. The park actually resides in both North and South Carolina which is pretty cool.
It is open from March through January with a variety of open and closing dates according to different seasons. Check out their website for more clarity. There are lots of fun rides and even a water park! If amusement rides aren’t your thing then there are also shows and dining.
Mooresville – 37 minutes
Mooresville is the main town found on the banks of Lake Norman just north of Charlotte. Lake Norman is the lake used to cool the power plant for Western North Carolina, this means the water is always warm. I truly mean ALWAYS. Which makes it ideal in winter or rainy days. Personally, I don’t love cold lakes so the warm water works for me. Head to the Lake Norman State park for some beaches and fun swimming. Check out our post on how to plan a trip with your dog to the lake.
One of the most popular restaurants in Moorseville is Hello, Sailor. Definitely, one that’s worth checking out. Additionally, Mooresville is a racing hub. It is home to several NASCAR teams. There is plenty of opportunity to get some memorabilia for all fans.
Huntersville – 22 minutes
This town has a bucket list-worthy Renaissance Festival or Renfest NC. It is an award-winning festival that transports all visitors back in time to the medieval ages. It takes place in October and November on Saturdays and Sundays. The festival offers lots of activities such as jousting, festival foods, performances, and even some shopping. Don’t forget to look for Queen Isabella at the festival.
Finally, like Mooresville, Huntersville is located close to Lake Norman. This is a fun lake to go for a swim or enjoy lounging by the shore. Lake Norman is dog friendly if your pup has joined you for this lake trip and enjoys swimming.
Day Trips that are 1 Hour away from Charlotte
Emerald Hollow Mine – 1 hour 12 minutes
Just over an hour away from Charlotte is the only Emerald Mine that is open to the public! For an entrance fee of $10-$25, you get all the equipment needed to go “sluicing, creaking, and digging” for emeralds and other precious stones. Additionally, this complex is actually home to over 60 different stones.
Emerald Hollow Mine‘s staff is knowledgeable and there to help answer any questions about the different processes. Creekin’ is the most popular activity in which you are looking for precious stones in the creek. It is about ankle-deep most of the time. There are also many areas where you can find these precious stones. Finally, this is a great activity for school-aged children!
Winston-Salem- 1 hour 15 minutes
Not to be confused with Salem, Massachusetts; Winston-Salem has its own rich history and roots in Moravian culture. One of the coolest things to do is explore this Moravian history through food. The Winston-Salem Culinary trail is just the way to do that. You can start your exploration on any part of the trail. You’ll experience the handcrafted ultra-thin Moravian cookies, indulge in chicken pie (not to be confused with chicken pot pie), and devour their world-famous bread. It is not to be missed!
Other than the rich Moravian culture, Winston-Salem offers many activities for all kinds of travelers. There are many parks, the downtown is highly walkable, and it contributes to North Carolina’s fame for breweries. The walkable craft brewery crawl downtown is popular with many visitors to the area.
The quaintness of the town paired with a variety of activities ranging from historical to outdoors makes this small city an excellent romantic getaway. Many hotels in town offer romance packages as well. Finally, there are a variety of walking tours to do for a fun activity during your getaway.
High Point – 1 hour 20 minutes
High Point is the furniture capital of the world. This is the IDEAL day trip for all who enjoy interior design or who need/want new furniture. There are over 100 furniture stores and outlets in High Point. You can also see the world’s largest chest of drawers or meander through the largest furniture store in the world.
Shopping for furniture is not the only thing to do in High Point! There are also many dog-friendly breweries and parks in the area. Additionally, All-A-Flutter Farms is a great butterfly farm to visit. They focus on education and take a trip to the Fly House where you are surrounded by hundreds of monarch butterflies in a beautiful landscaped house.
Wilkesboro – 1 hour 26 minutes
Wilkesboro is the Moonshine Capital of the World. Plus it’s also home to the very first NASCAR Race Track. There are also some people that go to Wilkesboro for the Merelfest, a music festival. Additionally, it is home to the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. These are only the major things Wilkesboro has to offer! There are also distilleries, breweries, and paragliding all with beautiful scenic roads.
