Charlotte’s Got A Lot!! Spring Break Fun!

And We're Off, Ya'll

While we typically like to hit the road before sun-up, we headed out  mid-morning, with no urgency or agenda,  other than a smooth ride to Charlotte.

As we crossed into North Carolina, we used our first pit stop as an opportunity to settle a little food debate- Zaxby’s or Raising Cane?!  We ride with Zaxby’s!!

While it felt much faster, including our lunch stop, it was an easy seven hour drive into Charlotte. We got checked into our hotel and at the suggestion of the concierge, headed to Trulle Street- an easy and safe walk to local eateries.

Social Media Has Its Benefits

En route to North Carolina, via a FB reel, we  realized my college roommate #gohoos was also visiting Charlotte to compete in a pro bodybuilding event.  Of course we enjoyed dinner, hugs, and a quick catch-up!

Start Your  Engines!

We started our first full day in Charlotte at the NASCAR Hall of Fame! 

A fifteen minute stroll from our hotel, we arrived at the Hall of Fame just as the doors opened.  We spent 3 three hours learning about the history of NASCAR and our favorite drivers. We admired the model cars and memorabilia,  practiced our broadcasting skills, clocked our speeds behind the wheel on simulators, and timed our tire changing skills with pit crew duties- we had a blast!  We  finished the experience  just in time to grab lunch and watch the Sunday Nascar race at the neighboring BW3. (Tip: On some race days the HOF hosts watch parties in the theatre).

Not sure where to go next, we followed the echoing music and laughter to First Baptist Church where they appeared to be having an Easter Festival. A super kind pastor came over to welcome us and also suggested other areas of the city we might enjoy.  Our encounter with the pastor was one of many warm, welcoming, and helpful exchanges we experienced on our stay in North Carolina!  I love when locals are excited about their city and genuinely want you to see and feel what their “home “ has to offer.

On our walk back towards the hotel we ducked into Amelie’s French Bakery and Café  for sweet French pastries and coffee.  The flavored coffee drinks were délicieuse and gave my husband and I the jolt we needed! 

There was a spacious park across the street from the hotel. It wasn’t super crowded so the boys pulled out their baseball gloves and enjoyed playing catch for a bit! I enjoyed my pastries from Amelie's😀 

For the evening, we headed to the bustling city center, Tryon Street.  The city was in the final week of SHOUT Charlotte, a celebration of the city’s art, culture, and cuisine!! We played  a competitive game of spring themed mini golf, before a walk around Beardon Park to check out the decorative egg art installation before dinner and calling it a night.

We  took a leisurely walk down to the Discovery Place Science Center for our last day in Charlotte.  We spent the morning enjoying chemistry experiments, putting physics theories to test, and learning about the local wildlife and environment.  We tried to talk ourselves into touching the python snake the handlers had out, but by the time we worked up the nerve, they'd put the snake away and had a box turtle for us to pet🤗  But most of all, we enjoyed the exhibit Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Doctor Jane Goodall! It was informative, interactive, and engaging - a perfect experience for all ages.

We drove over to the University of North Carolina- Charlotte, for our last night in the city.  We love exploring college campuses )start those visits early)! Of course we made our way to the baseball field- a field my husband  played on in his college days!  A very kind and helpful student driver let us hop on the campus bus and dropped us off at the student union building. As we tend to be chatty, we had an encouraging convo with a UNC soccer player who shared some game tips with our youngest son.