Greensboro – 1 hour 30 minutes
As one of the bigger cities on this list, there is plenty to do in Greensboro. Some of the highlights include The Children’s Museum and Greensboro Science Center. Greensboro has a lot of history as well such as the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.
Of course, there is a lot of delicious food in Greensboro. For some Live Blues music on Tuesdays head to Fishers Grille. They have wonderful burgers, appetizers, and a variety of beer and wine. Emma Kay’s provides a variety of milkshakes and burgers that hit the spot. The best part is that the restaurant is a re-loved barbershop! Finally, head to Cheesecake by Alex for dessert, they offer 20 cheesecakes and 2 additional seasonal flavors.
If you realize that there’s just too much to do in Greensboro, you can always stay the night! There are many great hotels.
Greenville, SC – 1 hour 40 minutes
As the “friendliest town in America,” there are many things to do in Greenville. From the quaint Main Street to the outdoor sculpture museum, there are so many activities. Head to Main Street and go for a stroll. Then go on an “A-Z Food Tour.” This allows you to build your own food tour in Greenville to experience all the different kinds of food they have to offer. Definitely try some pimento cheese!
Day Trips that are 2 hours away from Charlotte
Blowing Rock – 2 hours
Tucked into the mountains you’ll find Blowing Rock. This town has many things to offer in winter and summer! Early in winter, the whole town comes out for WinterFest. It is a 4-day event where the whole town lights up in twinkle lights. Plus there is a polar plunge. There is also a beer garden, ice carving demonstrations, curling, and even a Chili cook-off!
The town also has skiing, a gem mine, farms & breweries, and many museums. One of the coolest activities is the Night Flight Zip lining. It allows you to zip line at night and experience a starry night on a zip line. It is also a great town for a romantic getaway! There are spas, restaurants, and wineries for all couples.
Boone – 2 hours 8 minutes
With breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Boone has all the mountain charm and plenty of activities. From cool mountain springs to vibrant autumn leaves, Boone is an outdoor paradise for all who visit. The largest outdoor attraction Boone has is Grandfather Mountain. Additionally, this mountain offers a great place for picnics and hikes.
In winter, Boone boasts the most concentrated cluster of ski resorts. There are black diamonds for the most advanced on the mountains. For everyone else, there is snowboarding, snowshoeing, tubing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing. For Christmas, you can even come cut down your tree from Boone.
Durham – 2 hours 15 minutes
30 minutes west of Raleigh is Durham. Home to Duke University, Durham has a lot to offer. This city gives you very cool college-town type of vibes. There is DPAC for many Broadway Shows. The American Tobacco Campus has many shops, and restaurants, including Burt’s Bees! Durham also features many breweries.
Some of our favorite things in Durham are Duke Forest and Duke Botanical Gardens. We also like to go swimming in Eno River Park. In downtown Durham, we enjoy visiting the Farmer’s Market which is smaller than Raleigh’s but still fun. Finally, we ALWAYS need a hot chocolate from Cocoa Cinnamon. Another must-have stop is Press Coffee, Crepes, & Cocktails.
Columbia, SC – 2 hours 16 minutes
Columbia is the capital of South Carolina. It is a city with lots to do. There are many different many festivals, events, and activities. One of my favorite festivals is the summer Tasty Tomato Festival. There are also workshops, live music, and mostly lots and lots of tomatoes. Another unique activity is glass-blowing classes at One Eared Cow.
Check out more to do in Columbia along the way on a drive to Atlanta.
Raleigh – 2 hours 30 minutes
The capital of North Carolina has so much to offer as a day trip from Charlotte. There are many restaurants, parks, and museums to explore. One of my favorite places to visit is the NC Farmer’s Market. It is open year-round and has many vendors selling produce, baked goods, and locally made products. The NC Farmer’s Market Restaurant is the pinnacle of Southern food! They don’t take reservations, but worth a visit. The Farmer’s Market is at its peak Spring-Fall.
Downtown Raleigh has a lot to offer as well. There are two fun food halls with lots of food options. There are several breweries as well. Some of our favorite places to eat are The Layered Croissanterie, Coquette, and Bella Monica. Raleigh also has the Marble Museum and a Children’s Museum. Finally, downtown also has walking art exhibits. It really does have something for everyone.
Check out our Raleigh Travel Guide for all the ins and outs of visiting Raleigh!
Day Trips that are 3 hours away from Charlotte
Fayetteville – 2 hours 50 minutes
Located in the Cape Fear area of North Carolina, Fayetteville is just under a three-hour day trip from Charlotte. There are many parks for all who enjoy spending time outside. For some indoor fun, Fayetteville has an indoor rock climbing and trampoline park. Additionally, Fayetteville has many places to eat. There is rich Southern food culture. Check out Blue Pineapple Bakery while you’re there!
Beech Mountain – 3 hours
Beech Mountain is an outdoor playground! In summer there is hiking, kayaking, biking, and fishing. In winter there is skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and snowshoeing. There is also an Alpine Village that services the mountain as well as the Beech Mountain town with lots of shopping and restaurants.
Cherokee – 3 hours
Cherokee, NC is a small town tucked between the mountains. There are many outdoor activities such as elk watching, waterfall chasing, and shopping. The town showcases the Cherokee culture and people. You can find incredible spas at the Cherokee resort and casino. You can also find locally created Cherokee Art.
One of my favorite activities other than elk spotting downtown is waterfall horseback riding. It is such a fun way to go through the mountains to see waterfalls.
Virginia Creeper Trail – 3 hours
The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 35-mile trail in Southern Virginia. It is a recreation trail that remains one of the most popular rail trails. This trail is accessible for people who want to walk, run, bike, or even ride horses. In winter, the trail is good for cross-country skiing.
It is a moderate difficulty level and can take several hours to complete on a bike. If you don’t have a bike, then you can rent one and a helmet for your trail adventure. Along the way on the trail, you’ll find coffee shops and ice cream parlors. It is truly a multi-recreation trail.
Augusta, GA – 3 hours
Augusta has so many things to do. We enjoy walking around the city to find the different murals. There are even indoor murals that are publicly available to view. It really makes the whole city so lively. Augusta also has plenty of delicious places to eat at. You really can’t go wrong with a day trip to Augusta from Charlotte.
Stop by Augusta, GA along the way on a drive from Charlotte to Atlanta.
Wilmington – 3 hours 30 minutes
Found on the river and close to the beach, Wilmington is a summer outdoor paradise. Like Greensboro, there is a large water park for all-day fun. You can also explore a battleship, surf, paddle board, and take a historic fort tour or meander through the famous gardens. The perfect day would be spent at a water splash park followed by a walk on the river walk.
There is so much to do in Wilmington, it’ll be a city you’ll find yourself constantly coming back to.
Questions & Considerations for a Day Trip from Charlotte
What’s the closest beach to Charlotte?
Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina is the closest beach to Charlotte. However purely on mileage and not time, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is the closest beach to Charlotte. It is a bit far for a day trip in my opinion (mostly because I don’t like driving that long in one day).
What’s the closest mountain to Charlotte?
Cramer Mountain is the closest mountain to Charlotte for hiking. Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain are the closest mountains to Charlotte for skiing.
What’s a romantic day trip from Charlotte?
There are many romantic places for road trips from Charlotte. Some of our favorite romantic getaways are Boone, Blowing Rock, Mooresville, and Wilmington. Larry and I prefer to head to the mountains for cozy, relaxing romantic vibes. The beaches are further away, but North Myrtle Beach is only 3 hours away.
Are there tolls?
There are no tolls on the western side of North Carolina or in South Carolina. The road between Raleigh and Durham is a toll road. There are also tolls as you get closer to the beaches of North Carolina. Finally, if you’re aiming toward Georgia there are tolls as you get closer to Atlanta. However the tolls near Charlotte and Atlanta are mostly for the fast lanes so they’re easy to avoid.
Final thoughts about the Day Trips from Charlotte
There are so many day trips from Charlotte to explore so many parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, even Virginia and Georgia. For a longer trip there is also Tennessee on the other side of the mountains. With this many day trips, you can totally fill up a weekend! There are so many wonderful places to see, things to do, and restaurants to try!
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